Geek Squad: What the hell?

voogru · May 10th, 2005, 07:04 PM

So I've seen these annoying commercials about "Geek Squad" and how great they propose "Geek Squad" to be.

I intend of running a small computer repair business, so I was actually a little worried it would be hard to compete with Best Buy's "Geek Squad", since I have been seeing their stupid little buggies all over the place here in Miami.

So just for kicks, I go look at their website they proudly display, looking for a list of prices for in home services.

Price list: http://www.geeksquad.com/_assets/pdf/GS_Home_Prices.pdf

Lets take a look here:

$130 to install a single program?

Ever heard of an installer wizard? How hard is it to install a program?! They are smoking some good stuff, I almost want some.

But wait, there is more:

$130 to install a memory stick?

Yeah, real hard. Snap snap, memory installed.

And of course theres other things they just literally rape you for, $230 to move data from one drive to another? Drag and drop... yep takes lots of skill to do that.

Then they charge just as much to install an operating system, as they do to service the operating system.

I wonder how much the "agents" get paid, and since they are doing all the grunt work, why would they work for best buy and get paid crap, when they can just do it on their own and make several times more money?

I recently put together a price list of what I will be charging for similar services, and one side of me is like "thats too much money", while the other side of me is like "well, its still 1/4th of what geek squad charges".

And is there any justification of these insane prices?

I hope Best Buy keeps these prices, since its real easy to compete with them at this rate.

JimRune · May 10th, 2005, 07:47 PM

Oh geeze, I was worried about Geek Squad too. Never found those list of prices. Cool then.

And don't worry about your prices; if it's 1/4th that of Geek Squad's, then it's not a problem.

osprey4 · May 10th, 2005, 09:54 PM

I think they're going for the "uninformed" segment of the computer upgrade market, which is about 80% of home computer owners. Think about all the grey haired old ladies who want to add RAM but can barely figure out how to empty their toaster crumb tray, much less open up their computer.

Redwolf · May 10th, 2005, 10:05 PM

Still a rip-off. Can't imagine why many seniors hate computers, what with prices that high and all

wju425 · May 10th, 2005, 10:51 PM

You think they're high? You haven't seen tiger direct's prices for oem replacements parts of name brand computers. I did a search of replacement parts for toshiba v3100 there. I'm glad I'm a geek so I can take care of my own but I feel sorry for the suckers.. um I mean people.

\o/ Billy

-FMA · May 10th, 2005, 10:55 PM

Quote:

And is there any justification of these insane prices?

It's simple. As long as people are willing to pay then they can continue to charge a lot. It's all about buisness. Do whatever is best.

They can say that they care about the customer, but really what they care about is what the costomer thinks about them. Sound nice and helpfull and rip 'em off.

Not saying this is good or bad. Just how it is. Business!

mjolnir1134 · May 10th, 2005, 11:17 PM

WOAH!!!!!
Are people really being suckered into paying that much instead of getting FREE computer help from Techimo?! Do they not know how to insert a CD with AUTOPLAY?!?! I've always thought Geek Squad was a nice company, but $150 for a standard installation on whatever?! whoo.

samwichse · May 10th, 2005, 11:29 PM

$130 to install memory?

I'll do it for $125, and I'll drive out to your house to do it (offer limited to the central PA area).

Sam

iwishiwasafish · May 11th, 2005, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samwichse

$130 to install memory?

I'll do it for $125, and I'll drive out to your house to do it (offer limited to the central PA area).

Sam

I do hope that you are being sarcastic

no1_vern · May 11th, 2005, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voogru

So I've seen these annoying commercials about "Geek Squad" and how great they propose "Geek Squad" to be.

I intend of running a small computer repair business, so I was actually a little worried it would be hard to compete with Best Buy's "Geek Squad", since I have been seeing their stupid little buggies all over the place here in Miami.

So just for kicks, I go look at their website they proudly display, looking for a list of prices for in home services.

Price list: http://www.geeksquad.com/_assets/pdf/GS_Home_Prices.pdf

Lets take a look here:

$130 to install a single program?

Ever heard of an installer wizard? How hard is it to install a program?! They are smoking some good stuff, I almost want some.

But wait, there is more:

$130 to install a memory stick?

Yeah, real hard. Snap snap, memory installed.

And of course theres other things they just literally rape you for, $230 to move data from one drive to another? Drag and drop... yep takes lots of skill to do that.

Then they charge just as much to install an operating system, as they do to service the operating system.

I wonder how much the "agents" get paid, and since they are doing all the grunt work, why would they work for best buy and get paid crap, when they can just do it on their own and make several times more money?

I recently put together a price list of what I will be charging for similar services, and one side of me is like "thats too much money", while the other side of me is like "well, its still 1/4th of what geek squad charges".

And is there any justification of these insane prices?

I hope Best Buy keeps these prices, since its real easy to compete with them at this rate.

I NEED to be in that business instead of the one I have now.
First thing that comes to mind in the "justification of prices" is that most of their people are inept, and they will have to have a real person correct their "work" - under warrantee of course and that costs big bucks.