Reader Ed says he tried to buy an iPad from Best Buy, only to be told that someone was on the phone buying all of them, and that he could only get one if he bought the “black tie protection
plan” for $129. Ed told them to get lost and instead reported them to Consumerist and Best Buy.
Ed says:
At varying times I was told that they had either 2 or 4 left in stock, I’m not sure which number was correct, I never actually saw one except the display model.
They made clear that they could only sell one per person, which is fine… I only wanted one. The Best Buy employee went and had a used-car-salesman-worthy chat with his manager. Then, suddenly, I was informed that “someone on the phone” was buying ALL of the ones that they had left in stock.
I told them that I wasn’t aware you could arrange for the payment and purchase of items by phone with Best Buy. No response to that.
They then indicated that one of the iPads that was in the process of being purchased by someone on the phone at that VERY moment (who apparently gets to buy more than one?) could be sold to me instead, IF I would buy the black tie protection plan, which I was informed costs $129. On a $499 item that comes with a factory warranty. I was informed that Apple employees frequently come to Best Buy just to they can purchase their Apple items with Black Tie protection plans. They did not name any of these Apple employees, however.
I considered agreeing to buy the plan and then having it removed at the register, or coming back later to get a refund for the plan, but I was on my lunch break and didn’t feel like dealing with Best Buy customer service hell.
Ed cc’d this to Best Buy and to their credit they sprung into action. Ed says he found another iPad at a non-shady Best Buy and considers the matter resolved to his satisfaction.
