I was thrown out of Best Buy

[nitrogen_widget]

I voluntarily ban myself from stores when I get horrible service or I disagree with their business practices on moral ground. I tell management and write a letter, then never step foot in any of their stores.

The list: TGI Friday's, Target, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Applebees

I don't make enough money to take the moral highground.
I would have to ban every store that buys from China if I wanted to do it right.

and my pappy always said if you arn't going to do something right.......

As for restaurants, I've noticed the bad ones usually close down if they keep being bad.

Though we do have a Taco Bell that is the absolute worst when it comes to time it takes to make your order.

Every 6 months I visit on my lunch hoping it will take less than 20 minutes to get mine.

[amckee]

I was browsing another forum and saw a story about a guy that was detained at Best Buy. I guess it's kind of the opposite of what happened as far as getting kicked out.

I've been on the opinion for awhile that I'm never going to let anybody search my bags while leaving a store. Somebody actually was able to get soemthing for his troubles!

I had gone to a strip mall to get some pet food. I parked in front of the pet store. After getting the food, I walked to Best Buys, which was a few stores away from the pet store.

I looked around in the store and just like Best Buys wants, I decided to purchase a CD. (Impulse buy.) Went to the register where I paid for the item and then asked if I could put the BestBuy bag inside the bag with my pet food. The clerk said "sure," so I did just that and walked toward the exit where a guy in a blue shirt said "can I check your bags?"

I replied, "No thanks, I am happy with them the way they are," and kept walking. He ran up to me and got in my way (just inside the exit door) and said "You need to let me see inside your bags."

To which I replied "No thanks," and kept tried to move around him.

Mr Blue shirt grabbed my arm.

I pulled it away forcefully and said "do you know what assault is?" and then walked out of the store.

I walked to my car with the guy following me. I knew that he had shouted for someone to get help but I didn't care.

I get to my car and the guy tries to prevent me from getting into it.

"Son, you are making a huge mistake here," I said. "I suggest that you let me get in my car and drive away before you do something that is really stupid and results in your being charged."

He grabbed my arm when I opened the door.

I shook him off and got in my car. By then about 5 other blue shirts had arrived and stood around my car, preventing me from leaving. I got out of the car and told them that their actions were contrary to the law and I suggested that they move. They didn't, and when I tried to get back into my car,they again grabbed me.

"What's in the bag?" one said.

"Legally purchased items," was my reponse.

One guy got up in my face and said "show us the bag <explative> or else."

I laughed.

Out of the corner of my eye I see the cops coming.

The cops get out of their vehicles and want to know what is going on. The Best Buy guys start telling the cops that I was a shoplifter and I had nearly started a fight with them.

I didn't say anything until the cops asked for my version of the events. They asked me to move away from my car to talk to them and I said, "actually, I'd prefer to stay right here next to my car if it is okay with you. Their store is down that way, why not talk to them closer to their property and I will talk to you here next to my property."

The cops agreed and moved the blue shirts and now the store manager away from me.

I told the cops what happened.

"Can we search your car?" they said.

"No," I replied. "You don't have cause. But I will show you and only you the content of the bag."

I pulled out the bag and handed it to the cop. Inside he found one CD with a receipt from Best Buy and 2 pounds of bird seed from the pet store and the receipt.

The cop walked over to the Best Buy guys and told them that there was nothing in my bags.

He came back to me and said "sorry for the inconvience."

I replied, "I'd like to press charges for assault and unlawful detention."

"You can't win that," the cop said. "They say you assaulted them. It is your word against theirs."

"Not really," I said. "Look up."

I didn't want to leave my car because there were security cameras right over it. "The in store cameras will prove I am telling the truth as well."

So we went to the mall security office and watched the tapes of the incident. We then went back to Best Buy and watched the tape of the incident in the store. There was no doubt that the employees had lied.

The manager came up to me and apologized. Knowing that the time for apologies was long gone, he then said, "I'll give you a gift certificate to make up for the trouble."

"Should be a big one," the cop said.

So I got a $500 gift certificate from Best Buys which I exchanged for a $600 TV (they gave it to me for the gift certificate.)

That's the story.

The key is to remain calm and know your rights.

[Ted the Penguin]

I was browsing another forum and saw a story about a guy that was detained at Best Buy. I guess it's kind of the opposite of what happened as far as getting kicked out.

I've been on the opinion for awhile that I'm never going to let anybody search my bags while leaving a store. Somebody actually was able to get soemthing for his troubles!

awesome story, thanks for sharing

gotta love stupidity... and people acting like sheep.

[Deusxmachina]

That story is an example of why shoplifters are welcome at Home Depot and management fires employees who get in their way.

[bogyver]

I work with a guy who worked at BB when he was in college, he was telling me the other day that the markup on some of the cables can be as high as 800%. Specifically he told me that for the do it your self Ethernet kit (contains 250ft cat 5e cheapo crimper and like 10 rj45 ends) cost BB about 5 dollars and they turn around and sell it for like 70 to 100 dollars

On the topic of monster cables, I like the quality of them but i don't buy them retail, I only buy mine off of ebay. I have noticed a interesting trend between hdmi to hdmi and hdmi to dvi monster cables. This week I won an auction for a monster ultra 600 dvi to hdmi cable a 4 footer for 4.95, I tried to get the same cable but hdmi to hdmi, and after watching about 20 auctions saw almost all of them go for about 30 dollar. That's still a good price, but I'm cheap and want it for under 10 dollars. (I like to have all matching cables on my home theater)
I just found it rather funny how 2 cables that are identical aside from one end can have such a large price difference, I guess there's just more demand for the hdmi to hdmi.

[groover km]

I was browsing another forum and saw a story about a guy that was detained at Best Buy. I guess it's kind of the opposite of what happened as far as getting kicked out.

I've been on the opinion for awhile that I'm never going to let anybody search my bags while leaving a store. Somebody actually was able to get soemthing for his troubles!

I saw a similar story on slashdot just this week, and I agree totally. Depending on my mood, I typically won't let these people look in my bags on principle. It's none of their business, and they are my purchases. They are not law enforcement, they have no legal right to do so - what if I had something embarrassing in there?

If they think I have committed a crime, they can accuse me of such - which requires them to actually see me secret an item about my person, not pay for it, and attempt to leave the store with it - but they have absolutely no right whatsoever to mooch through my personal possessions.

they can ask, I can refuse. That's it - I don't lose my rights just because I am standing in the middle of BB.

If you have a problem with 'shrinkage', invest in proper security, and If you think I've nicked something, accuse me and call the police, or let me leave and get my tag, and I'll see you in court.

Otherwise, shift.

[nitrogen_widget]

How about the Outback Steak House.. More of joke if all the workers a kids and the manager is well. Service is bad. Once I had ordered a well done steak I got red meat. I know some of you here might eat that way but I get sick to my stomach. It has to be cook but not burnt. If you burn it you take it back and cook me another one or I just walk out...

Never ate there.
But i've waited 25 mins for table before I booked.
The servers were early 20's, never saw a manager.

Chilis - okay with food famous for baby barbauque rids I don't eat, .

I love Chilli's.
they used to have two for one Deseque's on draft then changed it to Heinikin.
Never had a problem with service.
At least at the one I only go to.

[nitrogen_widget]

I was browsing another forum and saw a story about a guy that was detained at Best Buy. I guess it's kind of the opposite of what happened as far as getting kicked out.

I've been on the opinion for awhile that I'm never going to let anybody search my bags while leaving a store. Somebody actually was able to get soemthing for his troubles!

I'd be in jail if a BB guy grabbed my arm.
Mostly because I would try to tear it off & beat him down with it.

Most times I am very diplomatic in situations like that, but once they put their hands on me I want to make them regret it.

I think it comes from growing up in an Italian / Sicilian family.

[Deusxmachina]

I don't think this other story was posted. If so, here's a repeat. This guy actually got booked at his Circuit City.

http://www.michaelrighi.com/2007/09/01/a...cuit-city/

[pcostanza]

I'd be in jail if a BB guy grabbed my arm.
Mostly because I would try to tear it off & beat him down with it.

Most times I am very diplomatic in situations like that, but once they put their hands on me I want to make them regret it.

I think it comes from growing up in an Italian / Sicilian family.

And there's nothing wrong with that! :p (Paul Costanza)