Best Buy's new scam

[HoeTrain]

Ordered a laptop online for pick up. I get the laptop and they tell me it has been "optimized" and Antivirus has been installed for $130 more.

I did not order that and they tell me that their stock of this laptop has all been "optimized." They tell me that it will take an hour or so to restore back to original. Another scam to get another $130.

I think they figure customers will not wait and will pay the price.

So while I am waiting for them to restore, I walk around the store and almost all of their laptops have been "optimized."

Now I really miss Circuit City.

[Johnny Utah]

An hour to uninstall and anti virus software?

[HoeTrain]

No I they had to do a full restore because they "optimized" it. They claimed to have pulled all the trial software off. "We even go into the registry to clean it out."

How do they know I do not want to try that software?

[nxtgr81]

Buy a mac.

[HoeTrain]

I have FireFox.

[cramflang]

Ordered a laptop online for pick up. I get the laptop and they tell me it has been "optimized" and Antivirus has been installed for $130 more.

I did not order that and they tell me that their stock of this laptop has all been "optimized." They tell me that it will take an hour or so to restore back to original. Another scam to get another $130.

I think they figure customers will not wait and will pay the price.

So while I am waiting for them to restore, I walk around the store and almost all of their laptops have been "optimized."

Now I really miss Circuit City.

Hertz and some other car rental shithole have been charging people for a tank of gas even when the car has been returned with a full tank. They figure most people won't notice the extra charge.

[Tyler]

I hear some fast food places charge full price for a refreshing beverage even when you ask for light ice

[Flappy McB]

Buy a mac.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/mudwormstl_2007/puke.jpg

[Tyler]

Dude

[nxtgr81]

That is nasty.

[Art Vandelay]

That is fucked up.

[bill s preston esq]

Yah. That's a large load of crap. Depending on my mood at the time, that might cause me buy elsewhere.

[wiggly]

Fuck them. I think I would have told them I want my laptop right now and it's not my fault if they installed extra software that I didn't order.

[rutkap]

Dell.com

tell them that you are a small business...

[Master Splinter]

Maybe the programs and other stuff were good?

[bill s preston esq]

Maybe the programs and other stuff were good?

Unpossible.

[HoeTrain]

Fuck them. I think I would have told them I want my laptop right now and it's not my fault if they installed extra software that I didn't order.

I told them I did not order it and did not want it. I was buying it for work and needed it right away. If there was another option to get the same laptop somewhere else, I would have walked out. Instead, I told them they have 30 minutes to restore or lose the sale.

They decided to remove the Antivirus and give me the "optimization" for free. The Geek Squad was getting irritated as I stood at their counter waiting. I made sure I explained the situation to every customer visiting the Geek Squad.

On a side note, my nephew worked at the Best Buy in Crestwood. When they let him go. He had enough time to get on the PA and offer a 20% discount on everything in the computer department. "Former Employee Discount"

He was led out by the police!

[flatlander]

I told them I did not order it and did not want it. I was buying it for work and needed it right away. If there was another option to get the same laptop somewhere else, I would have walked out. Instead, I told them they have 30 minutes to restore or lose the sale.

They decided to remove the Antivirus and give me the "optimization" for free. The Geek Squad was getting irritated as I stood at their counter waiting. I made sure I explained the situation to every customer visiting the Geek Squad.

On a side note, my nephew worked at the Best Buy in Crestwood. When they let him go. He had enough time to get on the PA and offer a 20% discount on everything in the computer department. "Former Employee Discount"

He was led out by the police!

Fight the power. Or whatever.

[Steve Kline's Bird]

Dell.com

tell them that you are a small business...

I went on there with my corporate discount about a month ago, started out with a laptop for about $650, it was over $1300 by the time I was done adding some pretty standard stuff.

[blazedays]

With any new computer as soon as you get home you should:
-nuke the hard drive
-do a clean install of Windows
-then start adding the programs you really need and want.

All that bloatware kills a computer.

[erik_tristan2.0]

Geek Squad tried to charge over $200, to come to our house and look at my fiance's computer because it was corrupted with a virus. After she got off the phone with them to ask me if it is worth the money for them to do that I told her to call them back and cancel the service appointment. I was able to get rid of it for the price of a new subscription.

I like the store, but i do hate how some of their staff treats you. I know they are trained to know every detail about the product, but you don't have to make is sound like i'm a moron...you're the one who has the product library at your fingertips cocksuckers...

[The Ice]

With any new computer as soon as you get home you should:
-nuke the hard drive
-do a clean install of Windows
-then start adding the programs you really need and want.

All that bloatware kills a computer.or

Buy a mac.

[fatkid]

i can't imagine that is legal.

I would think that would fall in a BBO complaint.

That is some bullshit

[rfriday]

I'm typing this on the laptop I bought from best buy tonight. The dork i talked to tried to get me to let them optimize it for me. I said, "I work in IT, I can handle it". The guy then says, "I'm an IT guy too, and I always pay to have it done for me so I don't have to waste my time"..."Really, guess that explains the whole 'Best Buy' gig then"

So far I've removed 3 internet providers, office 2007 trial software, microsoft works, and norton antivirus. I agree with the earlier post, the lack of competition will cause Best Buy to be more and more annoying.

No you didn't.

[Hoofbite]

An hour to uninstall and anti virus software?That was my first thought

[Brad G.]

I'd recommend this for any new computer buyer.

http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/

[Lili von Shtupp]

I was told that AVG is going to pay software in the next few weeks. Is this just a rumor? If not, what do the techies think of AVAST?

[Brad G.]

I was told that AVG is going to pay software in the next few weeks. Is this just a rumor? If not, what do the techies think of AVAST?


Not true. But AVAST is a good choice too.

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/technology/story/987584.html

A: The free version isn't being discontinued, but you'd sure get that notion from the way the company is handling this. Home users will be able to continue to use AVG for free.

But because the company has stopped supporting version 7.5, users will need to download the free version of 8.5. (Note: In Mitchell's case, this won't help because the license for the free version specifies that it's for single computer use. However, I exchanged several e-mails with him, and his nonprofit found an affordable substitute, a 10-computer license from Symantec).

Current users of AVG 7.5 get a confusing notice that makes it seem as if the commercial version is their only option. I corresponded with an AVG spokeswoman, Catherine Leahy, to make sure the free version of the program wasn't going away. Here's what she said:

``Your reader can still download the free 8.5; that has not changed. Below is a link your reader can use to compare the AVG products, and if they click on the AVG Free link, they can download the program for single computer use.''

The link is http://www. avg.com/home-and-office- security-comparison.

AVG makes finding and using the completely free product difficult. You must read the fine print carefully to find the free version.

Otherwise, you will end up downloading a for-pay version.

Also keep in mind Leahy's use of ''single computer use,'' which means multicomputer home users can't put it on all their machines.

[Lili von Shtupp]

Not true. But AVAST is a good choice too.

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/technology/story/987584.html

Thank you for clarifying. Admittedly, I had to look around the site for a bit before I found the free version, but it wasn't anything to get all pissy about.

[flatlander]

Thank you for clarifying. Admittedly, I had to look around the site for a bit before I found the free version, but it wasn't anything to get all pissy about.

I just googled AVG free 8.5 and got right to it.

[Lili von Shtupp]

I just googled AVG free 8.5 and got right to it.

I need to install the upgrade, running 8.0 now. Glad to know it is a quick find.

I had minor trouble with 7.5 & 8.0. Had to go through several pages before finding the free version. They were being a little sneaky

[HoeTrain]

i can't imagine that is legal.

I would think that would fall in a BBO complaint.

That is some bullshit

I already filed a complaint with the Attorney General