I have been a Best Buy rewards zone member for 4 yrs. During that time I had gotten maybe 2 emails a year about specials they were having. In the last 2 weeks I have gotten at least 1 email per day advertising some different sale they are having. I used to love going to that store back in the day. I hope it sticks around. If they are in trouble I at least hope it is due to digital music and not the evilness that is walmart.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I assume they are hurting like other electronic retailers. Selling CDs at retail prices is extinct. Games and movies are going the same route. Their appliance and TV business are now likely taking a tumble with the number of people losing jobs and homes. Their best sales are likely on gaming consoles. I did see the one on Butterfield has added a department to sell guitars, drums and band equipment. Wonder who would buy a $5,000 guitar from Best Buy rather than Guitar Center or Sam Ash.

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 8493.story

A story from today's Trib. This can't be good for Best buy.

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I too hope Best Buy sticks around...I'll even pay a little more to get something at Best Buy versus having to step foot into a Walmart.

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"There is a high statistical probability of death by gunshot. A punch to the face is also likely."

If its the same Gibson or Fender that the music stores have, and its a few hundred bucks cheaper, I would.

I got this bad boy from Best Buy for less than $200

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I don't care what they say about them but in this day in age with the economy if they can save me money, I am going to shop with them. We do all of our grocery shopping at the super store in Oswego. Their prices are hands down cheaper than any other competitor and if you provide them a sale ad, they will honor the competitor's price that is cheaper than them.

Okay, I may be totally off then. I just assumed that people like you who are more musically advanced would hate having to talk with a Best Buy salesman about an axe. I just relate it to the computer side. Id never ask a geek squad guy a question, partially because of my ego but partially because I know it is some kid that really doesnt completely know what they are talking about.

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It really sucks. Their prices are great and thats why I shop there, but I also know that Walmart is likely strongarming their vendors to get these deals. I hate to say it, but I in a way wish the vendors would just boycott Walmart and take them down for their practices. They really may be one of the major problems facing the economy in years to come as their power to make vendors provide products cheaper and faster will continue to result in more products being made outside the US. Unfortunately, they also have consumers like me by the balls because there is stuff I want and I just dont want to pay non-Walmart prices for it simply to help the economy.

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Am I the only person who hates best buy? This doesn't surprise me at all. Every time I went there to buy computer hardware, or software, or a tv, I've always found it for substantially cheaper elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if most electronics 10 years from now are sold directly online.

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

i don't hate best buy but it was better 2 years ago.

I only go to best buy when they have can't miss sales. I usually find whatever I need for less online anyways

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"You can kill the revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution."

Yeah, but not as much as I hate Wal-mart.

That's why I love stores like fry's. I don't know if it's a chain or not, but the prices are pretty reasonable, and the selection is far greater than best buy, but the help is more scattered...

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

The area where the CDs are at my Best Buy seems to have gotten a little smaller when I stopped by there Friday. In fact, they added a rack with books.

I hate talking to most of the people at Sam Ash or Guitar Center too. I'd much rather do some online research, or ask Doug and Darkside.

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I don't know if Best Buy's in danger of going out of business, but I know Circuit City, Best Buy's direct electronics competition, did go belly up earlier this year. I believe part of the problem they might be dealing with right now is the competition from other places and that they may be having a lot of trouble trying to sell computers, refrigerator/freezers and other really big items. Do you really go to Best Buy to buy a refrigerator or do you go to a place like Sears where Kenmores are still big sellers? Besides, there are a lot of people that can't afford paying for the kinds of items Best Buy is selling now...

Actually SHARK, the financing at one time was usually pretty solid at Best Buy, making it a better choice over the Sears of the world. Now with credit cards in the state they are, its a lot harder to justify buying them from Best Buy. Its not just appliances though. Music and movies are a very hard item to sell. As you mentioned, big ticket items like TVs are not moving. The only products they really move are game consoles, games and cell phones.

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One of the BS things I have noticed is DVD's that are just released have had the "sale" price go up to 19.99. A year or two ago,it was like 13.99. I think it is a conspiracy so people will pay the extra 5-6 bucks & get Blu-Ray. That is what has slowed DVD sales,I beleive. I used to buy DVD's,maybe once every other week. Now it's barely once every other month. All this shit in my closet & I very seldom watch any of it.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

It's the evil empire Walmart's fault. They are so damn convenient and priced for less. Soon everything will be owned by Walmart. They run everyone out of business. I miss the mom and pop stores. I miss being able to go down to the corner store, getting a gallon of milk, beef jerky and fishing worms.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

If the government had any guts they would go after Wal-Mart like they did Microsoft and stop them from the many things they do that screw over everyone in the name of low prices.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Why are you all acting like Best Buy is some mom-and-pop type place? yeah i should feel sorry for them teetering on the brink when every rare occasion I find myself in there they're hawking magazine subscriptions or directv or extended warranties..keep it. like it's already been stated, you can get everything they sell there online for cheaper. people just go there to check the stuff out in person then go buy it somewhere else for cheaper. fuck best buy and good riddance

Sorry if I implied that Best Buy is a mom and pop - they aren't. I just really miss the mom and pop stores of our youth and I think Walmart has had a big deal to do with that. Anyone remember Harvey's Mart? They had a cool little store in Merrillville back in the 70's and early 80's. You just don't see those stores anymore these days. There used to be tons of them.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

You need to support the ones that do exist rather than just making a post on a chicago sports message board about it. There are plenty of record stores that still exist, even if you insist on buying CD's they're there.

Guilty as charged. There are still some nice little shops in places like Hobart, Crown Point and other Indiana and Illinois towns that do need support. I am going to try to start visiting some of them on the weekends instead of the evil empire. Instead of bitching about it, maybe I will see if I can give them some support.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

I don't talk to salesmen at guitar center or sam ash anyway...
"can I help you?"

my thought immediately is *well...i have to play this guitar in order to figure if it's worth buying...how can you help me do that dumbass?*

"i'll let you know.."

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@audioidkid

I quit buying CDs that were priced at $10 or more from Best Buy. You can buy it cheaper at iTunes or Amazon, among others. Spending $20 on most DVDs doesn't seem to be worth it either. It sucks that walmart is going to dominate the market, but cheap is cheap.

OMR - I know Amazon is cheaper but I feel like they are just another Walmart internet style. Bagels is right. I need to get off my lazy ass and go down to a record store or corner book store and make my next purchases, even if it is a buck or two more.

I am reliving my 80's now and I need to get Debarge Greatest Hits and some REO Speedwagon. The scary thing is I'm serious.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

In pains me to say this, but in this economy, sometimes amazon or wally world is the way to go. I do miss the record store though. Had 2 right across the street from each other at NIU. It was a great bargaining tool when negotiating prices for buying and selling used CDs. Sadly, I think both of them folded. I need to check out more record stores in the city. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd gladly take them.

Maybe we should all pool together some cash and start up our own record store. Call it Championship Vinyl.

one of them is still around, but barely hanging on...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.