by: Brandon Hill
Want us to upgrade your firmware? That'll be $30
It's understandable that margins are often slim on certain items in the retail business, and companies look to offer additional services to help bolster the bottom line. However, Best Buy seems to take things to the extreme at times.
Best Buy's Geek Squad division often comes under a lot of scrutiny for high-priced services. Earlier this year, The Consumerist called out Best Buy's “worthless” $40 optimization service for new computers. Today, however, the electronics retail giant is being called out for PS3 firmware updates according to DualShockers.
A Best Buy in New York is offering customers a service which tacks an extra $30 onto the purchase price of a new 120GB PS3 system that has been upgraded to the latest firmware. According to Best Buy, the firmware update includes:
* Play(s) all Blu-ray movies and PS3 games
* Eliminates bugs and glitches
* System runs smoother
* Improves connectivity to Facebook
* Power save settings
* Photo gallery and video editor
* Adds PlayStation Plus
* Improved system settings
For PS3 users, performing a firmware update on the PS3 is simple as going to the system menu and selecting system updates. All of this is of course free to the user and requires nothing more than a few button presses on the controller (and an internet connection).
Of course, Best Buy's firmware update is an optional service and no one has to purchase it -- just like customers don't have to purchase optimizations services for new PCs -- but it just seems a little off-putting to say the least.
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