Surface Purchase Experience

[Rick Sutliffe]

Just a note about a recent trip to Best Buy. My daughter is home for the holidays and fell in love with my Surface. After testing all the things she needed to accomplish for her work on my tablet, she found it was exactly what she needed and we headed off to Best Buy to pick one up for her. It was a Saturday and the store was pretty crowded, but there were literally dozens of blue-shirted Best Buy employees working. We went directly to the Laptop/Tablet section but couldn't locate the Surface display. We asked for help and were directed to the Mobile Phone(?!) area where we did, in fact, find the Surface display. She already knew what she wanted so we waited in line to speak to a representative and when it was our turn, we were told that we had to return to the Laptop/Tablet area to make a purchase. We did and ended up speaking with another employee (#3) who told us that he would take our name and mobile number and that someone would call us as soon as they where available. After waiting for what seemed like a long time, we approched another employee (#4) and told him we simply wanted to purchase a Surface tablet. His reply was "What kind?". I said "a 32GB with the Touch Cover". He appeared to be confused and replied "A what?" We explained the best we could and he left saying he would check into it for us and never returned. After some more time passed, another employee (#5) asked if he could help (I think at this time we were both looking a little annoyed). We explained what we wanted and he was very helpful and knowlegeable and to his credit, within 10 minutes we had the surface and were out the door. The 10 minute purchase took well over an hour. Now I'm not trying to indict Best Buy, but it is easy to see why they may be in trouble. Everyone we spoke to was polite, but for the most part, mostly clueless. In any event, my daughter got her Surface and is very happy with it, but the Best Buy purchase expierience makes it difficult for me to consider revisiting the store for a future purchase. Just my vent for the day...

 

[yalden]

I had a very poor customer experience from John Lewis here in the UK when purchasing my Surface tablet, perhaps MS should've chose their initial retailers more wisely!

 

[J515OP]

Best Buy is in a lot of trouble far beyond the Surface. This just exemplifies the deeper issues, particularly when it comes to a new device they have no idea they are selling.

 

[Griff]

My mother-in-law was visiting during Christmas and decided to get a Surface after using mine for about five minutes. Like me, she really wanted to like her iPad, but needs to be able to get work done on her tablet. On a side note, I really hate that Best Buy has turned into this. Ten years ago (single, no kids) I spent a huge chunk of each paycheck at my local BB.

 

[Rick Sutliffe]

Best Buy is in a lot of trouble far beyond the Surface. This just exemplifies the deeper issues, particularly when it comes to a new device they have no idea they are selling.

I mostly objected to the product placement. The Surface was displayed along side mobile phones, like a giant smartphone. No one in the department seemed to have any idea what we were looking for. Kinda annoying actually.

 

[drowe]

Unless I am just walking in to look around, I order everything on the web and set it for in store pickup. No hassles, no trying to explain to some clueless drone, just go in, pay and out the door. I've heard such nonsense coming out of their mouths talking to other customers, I want to slap them and rescue the customer.

 

[bosamar]

Microsoft's decision to go with 'big box' Best Buy was an only choice. Too few big box stores exist and most, like Best Buy, don't care. Zero training, knowledge, and commitment. Seems to me all of their employees are going through the motions to go home.

 

[Rick Sutliffe]

Unless I am just walking in to look around, I order everything on the web and set it for in store pickup. No hassles, no trying to explain to some clueless drone, just go in, pay and out the door. I've heard such nonsense coming out of their mouths talking to other customers, I want to slap them and rescue the customer.

really good advice, I think.

 

[Sin]

Glad your daughter got her Surface. I also agree on Best Buy. I really want to like the place, since sometimes it just nice to browse around a real store and even try some hardware out, but the lack of knowledge is just ridiculous. Same issue I have with cell phone carriers. Just frustrating heating some of the non-sense that is told to customers looking for information and advice.

 

[bosamar]

Makes me very angry Sin.

 

[bobby.e]

Surface purchase expierience

Unless I am just walking in to look around, I order everything on the web and set it for in store pickup. No hassles, no trying to explain to some clueless drone, just go in, pay and out the door. I've heard such nonsense coming out of their mouths talking to other customers, I want to slap them and rescue the customer.

I did correct an employee to a customer once. They told a customer Microsoft office was available on the iPad. I told the customer they were wrong. The employee pulled something up on the App Store. It was an ebook. The customer and I laughed at the bb employee and I walked out without buying the cable I needed.

 

[R0bR]

I mostly objected to the product placement. The Surface was displayed along side mobile phones, like a giant smartphone. No one in the department seemed to have any idea what we were looking for. Kinda annoying actually.

I was at a Best Buy in the U.S just before Christmas and noticed the same thing. The tablets department was packed of people and yet the Surface was on display in the mobile phone department where there was no traffic at all. I went to a Best Buy here in Canada and they had two on display in the Tablet department but no keyboard attached so consumers couldn't get the full experience.