this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2026
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I worked at best buy geek squad for 5 years over a decade ago. I saw best buy turn their reputation around with a new CEO who focused on customer care, training employees so they knew what they were doing. I rose through the ranks to a full repair agent where I did repairs proudly.
About 6 years ago the board ousted the last CEO for not making enough profits. The new one essentially reversed everything overnight. Less training, lower wages, less employees. It shows every time I'm in a best buy and it kills me. We had something special then, but new CEO doesn't care. Line must go up, and torpedoed all of that consumer trust. Now I don't recommend anyone buy anything from best buy.
I had to buy a laptop 2 years ago and was eyeing a laptop, and a sales person attempted to help me. I tried to be nice, thanks but I got this, but obviously had a madatory spiel. Told them I was just going to install linux and they said "oh this won't support that". Okay sure, thanks for showing you don't know anything, okay goodbye. I went from promoting geek squad warranties to now I wouldnt trust them at all.
Your story about buying a laptop reminds me of a scene from Parks and Rec when Ron Swanson's picking up supplies for a project at a home improvement store.
Or when Hank Hill has to go to Mega-Lo-Mart for propane
For some reason when I click that picture, it opens a browser tab of the image’s website. I can’t just preview it in my client. And the image site loads so slowly.
It is, but more because they (employees as a whole) used to know, but now they just kind of "read the cards" that are in front of them. Not their fault, corporate killed all of the training
This why I shop at my local Ace Hardware. They actually know their shit there. It's worth a little extra markup - plus, the money's mostly staying in the neighborhood.
100% true. When I visit my parents, Home Depot is like the Best Buy of home stuff. No one knows shit, no one cares. Ace is where you go to have someone take a minute longer to give you real info. It's like some secret third space where if they served coffee or beer, people would spend half their day there.
Some of the Ace's that I go to have a popcorn machine that you can just grab free popcorn out of, so you're not far off with the third space thing. Every time I'm in there I learn something new from one of the 70-year-old retirees that only have a job there to get out of the house, and desperately want to share their DIY home improvement knowledge. Last time I went an employee ended up pulling out his phone and showing me progress pics of his bathroom renno lol
Plus the ace cashier will be a friendly face when you're back in the store for the 4th time that day, after being sure you bought all needed components of your project during your first trip
Stop following me around.
I'm so happy my grandparents bought their laptops from the local computer store.
They're marking everything up, pretty wildly, but damn do they offer support.
And they also pushed FOSS on them, through libre office rather than the insane Microsoft office subscriptions the big chains try to push on their customers
Man am I glad to hear that. I just got a weed trimmer there and wasn't sure I made the right choice.
I've always had that same experience with Ace in my area. The people there actually know their departments and can help with relevant questions. I try to go there whenever possible over Home Depot or Lowe's because of it.
My local ace is friendly. They have a store dog, too. It's great.
I just wish they had better prices. I go there for weird hardware usually or if I actually need help but otherwise the prices are pretty atrocious so it's hard. I have always loved those stores though once I was old enough to appreciate them lol.
I bet if you find a local hardware store they'll be a lot more knowledgeable and 100% stays local.
Almost all of Ace's locations are independently owned. If there were an unaffiliated store anywhere in my vicinity, I'd certainly go there, but this neighborhood business literally two blocks from my home is hard to beat.
They're franchises. The lion's share of income goes to the HQ, like any franchise.
No ongoing franchise fees.
https://www.myace.com/open-an-ace/
There are fees for using other Ace franchise services, but that's far from the "lions share."
I literally don't believe it. No corporation just doesn't take all the money they possibly can out of the kindness of their hearts.