It's no wonder I haven't spent this yet. Everything they have is either junk or MSRP. The only thing I did find were a couple of cordless phone batteries that, on closeout, are slightly less than Amazon.

I've thought about a new camera mount, but they don't have the one I want. I looked at a few other things as well, but they still don't add up to enough to use this gift card and get rid of it.

I've combed through all of their deals and haven't found one I like.

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You can buy other retailer GCs with BB GCs. Amazon is usually my first choice, but iTunes and others are also options.

I searched on their site for Amazon gift cards, but didn't find any. iTunes is temping, but we generally get our music from Amazon now. :/

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Availability seems to vary. I grabbed a couple Kindle-branded GCs as recently as about 6 weeks ago. In-store stock might also vary from online.

Converting to a GC for any other service they carry online that you also use might work for you. Netflix, Hulu, Southwest Airlines, etc. Or, wait and the offerings (goods or cards) may change.

Sell the card to friend or cow-orker.

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In tha 360. MRF User Map

One thing good about Best Buy is that they will match prices from online retailers including Amazon, NewEgg, B&H Photo, Walmart, and other stores.

It's a gift card given to you. Worrying about deals shouldn't be a big factor here. You can use it to buy something you wouldn't buy for yourself. It doesn't have to be practical.

My daughter just had her 25th birthday. I kept asking what she wanted. I finally had to tell her that a wish list didn't have to be practical. The idea of gift giving is to get someone something they wouldn't buy for themselves. It could be frivolous. With that change in mindset she said she thought it'd be fun to have one of those instant cameras. And was thrilled to get one and some film as a gift.

Sell the card on the other forum for a 20% discount. Someone will take it. Cash in your pocket.

Mavic,

The issue here isn't that you can't find anything to purchase. Best Buy actually has a good selection of products considering it's a retail box store. You just don't want to buy something at Best Buy.

What is the value of the card? Just buy some cables and such. You can never have enough cables on hand. Buy a UPS. Buy a new CD or two. Buy an adapter that lets you turn wired rear speakers into wireless rear speakers. Buy something to give to someone as a gift in the future.

Robert

Our store has a very nice open box section, with some pretty good deals, depending on what you may be looking for at the time.

Quote
Robert M
Mavic,

The issue here isn't that you can't find anything to purchase. Best Buy actually has a good selection of products considering it's a retail box store. You just don't want to buy something at Best Buy.

What is the value of the card? Just buy some cables and such. You can never have enough cables on hand. Buy a UPS. Buy a new CD or two. Buy an adapter that lets you turn wired rear speakers into wireless rear speakers. Buy something to give to someone as a gift in the future.

Robert

I think his problem is that Best Buy charges retail for everything and that anything he buys costs more than elsewhere therefore diminishing the value of the gift card. Being fiscally responsible he does not want to waste the value of the card.

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C(-)ris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did you see the thread two days ago for the Logitech K400 Plus Wireless Keyboard w/ Built-In Touchpad $18 at Best Buy?

Best Buy gift cards don't expire - wait for something you want to go on sale.

C(-)ris,

His post came across as more of a complaint that he can't find anything to buy and less one of that he can find stuff to buy but would just have to possibly pay more for it. The gift card is found money. Best Buy often has surprisingly good sales. He'll find something to buy if he's willing to look for it. Or, as Forrest said, it doesn't expire. Wait until something he wants is on sale and buy it then. Or, just buy it and be done with it. Searching for a deal can take time. I know my time is valuable. So, there are definitely moments when the few bucks saved isn't worth the time it takes to find the deal to save them.

Robert

Quote
C(-)ris
I think his problem is that Best Buy charges retail for everything and that anything he buys costs more than elsewhere therefore diminishing the value of the gift card. Being fiscally responsible he does not want to waste the value of the card.

The "value" of a Best Buy gift card is baked in.

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rj
AKA
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Chris nailed it. It doesn't really matter how I got the money, I try to spend it as wisely as possible. Robert, when you say " less one of that he can find stuff to buy but would just have to possibly pay more for it" that's what I meant by "Everything they have is either junk or MSRP". The junk refers to the fact half of their closeouts are iPhone cases, and the MSRP refers to most of their other stuff is more expensive than I can find elsewhere.

Forrest, I almost pulled the trigger on that keyboard, but I don't need it. My HTPC has an old keyboard where the mouse died, but I bought a new mouse and they keyboard still works.

They have some PC video games on sale, but I don't want to buy them through the bestbuy platform. They do have Steam gift cards, and Steam has the same games on sale for the same or lower price. I might go that route.

Pam, I can't get past the idea your daughter is 25. You do bring up a fair point, but even of things I might splurge on, I can get them elsewhere for less.

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Mavic,

In this case, you're making way too big a deal about the card. The time you spend searching for better deals will likely cost you more than they money you save. It's like my grandfather driving around from supermarket to supermarket - four in all over three hours - to save a dime or two on a can of peas, a dollar on bananas, etc. Just not worth it. It cost him more in time, gas and inconvenience than he saved on the food. The only positive about it is that it made him happy because he thought he saved some money.

Robert

Robert, you're right. The Mrs has already pointed that out to me. It's a mix of my presumption that Best Buy would have something at a good price I'd want to buy, and that I'm not willing to not make sure I'm spending wisely. So, yes, I do take some of the blame.

It's something that goes along with my need to heavily research anything I want to know about.

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Mavic,

Don't feel bad. I'm the same way as you. It took a great deal of effort on the part of my wife and family to break the habit. Even then, nine times out of ten, I still do my research and price shopping. I just don't go quite as far now. - lol!

Robert

They tweet daily deals. Read down for a couple of weeks to see if they might have something you like. WorstBuyTwitt

I generally dislike going through their weekly ads. It's too tedious trying to find something I want. The deal sites will occasionally highlight good prices in their sales.

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I've been searching through slickdeals looking at anything from best buy. I'll check out their twitter account. thanks.

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I have a BB gift card that I got for my birthday (July 2016) in my backpack.

Waiting for a moment of enlightenment when I figure out something I want to buy.

Like most B&M stores, Best Buy normally sells everything for MSRP. But they actually do have some good sales. The trick is to wait for a sale on what you want. Most of their sales are a week long, Sunday through Saturday.

Rather than slickdeals or whatever, just go to Best Buy's site and look at the category you want. Then click on the "On sale" filter. If what you want isn't on sale, try again next week.

Or like heap1 said, find it somewhere else and have BB price match.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2017 04:36PM by AllGold.

Does BB offer extended warranties on shoulders?

Quote
Bo
Does BB offer extended warranties on shoulders?

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M A V I C
I searched on their site for Amazon gift cards, but didn't find any. iTunes is temping, but we generally get our music from Amazon now. :/

I've done that in the past, but I believe they may have either started to disallow using gift cards to purchase other gift cards, or have stopped stocking Amazon cards.

(FYI, GameStop still allows this, if you ever end up with one of their cards)

It may be worth seeing if there are "Kindle" cards on the shelves, which act just like any other Amazon card, and credit your account, if their terms haven't changed.

.....same issue here.....they sell most items at the same market rate as other store or more expensive.....their open-box deals used to be cheaper but noticed the discount for them is lessened.....

....I believe they have gift cards for stuff like Starbucks, Amazon, restaurants, etc in-store which may be another way to use the credit up....

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Gift card burning a hole in your pocket ?

As long as a card doesn't expire or incur fees decreasing the value of the card just hang onto it until there is a sale on something you do want/need. Just don't forget you have it.
Course, if you walk into BB B&M on a whim and impulsively shop you'll need that card in your wallet.

There's a long list of reasons why people buy gift cards beyond "buying something for yourself that you otherwise wouldn't". Hell, if I wanted you to buy something for yourself that you might not otherwise buy I'd get you a GC for a gynecologist or a pedicure or maybe even mental health services.

Trade it, barter with it. Re-gift it - like the proverbial Christmas fruitcake.

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They had some decent prices on 4TB externals recently.

....can't speak for everyone but I like to use gift cards up as soon as possible, otherwise, I might forget or loose them [ that is what merchants count on, consumer forget to use them ]......

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