Best Buy in Hawaii

[Miulang]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

I usually end up not going to the Best Buy where I live because I can usually find whatever I'm needing for less money someplace else. For example, try comparison shopping for blank DVDs at Best Buy as compared to Circuit City. My Circuit City always gets my money.

Eh, foa reals you guys get both Best Buy and Circuit City in da Boonies? I thought you guys oni had like Sears and Walmart. I know you guys get one Chinese buffet, too, so maybe you guys not so in da Boonies, den. I thought maybe gotta drive Portland side foa find da big stores.

Miulang

[helen]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

So, did anyone go?

I just came back from Best Buy. Of course I walked from work to go to it. Kind of crowded but that is to be expected for an opening day, brought a couple of items and stood in line for about 15 minutes as 8 to 10 cashiers processed the 40 to 50 people in front of me.

[lurkah]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

Eh, foa reals you guys get both Best Buy and Circuit City in da Boonies? I thought you guys oni had like Sears and Walmart. I know you guys get one Chinese buffet, too, so maybe you guys not so in da Boonies, den. I thought maybe gotta drive Portland side foa find da big stores.

We get Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, two Walmart superstores with a third on da way, we get Lowe's and Home Depot hardware stores, and even one Costco too. But, Hawaiian kaukau? A'ole!! I gotta drive 5 hours to eedah Portland or Seattle for that. You folks get choke Hawaiian food places, but I HATE driving around da Seattle area with those savage Seattle drivers!

[pzarquon]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii



More here.

[adrian]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

Thanks for the pics! ^

I'll try to go tomorrow via the bus (unless I want to fight the parking w/ my Mom) and see if I can get more pics with my camera.

[shaveice]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

forgot that it opened on friday and got stuck in the traffic. was on nimitz and it was a nightmare around 11 am. think i'll wait till the novelty wears off. let us know what you think of the place....

[Linkmeister]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

I don't know when the one on Kamehameha opens up, but I drove by two Saturdays ago and it was just open scaffolding; by a couple of days ago it had been fully enclosed. Why do they have to make these huge buildings so ugly? I mean, I get the "warehouse" concept, but man...just a big rectangular brown building, without even an attractive finish to the exterior walls (that's the only good part of the Toys R Us store on Pali Momi). It's not like Harbor Center is beautiful, but couldn't the BB people have tried to upgrade the looks of the neighborhood?

Bleah.

[kimo55]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

Why do they have to make these huge buildings so ugly? I mean, I get the "warehouse" concept, but man..

corporate identity. and they fight respective state, city and county for it. and the thing i don't get is, these things are killing our local stores and destroying the look and feel of our islands.... soon no mo da kine, and all we get here will be only multinational chain warehouse stores covering the landscape... AND a local kahuna blesses the place before it opens!
damn!

[Miulang]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

Which is why if you go into one of those big box stores in any town they might be located, you can pretty much know where each type of merchandise is located (it's all according to a formula). For instance, I bet in the Oahu BB, all the major appliances are on the left hand side of the store, the CDs and DVDs right in the middle, to the right of that is the software and cell phones and cameras and to the right of that will be all the computers, printers and the like. And waaaay in the back behind the major appliances are the big screens and home entertainment centers. Or they may reverse sides, but the order in which the items are presented stays pretty much the same.

I can go to any Toys R Us store and make a beeline for where the gift wrap is, or the videogames are without asking for assistance. Sort of takes the fun out of wandering aimlessly and buying things on impulse. Same with all the Costcos.

Miulang

[Linkmeister]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

Miulang, I get all that on the interior, and it makes some sense (just like McDonalds' menu all over the world makes sense). But I wish they'd try to blend into the community, not plop their damned one-size-fits-all building onto some acreage and tell the customers "howzat?"

I dunno. Maybe I'm the only one left who cares.

[Miulang]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

Miulang, I get all that on the interior, and it makes some sense (just like McDonalds' menu all over the world makes sense). But I wish they'd try to blend into the community, not plop their damned one-size-fits-all building onto some acreage and tell the customers "howzat?"

I dunno. Maybe I'm the only one left who cares.

The companies don't care about customer perceptions, at least about the physical layout and outside look of the store. I learned in business school that variation costs money; the more standardized they can get things, the more they can realize "economies of scale". As long as you have retail chains, you're going to find predictability. Sorry, just a sad fact of business. That's one of the reasons why small businesses are so cool. You never know automatically where things might be placed, so you either spend time roaming the aisles or you talk to someone who really knows where everything is. Granted, I bet Craig can tell us where something in the Hilo HD is located in a heartbeat (they teach you those things in new employee charm school so you can be "helpful"), but it's not the same as talking with someone who knows everything their store carries and can give you helpful hints with a personal touch. That architectural "sameness" of each chain helps their corporate identity, too. I mean, would you know a McD from a Wendy's if McD didn't have the golden arches and the kid's play area next to the drive through? And this is true for nearly all McD's across the country.

Miulang

[adrian]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

Which is why if you go into one of those big box stores in any town they might be located, you can pretty much know where each type of merchandise is located (it's all according to a formula). For instance, I bet in the Oahu BB, all the major appliances are on the left hand side of the store, the CDs and DVDs right in the middle, to the right of that is the software and cell phones and cameras and to the right of that will be all the computers, printers and the like. And waaaay in the back behind the major appliances are the big screens and home entertainment centers. Or they may reverse sides, but the order in which the items are presented stays pretty much the same.

I can go to any Toys R Us store and make a beeline for where the gift wrap is, or the videogames are without asking for assistance. Sort of takes the fun out of wandering aimlessly and buying things on impulse. Same with all the Costcos.

Miulang

What's so fun about knowing that info? You might as well shop online if you're just going to head straight for that one product and not "enjoy the sights".

If you can get lost in a store/mall and need a map or someone else to guide you out, then they've done their job!

[Miulang]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

What's so fun about knowing that info? You might as well shop online if you're just going to head straight for that one product and not "enjoy the sights".

If you can get lost in a store/mall and need a map or someone else to guide you out, then they've done their job!

You are one unique male, Adrian. Most guys know what they want to buy and they want to just make a beeline to where they need to get it, then they grab the item and beat feet outta there. Usually it's the women who like to wander around aimlessly, making impetuous purchases that they don't really want or need! And if most guys get lost, you think they ask for directions? Nah. They rather have their wahine look stupid and ask for da directions!

Miulang

[adrian]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

You are one unique male, Adrian. Most guys know what they want to buy and they want to just make a beeline to where they need to get it, then they grab the item and beat feet outta there. Usually it's the women who like to wander around aimlessly, making impetuous purchases that they don't really want or need! And if most guys get lost, you think they ask for directions? Nah. They rather have their wahine look stupid and ask for da directions!

Miulang

When you get as bored as me, you want to keep yourself occupied as long as you want, or you'll go crazy.

Sure, I can also make a beeline to a specific product, and if I'm good I can just go to the store where the product is the cheapest, but 90% of my time spent away from the computer is spent as my free time (no school, shopping, etc)

[adrian]

Re: Best Buy in Hawaii

I just went today, and bought a few things (a 50pk of CDRs, 2 CDs, a CD wallet, and batteries) and it wasn't that packed (I can still move around) but the traffic was bad when I came out around noon, and the Costco Gas station looked like a parking lot.

Some of the things were cheaper than CompUSA (but not as nearly as cheap as Personal Touch) but they didn't sell Tmobile phones (only Sprint, Verizon, and Cingular; I guess I can try and get an unlocked phone and use it with tmobile that way)

And the style that the cashier bagged my purchased, the CD wallet punchured the plastic bag (I didn't notice it until I got to the bus stop and placed the bag down).

They had something for everyone, but I guess I'll wait until the Pearl City location to open to make it part of my selection.