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[Ninja Scooter]

All of the regular stores selling water were completely out. They put the water out front because people had nowhere else to buy water, and that was the only reason they were coming into the store.

and nobody in the store who took the time out to display a product that they don't even really sell, and put it in the front of the store, and even create little signs for it, thought "hmm, this seems really fucking expensive for a case of water..."? Either the store is full of morons who should be updating their resumes, or they knew exactly what they were doing.

 

[AtomicShroom]

 

[TheCochese]

and nobody in the store who took the time out to display a product that they don't even really sell, and put it in the front of the store, and even create little signs for it, thought "hmm, this seems really fucking expensive for a case of water..."? Either the store is full of morons who should be updating their resumes, or they knew exactly what they were doing.

Have you met retail employees?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Have you met retail employees?

I have. But I don't think ignorance/stupidity is much of an excuse for doing something that, from all fronts, is this awful.

 

[TheCochese]

I have. But I don't think ignorance/stupidity is much of an excuse for doing something that, from all fronts, is this awful.

It might not be an excuse, but it's what happened here I would put money on it.

I worked retail for a long time.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

It might not be an excuse, but it's what happened here I would put money on it.

I worked retail for a long time.

I'm sure that's a big part of it, but somebody who should have known better (and possibly did) signed off on this.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

You don't accidentally put 43$ on a case of water. Managers heads should roll.

 

[Orin GA]

Oh, so the price of the water is what it would be if you bought everything individually?

 

[Myze]

A company the size of Best Buy can be believed (as a whole, maybe not an individual store) in a situation like this. The damage to their image is incalculable compared to the miniscule extra they would get from charging ~$10-20 extra for water during a disaster situation. So, it absolutely is a money thing to NOT gouge.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

A company the size of Best Buy can be believed (as a whole, maybe not an individual store) in a situation like this. The damage to their image is incalculable compared to the miniscule extra they would get from charging ~$10-20 extra for water during a disaster situation. So, it absolutely is a money thing to NOT gouge.

It would not be the first time some idiot in retail middle management did something incredibly stupid in misguided hopes of currying favor with his corporate overlords.

 

[Myze]

It would not be the first time some idiot in retail middle management did something incredibly stupid in misguided hopes of currying favor with his corporate overlords.

Yeah, while I still believe it was just a mistake, I completely agree with your sentiment and this could possibly be a situation like that (although that manager is an idiot, if so).

 

[uncelestial]

Fuck you Best Buy, how about you

Spoiler

ship me my SNES Classic pre-order and

get the fuck outta here.

 

[a916]

You don't accidentally put 43$ on a case of water. Managers heads should roll.

... or it's an honest mistake by an employee lol.

Jesus at some of the responses here. Like the manager is getting some commission on this or something or has anything to gain by price gouging...

 

[FreedomFighter]

America - where free market capitalism runs amok.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

Meanwhile, the owner of a furniture store turned his store into a shelter.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

... or it's an honest mistake by an employee lol.

Jesus at some of the responses here. Like the manager is getting some commission on this or something or has anything to gain by price gouging...

Just so happens right during a hurricane when those items are scarce. Yea OK. Same mistake for the gas too, right?

Nah. I don't believe in coincidence.

 

[Mihos]

Oh, so the price of the water is what it would be if you bought everything individually?

Yeah, Best Buy doesn't sell water in bulk normally. Just in the little refrigerators by the checkout.

It is an honest mistake, but people like being mad at stuff

 

[TyrantII]

... or it's an honest mistake by an employee lol.

Jesus at some of the responses here. Like the manager is getting some commission on this or something or has anything to gain by price gouging...

Nah.

Managers set prices and mark them up/down. And there's some shithead store managers in retail, because that's what the work requires to stay at it.

This was some store VP trying to hit some numbers for the month with a easy W. Unfortunately for him it's a big L for corporate, and now hell probably be out of a job.

 

[Lilalaunebaer]

I´d rather die in the store from dehydration so that they have to deal with my dead body than pay that much for a bottle of water.

 

[Goodlife]

It sucks for sure, but this is just capitalism in all its glory / horror, isn't it?

 

[Astral Dog]

How disgusting thats pretty stupid evil

 

[Ninja Scooter]

... or it's an honest mistake by an employee lol.

Jesus at some of the responses here. Like the manager is getting some commission on this or something or has anything to gain by price gouging...

Again, it wouldn't be the first time some retail employee did something stupid because they mistakenly thought it 's what corporate would want them to do. You act like that shit is unprecedented.

 

[Acerac]

Then you don't sell the case. A manager's job is also to protect the brand and think about optics. They failed miserably here. And no I don't think a manager selling a case of water during a crisis for the retail price would be in trouble with corporate.

But they were selling the case of water for what would be retail. You can argue that it is ridiculously overpriced (I certainly would) but that is what 24 individual bottles retail for. I believe (and I would be happy to be corrected here) that these bottles are not available in cases, and therefore that would be the "correct" pricing of the items.

For what it's worth, I agree wholeheartedly about how it was an unwise choice from a brand perspective. It really does come off as heartless, though I'd not be shocked if it were a response to a customer buying that many bottles individually. That doesn't make it look any better, but it certainly may have been done for the convenience of shoppers in addition to the hope of making a quick few dollars.

I´d rather die in the store from dehydration so that they have to deal with my dead body than pay that much for a bottle of water.

The fact that bottled water costs more than gasoline is the real problem here. It bothers me more than I can properly express.

 

[jmdajr]

Not cool. Report these fucks!

 

[Zoe]

Just so happens right during a hurricane when those items are scarce. Yea OK. Same mistake for the gas too, right?

Nah. I don't believe in coincidence.

Considering that's the only reason they even busted out the cases. The gas isn't comparable at all.