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[JPRaup]

I just applied to both of these places. Im 17 and have had a job at a supermarket for 1.5 yrs. I think my knowledge with media and computers could be better used at a job like this. I want to work as a sales associate, or worst possible, as a cashier. So anyone ever had a job here?

what was it like?

 

[Ripclawe]

just a heads up on best buy

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310AP_Best_Buy_Cost_Savings.html

MINNEAPOLIS -- Best Buy Co. may lay off some workers as the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer looks to rein in spending, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

A memo from Best Buy President Brian Dunn this month asked managers to find spending to cut, Best Buy spokeswoman Susan Busch said.

The idea was to tell managers, "this is what we're up against, we want to talk about the work we're doing and what implications it might have, and to talk about the transformational changes that are under way," she said.

Busch said the changes could include layoffs. Best Buy employees will be told more about potential layoffs in April, she said.

Busch said the memo did not include a cost-savings target. On Wednesday, the Star Tribune reported that Best Buy is seeking $300 million in savings during the current fiscal year.

 

[Miguel]

UNICRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!

 

[JPRaup]

I do have a steady job for a 17 yr old, just thought i would enjoy these jobs more, if it works ill be happy, if not, I wont be dissappointed

so no horror stories?

 

[pinkatrophe]

I think my knowledge with media and computers could be better used at a job like this.

Based off my previous experiences as a Circuit City customer, knowledge with media and computers will probably bar you from getting hired.

 

[Nameless]

I worked at Best Buy for about a year a 1/2 back from November of 99 up until May of 01. I worked in the Media department, and it was pretty cool to be honest. Media, IMO is the best department to work in. First off, you don't have to help unload the inventory trucks, which means two-three nights a week you'll be getting out your usual time, where as everyone else has to stay an hour+ later, depnding on the size the truck.

I also preferred Media, as it reqires the least amount of customer service. You're not going to have to explain a bunch of details or push a ton of accessories to a customer for 15 mins--accept at times dealing with Consoles, but then you're just talking about gaming which is always a plus. The only part that sucked was when you had to stock massive amounts of CDs(not to mention sensor tag them first...do they still even use those?). DVD stocking wasn't as bad, and games was the easiest, but it all can get tedious and monotonous very quick. But also, you don't run a register, and you don't fill out paper work after your sales so again its a plus.

The employee discount was the best part(worst, as you'll be giving a good chunk of our check right back) as you pay the wholesale price for the item not the retail. So for games you may only get 3-5 bucks off, but for speakers, wires, and other items that have a high mark-up, you may see 40-50% off.

 

[Drensch]

They along with eb, gamestop and everyone else don't give a crap if you know the product. Can you push product? If you can do that and not know a damn thing is more important.

 

[Alex Anderson]

RUN!

 

[Manick Joe]

With the right employees and management it will be a good time and you'll earn decent pay (for your age at least). However that isn't as easy as it sounds.

Today I was sent home (work at CC btw) for wearing black sneakers and not dress shoes. I was deemed "unfit to work" so I had to drive another hour just to change into flippin' brown boots. Boy was my manager lucky I need the money for a car payment right now or else he would have had my "unacceptable footwear" hurled at his head.

 

[Sarpedon]

With the right employees and management it will be a good time and you'll earn decent pay (for your age at least). However that isn't as easy as it sounds.

Today I was sent home (work at CC btw) for wearing black sneakers and not dress shoes. I was deemed "unfit to work" so I had to drive another hour just to change into flippin' brown boots. Boy was my manager lucky I need the money for a car payment right now or else he would have had my "unacceptable footwear" hurled at his head.

uh that's common sense dude.

 

[raYne]

If you get the job at either, make sure you're never in your section. Also, when someone asks you a question be prepared with the "I don't work in this department" reply. You'll fit right in.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

I just applied to both of these places. Im 17 and have had a job at a supermarket for 1.5 yrs. I think my knowledge with media and computers could be better used at a job like this. I want to work as a sales associate, or worst possible, as a cashier. So anyone ever had a job here?

what was it like?

There's a reason it seems like these places are awesome to work at, but they always seem to be hiring.

For one, your knowledge with media and computers is useless. It is a retail job, and you will be hired and fired based upon your ability to sell add-ons and packages with every item a customer buys.

You only need to do a forum search to find out more.

 

[Nameless]

Work in Media though, because really you're just talking about games,movies, and music all day. It didn't start to suck until they overhauled the managedment team, and this fat, pretentious bitch became Media supervisor. I just quit instead of switching departments as you actually do work.

The prick deep down inside you will love the job, giving people a hard time was just funny sometime. Like I would notice someone dancing and REALLY enjoying the song playing, and I would just change it to see their reaction.

 

[thefit]

Get aquainted with the slackers and pot heads that work there they will show you how to get around the security and steal merchandise. You can enter their circles by constantly saying " what up dawg" and offering them a bowl and microwave burritos during lunch. Remember its only a retail job and someday you'll be the moron asking what the difference is between a DVD and a CD so enjoy it ans take as much cool shit as possible. Oh and don't be a narc.

 

[Nameless]

There's a reason it seems like these places are awesome to work at, but they always seem to be hiring.

For one, your knowledge with media and computers is useless. It is a retail job, and you will be hired and fired based upon your ability to sell add-ons and packages with every item a customer buys.

You only need to do a forum search to find out more.

Wouldnt say its useless, my knowledge of gaming made my time a lot easier there. People are more likely to take your adivce if they get a sense that you're knowledgeable. During the holidays, and during console launches, they would zone me in gaming(meaning Id have to stay there the entire time). The attatch rate when I was there was higher than when I wasn't--alot higher. Even got employee of the month a few times because of it, which equated to about $700 in free stuff.

Based off that, they tried to put me in Audio for a couple shifts when they were short--and my attatch rate there was horrible..

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

The attatch rate when I was there was higher than when I wasn't--alot higher.

This is what was important, not the fact that you knew anything. Regardless of whether you know your shit or not, if you push product, you are the man.

The company would rather have you not show up to work than to show up and sell poorly. Every customer out the door without an add-on or enhancement package is a wasted customer.

 

[Nameless]

This is what was important, not the fact that you knew anything. Regardless of whether you know your shit or not, if you push product, you are the man.

The company would rather have you not show up to work than to show up and sell poorly. Every customer out the door without an add-on or enhancement package is a wasted customer.

But my point was, knowing what you're talking about increases your chances of people taking your advince and buying accessories. Customers may be ignorant, but most are not idiots. There would be times where a co-worker would fail miserably trying to push accessoires to a customer, and a few mins later I would go to that SAME customer and have them walking out of their with memory cards, controllers, extended warranties, storage the whole nine.

I'm not necessarily a good sales-person(as noted by my failure in Audio). I was just straight up with them. They were receptive to my knowledge, trusted my opinion, and took my advice.

 

[aoi tsuki]

But my point was, knowing what you're talking about increases your chances of people taking your advince and buying accessories. Customers may be ignorant, but most are not idiots. There would be times where a co-worker would fail miserably trying to push accessoires to a customer, and a few mins later I would go to that SAME customer and have them walking out of their with memory cards, controllers, extended warranties, storage the whole nine.

I'm not necessarily a good sales-person(as noted by my failure in Audio). I was just straight up with them. They were receptive to my knowledge, trusted my opinion, and took my advice.

i'm the same way, however an excellent salesman with a little knowledge of the product is usually more valuable to the company than a weak salesman with a lot of product knowledge. Luckily at Staples, we don't have to push addon (or "fries" as BB likes to call them) that much. Yeah, we get the daily rundown on numbers and i always feign interest, but they don't drive attachment sales down your throat like they did on us at Best Buy.

i worked at Best Buy about eight years ago, just after i turned 18. Started out in PC/home office, worked a little bit of everywhere by time i left. It's a good job to get your feet wet in retail if you can see through the bullshit. Outside of tech bench or maybe Geek Squad, i'd never apply again, even if it were extremely part time. They essentially work their employees like they're getting commission on every sale and BB management seems to suck companywide moreso than other electronics retailers. Save for computers, game systems, and to a slightly lesser extent games, the discount pretty much rocks, but stay there long enough and you'll probably look back and ask "why did i put up with that shit?" (i did.)

As an aside, between customers and employees, that job had the most drama and oddness of any job i've ever worked since. If it weren't for the shitty management (not just at the store level), it would've been a great place to work. Despite the downsides, i had some pretty good workplace memories there.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I got laid more working in a grocery store, than I did working in retail.


Isn't that what really matters?

 

[snacknuts]

I've worked at both BB and CC, and of the two I liked working at CC a lot more. It's mostly going to come down to what kind of people you work with/for, though. The CC I worked at was in a college town, so I worked with a lot of hot, cool college chicks. I'm a shitty salesman and they never fired me. Well, they did, but that was because of a loss prevention issue (I didn't steal anything!) and not my performance as a salesman.

 

[human5892]

I interviewed once at Best Buy, but the gigantic fatass self-righteous 28 year-old manager would not let me in because I didn't agree with him that people who steal things should be killed.

 

[teruterubozu]

Booty calls with the boss?

 

[Nameless]

As an aside, between customers and employees, that job had the most drama and oddness of any job i've ever worked since. If it weren't for the shitty management (not just at the store level), it would've been a great place to work. Despite the downsides, i had some pretty good workplace memories there.

BB was my first job, started when I was 16 and its my favorite job of 4 i've had. You're totally right how management can ruin the retail experience. When I first started it was awesome. The Media manager was this 20-something, good looking, openly lesbian chick with sort of a punk edge to her. She was easily the most liberal manager in the store, and liked having fun. Even the Store Manager who hired me was cool as hell(He was fired not long after I got there for suspicsion of stealing money from the store).

Then they overhauled the staff(even though we were among the region's top stores). I fell out with my new Media sup, and one of the assistant store managers because I refused to try and sell people shit that don't need. I remember I got grilled one time, because the guy asked me straight-up should he buy a DC. I was straight and told him it was a great system, had alot of great games, but theres not a whole lot of future support planned. He ended up not buying one, 2 weeks later Sega went thrid party. 2 Weeks after that he came back thinking me. But my sup overheard our convo, and got on my ass for costing the store a sale.

They also got pissed because I didn't bombard every costumer just trying to find a CD or DVD with storage sales pitches.

 

[Sarpedon]

BB was my first job, started when I was 16 and its my favorite job of 4 i've had. You're totally right how management can ruin the retail experience. When I first started it was awesome. The Media manager was this 20-something, good looking, openly lesbian chick with sort of a punk edge to her. She was easily the most liberal manager in the store, and liked having fun. Even the Store Manager who hired me was cool as hell(He was fired not long after I got there for suspicsion of stealing money from the store).

Then they overhauled the staff(even though we were among the region's top stores). I fell out with my new Media sup, and one of the assistant store managers because I refused to try and sell people shit that don't need. I remember I got grilled one time, because the guy asked me straight-up should he buy a DC. I was straight and told him it was a great system, had alot of great games, but theres not a whole lot of future support planned. He ended up not buying one, 2 weeks later Sega went thrid party. 2 Weeks after that he came back thinking me. But my sup overheard our convo, and got on my ass for costing the store a sale.

They also got pissed because I didn't bombard every costumer just trying to find a CD or DVD with storage sales pitches.

That's how it is at CC for me. For the first year I worked there we had the coolest managers you could ever hope to work under. As long as we helped customers they let us do whatever we want otherwise. We could stand around playing Battlefield 2 online as long as we weren't ignoring customers (which leaves open a few hours a day to play) plus they had lan parties in the store at times, bought a lot of food for us and did a lot of little cool things. Right before black friday my sales manager and our store manager were moved to different stores that are struggling since we were doing so good. We got stuck with an uptight dude who has slowly mellowed out but still just doesn't seem to know what is going on and doesn't seem intent on learning so it makes things rather difficult. Our new sales manager is a total uptight pain. If you even attempt to take 5 minutes to look at an internet site or something similar, even if there is no one in the department and you've been busting your ass all day he will come over and stand behind your back and then be like "Is this for business or personal?" and stare you down until you walk away. A far cry from the way the store was. Tons of staff have already quit, transferred or are transferring and if I didn't mind driving 30 minutes to the next store I would as well. Gay.

And yeah, I work in computers and they want us to try to attach all kinds of stuff even if someone just wants to be rung up for a CD. I mean wtf. "Would you like to apply for a credit card for your $9.99 CD oh and would you like a laptop bag or some CDRs today? How about a video card to uh enhance the visualizations when you play this CD in your computer?"

 

[shattyboombatty]

Based off my previous experiences as a Circuit City customer, knowledge with media and computers will probably bar you from getting hired.

So very true about BestBuy too! I applied there once and went through all the interviews, and answered all their technical jargon quetsions, and everything seemed like it was going great, only to not get hired... I'm positive it's because they don't want someone who can install a hard drive for a customer in 5 minutes ... where you could potentially save them from wandering the store for countless hours, and on top of that, not give them some warranty plan sales pitch because you know how retarded it is. Good luck though.

 

[DustinC]

If you can sell 3 year service plans you'll be good to go.

And that job cut thing is definitely true, my gf is a supervisor in Digital Imaging, and has no clue if she's going to have her job in a month.