Best Buy accidentally sends Premier Black e-mails to all Reward Zone members

Electronics retail giant Best Buy on Wednesday inadvertently sent acceptance e-mails for an exclusive program to all its rewards club members.

The e-mail describes the new Premier Black program as its "most elite membership level." Premier Black, with a name obviously borrowed from American Express' Black Card, has benefits beyond other levels of Best Buy's Reward Zone memberships, including faster rewards, exclusive shopping services, and personal attention from a Premier Black concierge who can help locate out-of-stock products, answer questions, and give special access to the store.

A copy of the e-mail that Best Buy accidentally sent to all Reward Zone members.

Best Buy is admitting its mistake on an error page to which recipients of the e-mail are being directed and stating that they will not be offered Premier Black membership. According to the error page, the Premier Black pilot is being run only in a select number of areas. It is not stated in the e-mail what is needed to qualify for the Premier Black membership level. But given that you are required to spend $2,500 a year for the Sliver level, Black could be $5,000 or more.

[frido84]

This is absolutely ridiculous. I know how the retail corporate world thinks because I am a part of it, however, I have a more ethical background with regards to stunts like this. This was there way of advertising it to everyone that is a current RZ member. Get their hopes up that they are now an elite member and the retract it. It has to do with the human brain, once you have something and someone takes it away, you have to have it back. So I wonder how many people are going to give into that human instinct? I know I will not.

[canesj3]

How can a company such as Best Buy make such a large mistake like this one. Someone definitely dropped the ball on this.

[ConEdisonEgg]

Actually Best Buy is making mistakes all the time, this is the first mistake that was large enough to warrant a news article.

As a RZ member, I am constantly seeing complaints on BB's rewardzone website about this or that. This mistake has generated the largest blog thread on that website since it was started 1 year ago.

[creppie]

@canesj3
Companies like Best Buy typically don't send these email blasts directly. They use third-parties like DoubleClick, Acxiom Digital, Grey Direct, etc -- interactive advert companies. What likely happened was that one guy somewhere in midtown manhattan applied the wrong list. I held that post about 5 years ago.

@frido
Right, a better decision would have been for BB to provide an alternative incentive to make up for the misgiving.

[MichaelMidnight]

@frido84: I totally agree with you on your stance. Once I saw the email, I knew it was too good to be true. It's so obvious it's a stunt to promote the new line and Best Buy. In any event, I wasn't swayed. Best Buy hasn't been getting any business from me recently.

[MichaelMidnight]

@frido84: I totally agree with you on your stance. Once I saw the email, I knew it was too good to be true. It's so obvious it's a stunt to promote the new line and Best Buy. In any event, I wasn't swayed. Best Buy hasn't been getting any business from me recently.

[pjsa85a]

Well, having worked in Web development for 13 years I pity the person who actually had to send out e-mail. Every developer and comm. manager HATES dealing with e-mail. Something ALWAYS goes wrong. From testing to the actual execution it is nerve wracking with so many points for error--the query is wrong, the e-mail doesn't including the text only section...ugh! So, don't complain about e-mails being sent incorrectly until you have to have to do it yourself! I'd hate to have a list with millions of people on it and get it wrong because there will be thousands of jack-***** who have to complain to everyone and can't just hit delete in their inbox.

[muratklc]

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