Best Buy in-store website under investigation

Hartford (CT) - The Connecticut Attorney General is taking aim at Best Buy’s in-store website. A recently initiated investigation is looking into allegations that prices shown on in-store computers are higher than on the actual store website.

According to claims filed by consumers, the intrastore site fails to show special offers and discounts on some items that are offered through the external BestBuy.com site. This bait-and-switch would cause customers to come in the store and ask about the online specials, only to have employees check the static in-store site and not find the product and price combination.

The state’s attorney general Richard Blumenthal said that when Best Buy responded to the allegations, "their responses seem to raise as many questions as they answer. Their answers are less than crystal clear."

The AG’s office claims that Best Buy’s practices are misleading customers and intentionally confusing them so they aren’t able to take advantage of advertised offers. However, Best Buy has frequently said in the past that its in-store and online operations as well as related special offers are separate. Best Buy does not honor online promotions in the store. However, if the store is misrepresenting what its online counterpart offers, some questions could be raised about the store’s business practices.

It’s not the first statewide investigation Best Buy has faced. Multiple states have gone after the electronics store chain for allegations that include not honoring rebates, selling used products as new, and failing to honor its return policy.