Originally posted by: Nebor
Best Buy will have your company buried in under 10 years.
Your business model isn't viable. It's ridiculous to sell someone a TV at a loss just to ensure their future business.... Because how many TVs do people really buy?!
Actually, from what I can tell, the chain that he's talking about (100+ (?) stores) seems to be expanding and even owns a separate upscale appliance chain. A transaction where they lose moeny probably occurs only on very rare occassions. I think the company's business model is to buy closeout items at discounted prices or something to that effect and then sell them at prices that are competitive with other companies. The chain advertises on TV and puts out newspaper ads and newspaper sales flyers all the time.
I'd probably drop in more often if I had one that was only two or three miles away.
Aside from iffy return policies, I guess the only thing I don't like is that the salespeople can get obnoxious sometimes; everyone's grubbing for a commission and trying to be "helpful". Personally, I prefer to do my own research on items over the Internet and prefer to be left alone when shopping, but oh well. Sometimes that store has worthwhile deals, but not too many computer items, unfortunately. My current 19" Envision monitor came from that store, purchased during a BF sale a couple years ago. (Had to fight with Envision for the $50 rebate though.)
I will say this--shopping that store is much more interesting than going to a Best Buy or a Circuit City. It certainly has far more character and I love how the chain's owner has made himself an advertising icon, appearing in semi-humorous TV ads.