[KillerGremlin]

I just want to say that Best Buy is an over rated crap hole full of uneducated sales personnel and managers with their heads so far up their ass that it’s almost unbearable. I’ve had trouble with Best Buy before, for numerous reasons, all of which I think warrant boycotting certain products from their store. The first issue I have is with their video game policy. You need to be 18 to purchase Mature rated video games at Best Buy. Now, I’m not 100% sure where Illinois law stands, but I’m fairly sure the Bill was not passed that prohibited the sale of Mature rated video games to minors. Furthermore, I’ve purchased R rated movies from Best Buy with absolutely no problems – when I was 15. Best Buy has also started asking customers for their phone number every time you make a purchase. You are not required to give Best Buy your phone number, but every time I go there, the customers seem pressured to do so by the cashiers. The one customer, aside from myself, who didn’t give his phone number, had to have a considerable argument with the cashier to not give up his phone number.

I try to avoid using Best Buy for video games. My store of choice is Gamestop. Gamestop only cards for A-rated games, or they will card you if you look like you are 12 years old and you are trying to buy Vice City. I’ve talked to several Gamestop employees and managers, and they all agree that laws that decide who should be able to play certain video games are bull****. Talk about rape of the first amendment. The ESRB is a guideline system, not a limitation.

My second complaint is similar to your story. I enjoy browsing stores too. I like to see what is the latest stuff out there, and I've done my fair share of just browsing. I have had managers and employees follow me around, and it is very uncomfortable. I’m a fairly defensive individual, however, so if an employee did approach me and tell me that I am banned from the store for theft………let’s just say I would go jihad on his ass, regardless of the consequences. The managers of Best Buy manage the store. They don’t own it. So, I don’t know how much power they have or on what grounds they can ban you. But one day a manager or employee did follow me around, till I left, and it was awkward as hell.

I’m not going to lie. Best Buy is a disappointing store. I just discovered Fry’s Electronics, this massive electronic store, and wow. They have everything. Hundreds of motherboards, processors, cases, monitors – it’s an amazing store. And while I doubt I will be able to boycott Best Buy for everything, I have cut my shopping there. I try to use amazon for music now, Gamestop for video games, and Fry’s for everything else. So, okay, maybe I don’t need Best Buy any more.

But dude, you got to stick up for yourself! If you back away, it makes you look like a thief. If Best Buy is going to label you something that you are not, especially after being a loyal customer to their store for so long, I’d be super pissed. If I was you, I’d continue to peruse this complaint thing, and see if you can get some action filed against the guy that banned you from the store.