[BMW F22]

I was trying to buy Planet Earth in blu-ray and found them selling for $39.99 at a few places. Amazon has them for $39.99 as well but I'd rather just go to a local store and buy it so I could enjoy it sooner. So I found them at Best Buy for the same price but the local stores are sold out of them. I even went to one cus it showed in store online but I guess it wasn't up to minute/hour/date. The closest one that has it is about 40 minutes away.

I called a local Walmart and they were out (I usually don't like shopping there for some reason). On the way home from that Best Buy store Target popped into mind so I called them up. They had 2 copies in stock so I came in to pick up a copy. I printed out the price from BB to show them just in case they require it for price matching because they were selling the same thing for $84.99!!! WTF?

I went to the customer service station and they told me that they can't do match it unless it's advertised in the paper. I explained that it's not something that is advertised because that's their normal price (it's been like that for a long time). How do I know? Well I looked it up a while back just for fun but just felt the urge to buy it recently and noticed prices haven't changed. I just don't get why they need it to be advertised in order to match it. I understand it's their policy but it's a dumb one IMO. Yes they do that to prevent people from PSing prices or whatever (I don't know how to do that) but I even offered to call a local BB store for them. The manager even came over and said they can't do anything about it.

How do you expect to attract customers when your shit is selling for more than twice what others are selling for? Hell Target is one of my favorite stores to shop at but after today I'm hesitant about them. It's total B.S.!! Looks like I'll have to go buy it from Walmart tomorrow...

[kabalm18]

Originally Posted by BMW E90

I was trying to buy Planet Earth in blu-ray and found them selling for $39.99 at a few places. Amazon has them for $39.99 as well but I'd rather just go to a local store and buy it so I could enjoy it sooner. So I found them at Best Buy for the same price but the local stores are sold out of them. I even went to one cus it showed in store online but I guess it wasn't up to minute/hour/date. The closest one that has it is about 40 minutes away.

I called a local Walmart and they were out (I usually don't like shopping there for some reason). On the way home from that Best Buy store Target popped into mind so I called them up. They had 2 copies in stock so I came in to pick up a copy. I printed out the price from BB to show them just in case they require it for price matching because they were selling the same thing for $84.99!!! WTF?

I went to the customer service station and they told me that they can't do match it unless it's advertised in the paper. I explained that it's not something that is advertised because that's their normal price (it's been like that for a long time). How do I know? Well I looked it up a while back just for fun but just felt the urge to buy it recently and noticed prices haven't changed. I just don't get why they need it to be advertised in order to match it. I understand it's their policy but it's a dumb one IMO. Yes they do that to prevent people from PSing prices or whatever (I don't know how to do that) but I even offered to call a local BB store for them. The manager even came over and said they can't do anything about it.

How do you expect to attract customers when your shit is selling for more than twice what others are selling for? Hell Target is one of my favorite stores to shop at but after today I'm hesitant about them. It's total B.S.!! Looks like I'll have to go buy it from Walmart tomorrow...

That's just bad business, especially in this economy. What you need to do is a mean wife(like mine) to go in there and take care of business! My wife has been able to get Lowes to match prices we found on the internet, even though it's not there policy to match internet pricing. Big discounts! Just go in there and raise a stink until you are satisfied, don't give up like Mr. Polian!

[Sara]

That is awful! In my store, we strive to make it the best place for customers to shop. Too bad we dont sell DVD's. I would have done that for you.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by kabalm18

That's just bad business, especially in this economy. What you need to do is a mean wife(like mine) to go in there and take care of business! My wife has been able to get Lowes to match prices we found on the internet, even though it's not there policy to match internet pricing. Big discounts! Just go in there and raise a stink until you are satisfied, don't give up like Mr. Polian!

I could have raised hell but didn't feel like it's worth it. I hope corporate will change the policy because it's just bad business like you said. I mean other stores have lower prices on many other items so they can't possibly advertise every single item every week. In those cases how the hell are we as consumers supposed to give them our business when they make it so difficult for us to do so.

Originally Posted by Sara504

That is awful! In my store, we strive to make it the best place for customers to shop. Too bad we dont sell DVD's. I would have done that for you.

Your store might be an exception.
I was royally pissed off. As mentioned I really like Target but their policy has turned me away. If I was the manager I would have price matched it- especially since the customer has printed proof as well as offered to call a Best Buy store and WAL-MART (possibly their main competitor).

[DarqueFun]

QQ.

[timn]

Fry's will Price match even if not advertised. Not sure if you have one of those around.

But, it's just business. You want it now, you gotta pay. Get Amazon Prime, free 2 day shipping on everything for $80/year. Best purchase ever.

[Inspired]

Originally Posted by GhostRideTheWhip

I have it and it rocks!

+1 i have the trial version right now..

[bolinp78]

With online stores such as Amazon, it's a gimme. Of course it will be cheaper. With brick and mortar stores such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart, there's more of a gray area.

Did you call Best Buy and ask them if that price is available IN THE STORE?

I can plainly see that it's available online. But being available online only is completely different than being available in the store. It says it's not available for store pick-up, but I'm not sure if that means that the $39.99 price is not available in the store.

Check on that and get back to us, because that might be the almighty answer to this rant. Or, I could be wrong.

EDIT: I just went to Wal-Mart.com and found it for $39.99. Of course, this is an ONLINE PRICE as it clearly says "Prices in store may vary", which I imagine that they do.

[darkcloud]

I think my wife got me this for xmas. Although I think it's the scaled down version "Earth". I'll check when I get home later. If its the full copy I'll see what she paid and let you know. If its the same you can buy it off me. I was thinking about returning it anyways.

[Spec 1]

Sounds like you should just buy it from a different store or online. "I could've raised hell", lol. I would be seriously laughing at the guy raising hell in a Target because their price wasn't as cheap as other stores who didn't have it in stock. Why do you think Target is the only one with it in stock???

And Target's policy on price matching is common throughout the industry. You must be easy to get worked up

[lambtron]

Originally Posted by BMW E90

I was trying to buy Planet Earth in blu-ray and found them selling for $39.99 at a few places. Amazon has them for $39.99 as well but I'd rather just go to a local store and buy it so I could enjoy it sooner. So I found them at Best Buy for the same price but the local stores are sold out of them. I even went to one cus it showed in store online but I guess it wasn't up to minute/hour/date. The closest one that has it is about 40 minutes away.

I called a local Walmart and they were out (I usually don't like shopping there for some reason). On the way home from that Best Buy store Target popped into mind so I called them up. They had 2 copies in stock so I came in to pick up a copy. I printed out the price from BB to show them just in case they require it for price matching because they were selling the same thing for $84.99!!! WTF?

I went to the customer service station and they told me that they can't do match it unless it's advertised in the paper. I explained that it's not something that is advertised because that's their normal price (it's been like that for a long time). How do I know? Well I looked it up a while back just for fun but just felt the urge to buy it recently and noticed prices haven't changed. I just don't get why they need it to be advertised in order to match it. I understand it's their policy but it's a dumb one IMO. Yes they do that to prevent people from PSing prices or whatever (I don't know how to do that) but I even offered to call a local BB store for them. The manager even came over and said they can't do anything about it.

How do you expect to attract customers when your shit is selling for more than twice what others are selling for? Hell Target is one of my favorite stores to shop at but after today I'm hesitant about them. It's total B.S.!! Looks like I'll have to go buy it from Walmart tomorrow...

Dude just buy it from amazon, lol. You get free shipping and no tax so you'll save yourself a lunch meal

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by bolinp78

With online stores such as Amazon, it's a gimme. Of course it will be cheaper. With brick and mortar stores such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart, there's more of a gray area.

Did you call Best Buy and ask them if that price is available IN THE STORE?

I can plainly see that it's available online. But being available online only is completely different than being available in the store. It says it's not available for store pick-up, but I'm not sure if that means that the $39.99 price is not available in the store.

Check on that and get back to us, because that might be the almighty answer to this rant. Or, I could be wrong.

EDIT: I just went to Wal-Mart.com and found it for $39.99. Of course, this is an ONLINE PRICE as it clearly says "Prices in store may vary", which I imagine that they do.

Yes Best Buy has it in store for $39.99. I actually went to one cus it said that they have it in stock online. However, when I got there it was sold out. A girl that works there was actually looking for it as well. It was pretty much sold out at most best buy stores around here. The closest one to me is about 40 minutes away. BB's prices are usually the same in the store as they are online. If not, they will match them for you.

Originally Posted by Spec 1

Sounds like you should just buy it from a different store or online. "I could've raised hell", lol. I would be seriously laughing at the guy raising hell in a Target because their price wasn't as cheap as other stores who didn't have it in stock. Why do you think Target is the only one with it in stock???

And Target's policy on price matching is common throughout the industry. You must be easy to get worked up

That's exactly why I didn't do anything. I personally don't think that making a scene out of it is worth it. However, I have no problem with doing so if it's something I believe in. I mean I was buying a DSLR at Fry's a while back and they just went online/called the BB store and price-matched it for me. At Lowe's I just printed something from BB's site and they matched it. At BB they would just go online and match it for me.

I don't usually get pissy about things like that. In fact, it's the first time ever that I've complained about a store. Like I said, Target was one of my favorite places to shop at. I just found it ridiculous that they're making customers jump through hoops to get a price matched. If it was a few $ more I would have just bought it there. In this case it was more than twice what the other stores are selling it for.

I see it like this- there are 5 dealers that sell the same car that you want. Three or four of those dealers are selling it for $20k. You drove to the closest store (the 5th dealer) with intent to buy one but they won't even give you the same deal or close to it because "it is not advertised on paper". I mean think about it, if everything needs to be advertised then we'll never gonna have any price matching going on.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by lambtron

Dude just buy it from amazon, lol. You get free shipping and no tax so you'll save yourself a lunch meal

I found it at Borders and Barnes and Noble so I will probably buy it from there. Trust me, it's not about being cheap as it is about how ridiculous the policy is. I mean if everyone else was selling it for $84.99 and I want it, I would have no problem buying it at that price.

[bolinp78]

Originally Posted by BMW E90

usually the same in the store as they are online. If not, they will match them for you.

I cannot think of an instance where an online only price will be matched in the store. If this is their policy then I am missing something. There is a reason that the prices are often different. Actually a few.



http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....60&id=cat12098

What is an "online only offer?"
It is a product or a price that is only offered to online buyers. Best Buy does not match BestBuy.com online only offers in our stores.


Now if it's not an online only offer then I don't know what to tell you.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by bolinp78

I cannot think of an instance where an online only price will be matched in the store. If this is their policy then I am missing something. There is a reason that the prices are often different. Actually a few.

Really? I was browsing laptop prices on Best Buy's site a few weeks ago and they were exactly the same in the stores. Most, if not all, of their prices are the same online as well as in-store. There are some items that are available online only but that's a different story. I don't remember the last time I had to tell them that their online price was cheaper. Even if it was they would just match it for you.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by bolinp78

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....60&id=cat12098

What is an "online only offer?"
It is a product or a price that is only offered to online buyers. Best Buy does not match BestBuy.com online only offers in our stores.


Now if it's not an online only offer then I don't know what to tell you.

That doesn't mean they follow it blindly. Sometimes you have to bend the rules to please customers. Hell the last time I went there to buy a lens they just printed something out online and they matched it.

[742]

They have the last two discs for 40 miles and customers walking around with gift money. Supply and demand.

Nothing personal, just business.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by 742

They have the last two discs for 40 miles and customers walking around with gift money. Supply and demand.

Nothing personal, just business.

I'm sure Walmart has it as well as other stores. I just didn't think of the other stores until I did a search. Anyhow, I prefer Target since I like it there and it's close by. I just bought a blu-ray from there that was a few $ more than BB but it didn't bother me much. In this case, however, it's $84.99 vs $39.99...

I know it's just business but that's just bad business if you ask me.

[Kroy]

Surprising for me to hear they wouldn't price match. Then again, I don't think I've ever price matched at Target before. I remember the last time I price matched was at Best Buy and they actually went only to frys (or some similar store) website to check price and match for me.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by Kroy

Surprising for me to hear they wouldn't price match. Then again, I don't think I've ever price matched at Target before. I remember the last time I price matched was at Best Buy and they actually went only to frys (or some similar store) website to check price and match for me.

Exactly. Target seems to be one of the few that makes it so damn hard on customers. Stores like Sears would price match it and give you 10% of the difference- too bad they only sell it online only.

[SpacE82]

I worked at Target electronics for about 7 years. When I was there, the policy was no price matching at all. At first they matched prices with competitors (K-Mart, Walmart) but than they stopped. I dont know why, and it sucked because it pissed a lot of people off and in turn, made my job a lot harder cuz everyone was pissed me even though I had no control over the policies.

The managers wont change the price, especially if the price is half of what it costs there. If there is a ticket error or a label error, the price is changed. But they have no control over what the prices are and wont change the price just because its cheaper somewhere else.

I havent been working there for a few years so I dont know if the policy changed again. My brother works at Staples and they price match. Its all depending on the store. I guess the thought process at Target is, someone will by it for $85.

I saw it hundreds of times, people arguing the policies...theres nothing the team members or managers can do...they come from Mr Target himself.

[stooken]

I doubt that customer service rep. really cared if you purchased the DVD or not. Some people are just lazy to check for you to be able to do the price match. It's easier to just say "No". Their paycheck doesn't change.