Last night I ordered to two SD cards using the Best Buy Pick Up at store feature. It was a great deal, $79.99 for a 16GB Class 6 SD card (if you were wondering). The order went through fine, I got the email the today saying that the order was ready for me to pick up at the Yonge & Dundas Best Buy.

I went in today to pick up the order… as instructed. First of all, they make you go to the “Customer Service”, which is the return my used camera because my trip is over and I don’t need it anymore, line. The Store Pickup “feature” supposed to speed up the process but actually slows it down, returning something at Best Buy is not a quick process and you have to wait longer to talk to someone then if you went to pick up yourself and pay normally.

So I get up to the rep and she brings out my products. They were wrapped with tape that said “Inspected”. I soon learn that the tape means nothing and the products were Compact Flash cards, and NOT the SD cards that I had ordered.

I offered to the rep that I will go and get the SD cards. She had tried to call for help a couple of times and no one called her back. She looked up in the computer that they did indeed have them in stock still and that there should be no problem. I’m now at 15 minutes.

I get to the camera department and I find one of the SD cards. Now I’m getting a little irritated. The product that I had ordered was no longer available because the Best Buy worker who took my order was incompetent. Someone from camera’s came over to help and I told him my situation. He said well they have no more, there was an open one but he already sold it. Again, useless information that didn’t solve my problem.

So, I left with 1 SD card. I came home to buy another online for delivery and they are now out of stock. So, I have to go through the entire process again. I now have a pick up order placed at Sherway Gardens, luckily I’ll be in the area tomorrow, but if they screw it up I’m not going to be happy.

So the moral of the story is, store pickup sucks. Either get it delivered or go pick it up yourself, especially if it is something that may be a hot/sale item, because you can’t rely on the Best Buy staff to get your order right. This is not the first time the Store Pickup has failed me and has been less efficient than it should be!

Of course if you want a new iPod or Macbook, buy one or three. I am definitely an Apple advocate (if there was any doubt) so this is definitely not an entry to say don’t buy these products. But it is an entry to say, know when to buy one! History has shown that iPods and Mac laptops get "refreshed" at certain times of year. September is normally when iPods get more memory or a new design. iMacs have been refreshed in September too. I think I bought my last two in this month, different years of course. January is also a time when laptops get a faster chip or more impressive specs.

The rumour mill is abuzz that Apple Macbook and iPods are going to be scarce over the coming month(s). Normally this means one thing…new models are on the horizon. Plus, numerous sites are now bringing up rumours about new design changes, take a look at a new rumoured iPod Nano.

So if you are not in a rush to get a new laptop or iPod, wait a bit. See what happens in September as you could be buying something that could be replaced with of course, something newer, better, faster from Apple. And even sometimes a product that is cheaper.

And what fun is buying an Apple product if it isn’t the newest product out there?

I’m a good consumer. I buy and then think later. I get tempted by nice advertising and the "cool" factor. Not because I want to look cool by having something or looking a certain way. I just like "cool" things. I like quality, style and practicality.

I bought a ten pack of iPhone cases on Sunday while sitting in Starbucks on a work break. Okay, it was a random purchase, I know I needed a case, and why not get every colour so Brad and I can share? It looks like such a good deal. 10 pieces for about $70. That is $7 bucks a case. Single cases at the Apple store probably start at $15 up to well, lots of $$$. And this company is advertising everywhere, evey iPhone blog I have been to, that is how I found them.

So I placed my order and waited… 6 – 14 days according to the web site (coming from Hong Kong), and today on day 9 I got the cases. I was a little dissappointed. I am sure they will do me well for casual use, but I’m still going to have to purchase a case for every day use.

They do come in every colour, which is nice, but I don’t know if I’m sold on the quality of the case. I was expecting something a little more sturdy, like my incase case for my Touch that I really like. These things are floppy silicone and look and feel sort of cheap. On the customs paperwork it said the value of the package is $12. And I think that is being generous. It probably cost them $0.50 to pour the silicon into the mold… and there is no packaging. There’s an old man sitting behind a desk in Hong Kong, smoking his cigarette and laughing at all the money rolling in.

I went to the site and there is no return policy for customer satisfaction, just damage due to shipping or factory defect. So no money back for me. I think I’ll use it when I don’t want my (to be purchased) new case to get damaged when I’m rock climbing or walking the tightrope.

Oh yeah, and the little circle on the back? It doesn’t line up to the Apple symbol. That is the worst part of it all!

[UPDATE] Okay, they are growing on me. I will still pick up an incase case, but these will be good to mix it up a bit. My suggestion, touch and feel it at a store before committing!