If you are reading this, the chances are that you are more than familiar with both of these outlets. However, you may not be aware that there are stark differences between the two.
Yes, they are both really popular retailers of electronic goods, but you can actually buy the same products at either with totally different perks and conditions attached as a result.
At this point, both can easily be described as he two biggest retailers of their kind on the US market, but really, the similarities end there for the most part.
One great advantage of shopping with either is the selection that they both offer. Due to their massive collection of suppliers from all over the world, shopping with either will ensure that you have a lot of choice, allowing you to narrow down exactly what you want and get it.
But, this doesn’t necessarily mean that every single product that they stock will be the best out there. You will still have to take matters into your own hands and do some research. After all, you do want the best product at the price point you are willing to buy at, right?
Major Outlets vs. buying directly from the Supplier?.. Difference Between Verizon Store and Best Buy
In the long distant past, we would once have insisted that the best course of action was always to get your electronics directly from the supplier themselves. And, in some rare cases, this will still be the best way to do it. They may offer some perks, such as an extended warranty.
But, when it comes to the effect that this will have on your wallet, this no longer really works as well as it once did. See, the thing about Verizon is that they will always sell their gear at full price, only offering discounts if you are ordering in bulk.
Even in these cases, the general consensus is that they can be convinced into knocking a small percentage off, but never enough to compete with the mega-corporations like Best Buy.
So, should I just shop with Best Buy?
One great thing about Best Buy is that they always seem to make a decent attempt to live up to the hype that their name builds. Whether you are online shopping, or actually there in person, there is the implied guarantee that you are going to find exactly what you are looking for at a better price than you will find anywhere else.
In these terms, opting to go with Best Buy sort of seems like a bit of a no brainer. After all, they will pretty much always have the best deals on all electronic item, whether they are cables and accessories, or TVs and modems. All in all, it seems like a pretty easy decision. That is, until you consider what Verizon Store are offering that Best Buy aren’t.
So, what’s the catch?
With these sorts of decisions, nothing is ever as straight-forward as you think it is going to be. There is always going to be some pros and cons that you will need to weigh up before making the final decision.
In this case, the con of shopping at Best Buy and not Verizon Store is that Best Buy will not guarantee the quality of the product they are selling you.
In addition to that, there will also be a lot of fine print and legal jargon that is attached to your Best Buy purchase – very little of which is designed to be in the favor of the customer. As a result of this, quite a few customers are migrating towards using Verizon Store for that peace of mind.
That being said, though Best Buy’s whole bit is that they buy in massive bulk, allowing them to sell their phones and things at a lower price, this won’t apply to Apple’s products. So, when Best Buy are selling these, they tend to switch up their tactics a little, offering a good few perks on the Apple range.
Getting back to the advantages of shopping with Verizon Store, there are definitely some perks that we feel deserve a mention here. For one, you can get your hands on brand new stuff much quicker if you shop with them.
To add to that, you are even allowed to put in a pre-order on an upcoming item if you really want to be the first to get it. Also, while shopping in person, it is just a much better experience.
There’s dedicated in store reps who actually know what they are talking about and will take the time to discuss your decisions with you. Also, they just seem to offer way more when it comes to options and aftercare.
Which one should I choose?
If your motivation is solely financial, the obvious choice is always going to be Best Buy. Sure, they don’t offer much else except for that, but for some, that is more than enough.
However, for us, the better option is to spend that little bit extra in order to ensure that you are not left high and dry if something goes wrong.
Shopping with Verizon Store will get you access to some warranties that we feel are worth the extra expenditure – especially when you consider their 100% guarantee policy. On top of that, there’s also the option to get your stuff fixed in-house if anything goes wrong.
As we have mentioned above, it really depends on what motivates you more when it comes to making these decisions. Really, we would suggest that you research the cost of each item you wish to purchase at both stores.
Then, if the price difference isn’t all that much, we would suggest that it may be worth spending that little bit more to get the guarantee and repair work as added extras. Whichever you end up choosing, there is one thing that is absolutely sure.
Though these outlets are often considered to be pretty much the exact same, there is actually quite a lot of things that make them entirely different.
I agree with most of what you said. But there are a couple of points I would like to ask you. I am preparing to purchase two new phones. I currently have an Apple 10XR Pro, and my wife has a Samsung Note 8. We have talked with both Best Buy, and our local factory Verizon store. The Verizon store has said they will trade with me (on the Apple) straight up for either a Apple 13 Pro with 512 gb of ram, or a Samsung Galaxy 22 Ultra w/512 gb (without changing my monthly pmt), and on my wife’s phone our pmt would go up $48 per month. Best Buy will do the same thing, except the monthly payment will only go up $22 a month. It is a $26 per month difference times 36 months. That is $936 difference. I really would prefer to trade at the factory store, but that is a lot of difference. What do you think?