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See the original image at consumerist.com —

Best Buy: Video Games aren't Toys

consumerist.com — A man tries to purchase an Xbox 360 and two games from a Best Buy store using a percentage-off coupon good for "toys"; Best Buy stops him from doing so, claiming video games aren't toys, despite the lack of small print saying so on the coupon itself.

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  • cultist667, on 01/06/2008, -56/+38Change your name from best buy to best screwing already . Make the name of the store the truth
    • Schneckehaus, on 01/06/2008, -5/+49If you'll notice, the consumerist is retarded on this one.
      Best buy did nothing wrong.
      They consider games and toys as seperate things, clearly, since if you will notice, the section on their site is called "Toys & Games" (Instead of just "Toys")
      • zwaldowski, on 01/06/2008, -8/+5The category addresses two separate things as one. Ergo, "Toys & Games," not "Toys" & "Games"
        • smacksaw, on 01/06/2008, -1/+21And the coupon only addresses one thing, toys. Ergo, you are wrong blah blah...
        • Schneckehaus, on 01/06/2008, -0/+7But the coupon only addresses toys, not toys and games.
        • skunkman62, on 01/06/2008, -5/+3ergo, FAIL!!!1!11
        • grumbel, on 01/06/2008, -0/+6A company is of course free to define stuff however they like, but it certainly would make things less confusing when they tell their consumers how they ended up defining it, i.e. where can I find the "Toy" section on their webpage?
          • zwaldowski, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2There is none. Best Buy is a tech store.
          • BearinG, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1That's the whole point i think.. what the hell kind of TOYS (actual) does Bestbuy sell anyway? I can't think of a single thing

            I understand the coupon is for Toys ONLY but then they categorize games with toys.. or vice versa.. no matter.. WHAT TOYS?

            EDIT: Just looked at the Toys and Kids section of the US BB website and there are toys i guess.. the electronic ones... I don't tihnk we have that in Canada..
      • skunkman62, on 01/06/2008, -2/+23after reading the headline i thought "best buys sells toys?" so i see that best buys is in right on this one. i didnt think video games are toys either. they are tools for terrorist training and the blame for everything wrong in the world.
    • DangerCollie, on 01/06/2008, -6/+11People still shop at Best Buy? Vote with your feet and stay out of their stores.
      • daRoach, on 01/06/2008, -1/+37I tried voting with my feet once but couldn't pull the lever.
    • BlkGuyAtThePrty, on 01/06/2008, -2/+40If ever there were a non-story on Digg this is it. I'm getting sick of bitchy consumers running to the interwebs every time they get a negative answer about something.

      In other news, mustard is not cheese - despite it not saying so on the god damned label.
      • B1663r, on 01/06/2008, -11/+1at the same time we are talking about a chain store that has its employees taser people who are upset when said employees slander them. At this point, whit best buys history... You are just sort of asking for it to walk in the door of a best buy and expect any favors from them at all...
      • XythAdar, on 01/07/2008, -0/+1Thank you. I saw how many diggs this story got and was afraid no one had realized the startling truth.

        But maybe mustard should be labeled saying it isn't cheese. This country also needs warning labels for hair dryers not to be used in the shower.
    • nerdtalker, on 01/06/2008, -6/+2Best Buy is an oxymoron to begin with. There's nothing "Best" about it, and I certainly refuse to "Buy" anything there. It's a testament to the stupidity of the average consumer that they're somehow "winning" the retail electronics war with Circuit City, and most recently their victory over CompUSA. What nonsense.
    • KingGoonie, on 01/06/2008, -4/+6Bestbuy Rules!!!! I don't get whats with all the bashing... alot of the time they have the best sales on items... not all the time but alot of the time... and circuit city? Yes sometimes they are cheaper, but they have ALOT ALOT ALOT less stock, and thats annoying.
      • B1663r, on 01/06/2008, -0/+5And you can get every item you want on the internet, and one of two things will be true... They will have it in stock or it will be for at least 10% less. And for me at least, I have the stuff shipped ground, and get it next day anyhow.
      • louiedog, on 01/06/2008, -0/+4Well, sure, I guess if you only know two places to purchase items Best Buy might look pretty good.
      • NeoScyther, on 01/06/2008, -4/+1"I don't get whats with all the bashing"

        A lot of the "bashing" is simply people who have no common sense. I've read a story once (well, a complaint really) about a person who bought software for their kid, got it home, tried to install it and it wouldn't run. Turns out her PC didn't meet the minimum specs needed. Of course she got mad when she was told she couldn't return it because it was open. No company with common sense would return open software for a full refund.

        Same thing applies here with common sense. As stated already the site showed "Games and Toys". The toys are indeed the handheld LCD games, roboraptors (if they still sell those), and possibly the leapster and flypen software (don't quote me on that, I'm not sure). I've never classified video games as toys. If people learned to use common sense their would be a lot less complaints about many places.

        And now to prepare to be dugg down (knowing my luck) for talking about common sense.
        • Trykt, on 01/07/2008, -0/+3I will always digg down any comment that presumes its own digg status.
    • withoutamartyr, on 01/06/2008, -1/+3That name's already been taken by your sister.
    • Nobi-Wan, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2I wouldn't consider murder simulators and terrorist trainers toys either.
      /JT impersonation
      • screwfanboys1, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1would have been funnier with out the '/JT impresononation'...
        • Nobi-Wan, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2You never know how some people will take sarcasm on the interwebz.
  • DoodleMaster, on 01/06/2008, -14/+232to be fair it's best buys right to decide what is a toy and what isn't, for the use of their coupons that is.
    • Renton, on 01/06/2008, -25/+7But the thing is, they don't tell you what a toy is.
      • TeacherOfHeroes, on 01/06/2008, -1/+27"Best Buy stops him from doing so, claiming video games aren't toys"

        They have now...
      • djm91, on 01/06/2008, -4/+3I just find it weird they'd write 3 TOYS in a coupon, and to be fair you can buy video games at TOYS R US
        • FBombAndy, on 01/06/2008, -1/+1Video games are everywhere. They even sell games at an H-E-B around here.
      • DucoNihilum, on 01/06/2008, -0/+13You can buy candy at toys R us too, that doesn't make it a toy.
    • Shawn4168, on 01/06/2008, -3/+17Exactly. To one person, a video game might be a toy, to another, it could be a DVD or a Blu-Ray disc (depending upon the system that the game is for), and to another, it might be a computer game. As long as Best Buy clearly defines what a "toy" is (which is debatable after reading the article), there's no wrongdoing on their part.
      • smacksaw, on 01/06/2008, -1/+7Yup. DVDs and Blu-Ray discs are frisbee toys, right? One of my favourite word games is "TV MENU REMOTE SETUP" by Sony. Hey, Sony makes PS3 so it's a game, no?
    • OwdenBowden, on 01/06/2008, -6/+3Are games toys or are games games? Is there really a distinction between toy and game? And doesn't everything in best buy fall into the toy category?
      • po43292, on 01/06/2008, -0/+4Everything besides their washer and dryer section basically. Unless you get one with a built in DVD player.
        • KingGorilla, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2Who says you can't have fun with a washer and dryer?
    • sTiVo, on 01/06/2008, -8/+2digg me down. someone else already made my point.
    • winvirus, on 01/06/2008, -8/+2Ack, bury me.
    • zwaldowski, on 01/06/2008, -6/+2The problem is, Best Buy sells "Toys & Games." It is a Best Buy coupon. Therefore, it is 25% off ANY PRODUCT at Best buy that can be classified at any time as a toy - not what the smarmy people that work there tell you.
      • docz0r, on 01/06/2008, -2/+6yeah, classified as a toy by Best Buy coprorate not the smarmy people who shop there. so i think a 46" Sony Bravia is a toy, give me a discount? doesnt work that way bub
        • banq59, on 01/09/2008, -0/+1Video games are toys. I don't know what the ***** other definition you can come up with. It is something you play with, ie a ***** toy. If they wanted to cover their ass they should have put (toys does not include video game consoles or games) in the damn fine print. I am intentionally going to best buy today to be a prick about this. ***** that store.
      • DucoNihilum, on 01/06/2008, -0/+9Of what THEY classify as a toy, not what YOU classify as a toy! It's THEIR coupons, THEIR rules. *****!
      • raindogmx, on 01/06/2008, -1/+3I wonder if a cucumber would fit that category.
      • skankyBacon, on 01/06/2008, -0/+4Worst...logic...ever.
        • zwaldowski, on 01/06/2008, -3/+1Really? What does Best Buy sell? Video games. Can video games be considered toys? Yes. Is there a small corner of the store where Best Buy sells Barbie dolls? Didn't think so.
          • skankyBacon, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1"Can video games be considered toys? Yes."
            Uh, the whole basis of the argument is whether or not video games are considered toys. So you're arbitrarily declaring that they are toys, in your proof that...they are toys?
    • canthraxp, on 01/06/2008, -3/+4Best buy is in the clear position to decide that, as that is just a naming convention; but, whatever they choose, they must be consistent. In the same article, the guy looks for "toys" on the webpage, and Call of duty, and other games appeared. Either they fix the website, or they accept the coupon.
    • MrObjectional, on 01/06/2008, -1/+1_
    • Cadenza, on 01/06/2008, -1/+4To be honest, I did not know Best Buy even sold toys.
    • dukeochutney, on 01/07/2008, -0/+1i find this to be little surprise from best buy. anytime they put out any coupon/sale that puts the buyer at the advantage they retract it. while i agree that best buy has the right to decide what is defined as a toy this is just best buy hate spam. yes they suck we know plz be quiet.
    • OneLess, on 01/07/2008, -0/+1It isn't at all Best Buy's right to define what a toy is, especially if they didn't lay out a definition anywhere on their website or the coupon. "Toy" then should be taken to follow the common definition of "toy" in the English language. As dictionary.com says and m-w.com alludes to, a "plaything". Video games sure as hell fall into that category.
  • KnockoutNerd, on 01/06/2008, -7/+257I don't see games as toys, I see them as a form of entertainment.
    • Llanowar, on 01/06/2008, -1/+41Indeed. Interactive entertainment perhaps, but surely not toys. Might as well call movies toys.

      To me a toy is something physical, not digital.
      • nastajus, on 01/06/2008, -1/+1and cheap with low margins. that's why this coupon misunderstanding.
    • expert01, on 01/06/2008, -1/+3According to all the major companies, when you purchase software, you are purchasing the physical medium that just so happens to have a program on it. Ask microsoft to let you install one copy of vista on each PC in your house, or Activision to OK removing copy protection on a disc so you can use it on multiple consoles at once.

      To sum up: hard plastic discs that shatter are not toys; neither are licenses or data.
      • Myztry, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1Consumer laws alone govern the act of purchasing items. Copyright and applicable laws determine what can be done with the item. Contract law determine what constraints can be applied to the item.
        What the companies say has little to do with reality, except as determined by law. Most adhesion contracts are completely unenforceable, and require a court order/ruling to have any possible effect what so ever.
        So basically, it doesn't matter what you, or the company thinks. It was the law/government says that is the sole consideration.
    • OwdenBowden, on 01/06/2008, -14/+3SOME DEFFINITIONS

      1TOY
      Pronunciation:
      ˈtȯi
      Function:
      noun
      Etymology:
      Middle English toye
      Date:
      15th century

      1obsolete a: flirtatious or seductive behavior b: pastime; also : a sportive or amusing act : antic
      2 a: something (as a preoccupation) that is paltry or trifling b: a literary or musical trifle or diversion c: trinket bauble
      3: something for a child to play with
      4: something diminutive; especially : a diminutive animal (as of a small breed or variety)
      5: something that can be toyed with6Scottish : a headdress of linen or woolen hanging down over the shoulders and formerly worn by old women of the lower classes




      2 pas·time
      Pronunciation:
      ˈpas-ˌtīm
      Function:
      noun
      Date:
      15th century

      : something that amuses and serves to make time pass agreeably : diversion


      So if Video games amuse and service as a passtime or a diversion then they are TOYS
      • sougly, on 01/06/2008, -1/+18So are hookers.
      • fkr3, on 01/06/2008, -1/+9Now go read what the dictionary has to say about "summarising".
      • skunkman62, on 01/06/2008, -0/+13"So if Video games amuse and service as a passtime or a diversion then they are TOYS"
        so is my ***** a toy?
        • DangerMouse9, on 01/06/2008, -0/+0Only for you. No one else is going to play with that thing.
      • expert01, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1As I tried to say (didn't come across so clear) you are buying the plastic disc and accompanying license, not the video game. If you bought the game itself, you would be allowed to do as you please with it, including selling it to other people.
      • raindogmx, on 01/06/2008, -0/+5As well as cucumbers.
        They fit the definition.
      • Nobi-Wan, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 are for people 17 and older. Toys are for kids 12 and under.
        Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 can NOT be confused as toys because, of course, I've never heard or seen a 12 year old playing those games.
        • CurlyMike139125, on 01/06/2008, -1/+1The LiL Poison kid is 9, and he's one of the best Halo players....and where do you get the definition that toys are for people 12 and under? Once you turn 13, do your Hot Wheels have to be called "model cars"?
    • raindogmx, on 01/06/2008, -4/+1bury this kthxbai
    • lex0nyc, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2Yeah, like a t--
    • Jalh, on 01/06/2008, -0/+4and the purpose of toys are ?
    • themoose, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1Toys are games without an objective. Video games mostly have an objective.
    • AMFORA, on 07/24/2008, -0/+1Games are a kind of virtual reality... They are not just for entertainment but also for development of our creative thinking. From this point of view video games- are not toys. Sex toys also hardly could be named TOYS...

      my space:
      (c) http://www.edenfantasys.com/
  • jewdiknight, on 01/06/2008, -31/+109So if games aren't toys, what does Best Buy sell that would be considered toys?
    • dasdef, on 01/06/2008, -2/+111well they sell toy helicopters and remote control cars/trucks or whatever. so there.
      • MutatedNantuko, on 01/06/2008, -0/+32Well *****. I always thought a washing machine was a toy if used properly.
        • smacksaw, on 01/06/2008, -1/+13Well, not to split hairs, but it's really a cat toy...
        • KingGorilla, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1You mean improperly heh
    • TheWindBlows, on 01/06/2008, -2/+31electronic grenades.
    • novask, on 01/06/2008, -13/+5FOX news DVD's comming in collectors editions (2005, 2006, 2007 etc). But then again it was also in the adult xxx section, so I'm not too sure on this one.
    • JoshBones, on 01/06/2008, -3/+32Best Buy sells a large amount of "Toys"..... Robosapiens, USB controlled Missile Launchers, Helli copters, Board Games Like Scene it. This is just a case of some idiot embarrassed because he thought the Call of Duty 4 or an Xbox 360 is a toy and wanted to screw over Best Buy. Not the other way around.
      • inspecality, on 01/06/2008, -1/+2screw over Best Buy?

        No such thing.
      • mikeas, on 01/06/2008, -0/+5So a board game is a toy but a video game is not?
    • skunkman62, on 01/06/2008, -1/+4dude, RTFA: "I was told a doll is a toy."
    • BlackStorm, on 01/06/2008, -0/+11Odds of anyone seeing this is slim, but if you go to their site, in the main category bar, hover over the "Games & Toys" option. Second from the bottom is "Toys & Kids' Electronics". That is what Best Buy considers as Toys, which the consumerist reported correctly when the man complaining said, "Then I was told that if it is an electronic game for a child 12 and under it is a toy." Hope that helps.
    • Naryuu, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1every bestbuy has at least 1 row full of kids toys. just random electronics that are for younger children
    • amishjim, on 01/06/2008, -1/+2So what is a toy? type toy in the Best Buy search like he did and xbox comes up, they consider it a toy for sales sake. . .
    • hockey, on 01/07/2008, -0/+1Tasers
  • Natetendo83, on 01/06/2008, -4/+53considering so many gamers hate the "kiddy" image of gaming why on earth do they feel like complaining about their systems not being considered a child's "toy?"
    • loroleg, on 01/06/2008, -4/+3I want to play viva ***** pinata!

      I don't care if its "kiddy"
    • JudgeMonkey, on 01/06/2008, -0/+7Regardless if we consider it a toy or not, idiotic politicians will still feel they have any business censoring it to "protect the children".
    • nastajus, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2Those are not the same people.
    • gd1z, on 01/06/2008, -0/+3This whole topic seems that it could become ripe with contradiction.
    • KingGorilla, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2There's money involved!
  • Shogi, on 01/06/2008, -4/+163Of course video games aren't toys. They're serious business.
    • davebo27, on 01/10/2008, -0/+0Yeah especially since when he searched toy it brought up the games AND toys category, not the games which are toys category. If you go into the games and toys category and look at the toys subcategory, you won't find a single video game. They're not toys!
  • freakk123, on 01/06/2008, -3/+39The average age for a gamer 33 years old (http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php) in the US. It's not a kids medium, it's a wide-ranging entertainment industry, and the products the industry produces are not toys any more than movies and books are toys.
    • EpidemiK, on 01/06/2008, -2/+8Of course, the kid's parents buys the games for their 10 year olds.
      • s0nicfreak, on 01/06/2008, -0/+3Read the link, it emphasizes that they're talking about the average game PLAYER, not purchaser. And besides, that's *****, I bought my own games when I was 10...
    • dood, on 01/06/2008, -1/+4I'm around that age, and I still enjoy toys. Like, genuine kids toys such as LEGO. I'm cool with video games being called toys.
    • DucoNihilum, on 01/06/2008, -0/+4I didn't know the 40 year old virgin posted on Digg.
    • battletrax, on 01/07/2008, -0/+1You sir are right, its not a kids medium. Funny though i remember a little franchise called Pokemon™ sold more than 155 million units.
      "Hey Jim what are you going to do after you finish work at the office? "Im going home to play some pokemon man!!!"
  • Falldog, on 01/06/2008, -21/+8SHOCK and AWE at how this could possibly take place at a Best Buy.
  • OUChevelleSS, on 01/06/2008, -6/+71I never really considered video games 'toys'.
  • deadbaby, on 01/06/2008, -18/+5I don't have much pity for this fellow. Everyone knows how Best Buy operates. If you choose to purchase from them you've got no one but yourself to blame.
  • stevey5036, on 01/06/2008, -18/+80Cry about it *****. Cry because you have to pay full price like everyone else. Buried for ***** stupid.
    • robbiedo, on 01/06/2008, -6/+4It's not like Best Buy is actually making any profit on the Xbox 360 itself, even at full price. Nor is it even remotely a "toy" in any normal sense of the term. Plus it doesn't contain any lead, which I guess is why so many have failed.
  • sevenslashfour, on 01/06/2008, -10/+73"Games and Toys" =/= "Games are Toys"

    This is just another case of Waaaaaaaahhhhhh. His argument is hardly valid.

    I also love how hardly anyone who commented even read the article and just jump straight to senselessly bashing Best Buy. Smooth.
    • MasterChi, on 01/06/2008, -7/+5Seems you didn't read the article either. They said that under bestbuy.com under the toys section you will see Xbox 360 as number 1, they even had a picture their for you since you obviously don't read the article. Bestbuy corporate thinks its a toy and the local Bestby doesn't, not really an issue in my mind but to this person and to others they miss out on savings.
      • ecidnac, on 01/06/2008, -3/+6Read HARDER, sir, and then evaluate what you have read. There is no "Toys" section on the Best Buy website, there is only a "Games & Toys" section, which clearly sets games apart as something separate from toys. Yes, if you search for "toys", all of the games will appear in the results, but I'm sure that's just because the search function searches based on category name as one of its criteria.
        Whatever. I personally don't consider video games to be toys. Unless you're going to ***** play catch with them, or something.
      • sevenslashfour, on 01/06/2008, -3/+1Nice try, but, uh, no. XBox 360 is the first thing on the dropdown menu for "Games & Toys." Moving your cursor down to "TOYS & Kids' Electronics," the toy-specific category, you will find only...well, toys and kids' electronics. No console games of any sort to be found.

        Troll better.
    • sstidman, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2"I also love how hardly anyone who commented even read the article and just jump straight to senselessly bashing Best Buy. "

      ***** BEST BUY!!!

      / Haven't read the article yet.
      // Best Buy deserves what they get regardless of whether this article existed or not.
    • opnickc, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?_dyncharse ...
      A search for "toy" in all categories. Note the first result.
  • bingobongony, on 01/06/2008, -4/+52This is pretty stupid even for consumerist.com. A lack of fine print ? Why do they need any fine pritn? Video games are NOT toys. Pretty ***** clearly. sayingthere needs to be fine print spelling that out is like saying that Walmart needs to specifically say that automobile tires are not toys.

    Looks like this will be yet ANOTHJER Consumerist.com submission that makes the front page, despite having almost unanimously negative comments. AMAZING how they get all those diggs even though everyone disagrees! No way could they be paying for those diggs!
    • DucoNihilum, on 01/06/2008, -0/+4Perhaps they should have wrote

      "Does not include shelves, TV's, employees vehicles....." You know, so consumerist would be happy. It might have to be a 40 page pamphlet, but it would be good!
      • bingobongony, on 01/06/2008, -0/+3Here is the thing...I can understnad people thinking that video games are toys. So sure, I can understand why the person was upset. But to be so POSITIVE that they are toys, and therefore feeling the need to go and bitch to Consumerist about it is ridiculous. And for Consumerist to run with the story is..well..it is par for the course for Consumerist. They have repeatedly shown that they have absolutely NO understanding of how businesses work, or how they are SUPPOSED to work. Yet they think they are some consumer watch dog. Actually, all they are is a site to blast businesses even when the businesses are doing nothing wrong.
    • linoth, on 01/06/2008, -0/+0Consumerist seems to do this once in a while, where they'll stand behind a story of a customer trying to act stupid at the cost of their own integrity. It's really beginning to annoy me.

      The customer needs to be protected from the big corporations, yes. But the corporations deserve a measure of protection from people being intentionally ignorant.
      • bingobongony, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1Once in awhile? Fare more often than not, consumerist stories are either completely made up ***** (I know this becuase I made one up, and wrote them, and they passed it along as if it really happened, when a simple phone call could have shown that I was lying) or they are siutaitons like this where the customer is NOT right in their demands. Consumerist feels that big rich companies should always give in since it is better to lose some money than hurt their PR. But the big rich companies don't BECOME big and rich by being bullied into bad business practices over fear of bad PR.
        And Consumerist's problem is that they cannot cause bad PR. No one has head about them.
    • banq59, on 01/09/2008, -0/+1How are video games not toys? I play xbox360, just like used to play ***** GIJoe. How you idiots defend best buy for not specifying what a toy is, is just beyond me.
  • theaverageidiot, on 01/06/2008, -17/+6Wait... if video games aren't toys, then what is? I mean, what else does Best Buy sell besides video games that are even remotely close to toys?!
    • Remus, on 01/06/2008, -0/+6Remote control cars, helicopters, dinosaurs, transformers, plug-in-play electronic devices... just to name a few.
      • theaverageidiot, on 01/06/2008, -3/+0I guess so.

        And by the way, I just learned how easy it is to get dugg down here :/. Sensitive crowd.
        • s1mph0ny, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2Your question was already asked by someone else. If you're going to post a dumb question, at least be the first to do so.
  • zeroflake, on 01/06/2008, -11/+5sex toys are for adults, but they are called toys.
  • mojo0510, on 01/06/2008, -2/+18Best Buy sells toys like little robots and helicopters and such. I've never thought of such a
    serious piece of hardware like the 360 as a game. Oh, and to those of you that blast Best Buy on
    a regular basis, which brick and mortar stores do you do your electronics shopping from?
    • JenadaeXX, on 01/06/2008, -12/+2Newegg.com
      • mojo0510, on 01/06/2008, -2/+7odd... never though of a website as a brick and mortar store. Way to up the average intelligence of digg users.
      • Renton, on 01/06/2008, -0/+8/facepalm
        • mojo0510, on 01/06/2008, -0/+4Damn... I said game in reference to the 360 rather than toy.. I'm an ass too.
    • HeroDreamerCS, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1Fail.
    • s1mph0ny, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2Most of us don't do a lot of electronics brick and mortar shopping. It's easier to compare prices and specs online anyway.
  • jesperhh, on 01/06/2008, -14/+4Well, he could probably get a Wii on that coupon :P
  • m00nstone, on 01/06/2008, -11/+2Videogaming is adults playing with kids toys, the same way that Major League Baseball is a bunch of men playing a children's game. I'm 38 and I still play video games. I'm a hardcore gamer. Most of my peers gave up gaming in their 20s.
    Having said all of that, it is a Best Buy sale and they can make the rules any way they like it, but it still doesn't make it right.
  • fdsarawr, on 01/06/2008, -4/+28Videos games are not toys, they are media, like CDs and DVDs. Action figures are toys, so gtfo.
  • Schober43, on 01/06/2008, -12/+1I love how I tested best buys site to see what toys are on the site and got the same thing. A toy is something you play with, we play with video games. I hope that guy got to use his coupon.
  • JenadaeXX, on 01/06/2008, -8/+15Video games are electronics not toys...
    • m00nstone, on 01/06/2008, -2/+10So if it's an electronic device it can't be a toy.... interesting logic.
      • Matthew386x, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1Under that logic, only my wooden Choo-Choo is a toy. Everything else that takes batteries must be 'electronics'.

        /sarc
        • inspecality, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1I have a ton of non-electronic devices that take batteries.

          asm/
        • EmitStop, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1You have a wooden Choo-Choo too? I thought i was the only one!
    • Gee1004, on 01/06/2008, -0/+3Isn't a vibrator that takes batteries a "Toy"
  • cliffzdude, on 01/06/2008, -4/+9Jason works for Mattel selling Tickle Me Elmo. Jane works for EA selling Driving Games.
    Do they work in the same industry? The argument being made here is that Jane really works in the toy industry.
    I say no, Jane is in the "gaming" biz...

    Really, whats the BFD on Consumerist anyway? So some guy decides to be a douche bag the moment he doesn't get his way. Cry me a freakin river. THIS is coverage worthy?
    • screwfanboys1, on 01/06/2008, -0/+3jeez we all get it, you dont need to bring out jason and jane here...
  • bpacana, on 01/06/2008, -1/+16This guy is being deliberately obtuse. Obviously the search for "toy" turned up the entire category "Games & Toys," and obviously Xbox 360 and 2 *game* cartridges (or whatever form they're in) fall under "games" rather than "toys."
  • xman00, on 01/06/2008, -14/+6If you go to the Best Buy website, the XBOX 360 is listed under GAMES AND TOYS!
    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=abcat07 ...
    • sevenslashfour, on 01/06/2008, -1/+5Games AND toys, smarty.
    • hddigger, on 01/06/2008, -1/+6What's your point? If games were toys, they wouldn't need to mention both. Games AND toys.
    • cliffzdude, on 01/06/2008, -1/+10Yeah, its a ***GAME*** console. The coupon wasn't for "Game and Toys, it was for ***TOYS***.
      TOYS. Can you people read?
      They DO have a section called "Toys & Kids' Electronics". No Xbox 360 there. Because its not a toy.
    • darkzeroman, on 01/06/2008, -1/+5are you ***** retarded?
      yes its under GAMES AND TOYS, which is a CATEGORY.
      Then look further, they have individual systems(the GAMES), then a subcategory called "Toys & Kids' Electronics"(the TOYS) for which the coupon is for.
      Don't blame Best Buy for your inability to understand simple classifications.
  • postal21, on 01/06/2008, -0/+18Get over it, the coupon wasnt intended for use with a 360. They arent going to just give all rewardzone members 25% off a 360 console. They only make like 10 dollars on the damn thing anyways. It would totally invalidate the entire sale of the system. Thats why the consoles are rarely priced down and usually come with free other items like games and accessories.

    I think bestbuy is crappy like most everyone else, but cut them some slack.
    • l0tharnt, on 01/06/2008, -1/+1They make 0$ on consoles and games, they are sold pretty much at or under cost when you see them on sale. Its only on the accessories they make money (cables, controllers, memory packs)
  • SuspicionVandit, on 01/06/2008, -9/+13This guy has horrible taste in games and an ugly wife
  • rzermatt, on 01/06/2008, -7/+1That Best Buy is near me. It is the one I usually go to if I need to pick stuff up.

    They really have issues with their salespeople there. Just this past week in the newspaper, three people from the store were arrested for switching items in boxes to steal them from the stores...

    Best Buy has serious issues on all levels, not just customer help and advertisements.
  • hddigger, on 01/06/2008, -5/+8Is this really newsworthy? Video games aren't toys. Is monopoly a toy? Chess? Give me a break.
  • arsenalnra, on 01/06/2008, -3/+11Yes the Xbox360 may be listed under games and toys. However, it would be classified under the GAMES portion. Best buy and other retailers make nothing on game hardware as it is. Also, conveniently they don't show the BACK of the coupon where all of the exclusions are printed. Gotta love biased media like the consumerist.
  • Mossman85, on 01/06/2008, -5/+4I can see a talking PS3 and 360 in the next Toy Story movie.
  • brstilson, on 01/06/2008, -4/+13Board games aren't toys, they're games. Neither are video games
    • saltinekracka20, on 01/07/2008, -0/+1Well, you do find board games in the toy section of stores.
  • sevenslashfour, on 01/06/2008, -1/+9Further proof for general stupidity.

    Go to bestbuy.com, hover your mouse over "games & toys" at the top. Click "Toys & Kids' Electronics."

    Show me where an actual console or computer video game shows up under that category.
  • vioz82, on 01/06/2008, -8/+0Games r one of intertainment
    Toys r the way you get ur self entertained

    But IMO X.Box is a toy... so just give that poor guy a discount!
    • titlesaysitall, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2What the ***** were trying to convey in the English language?
  • verdehead, on 01/06/2008, -7/+0Read the fine print - 'Write "void" on coupon and place in register media file.' There was never a savings it is telling the checker that it is void to begin with. This store, sells electronics not toys you would never find somethings they sell here at the place with the upside down R. - RIGHT?
  • interrelate, on 01/06/2008, -7/+3I think it's classified as "Electronics."
  • FaaipDeOiad, on 01/06/2008, -9/+2wow this exact same thing happened to me... its *****
  • JoshBones, on 01/06/2008, -5/+17Best Buy is getting blamed for this man's ignorance. In his search for Toy on BestBuy.com the list came up with over 1 Thousand items.... many of which are "Toys". For Ex. Scene It Board Game, RC Helli-Copters, Robosapiens, etc.... This is a clear case of someone who felt stupid when trying to use a coupon that doesn't apply to a product he wanted to buy, and using Best Buy's well known name against them. Of course Best Buy is screwing him over and not the other way around. There is no way he was trying to take advantage of a big business....... Oh wait, it is exactly like that. He was probably sitting at home wandering, "hmmm...... how can I manipulate this coupon to take advantage of bad wording". If anyone has worked in a Grocery Store, or a Retail store they know this. Give Best Buy a break for Christ sake, cuz if it wasn't for them we would all have to shop at Circuit City. Thank God for Best Buy!
    • chrispompa, on 01/06/2008, -1/+3you had me at "this man's ignorance". Im glad there are still people that think for themselves out there. "JoshBones" made my day.
    • icust298, on 01/06/2008, -0/+0How can you sit at home and wander at the same time? Just wondering.
    • jaxcs, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1Well, I vote with the consumerist on this one. If Best Buy wanted to specifically exclude consoles and vid games and accessories why not just say so. If you look at the blow up of the coupon, they do say that special order items, demos, clearance items, and open box items are excluded. If the guy made a mistake, it's one that is very easy to make. In your own post, you say that the scene it board game is a toy. If board games are toys then why aren't vid games toys? The distinction is so narrow they are practically indistinguishable.
      • linoth, on 01/06/2008, -1/+1Because video game consoles AREN'T toys. And their website has an entire subsection that's labeled as toys. Video games do not appear in "Toys and Kid's Electronics." This guy either tried to intentionally play stupid to try and rip off the chain or realized he was making an ass of himself and tried to take it to Consumerist to put pressure on Best Buy so that he could win the day.
        Instead he's making himself look stupid to all of Consumerist and Digg.
        • jaxcs, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1I gotta plead ignorance yet again. If JoshhBones thinks the scene it board game is a toy, why aren't vid games toys? I think it's natural to call both toys. When I give someone I know a vid game, I don't think I'm giving them anything other than something to play with. In short, a toy. One is played on a paper and the other on the television but they are both the same kind of thing. If Best Buy specifically wanted to exclude vd games how hard would it have been for them to exclude them on the coupon? Right or wrong, this is the kind of omission that lawyers fantasize about and to which class action law suits are made.
      • l0tharnt, on 01/06/2008, -1/+2I'm wondering why Best Buy has specific coupons then for just Video Games? Why not just say TOY like apparently your thinking they were doing.
        • jaxcs, on 01/06/2008, -0/+1You seem to want me to fashion a rational difference so I'll comply. When there is a coupon that specifies a discount for vid games, it is for a particular kind of toy. When the coupon is for toys, it is for all categories of toys.
  • m00nstone, on 01/06/2008, -4/+5They should have a sign in the video game section of Toys R Us. "You are now entering the non-toy section of our store".
    • sevenslashfour, on 01/06/2008, -2/+4Bikes, books, instruments, and sporting goods aren't exactly toys either, and they sell those too. Hm.
    • skunkman62, on 01/06/2008, -1/+2baby clothes, candy, CD's, DVD's, etc...
  • threepm, on 01/06/2008, -2/+13There is a "TOY" Aisle which has little dvd game toys, hannah montana cameras and other TOYS... Jesus Best Buy is a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS stop acting like they owe everyone a goddamn thing. If you dont like their policies.. Dont ***** shop there.
  • joey368, on 01/06/2008, -8/+3Heh so much for Best-Buy trying to be better than Wal*Mart.
  • Chris_F, on 01/06/2008, -0/+15Wait a minute, these are not sprinkles, sir. You've clearly taken items from the candy rack and placed them on top of the doughnut in an attempt to pass them off as sprinkles. A Mounds bar is not a sprinkle. A Twizzler is not a sprinkle. A Jolly Rancher is not a sprinkle, sir. Perhaps in Shangra-la they are, but not here.
  • andrewdundee, on 01/06/2008, -7/+2by definition a video game would be a toy, just like a new set of golf clubs could be considered "toys". A toy is something to be played with.
  • ThraxyWaxy, on 01/06/2008, -3/+5Best Buy isn't all bad, I got a bunch of movies from the past 2 years for $5 last week, great deal. Sale's over now, so I'm not advertising.
  • joey368, on 01/06/2008, -3/+2Wait I got my 360 at Best Buy too & they told me it's a toy...and a computer!
  • m00nstone, on 01/06/2008, -4/+4Ok, lets be honest. Most of you nerds don't want to admit that you still play with toys. That every time you pick up that controller it returns you to a simpler time.
    Admit it. If she would let you pull out the old star wars comforter, you'd do it!
    • skunkman62, on 01/06/2008, -0/+2first of all i dont consider video games as toys. FPS don't send me back to a simpler time.
      second: how did you know i have a star wars comforter?
    • offspring06, on 01/06/2008, -1/+2Video games are electronic entertainment just the same as DVDs and DVD players.
  • MourningZoo, on 01/06/2008, -6/+4People still buy stuff from Best Buy? Gosh, you'd think they'd have learned by now!

    Example: 1/5/07 RAM on newegg $54.99. Same RAM @ BestBuy $126.99
    The guy asked if I wanted it and I laughed and told him no thank you.
  • inos92, on 01/06/2008, -9/+2Screw Best Buy. It's the most ***** up electronics store, and yet, on Black Friday, it has the longest lines. They should follow CompUSA and just close down.


    and just so you know, i still sleep with my star wars comforter. x]
    • m00nstone, on 01/06/2008, -2/+1It's ok man, we're all friends here ;)
  • ItsMyWii, on 01/06/2008, -8/+1That right there's some *****.
  • jnorris441, on 01/06/2008, -4/+8I consider dual core laptops toys. Now give me my merchandise.
  • chuckyc130, on 01/06/2008, -8/+1I'm glad i just went to circuit city and bought a G9
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