So I’m sure that there are Best Buys in the world that know what they’re doing, but the one in Missoula is just pathetic.
I’ve had a number of not-great experiences there, but today was especially hilarious. I went in to get a Windows laptop because I want to play more video games (SimCity was the straw that broke this particular camel’s back). And as luck would have it they had a Samsung Chronos 7 open-box marked down from $900 to under $650. So I was like, yes please!
I should have known something was wrong with it, but I figured they wouldn’t sell it if it was totally busted.
Well, it was totally busted. The trackpad was completely unusable, it clicked one out of every three actual clicks and activated phantom clicks constantly while I was typing. I figured before taking it back, it was worth updating the driver for the trackpad to see if maybe it was a software problem.
Well I check and THERE IS NO DRIVER FOR THE TRACKPAD! When the person who returned it brought it back, the “Geek Squad” did a full wipe and Windows re-install and DIDN’T RE-INSTALL THE DRIVER! They, I assume, discovered the trackpad problem and put it back on the shelf with a steep discount because they couldn’t figure out how to fix REINSTALL A DRIVER!
So I install the trackpad driver and the computer is 100% fine. I mean, obviously I came out on top here, I got a nice laptop very inexpensively, but it’s unconscionable to sell a broken laptop, and it wouldn’t have been so steeply discounted if they didn’t know it was broken.
Brick and mortar stores are not going to be able to keep existing if they don’t provide services that you can’t get online. Why would I buy an expensive protection plan from a store with a support department that doesn’t know how to install a hardware driver?
Why are they hiring people to work their support department who don’t know how to do the basic stuff?
I mean, geez, a few years back when I needed a job and was desperate I applied, and when I followed up was told I wasn’t what they were looking for. Oh I’m sorry, you don’t want someone who can build a computer themselves? Afraid you’ll have to pay them more than minimum wage? Or was it because I’m a girl and y’all are afraid of the Manly Men (TM) who won’t buy from a girl because there’s no possible way she can know anything other than how to be in the kitchen?





