"Must buy digital camera...at best buy."

[AP]

Man, who is Best Buy's publicist? They have earned their money this weekend. The NYT plugged BB yesterday, my local news this morning, and NPR this afternoon.

WTF?

Any Zombie Shopping DU'ers find themselves in Best Buy today, not quite sure how or why they were there?

[AP]

1. Trying to find clues. What's the web of connections?

Here's the Best Buy Board:

Richard M. Schulze Chairman - Best Buy Co., Inc.

Bradbury H. Anderson Best Buy Co., Inc.

Elliot S. Kaplan Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP

Frank D. Trestman Trestman Enterprises

Dr. James C. Wetherbe Texas Tech University

Hatim A. Tyabji Saraide.com

Robert T. Blanchard Strategic and Marketing Services

Kathy J. Higgins Victor Centera Corporation

Allen U. Lenzmeier Best Buy Co., Inc.

Matthew H. Paull McDonald's Corporation

Ronald James Center for Ethical Business Cultures

Mary A. Tolan Accretive Health

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83192&p=IROL-FAQ#12

[ncrainbowgrrl]

2. a little board research:

from fundrace.org

MR. RICHARD M SCHULZE
FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN
BEST BUY COMPANY
George W. Bush
$2,000
EDINA, MN 55436

Mr. Richard Schulze
Requested
RNC
$2,000
Edina, MN 55439

MR. BRADBURY H ANDERSON
C.E.O.
BEST BUY COMPANY
George W. Bush
$2,000
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55405

Mr. Elliot S Kaplan
Attorney
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi
DNC
$7,500
Edina, MN 55436

Elliot S Kaplan
Attorney
Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi LL
John Kerry
$2,000
Edina, MN 554

from opensecrets.org
TRESTMAN, FRANK
MINNETONKA,MN 55305
TRESTMAN ENTERPRISES
9/4/2002
$1,000
Coleman, Norm

TRESTMAN, FRANK
HOPKINS,MN 55305
TRESTMAN ENTERPRISES
5/14/2004
$500
Ryan, Jack


TRESTMAN, FRANK
MINNETONKA,MN 55305

TRESTMAN ENTERPRISES
9/29/2003
$500
Ryan, Jack

[ncrainbowgrrl]

25. Replying to my own message- more info:

Schultze:

Schulze, Richard
Edina,MN 55439
FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN
BEST BUY COMPANY
8/19/2002
$5,000
Republican Party of Minnesota

Now here's an interesting find- Donations seem to be spread around the country pretty well...
Anderson
Anderson, Bradbury
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/24/2004
$3,125
Republican Federal Cmte of Pennsylvania

Anderson
Anderson, Bradbury Mr
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/24/2004
$2,975
Republican Party of Ohio

Anderson
Anderson, Bradbury
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/24/2004
$2,530
Republican State Cmte of Michigan

ANDERSON, BRADBURY
MINNEAPOLIS,MN 55405
BEST BUY INC
6/11/2003
$2,000
Ryan, Jack


ANDERSON, BRADBURY
MINNEAPOLIS,MN 55405
BEST BUY
8/29/2002
$2,000
National Republican Senatorial Cmte


ANDERSON, BRADBURY H
MINNEAPOLIS,MN 55405
BEST BUY INC
8/27/2003
$2,000
National Republican Senatorial Cmte


ANDERSON, BRADBURY H MR
MINNEAPOLIS,MN 55405
BEST BUY COMPANY/C.E.O.
4/27/2004
$2,000
Bush, George W

Anderson, Bradbury
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/24/2004
$1,487
Arizona Republican Party


Anderson, Bradbury
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/24/2004
$1,487
Republican Party of Wisconsin

Anderson, Bradbury H Mr
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/18/2004
$1,265
Republican Party of Minnesota

Anderson, Bradbury
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/24/2004
$1,042
Republican Party of Iowa


Anderson, Bradbury
Minneapolis,MN 55405
Best Buy
8/24/2004
$1,042
Republican Party of Oregon

[One Taste]

3. I went there this morning

Chappelle's Show Season 1 - $9.99 from $21.99

24 Season 1 - $12.99 from $48.99

[__Inanna__]

4. I obviously must be on the correct board

As I will never shop at Best Buy again in my life, due to their sneaky and dishonest practices. I remember when Best Buy was just this twirp of a company in some obscure location in Bloomington MN. Now they occupy two huge fancy new buildings on the main strip in Bloomington. BOYCOTT Best Buy, it's for the BEST.

[OneTwentyoNine]

14. Yep,anyone looking try New Egg--not just for computer parts

http://www.newegg.com/camera/?DEPA=7

Whole line of Digital Camera's. These guys are honest,you will get your merchandise and quickly...

[Spirochete]

27. That camera's a great deal

I have one of them. And now the price is down, so my sister ordered one from Newegg, too. I just put a 256M SD card in, and it now says I can take 323 picture. LOL

[hlthe2b]

5. I bought nothing except a quart of half & half and frozen strawberries....

........zilcho consumerism for me today.

[LeftyMom]

6. Not I!

They screwed me over good when I worked for them (paid less than they promised, told me they'd accomodate my school schedule but neglected to mention that anything less than open availability made you lowest priority for hours, denied me a promotion because I was pregnant, then screwed me out of my job when my maternity leave was over and told the state I'd quit in an effort to screw me out of unemployment) so I'm sure as hell not going to give them my money.

I wholeheartedly refuse to shop anyplace that treats thier employees like shit, if all else fails I'd rather shop at a repub-donating store that treats thier employees well than a sorta-dem one that fucks them bloody.

[DerBeppo]

8. I worked at Best Buy too

It was one of the best jobs i've had. I was in the media department and, aside from being emergency "trained" on register 5 minutes before the store opened on Christmas ever, I was treated well and paid pretty fair.

maybe it was just your store. If i don't buy something online, they're usually the first place i head.

[Piperay]

7. As I was coming home after Thanksgiving

at my father's about 4 in the morning I passed BB and the parking lot was full and people were all over the place. This being the Los Angeles area I thought they were filming a movie or TV show so I pulled into see what was up and discovered people were sitting in folding chairs waiting for the fucking store to open so they could shop! :wow: :crazy: :argh: I don't know what they could be selling that would be worth sitting out there in cold and dark till the damn store opened. :wtf:

[SoCalDem]

9. Need NOT buy digital anything at BB.. I bought mine direct online

free shipping..complete with docking station, bag, and photo paper..

:)

[DS1]

10. BestBuy sucks. Buy stuff online

www.bhphotovideo.com - these guys rock

[chicagiana]

15. I affirm ... Best Buy SUCKS !!!!

Poor service. Uninformed/ignorant staff.

OK, there is nothing WRONG with being ignorant. But salespeople should be trained to:

a) Recognize when people do NOT want help and avoid asking them, "Can I help you. ... No .... Okay well my name is ... just to let you know, We're not on commission so if you need any help just come find me." ....

After the eighth time that happens, you're ready to strangle someone.

Serious, people who are looking around (as if they're looking for someone) are the ones who want help.

b) Recognize when you're dealing with a computer guy or a video/audio phile. And when that happens, stop spewing their misinformed notions on how the products work and their relative merits.




I have no desire to get into an argument on how computer equipment works with a pimply little self important punk. RARELY have I come across Best Buy personnell who could do more then regurgitate buzz words.

Circuit City is better. So is CompUSA (if you have one). Typically, most other places will price match against Best Buy, so there is no reason to visit their crappy stores.



BTW, for the BEST prices, visit NewEgg.com at

http://www.newegg.com/camera/?DEPA=7

This is where the "geeks" like to shop. So the equipment reviews tend to be spot on (if not pendantic).

I personally recommend Kodak because they have excellent quality and they're easy to use. Sony comes close, but they use Memory Stick which is a bit pricier than either Secure Digital or Compact Flash. Olympus takes the cake as making the WORST interfaces out there.

The Kodaks are also nice because they come with those cute, easy to use docks that make downloading simple. They also have a few portable battery driven docks that will give you instant (but overpriced) prints.

If you're planning on using your camera for "extended periods" make sure you get one with Compact Flash capability. That allows you to using Microdrives (VERY small hard drives) that include vastly increased storage capabilities (at the cost of reduced battery life).

[LeftyMom]

29. Product training at Best Buy sucks

When I started working there they taught me to use thier computer system, thier "blah blah blah nocommission blah blah" canned speech and had me shadow another employee for about four hours at a time when she was too busy to tell me much. The next freakin' day I had a full shift in a department I had no prior expeioence with by myself. When I asked a manager when they were going to train me about the features of the products I was supposed to be selling, his advice was to "just read the tags." Maybe I expect too much, but can't the customer do that themselves?

Eventually I learned a lot of mineutia about my products by reading thier review at consumer reports, grilling prucuct reps, reading product manuals when the store was empty, but that was only out of my own desire to be competent at my job for self esteem reasons. No managers at my store cared, as long asccessory numbers were good and I pushed the warranties I could have told my customers any stupid thing that came into my head about the stuff on the floor.

[Abies]

19. bhphotovideo is great!

It is an awesome place to buy film and the prices on everything else are pretty hard to beat.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

11. I bought my digital camera from Costco.

Forget Best Buy and the rest of that ilk. They suck.

[elehhhhna]

12. I HATE BestBuy But re: Costco---

hell will freeze over before I pay a menbership fee to shop anywhere, ever. That goes for Sam and his stupid "Club", too.

[mondo joe]

17. I've Never Regreted my Costco Membership

I'm glad to have access to Costco. And I know I'm supporting a company with good values.

[Piperay]

26. Same here and

what I have saved there more than makes up for what the cost of membership is. They're a wonderful store makes me feel good doing business with such a progressive company.

[Xenus Sister]

30. Costco pays employees living wage and CEO doesn't get paid millions

They support Democratic candidates and are a progressive company who proudly use unions. They really do deserve support.

I don't much mind Best Buy, but I'm still mad at Circuit City for trying to derail DVDs back when they cooked up that pay-per-use "DIVX" bullshit (the name was later hijacked by hackers). I vowed then I'd never set foot into a Circuit City and to this day I still haven't.

I didn't shop Friday or yesterday, and won't go out shopping today. Or tomorrow, or anytime between now and Christmas. If I want something I'll buy it at a mom'n'pop store, Costco or online.

[Nlighten1]

13. I'm buying a digital camera

But I'm buying it used from a friend.

[OneTwentyoNine]

16. Remember when BB used to have a decent computer dept??

Back in the golden years 1994-1999. Now its a joke,almost like they feel they "must" have one just because, even if they stock almost nothing.

[mondo joe]

18. The Best Buy near me is always playing "Christian Rock"

Which is the main reason I won't shop there any more.

[LizW]

20. Here's the latest news I heard on Best Buy

http://www.computerworld.com/governmenttopics/government/legalissues/story/0,10801,97678,00.html

Age discrimination..... :grr:

[Gyre]

21. Check this site out

and then buy online from one of their sponsors. http://www.dpreview.com/

Gyre

[Nordic]

22. yet another post which makes absolutely no sense

Can't people, when they post, please explain what the F they're talking about?

[AP]

23. Best Buy has been mentioned constantly in the press.

And I'm saying it's because the news doesn't report news. They report what publicists push them to report.

I doubt that it's a coincidence that of the thousands of stores that could be the subject of stories about T-giving shopping, Best Buy got the most press yesterday.

[Nordic]

24. Oh. Okay. I'm now boycotting mainstream media because of this

so I guess I'm not in on the jokes. Or gettiing the hints.

Yes, you're absolutely right.

[SmokingJacket]

28. My local news too!!! Gannett???

Any best buy/gannett connections?

I had a friend who told me that Gannett is the antiChrist -- that might be the connection to **.