Today Eric and I were in Best Buy, shopping for a HDTV for our new basement.

Now Best Buy sells iPhones and accessories. I’ve been meaning to get an iPhone dock for my desk. I saw some on a rack and grabbed one, assuming that Best Buy was selling Apple products for the same price that Apple was selling Apple products. There was no price card near the docks.

I check out with my other purchases, hand over my credit card and honestly didn’t pay that much attention to the exact amount I was charged for the dock.

Our next stop was an Apple Store to pick up a Mac Mini for the girls (their 3+ year old Mini was getting quite creaky). Eric’s iPhone sync cable is worn out, so he picks up a new cable and a dock. In the Apple Store, the dock was $29.00. I check my Best Buy receipt and I was charged $49.99 for the exact same item.

It’s not a mistake. Best Buy’s site:

Apple:

Identical box. Identical Apple model number.

I called Best Buy and was told that they do have price matching. I should “bring in the ad” and they’ll match the price. I said, “it wasn’t an ad. You’re simply charging $20 more than the manufacturer’s everyday price for no apparent reason.” He answered, “you have to bring in something on paper in order to get the match.” “So you’ll easily match a sale price that’s cheaper, but not everyday pricing?” “You have to show something.”

Oookay. We’ll be heading back to Best Buy with a copy of the receipt from the Apple Store, both boxes (the one from Best Buy and the one from Apple Store to show it’s the same product) and the hope that Best Buy will credit me back the $20.