Some hot buys but high shipping costs leave me cold.
Written: Jul 22 '08
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I have purchased a number of smaller items at BestBuy.com and have never had any major issues. My last order also went through smoothly although I wasn't thrilled with their shipping costs.
What the Site Sells
BestBuy aka BestBuy.com is a large electronics site that also has many brick and mortar stores nationally. The site is huge and carries everything from computers to TVs to home theater systems and much more. If it's electronic or an accessory for an electronic, BestBuy probably sells it.
Navigation, Shipping, and Returns
Navigation is not the easiest because there are just so many things on the site to look at. Products are separated into category and subcategory and they do have a keyword search feature.
I am not very technical so some of the results baffle me and I get confused as to what I need versus what they are offering. To see a product, click on its thumbnail. Photos are ehhh but descriptions are very thorough. They also have customer reviews with star ratings if you rely on that sort of review to make choices.
You can add items to your wish list once you register with the site or add them to your cart if you are ready to purchase. There is a chat feature that you can click to talk to a rep and 24/7 toll free number for you to call if you aren't sure of a product or have questions.
Once you have finished shopping, you will go to the checkout area. If you have a store in your area and want to pick up your order, you will click on "Pick Up". If you want the order to be sent to your home, you will click on "Ship". At that point, you will see your shipping charges. You input your zip code for your tax charges. There appears to be no charge to ship to the store except for tax. I have never used the site in that way although we do have a Best Buy brick and mortar store not too far away.
You go through the usual inputting of your shipping and billing addresses and pay buy major credit card using their standard checkout. An email order confirmation will arrive in your inbox almost immediately after the purchase.
The money will be taken from your credit card just before shipping. You will receive a shipping email and your order should arrive shortly thereafter. If you had the order sent to the store, you will be notified and will have to take your receipt in to pick it up. Sometimes the order is ready for pick up the same day.
Shipping is based on weight and size. You have a choice of three shipping speeds as well. You can see what your shipping costs are at checkout but not before that I can see.
Returns are accepted at the store or can be sent back to the site. Some items can only be returned within a 14 day period and others can be returned within a 30 day one. Not all items that you buy on the site can be returned to a brick and mortar store so it's best to read the policy carefully, especially if you are buying a heavy or very expensive item.
My Experience
I have found in the past that BestBuy sometimes has really good deals and others times, not so much. I have bought things from the site in the past but nothing major.
This last time, I ordered a few accessories for my computer and a Barbie Girls MP3 Player for my niece. I had no issues checking out but I was not at all happy with how high the shipping charges were. I guess I could have had the order shipped to the store but, with gas prices as high as they are, I decided to pay the high shipping and have the order sent to me.
I had no issues with checking out and with receiving my order and shipping conformation emails. My order arrived in about a week as described. I was pleased with my purchases but that high shipping cost made them more expensive than I would have liked to have paid.
Conclusion
BestBuy can be a great place for electronics and accessories and it's not one of those slick New York City places that upsells and sells grey market items. Prices can be very good and variety of items is huge. I will continue to shop on the site when I see something I need that is a good price but I will look diligently for free or reduced shipping coupon codes before I do. 4 stars.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Several small electronics and accessories
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