Every time I go to Best Buy, I regret it. It's not because there aren't things that I want to buy. It's because I feel like I'm forced to evaluate options solely based on the product packaging and the staggeringly uninformed "blue shirts" that are there to "help". Phones hardly work in big-box stores (essentially giant Faraday cages) so I can't use a smartphone to compare while I shop.
This is very disappointing after the experience of online shopping.
If they want me to buy, then they should help me make a decision, and that means making it easy to compare ratings and reviews from the web. Show reviews up front. Put an honest summary of product ratings on the shelf. Don't pretend like everything you sell is great. The reason I buy online is because I can make a relaxed and informed decision. If you enable that in a store then I can both handle the product and make a decision. That's when I am most likely to buy.
Also, I am personally offended when electronics stores try to sell me extremely marked-up accessories like HDMI cables. I would spend $10 in a store if it cost $5 online. But I will not spend $40 or $80, because I know better, and when you only give me terrible rip-off options then I can infer that you don't respect me, my money, or my intelligence.
This is very disappointing after the experience of online shopping.
If they want me to buy, then they should help me make a decision, and that means making it easy to compare ratings and reviews from the web. Show reviews up front. Put an honest summary of product ratings on the shelf. Don't pretend like everything you sell is great. The reason I buy online is because I can make a relaxed and informed decision. If you enable that in a store then I can both handle the product and make a decision. That's when I am most likely to buy.
Also, I am personally offended when electronics stores try to sell me extremely marked-up accessories like HDMI cables. I would spend $10 in a store if it cost $5 online. But I will not spend $40 or $80, because I know better, and when you only give me terrible rip-off options then I can infer that you don't respect me, my money, or my intelligence.