Best Buy Watertown

I am extremely disappointed with my recent experience at Best Buy in Watertown. I recently purchased a television from this location and, during checkout, was offered a Best Buy Visa through Citibank. I applied and was approved. As a perk, I received a $25 promotional certificate by email about three weeks later for a future purchase. On February 28th, while in the area with my wife and two children, I stopped in to use the certificate. I only needed a basic pair of Apple wired earphones priced at $19 and some change. After tax, the total came to around $21. At checkout, the associate scanned my certificate but said it would not process. A manager (first name Chris) was called over and informed me that there was a required $25 minimum purchase to use the certificate. That condition was not disclosed anywhere in the promotional email I received. With my family waiting — including one child on the Autism Spectrum — I simply wanted to complete a quick purchase and leave. Anyone who has shopped in an electronics store with children understands how challenging that can be. I was told I needed to add items to reach the $25 threshold. We walked around and picked up a small Lego item, only to find our subtotal was still about 50 cents short. I was again told to find additional merchandise. I expressed that this felt like poor business practice, considering I was trying to spend less than the promotional amount given to me. The manager responded that he “agreed and disagreed.” Frustrated but trying to comply, I went back and added a pair of Sony wireless earbuds priced at $69, along with the original items. I returned to the register and stated that I had now exceeded the required amount. At that point, instead of completing the transaction, the manager became visibly annoyed, refused the sale entirely, and told my family and me to leave the store. He even threatened to call security, stating: “At this time I am rejecting your business.” The entire experience was humiliating, unnecessary, and deeply unprofessional. I was attempting to use a clearly advertised benefit of the store’s credit card. Instead, I was made to repeatedly walk the store with my family to meet an undisclosed requirement, only to ultimately be refused service. As a result, I will no longer shop at this location and will be closing my Best Buy Visa account, even if it temporarily impacts my credit. As part of a strong military community, I will be directing my business toward more local and military-friendly establishments. Watertown Best Buy — you didn’t reject my business. I am rejecting yours.

Very helpful determining which is best for battery life.

EDIT TO ADDRESS THE CORPORATE REPLY BELOW: I've already tried touching base with the call center phone support and bestbuy.com's chat support, both of which told me they weren't able to contact anyone at the store level, and that I needed to PHYSICALLY GO TO THE STORE TO RESOLVE THIS which I have already done twice. My last visit was three weeks ago. Geek Squad has all the relevant phone numbers. ORIGINAL REVIEW: It's impossible to get a store employee by phone. Geek Squad fixed my mother's computer but lost the wireless dongle to a $50 ergonomic mouse. Due to the constant severe weather the past few weeks, I've been unable to stop in to a speak to a manager. I usually have a good experience here and helped open this store 20 years ago as an employee. Back then, management would have had it handled within within days...and instead if going from zero to Karen, I gave Geek Squad a few days to look for it.

Very easy to pick up orders