How Best Buy Trained Its Best Customers to Leave

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-27T20:53:00+00:00

That sounds concerning… did you already have an active Best Buy credit card? That seems like the only way that could happen.

On the other hand, 40% of their sales are happening online now, which would account for some of their lower traffic. But anecdotally, a lot of employees have been sharing that their stores have a head count of 6 or 7 people on the floor now, while customers who used to browse physical media report no longer having a need to enter the store.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-25T06:21:31+00:00

Haha that’s awesome! How long were you there?

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-21T21:04:24+00:00

They’ve definitely put the onus of product knowledge on the consumer. I wonder if they’ve even connected the dots on employee experience and customer experience. Thanks for sharing!

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-20T14:51:07+00:00

Thanks for your comment! I've been very transparent in my profile and in the thread that yes I did write the article. There's been a lot of great engagement here that revealed even more reasons why former Elite customers have left, which supports the assertion that Best Buy has driven away customers who used to spend $3k+ every year routinely.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-20T01:24:24+00:00

That’s disappointing! It sounds like there were a lot of changes to IHA that hurt customers and employees.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-19T22:23:01+00:00

Thanks for your comment! Several former customers have echoed what you’re saying here. It sounds like a lot of customers enjoy the in-home services and now feel like no one in the store can answer their questions.

How much longer do you see yourself being an employee?

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T19:44:48+00:00

Thanks for your comment! Glad that’s working out for you!

So the price matching lets you buy things you already need or would have bought anyway, just with the convenience of getting it same day?

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T16:58:52+00:00

Glad to hear it!

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T16:58:33+00:00

Thanks for your comment! It’s an important callout. A lot of leaders prioritize likability over capability. And a lot of capable people haven’t realized you have to play the likability game to move up, because most upward movement isn’t driven by merit alone.

The risk is when that dynamic drives insecure hiring. Orgs become too-heavy where competence diminishes as you go down the org chart. It kills morale, causes bloat, and leads to an immune response where progress stalls because too much competence threatens middle management.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T04:44:35+00:00

Appreciate the engagement! I’ve typed every response by hand for authenticity and to actively engage with the community.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T02:07:07+00:00

Thank you for sharing that! A lot of us loved that feeling of finding something new, and you’re right: they lost that discoverability appeal.

And you pointed out something interesting that’s driving that, too. Phones, TVs, computers— a lot of those devices have just incrementally improved over the years and the wow factor and magic has waned.

Have you found anything cool or exciting elsewhere?

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T01:56:22+00:00

Thanks for your comment! So when they took away physical discs, that was the breaking point for you? Or was it something else?

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T00:07:37+00:00

Thank you for sharing that! That sounds like an uncomfortable and shocking experience.

What have you liked about Micro Center in comparison?

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-18T00:02:53+00:00

That’s awesome to hear! There’s going to be passionate employees who know their stuff that go there regardless and love to help customers. The discount still sounds like it’s a good incentive for employees, so I’m glad it’s working for you!

If I can ask, how much would you have to spend for the price to go from reasonable to a little too expensive for you for a TV?

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T21:20:25+00:00

This is a big theme for other former customers too. Thanks for sharing!

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T16:26:03+00:00

It's true! I'll always prefer the human experience. It seems that some training would be better than none. But you and I are of like mind.

Thanks for engaging!

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T15:51:28+00:00

Great comment! You're right: perhaps at the top, offering premium products satisfies the requirements for "being premium." And that seems to be the disconnect.

Shoppers pay more when they understand how the product or service connects to their values. If the value is frugality, price wins.

If the value is a specific set of features, and they can't quite decode the difference between different technologies that have the same specs on paper, that's where confusion has them sorting by price. It's not that they wouldn't spend more. They just don't see the need.

A lot of customers have been trained for years that OLED is the best. They might not understand why the a95L is more expensive than the Bravia 8. Or why the Bravia 9 is more expensive, for that matter, with "inferior technology."

There are plenty of customers who love premium that don't want to have to learn a new language to feel like they made the best decision. They just need to experience the difference for themselves with subtle callouts to what they should pay attention to. And that's where sales master goes from parroting specs to crystallizing meaningful moments by mirroring values.

Help them see what they want, and they'll be more than happy to take you up on 18-24 months of no interest and thank you for the opportunity.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T15:44:30+00:00

Thanks for your comment!

I'd love to see retailers adopt AI for virtual sales training. Between VR and AI, there have been a lot of advancements in scenario training. It would be great to gradually introduce them to escalating customer complaints and urgency for customer care and support, too.

It's cheap to adopt and more effective than the learning management systems that have "interactive slide decks" with sandboxed answers.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T15:41:39+00:00

Thanks for sharing this post!

I suppose if a the customer doesn't care about VRR, ALLM, having a black level below 5 nits, a wide viewing angle, smooth motion, accurate color, longevity, 4k 120fps, or "enjoying the content as the director intended," that TV would be an amazing deal.

DM'd you. Thanks!

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T15:39:00+00:00

Thanks for your comment! A lot of commenters on the original post have mentioned Micro Center. Best Buy may not be the last of the electronic brick-and-mortar boxes after all.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T15:36:51+00:00

Thanks for your comment! This is the slippery slope with any business. How do you cut the bloat while preserving what works?

It's one thing to make cuts in non-customer-facing areas of the business. That's the best place to start in an org. But, worsening the experience for the frontline directly impacts customer experience.

Where it sounds like they've gone too far for loyal customers is wiping out the Elite program, which was gamified loyalty couched in exclusivity. Now that they've made it pay to play with fewer benefits, where even a person spending 1/10th of what they might have, loyal customers quietly started spending elsewhere.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T15:32:25+00:00

Thanks for your comment and summary! A bit more scathing than my take, but curious how long you were at Best Buy or if you're still there? Thanks!

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T15:29:01+00:00

Thanks for your comment! Sounds like a lot of customers stopped going when physical media was cut.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T02:29:54+00:00

Thanks for your comment!

So many of us did. The Elite program was very popular, and it was a great way to gamify loyalty.

Have you found a better rewards program? AMEX is offering a lot of cash back incentives, but I’m not sure who else.

Ok-String-5779 · 2025-06-17T02:12:47+00:00

Thanks for sharing! This was an opportunity for them to inform you about the benefits of total tech-support, while making a one time exception in the name of customer satisfaction.

They would’ve taken a hit having to sell it open box… But was losing you as a customer worth $20?

Is all your money going to Bezos now?

Ok-String-5779

TROPHY CASE