Best Buy Inc.

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As many of you know, I am putting together a blood drive to help spread the word about OpenCarry.org.

One thing stood in my way. Finding a business willing to allow an Open Carry Blood Drive on their property. In my "corporate head hunt",I seem to hit a few walls with several companies. One of the more interesting contacts was withBest Buy Inc.

I contacted Best Buy Inc. and I have posted the email responses below. I am completely unsureof their true feeling on gun rights. You be the judge.

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March 10, 2010

Tim Brand to Vintage Xiong (Best Buy Representative)

Hello. My name is Tim Brand. I am a member on OpenCarry.org

I live in Alabama and I am working with the American Red Cross to put together a blood drive on April 10, 2010

It will be an Open Carry Blood Drive to help the spread the word about the legality of Open Carry and help the community in the process.

I believe the Best Buy in Hoover, Alabama is a perfect location for this blood drive.

I am not asking for Best Buy to "pick a side" on the Open Carry issue. I simply ask that Best Buy honors the Alabama Open Carry Laws in their stores.

The area is full of gun enthusiasts, and I believe this is a great location for this drive.

Please get back to me about your Open Carry Policies. Thank you



A timely response would be much appreciated.



-Tim

　

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March 20, 2010

Tim Brand to Vincent Xiong

Mr. Xiong

I haven't heard from your company yet. The date for the blood drive is coming up quick and I need to be able to inform everyone where the drive will be in a timely manner. Could someone please email me back in the next few days with an answer? The original message is below. If you have any questions, please call me at 205-305-2214

-Tim

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March 22, 2010

Vincent Xiong to Tim Brand

Hello Tim,



I am not sure why you have not received a response from our legal department. I will check with them and see what is going on.

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March 31, 2010

Tim Brand to Vincent Xiong

I know this is not your fault, but I am unsure why your company has failed to respond to my inquiries about a blood drive at one of their stores. The delayed response is damaging to the blood drives scheduled date and I would like to know why Best Buy has refused to answer my request. I would like a "yes" to my blood drive being at the specified location, but if your company does not want to allow such an event, an email stating so would be appreciated, professional, and would make their consumer relations look better. Thank you.



-Tim

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March 31, 2010 (((1 hour later)))

Vincent Xiong to Tim Brand

Hi Tim,



I am very sorry that you have yet to hear from our legal department. I don’t know myself why they have not responded back to your email. I can certainly contact them again on your behalf but I cannot guarantee anything at this point.

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March 31, 2010 (((2 hours later)))

Vincent Xiong to Tim Brand

Hello Tim,



I finally got a response from our Legal Team. We do not post signs that ban guns from our store and since each state has different laws, we will follow all the state laws and regulation.



If you are looking to use aBest Buy store location to host the event, you will need to speak with the store GM and fill out an Event Request form and have the store send the form to Corporate for approval.



So the question is, have you contacted anyone at the store yet? If you have not, I suggest either call the store or going into the store to speak with store management.



Sincerely,

Vincent S. Xiong

Executive Resolution Specialist

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What is wrong with this picture? Can anyone tell me? I originally asked the general manager and he told me to contact corporate. I contact corporate and they tell me to contact the general manager which will in turn contact corporate. Am I getting the run around? Does this not sound like a big circle of F**k you?

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I wouldn't read too much into this. Their day-to-day policy is starbuckish. The fact that they don't want to host an event is an indication that they are neutral on the issue--which is good.

Neutral means they respect individual exercise of rights.

BTW, I am typing this on a new laptop I just bought at BestBuy. The backlight went out on my old one. So, does my post look any better than the ones I typed on the old computer?

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I appreciate their "naturalness", but a simple yes or no should be given instead of running me in circles. If they told me "no", there would be no hard feelings in the matter and I would still shop there. Saying yes or no will not make them "pick a side". A simple "yes" would mean they allow citizens to exercise their rights in their stores. A simple "no" would merely mean they don't allow special events on the property. I feel as though I am being pushed around which is not very nice. LOL

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I think the circles are more due to corporate incompetence than to game-playing. However, this action has put BestBuy on my radar. I will be watching what they do more closely in the future.

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You may be right, but I'm definitely will be watching Best Buy closer as well. I'm hoping in was mere incompetence instead of circles, but we will see.