Window of “The Poor Man’s Store” on Beale Street in Memphis. [1938, during the depression]

Best Buy Reward Zone® just sent me this:

We’d like to welcome you to the Best Buy^® program at our most elite membership level - Premier Black. Reward Zone

One of my issues with retail stores, especially when it comes to gadgets, is that I want the top of the line version of latest/greatest/most popular/etc. and retailers either don’t stock these items until they’re “old” (in web years) or, if they do stock the item, pricing is out of line with what I can get online or in Manhattan.

One of the many benefits offered in this “elite” service from Best Buy’s credit card (by HSBC) is a concierge service.

NOW THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKIN’ ABOUT!

So I click the button that will help my to locate my “PREMIER BLACK CONCIERGE” from the site provided in the welcome letter and I get the error message below…

Due to heavy server volume we are unable to process your request at this time. Please try again later.

Dang!

I guess the intention is good. “E” for effort and all that.

I actually went to a Best Buy to try to buy a Flip video camera before my trip to NY/MA/ME (I am about to head back from Maine in the morning) and decided against it because it was $25 higher and it seemed like a dumb idea after some thought since I am about to get an HTC “Diamond” when I return to work. If this “concierge” program were up and running, I would have impulsivley bought the thing and been happy about it, even at the extra $25 :-)

I absolutely HATE walking into retail stores. Usually, the crowd is bad enough, but on too many visits, employees either don’t have answers or just seem to not want to be there or have any desire to help at all. Wasting my time to visit a store that doesn’t have what I’m looking for in a new item that is popular and available on the market has become an expectation, not an occasional frustration.

So, please, GIVE ME A CONCIERGE!

Make the link work!

I’m ready!