As a favor to anyone that gets stuck having to buy anything from them and to all the people that I had to say "sorry you VCR is still in the shop, call back in two weeks." Here's a trick that may speed things up for you in the long run.

To start off with a PSP is Best Buy's extended warranty plan. Best Buy will call it many things but that's all it really is. When I worked for them anyone that brought in an item with a PSP for service that their computer system showed as "non-devo" had to be sent out. When we sent an item for repair out it took at times months to come back. Why? Well most of the time a single service center will take in items from a region of stores. This makes the volume of items that come in a day very high. Most of the time more then what the service center can handle, Thus increasing the wait time for repairs.

How do you get around this? It's as simple as asking the sales person if the item is "devo". If the item is devo and you have a PSP for them item, then if the item breaks and you are still in the time limit of the PSP the item will be replaced with the same thing or something of the same value.

Use this information as you will but keep in mind I haven't worked for Best Buy in almost a year. Rules and such change at any given moment. As far as I know this info is current but you never know.

Let me set the scene: A man and a woman enter a Best Buy looking to buy a computer. They know what they want. However, the employees of Best Buy seem to know what they want. They want a service contract, but they don't know it yet.

For a mere 25% of the purchase price, or roughly $250, Best Buy will fix any unforseen maladies that may arise. And the world will be as it should be, happy.

They say that they don't want the contract. If they wanted an extended warrenty, the manufacturer provides one for less than the Best Buy contract. They want a service contract, but they don't know it yet.

The clerk insists, what'll they do if the machine suddenly fails? They ease his fears by explaining that they have a tech-able son capable of fixing the problem. But Best Buy will fix it for free^*!

_{Free after $250 purchase price of three year contract.}

They inform him again, the answer is the same. No. He throws them another sales pitch. He's no longer a store-front clerk, he's a used-car salesman in a blue vest.

Why don't they want the contract? It's for their own good. He summons a brother in arms to help pitch the contract. For a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth time, they refuse.

If you mention the service contract one more time, we're leaving, the man says.

The young clerks try to pitch the contract again.

The couple leaves. Best Buy loses the thousand dollars the purchase would have brought them, though they actually won.

To fix a computer, they must employ a low level grunt at slightly greater than minimum wage. Few problems would take greater than an hour to fix, if said grunt is earning $8 / hour, their net profit is $242. Obviously, not every service contract is collected upon, thus ensuring risk and pain-free profit.

Actual Best Buy employee quotes:

"If a customer comes in and you have the idea that they're not going to buy the service plan, you'll tell them you don't have the product in stock"

"You definitely are just looking to prey on their fears, so that they're more likely to buy that service plan."

"I would blatantly lie to the customer, to be honest."

"Just shoot down the manufacturer's warranty with blatant lies."

_{(quotes from: http://www.cbsnews.com/now/story/0,1597,235079-412,00.shtml)}

The quoted employees worked at a store in Florida. I do not live in Florida. This is not an isolated case.

Disclaimer: The contents of this node are entirely statements of opinion.

_{Although this is Best Buy instead of Rants About Best Buy Sucking, this node was placed here as per request of the friendly neighborhood editors.}

Best Buy Co., Inc. - Random Facts and History

Best Buy headquarters is located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. As of June 2002, they have 481 retail stores in 41 U.S. states, and expect to have more than 550 stores by 2004. Best Buy currently has 94,000 employees, headed by CEO/Chairman Richard Schulze, Pres/COO Allen Lenzmeier, Pres Michael Keskey, CFO Darren Jackson, and Vice Chairman Bradbury Anderson. Best Buy Co. operates stores and websites under the names Best Buy, Media Play, On Cue, Sam Goody, Suncoast, Magnolia Hi-Fi and Future Shop. Best Buy Co. has 1,900 retail stores in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Best Buy was founded as Sound of Music in 1966 by CEO Richard M. Schulze. Sound of Music expanded to video gear (from audio-only) and adopted the Best Buy name in 1983. Best Buy went public in 1985 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:BBY) in 1987. In 1989, Best Buy introduced a new retail format, placing all inventory on the sales floor with non-commissioned product specialists.

Sources:
http://www.bestbuy.com
http://biz.yahoo.com/p/b/bby.html
http://www.xmradio.com/corporate_info/screen/sp_retail_best_buy.html