Pleasantly surprised at Best Buy in Greenville,SC: Here in North Carolina we no longer have camera stores. I gave Best Buy a try and was surprised how knowledgeable the salesperson...

Neverlost99 Loc: Sarasota

Here in North Carolina we no longer have camera stores. I gave Best Buy a try and was surprised how knowledgeable the salesperson was. Brian was a Nikon guy but had terrific knowledge of the entire Sony line. The prices were equal to Amazon and BH. It was nice to be able to actually hold the product.

marquina Loc: Richmond, Virginia

You are correct, they do have knowledgeable people in their camera department. What I found here in Richmond is that they push quite hard in selling their "extended warranty". If you don't buy it, good luck getting help afterwards. I stopped going to Best Buy here.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

Neverlost99 wrote:

Here in North Carolina we no longer have camera stores. I gave Best Buy a try and was surprised how knowledgeable the salesperson was. [He] was a Nikon guy but had terrific knowledge of the entire Sony line ...

That's good for you and potentially good for other members of the Hog who live near this one particular Best Buy store. May I suggest that you convey its location?

The small sample of Best Buy stores in Louisiana and Massachusetts that I’ve been to has led me to generalize that their salesmen are not particularly knowledgeable, at least with respect to Audio or Photographic equipment.

Yes, bricks-and-mortar camera stores are a pleasure to patronize, in general.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BebuLamar

marquina wrote:

You are correct, they do have knowledgeable people in their camera department. What I found here in Richmond is that they push quite hard in selling their "extended warranty". If you don't buy it, good luck getting help afterwards. I stopped going to Best Buy here.

But don't they only push the "extended warranty" after you have decided to buy and no longer need any help?

luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

Neverlost99 wrote:

Here in North Carolina we no longer have camera stores. I gave Best Buy a try and was surprised how knowledgeable the salesperson was. Brian was a Nikon guy but had terrific knowledge of the entire Sony line. The prices were equal to Amazon and BH. It was nice to be able to actually hold the product.

There are 2 camera stores in Raleigh, NC. I'm surprised you don't have any in Greenville.

marquina Loc: Richmond, Virginia

BTW, by "help" I meant something that needs technical assistance post-sale. At one point I purchased a connector for my Nikon D850 to an iPad. The connector worked sporadically and I couldn't rely on it. Brought the camera and connector to Best Buy in Richmond and they didn't even want to talk to me without paying an inspection fee up front just to check it out. The connector cable went to the trash.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

We have two Best Buy's here in Anchorage. One has sales reps that aren't much help and don't seem to have a lot of knowledge, other than, "You're looking at which one? Oh, yeah, that's a nice camera.". The other store's photography department manager is a professional photographer and is very knowledgeable. He answered a lot of my questions when I bought a D7200 a few years ago. I guess the fact of the matter is that not all the BB's are equal when it comes to their photography departments.

BebuLamar

Wingpilot wrote:

We have two Best Buy's here in Anchorage. One has... (show quote)

In any department I think. Some have good sales people in one department and some have good people in others.

Bill_de Loc: US

According to their website they have a pretty hefty restocking fee if you change your mind.

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Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Bill_de wrote:

According to their website they have a pretty hefty restocking fee if you change your mind.

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I believe they allow you 15 days to return an item. After that you'll be charged a restocking fee.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Neverlost99 wrote:

Here in North Carolina we no longer have camera stores. I gave Best Buy a try and was surprised how knowledgeable the salesperson was. Brian was a Nikon guy but had terrific knowledge of the entire Sony line. The prices were equal to Amazon and BH. It was nice to be able to actually hold the product.

You are lucky. The Greenville BB has one of the few "Camera Experience Shops. " BB has these in a very few locations and (reportedly) has staffed them well.

Arend Loc: Holland

Neverlost99 wrote:

Here in North Carolina we no longer have camera stores. I gave Best Buy a try and was surprised how knowledgeable the salesperson was. Brian was a Nikon guy but had terrific knowledge of the entire Sony line. The prices were equal to Amazon and BH. It was nice to be able to actually hold the product.

Hi,
Now I understand your name "Neverlost99"😂. Your topic title includes "Greenville SC" whilst your question speaks of NC. Lost again?🤣

Arend Loc: Holland

B.t.w. I bought one Sony camera at the Sony store in the Galleria in Houston TX. The second one RX100M3 at Best Buy Houston along Katy Freeway. I prefered BB by far.

tcthome Loc: NJ

lev29 wrote:

That's good for you and potentially good for other members of the Hog who live near this one particular Best Buy store. May I suggest that you convey its location?

The small sample of Best Buy stores in Louisiana and Massachusetts that I’ve been to has led me to generalize that their salesmen are not particularly knowledgeable, at least with respect to Audio or Photographic equipment.

Yes, bricks-and-mortar camera stores are a pleasure to patronize, in general.

Same here in Homdell ,NJ. Probably depends on if you get a photographer/gear junkie or not as, they usually cover the entire electronics department.