ToBoldlyGo Loc: London U.K.

Perhaps they want the whole company to go under and for all those people to lose their jobs. Pretty harsh.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Yes. There are different types of sales relationships. A local camera store can invest in a 'strategic relationship' since you'll probably come back, and if you get value and they develop trust it works over the long term. B&H, Adorama, Amazon, KEH and some others also manage to do this. Big box stores typically have a 'transactional relationship' with their customers, they don't usually expect to see them again.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

But as I understood the orginal post was to the effect that why is big box sales help frequently less than helpful; I was just offering one explanation, not justifying the lack of help, and I realize that some Big Box store management may be better than others in the same chain, but they can't be expect to be experts in everything they sell.

We lived in MA when the late 1990's recession really hurt small contractors; many closed down their contracting business and took jobs at Home Depot; some local the managements had the wisdom to put plumbers in the Plumbing Department and electricians in the Electrical Supply aisles. That pretty much insured good advice, and if they didn't know the answer they said so, ie. no BS. Fortunately the economy recovered in the early 2000's and a lot of them went back to contracting.

I had a friend back then who owned an electrical supply store; he stocked about 30,000 items where as the BB stores had about 3,000. He told me that what hurt the most was the loss of sales in the everyday items; the special order higher margin items he had to carry for the contractors special and large jobs couldn't make up for the loss of the every day lower profit items.

anotherview Loc: California

Agree:

Chuckwal Loc: Boynton Beach Florida

thank god for walgreens
chuck

no nameJoe

I have gone to various bst buys and bought open box cameras every time they have provide howeverd ale l the accessories paper work and boxes for the cameras, not all of the clerks are camera experts all have told me that they don't get commissions only straight salaries

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I think given the age of the usual BB employee they are all experts on the intricacies of cell phone usage. They (that generation) never put them down is my observation!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

So now you know where to go or your next cell phone!!! LoL
SS

anotherview Loc: California

They may not get "commissions." Yet by their insistence and aggression, I sense they receive some kind of compensation for their sales activity.

I hold the view that all salesmen seek to take money from my pocket to put in their pocket by means of selling me something, whether or not I need it.

Flakes Mill

I got my Canon directly from Canon itself. And!!! The price was a lot less than if I bought it from Amazon or anywhere else. Also, they gave me a discount for returning my old camera back to them.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

CGpilot

Best Buy has partnered with Canon, Nikon, and Sony at select locations to provide what they call Camera Experience Shops. My local CES has at least one brand specialist, trained by that manufacturer (they are also generally knowledgable in photography and can discuss other brands carried (Fuji, Olympus, Lumix, etc). These locations also sponsor photography workshops once a month covering basic camera/photography topics for part of the WS, and a monthly specific topic as well. Their sales personnel are not commissioned. I believe that with this consolidation of camera centers, other Best Buy locations have a hit or miss approach regarding inventory and or knowledgeable associates. Not their fault, rather the expense of brick and mortar stores trying to compete with internet sites not having much higher fixed costs to cover. I don't have any nearby traditional camer store left in my area, my Fry's no longer has physical cameras on display (all they have is a card with basic camera specs that you take to a cashier to purchase), so I appreciate Best Buy's efforts to at least attempt to bring a physical camera store to my market where I can see, feel, and maybe fill in a little additional info I'm not fully aware of just by reading online manufacture ads or other party reviews.

CGpilot

Best Buy has partnered with Canon, Nikon, and Sony at select locations to provide what they call Camera Experience Shops. My local CES has at least one brand specialist, trained by that manufacturer (they are also generally knowledgable in photography and can discuss other brands carried (Fuji, Olympus, Lumix, etc). These locations also sponsor photography workshops once a month covering basic camera/photography topics for part of the WS, and a monthly specific topic as well. Their sales personnel are not commissioned. I believe that with this consolidation of camera centers, other Best Buy locations have a hit or miss approach regarding inventory and or knowledgeable associates. Not their fault, rather the expense of brick and mortar stores trying to compete with internet sites not having much higher fixed costs to cover. I don't have any nearby traditional camer store left in my area, my Fry's no longer has physical cameras on display (all they have is a card with basic camera specs that you take to a cashier to purchase), so I appreciate Best Buy's efforts to at least attempt to bring a physical camera store to my market where I can see, feel, and maybe fill in a little additional info I'm not fully aware of just by reading online manufacture ads or other party reviews.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

It is good to know that Best Buy has Knowledgeable staff that can tell customers what memory card they need by knowing the cost of the customers camera. Nice to know. I wonder what other world knowledge their sales people know. Can't wait to go their myself and find out.

demare

LOL, I'm definitely not an expert on most of the stuff they sell, but I think at Best Buy, the average shopper knows more about the items they sell than do the employees! :(