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- My name is Nathan Fielder,
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and I graduated from one of
Canada's top business schools
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with really good grades.
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Now I'm using my knowledge
to help struggling
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small business owners make it
in this competitive world.
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♪
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This is "Nathan for You."
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Alen Harikian is the owner
of Speers TV,
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a South-Pasadena
electronics store
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that's been operating
in the neighborhood
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for over 60 years.
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But ever since a massive
Best Buy moved in
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just minutes away
from his tiny shop,
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he's been finding it impossible
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to keep up with their
aggressive pricing.
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- Their sales are ridiculous.
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I mean, there's no way
that I can compete.
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- And if it keeps up,
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Speers TV is at risk
of going extinct.
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So I paid Alen a visit
with an ambitious solution
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to undercut
his biggest competitor.
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Are you familiar with
the Best Buy price-match policy?
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- Yeah. It's horrible.
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I mean, it's bad
for small business.
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- One of the main reasons
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Alen has such a hard time
competing with Best Buy
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is because of their aggressive
price-match policy,
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which guarantees
they will match the price
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of any local competitor,
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preventing stores like Speers
from underselling them,
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but if Alen
dropped his prices so low
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to make his TVs virtually free,
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according to Best Buy's
own policy,
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they would have to match
that price, too,
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giving Alen
a short window of time
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where he could buy up
all their inventory for $1
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and then resell those TVs
for any price he wants
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to make a huge profit.
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The plan: use Best Buy's
price-match policy against them
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to get Speers an endless supply
of $1 TVs.
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- Um...
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It's a great idea.
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- It might take a little bit
of work and time to do.
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- Okay.
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- Do you have a lot
going on right now?
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- No, I honestly don't. No.
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- So you don't
have commitments at home
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or anything right now?
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Relationship stuff?
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- I'm not in a relationship, no.
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- I'm not in a relationship
either, so...
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- Oh.
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- We can both work on this,
you know, full-time.
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- Okay. All right. That's fine.
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- After a bit more discussion,
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Alen was on board to move
forward with dropping the price
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on one of his premium
Samsung HD TV models
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to just $1 apiece,
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but once the new discounted
price went into effect,
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people would be flocking
to Speers to get the deal.
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So to help dissuade
these bargain hunters
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from buying up
all of Alen's dollar TVs,
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I implemented a strict
dress code, requiring customers
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to wear formal attire
just to enter the store.
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I then had all the dollar TVs
moved to an area
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at the back of the store
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and had a new wall constructed
to surround this area
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that could only be entered
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through a tiny,
two-foot-tall door.
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Finally, in between the door
and the TVs,
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I added a live alligator,
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which would hopefully force
customers who made it this far
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to reconsider their decision
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to take advantage
of the great offer.
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With our preventative measures
in place,
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I could now prepare
to get Alen his TVs.
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According to Best Buy's policy,
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price-matches are restricted
to one item per customer,
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so to maximize the number
of TVs I could get Alen,
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I put an ad on Craigslist
to recruit a team of people
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to help make the purchases,
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and later that week,
I met with those who responded
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to see if they
were right for the task.
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So this job involves
buying things.
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- Okay.
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- Are you good at buying things?
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- Um, I would say so.
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Like, what do you mean
by buying things?
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- Like, going into a store
and buying something.
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- Yeah.
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- All right. Great.
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All six applicants
seemed qualified for the job,
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so after printing out
some flyers
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and distributing them
throughout the neighborhood,
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it was finally time for Alen
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to offer his $1 prices
to the world.
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On the morning
of the big promotion,
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the deal vultures were already
circling out front,
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and that meant
we had to move quick,
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so I met my team of buyers
out back
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and gave them each the dollar
they'd need to buy the TVs
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and then sent them off in a van
to Best Buy.
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Meanwhile, I hung back
at Speers to help Alen ensure
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his inventory
remained untouched.
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Hey.
- Hi.
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- You look good.
- Thank you.
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You too.
- Thanks.
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And once Alen
unlocked the front door,
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we were officially
open for business.
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- Wow, this is nice.
- Can I help you, or...
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- We're here to...
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for the TV deals.
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- Just so you guys know,
we do have a strict dress code,
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as you can see
on the wall, so...
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- Wow.
- There's no advertising
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about the dress code.
- Yeah.
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- Yeah.
- That's...
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- I mean, it's right
in the front of our store
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for everyone to see.
- Yeah, but that doesn't...
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- It's inside.
- This is the front.
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- It's inside.
We were waiting out there.
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We were waiting
in the front of the store.
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- I knew some people
might be a bit frustrated,
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so I offered up a list
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of tuxedo rental stores
in the area
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to show them that Speers
did value their business.
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Honestly, you seem like
very nice people,
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and I'd love to let you in,
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but I think doing so
would be unfair to the customers
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that, you know,
chose to dress... decent.
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- What the...
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- My plan on the Speers TV side
was working,
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as 30 minutes after opening,
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exactly 0 of his $1
televisions had been purchased.
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Meanwhile, everything
was on track with my buyers
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as they were just now
arriving at Best Buy,
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but then, to my surprise,
a customer actually returned
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with attire that met
our strict dress code.
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Did you rent that?
- Yes.
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- I wasn't completely shocked
that someone
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would be determined enough
to make it inside,
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but I was hopeful
that the remaining steps
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would prove more discouraging.
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So this is the section
with those TVs.
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- Okay.
- Um...
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- It's the premium-TV section.
- Yeah.
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- That's the doorway?
- Yeah.
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These are the more
expensive ones...
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- Okay.
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- So we keep them
in a separate room.
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That's gonna
be in there. Okay.
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- Yeah.
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Oh. Okay.
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That's not good. Um...
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Yeah.
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- The customer
may have been determined,
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but once he came face-to-face
with our alligator,
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it was all over.
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I'm sorry.
I mean, I feel bad,
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'cause that's a dollar we're
losing as well, you know?
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My plan was a success.
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The guy chose
not to buy the dollar TV,
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and every customer after
that met our dress code
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got no further than Herbert
as well.
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- Herbert?
What is Herbert?
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- I'm sorry.
Did you not want a TV? Or...
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- No, I don't want to be in
the same room as an alligator.
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- Everything seemed
to be going according to plan,
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but then I got word
that, back at Best Buy,
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things weren't looking so hot.
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After presenting the flyer
to sales associates,
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my buyers were told
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that the company would not
honor their price-match.
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- This is a store,
and this is their price.
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- I couldn't understand
why this was happening,
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so I left the shop
and headed over to Best Buy
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to see if I would have
any better luck myself.
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I actually have a price-match
for this to get it for a dollar.
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- Why not?
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- They are.
They're within 25 miles.
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- Even with my confidence
and negotiation skills,
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I was denied a price-match too.
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I'm gonna count to three,
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and if you don't do it
by the time I get to three,
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I'm gonna leave, okay?
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One, two, three.
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- I couldn't believe it.
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How could Best Buy,
one of my favorite companies,
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turn their backs
on the very policy
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that drew me in as a customer?
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It was a classic
bait-and-switch,
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but the one thing I knew
is that when big corporations
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try to mess
with regular people like us,
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we don't have
to take it lying down.
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So, the next day,
I returned to Alen's store
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with a slight adjustment
to our plan.
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I'm just so sick and tired
of these big companies
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like Best Buy and Enron
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thinking that, you know,
the rules don't apply to them.
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00:07:45,700 --> 00:07:47,520
- Yeah. Yeah.
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00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:48,520
- They can just push around
the little guy.
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00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,520
You know what I mean?
- Yeah, absolutely.
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00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,080
You're right.
- As far as I'm concerned,
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you're entitled to those TVs.
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00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:54,520
- Yeah.
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00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,520
- So that's why I've decided
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00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:01,520
to file a class-action lawsuit
against Best Buy on your behalf.
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00:08:04,650 --> 00:08:06,950
- In a way, it's
kind of nerve-racking,
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00:08:06,950 --> 00:08:08,950
you know, like, going up
against a big company.
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- And how is that gonna work?
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What is the process?
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00:08:12,950 --> 00:08:15,270
- You know, I don't know what
it will entail at this point,
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00:08:15,300 --> 00:08:16,960
but we'll figure it out
together.
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00:08:16,950 --> 00:08:18,150
You know what I mean?
- Mm-hmm.
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00:08:18,180 --> 00:08:19,960
- We both aren't
in relationships.
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00:08:19,950 --> 00:08:21,550
We don't have a love life.
- Yeah, but...
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That's true.
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00:08:22,950 --> 00:08:24,950
- So you have time to do this?
219
00:08:24,950 --> 00:08:27,950
- Well, I mean, I...
this is my only li...
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00:08:27,950 --> 00:08:29,950
basically, only way
of making money.
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00:08:29,950 --> 00:08:32,030
So I wouldn't want to do
anything to jeopardize that.
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00:08:32,060 --> 00:08:34,960
- After telling Alen
I was gonna sue Best Buy,
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00:08:34,950 --> 00:08:36,110
he was immediately concerned.
224
00:08:36,110 --> 00:08:37,150
- They got bigger lawyers,
225
00:08:37,180 --> 00:08:38,960
better lawyers, probably,
more money.
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00:08:38,950 --> 00:08:41,950
- Alen was worried that Best Buy
would retaliate
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00:08:41,950 --> 00:08:43,950
and have their lawyers
come after him.
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00:08:43,950 --> 00:08:44,950
So you're a bit worried?
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00:08:44,950 --> 00:08:46,950
- Yeah.
Not a bit. A lot.
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00:08:46,950 --> 00:08:47,950
- I was torn.
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00:08:47,950 --> 00:08:49,030
I couldn't live with myself
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00:08:49,060 --> 00:08:50,960
if Alen ended up
broke and homeless
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00:08:50,950 --> 00:08:52,950
because of my actions,
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00:08:52,950 --> 00:08:55,950
but according to my research,
suing was the only way
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00:08:55,950 --> 00:08:57,950
I could get him the TVs
he was rightfully owed,
236
00:08:57,950 --> 00:09:00,950
but that's when I came
across a sure-fire way
237
00:09:00,950 --> 00:09:02,950
to legally protect him
from Best Buy:
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00:09:02,950 --> 00:09:05,950
a diagnosis of insanity.
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00:09:05,950 --> 00:09:08,950
If Alen were diagnosed
as clinically insane,
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00:09:08,950 --> 00:09:11,190
Best Buy wouldn't be able
to come after him for anything,
241
00:09:11,220 --> 00:09:13,960
but to do this
would take some maneuvering.
242
00:09:13,950 --> 00:09:14,950
So without telling Alen
243
00:09:14,950 --> 00:09:16,950
I was moving forward
with the lawsuit,
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00:09:16,950 --> 00:09:17,990
I booked him an evaluation
245
00:09:18,020 --> 00:09:20,960
with L.A.-based
clinical psychologist
246
00:09:20,950 --> 00:09:21,950
Dr. Judy Rosenberg.
247
00:09:21,950 --> 00:09:23,950
I told Alen it was just
a routine checkup
248
00:09:23,950 --> 00:09:26,950
for insurance purposes
for the show,
249
00:09:26,950 --> 00:09:28,190
but I came prepared with a plan
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00:09:28,220 --> 00:09:30,960
that would hopefully get me
the diagnosis I needed.
251
00:09:30,950 --> 00:09:34,950
So I'm very concerned
about my friend Alen.
252
00:09:34,950 --> 00:09:36,950
- Mm-hmm.
- I believe he maybe
253
00:09:36,950 --> 00:09:38,950
has some sort of psychological
issue happening.
254
00:09:38,950 --> 00:09:41,950
- Okay. What are you noticing?
255
00:09:41,950 --> 00:09:44,190
- He believes he's the manager
of an electronics store...
256
00:09:44,220 --> 00:09:45,960
- Okay.
257
00:09:45,950 --> 00:09:47,950
- And has been working there
for the past 15 years.
258
00:09:47,980 --> 00:09:51,960
- Okay, so this
is a delusion that he's having.
259
00:09:51,950 --> 00:09:55,950
- I mean, as you'll see,
he has quite the imagination.
260
00:09:55,950 --> 00:09:57,950
- Okay.
- All right. You... you ready?
261
00:09:57,950 --> 00:09:59,270
- Let's go.
- Okay. It'll be easy.
262
00:09:59,300 --> 00:10:00,960
Just be yourself.
- All right. Okay.
263
00:10:00,950 --> 00:10:02,270
- It'll be
pretty straightforward.
264
00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:03,960
Yeah.
- Okay.
265
00:10:03,950 --> 00:10:06,950
- All right, so tell me
a little bit about yourself.
266
00:10:06,950 --> 00:10:08,950
- Well, I work at the Speers TV.
267
00:10:08,950 --> 00:10:10,950
- Mm-hmm.
268
00:10:10,950 --> 00:10:13,950
- I've been there for,
I would say, 15, 16 years, and...
269
00:10:13,950 --> 00:10:15,950
- Mm-hmm.
270
00:10:15,950 --> 00:10:17,230
And are you still working there?
271
00:10:17,230 --> 00:10:18,350
- Yes, I am. Yeah.
- You are.
272
00:10:18,380 --> 00:10:19,960
Do you like?
- I love it.
273
00:10:19,950 --> 00:10:20,950
- You love it. Okay.
274
00:10:20,950 --> 00:10:23,950
- Maybe ask about the alligator.
275
00:10:24,950 --> 00:10:26,950
- Okay.
276
00:10:26,950 --> 00:10:28,950
I didn't know. Go ahead.
277
00:10:28,950 --> 00:10:30,950
- Well, we did this thing where,
278
00:10:30,950 --> 00:10:33,950
you know, we put an alligator
inside a small door...
279
00:10:33,950 --> 00:10:35,950
or a smaller room, basically,
with a small door...
280
00:10:35,950 --> 00:10:36,950
- Mm-hmm.
281
00:10:36,950 --> 00:10:38,950
- And we would have
customers coming in
282
00:10:38,950 --> 00:10:39,990
to get a $1 TV, basically.
283
00:10:40,020 --> 00:10:41,960
- Okay.
284
00:10:41,950 --> 00:10:43,950
- So... and the only thing
they had to do was go...
285
00:10:43,950 --> 00:10:45,950
have, basically, a dress code.
286
00:10:45,950 --> 00:10:47,030
We had a dress code.
- Okay.
287
00:10:47,060 --> 00:10:48,960
- So you have to be
dressed nicely.
288
00:10:48,950 --> 00:10:49,950
Maybe a suit, you know.
289
00:10:49,950 --> 00:10:51,950
A tie. Nice shoes.
290
00:10:51,950 --> 00:10:53,950
- Wow. That is so interesting.
291
00:10:53,950 --> 00:10:55,950
- Yeah.
292
00:10:55,950 --> 00:10:57,950
It's interesting idea, and...
293
00:10:57,950 --> 00:10:59,510
- It is an interesting idea.
- Yeah, so.
294
00:10:59,540 --> 00:11:02,960
- After Dr. Rosenberg
was done with her evaluation,
295
00:11:02,950 --> 00:11:05,950
I excused Alen from the room
so I could get her report.
296
00:11:05,950 --> 00:11:06,990
What did you get from him?
297
00:11:07,020 --> 00:11:07,960
What sense...
298
00:11:07,950 --> 00:11:10,950
- He's not rooted in reality.
299
00:11:10,950 --> 00:11:12,150
You and I can sit here and go,
300
00:11:12,180 --> 00:11:13,960
"Wow. What a story."
301
00:11:13,950 --> 00:11:14,950
- Hmm.
- "Jeez."
302
00:11:14,950 --> 00:11:16,950
- Yeah.
303
00:11:16,950 --> 00:11:18,950
- I mean, read
the writing on the wall.
304
00:11:18,950 --> 00:11:20,950
Alligators, little doors...
305
00:11:20,950 --> 00:11:23,950
- Is this insanity
we're witnessing? Or...
306
00:11:23,950 --> 00:11:25,950
- I'm seeing psychosis.
Okay?
307
00:11:25,950 --> 00:11:28,950
I'm seeing delusional thinking.
308
00:11:28,950 --> 00:11:31,150
- Is there any way you could
put that in writing for me?
309
00:11:31,180 --> 00:11:32,960
- Sure.
310
00:11:32,950 --> 00:11:34,950
- With proof
of Alen's insanity in hand,
311
00:11:34,950 --> 00:11:36,390
he was now immune
from prosecution...
312
00:11:36,420 --> 00:11:37,960
Thank you so much.
313
00:11:37,950 --> 00:11:39,110
And knowing he was protected,
314
00:11:39,140 --> 00:11:41,960
I was comfortable
moving forward with my lawsuit,
315
00:11:41,950 --> 00:11:43,190
but if I was gonna go up against
316
00:11:43,220 --> 00:11:45,960
a massive company like Best Buy,
317
00:11:45,950 --> 00:11:47,950
I would need some legal advice,
318
00:11:47,950 --> 00:11:49,190
so I paid a visit to my old pal,
319
00:11:49,220 --> 00:11:50,960
California judge Anthony Filosa,
320
00:11:50,950 --> 00:11:53,950
for guidance
on how to build my case.
321
00:11:53,950 --> 00:11:56,950
- If you decide to sue Best Buy,
322
00:11:56,950 --> 00:11:58,190
based upon what you've told me,
323
00:11:58,220 --> 00:11:59,960
it's gonna be a huge battle.
324
00:11:59,950 --> 00:12:01,950
- Filosa was skeptical
about my prospects,
325
00:12:01,950 --> 00:12:03,950
but he said
there was one piece of evidence
326
00:12:03,950 --> 00:12:05,950
that could turn the tide
to my favor.
327
00:12:05,950 --> 00:12:09,950
- If you had an insider
from Best Buy that...
328
00:12:09,950 --> 00:12:13,950
that could testify
as to the price-match policy
329
00:12:13,950 --> 00:12:19,950
that they don't adhere to
across the board,
330
00:12:19,950 --> 00:12:20,950
that's relevant.
331
00:12:20,950 --> 00:12:22,230
- So I need info
from the inside.
332
00:12:22,260 --> 00:12:24,960
- Yes, whistleblower
for... type of person.
333
00:12:24,950 --> 00:12:26,950
- It became clear
that without an inside source,
334
00:12:26,950 --> 00:12:28,950
I wouldn't have a case,
335
00:12:28,950 --> 00:12:30,950
but getting someone
from within these walls
336
00:12:30,950 --> 00:12:33,950
to disclose
corporate secrets on camera
337
00:12:33,950 --> 00:12:35,950
would be a whole other
challenge.
338
00:12:35,950 --> 00:12:37,950
So to conceal
my true intentions,
339
00:12:37,950 --> 00:12:40,950
I put up an ad
to recruit Best Buy employees
340
00:12:40,950 --> 00:12:42,950
for a new reality show
called "Retail Dating,"
341
00:12:42,950 --> 00:12:46,950
where people who work at retail
stores go on blind dates,
342
00:12:46,950 --> 00:12:47,950
and after a couple days,
343
00:12:47,950 --> 00:12:51,950
I got a response from a female
Best Buy employee named Elle.
344
00:12:51,950 --> 00:12:52,950
- I'm 24 years old.
345
00:12:52,950 --> 00:12:54,950
I've worked at Best Buy
for three months.
346
00:12:54,950 --> 00:12:57,950
- My plan was to pose
as another retail employee
347
00:12:57,950 --> 00:12:59,950
who was chosen to be her date,
348
00:12:59,950 --> 00:13:02,070
and because she mentioned
she liked alternative music,
349
00:13:02,100 --> 00:13:04,960
I decided to go as the manager
of a local Hot Topic
350
00:13:04,950 --> 00:13:06,950
named Nathan,
351
00:13:06,950 --> 00:13:09,070
but what Elle didn't know
is that my one and only goal
352
00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:10,960
was to get secret inside dirt
353
00:13:10,950 --> 00:13:12,950
on the Best Buy
price-match policy.
354
00:13:12,950 --> 00:13:14,230
Do you want to see
a magic trick?
355
00:13:14,260 --> 00:13:15,960
- Oh, sure.
- Do you like magic?
356
00:13:15,950 --> 00:13:17,950
- Yeah. Yeah.
357
00:13:17,950 --> 00:13:19,110
- It's just a little...
- Yeah.
358
00:13:19,140 --> 00:13:20,960
- It's not...
- Why not?
359
00:13:20,950 --> 00:13:21,950
- Okay.
360
00:13:21,950 --> 00:13:22,950
See the coin?
361
00:13:22,950 --> 00:13:24,950
- I see it.
- Okay.
362
00:13:33,950 --> 00:13:35,230
- I think I've seen that before.
363
00:13:35,260 --> 00:13:36,960
- Okay.
364
00:13:36,950 --> 00:13:38,150
Now that I had impressed Elle,
365
00:13:38,180 --> 00:13:40,960
it was time to see
if I could get her to admit
366
00:13:40,950 --> 00:13:43,150
that there was something more
going on with the Best Buy
367
00:13:43,180 --> 00:13:44,960
price-match policy
than meets the eye.
368
00:13:44,950 --> 00:13:48,950
One cool thing about Hot Topic
is that, you know,
369
00:13:48,950 --> 00:13:50,950
they're pretty lax
on the rules, you know?
370
00:13:50,950 --> 00:13:52,950
We can kind of do
what we want a little bit.
371
00:13:52,950 --> 00:13:53,950
- Yeah.
- For example,
372
00:13:53,950 --> 00:13:56,950
we have this, uh,
price-match policy.
373
00:13:56,950 --> 00:13:58,950
Sometimes, like,
someone will come in
374
00:13:58,950 --> 00:14:00,150
with a legitimate price-match,
375
00:14:00,180 --> 00:14:02,960
and if I'm not feeling it,
I'll just be like, "No."
376
00:14:02,950 --> 00:14:03,950
You know what I mean?
377
00:14:03,950 --> 00:14:05,070
You guys ever do that? Or...
378
00:14:05,100 --> 00:14:07,960
- Oh, I've seen it happen, yes.
- At Best Buy?
379
00:14:07,950 --> 00:14:09,950
- Mm-hmm. Yes.
- You've seen what?
380
00:14:09,950 --> 00:14:12,950
- Other people not do it
because they're not...
381
00:14:12,950 --> 00:14:14,230
- Not do the price-match?
- Yeah.
382
00:14:14,260 --> 00:14:15,960
Because they're not
"feeling" the person.
383
00:14:15,950 --> 00:14:16,950
- Oh, really?
- Yeah.
384
00:14:18,950 --> 00:14:19,950
- That's crazy.
385
00:14:19,950 --> 00:14:20,950
- Yeah.
386
00:14:20,950 --> 00:14:23,950
- And there it was:
the smoking gun.
387
00:14:23,950 --> 00:14:26,950
On-camera evidence
of a culture of corruption,
388
00:14:26,950 --> 00:14:28,950
eroding the insides
of one of America's
389
00:14:28,950 --> 00:14:31,950
most-respected institutions.
390
00:14:31,950 --> 00:14:33,350
But even though I had
what I needed,
391
00:14:33,350 --> 00:14:35,350
I didn't want to be rude
and leave abruptly,
392
00:14:35,350 --> 00:14:37,950
so I decided to stay
for the private salsa lesson
393
00:14:37,950 --> 00:14:39,950
I had prearranged for the date.
394
00:14:39,950 --> 00:14:41,950
How are you guys doing?
395
00:14:41,950 --> 00:14:43,950
You're supposed
to move your shoulders,
396
00:14:43,950 --> 00:14:45,950
your hips,
and your arms as well.
397
00:14:45,950 --> 00:14:47,950
- I have to admit,
398
00:14:47,950 --> 00:14:49,270
I was a bit nervous
about dancing,
399
00:14:49,300 --> 00:14:50,960
but once we got going,
400
00:14:50,950 --> 00:14:52,950
I discovered I was actually
really good at it.
401
00:14:52,950 --> 00:14:53,950
- Look at his eyes.
402
00:14:53,950 --> 00:14:54,950
He's waiting for you.
403
00:14:54,950 --> 00:14:56,950
Perfect.
404
00:14:56,950 --> 00:14:59,950
- And once our date was over,
we said our good-byes.
405
00:14:59,950 --> 00:15:00,950
- Nice meeting you.
406
00:15:00,950 --> 00:15:02,950
- Okay. Yeah. See you.
407
00:15:02,950 --> 00:15:03,950
- Bye.
- Bye.
408
00:15:07,180 --> 00:15:09,980
- Now that I had
the evidence I needed
409
00:15:09,980 --> 00:15:12,300
against Best Buy, the potential
of an ugly courtroom battle
410
00:15:12,330 --> 00:15:13,980
was becoming a scary reality,
411
00:15:13,980 --> 00:15:15,980
and the only people
who could screw it up
412
00:15:15,980 --> 00:15:17,020
were my team of TV buyers,
413
00:15:17,050 --> 00:15:19,980
who would have to take the
stand if this went to trial.
414
00:15:19,980 --> 00:15:21,980
So I invited them
to a courtroom I rented
415
00:15:21,980 --> 00:15:24,980
to prepare each of them
for what they would face
416
00:15:24,980 --> 00:15:27,980
when they went head-to-head
with the Best Buy legal team.
417
00:15:27,980 --> 00:15:29,180
Do you swear to tell the truth
418
00:15:29,180 --> 00:15:30,170
and the whole truth
and everything?
419
00:15:30,180 --> 00:15:30,970
- I do.
- Yes.
420
00:15:30,980 --> 00:15:31,980
- I do.
421
00:15:31,980 --> 00:15:33,980
- Yes.
- I do.
422
00:15:33,980 --> 00:15:35,980
- On the morning
of March 31, 2015,
423
00:15:35,980 --> 00:15:37,980
you entered a Best Buy,
424
00:15:37,980 --> 00:15:39,540
trying to price-match
a TV for a dollar.
425
00:15:39,570 --> 00:15:40,980
Is that correct?
426
00:15:40,980 --> 00:15:43,980
- It is, although I would have
to think of the exact date.
427
00:15:43,980 --> 00:15:45,980
- How did you find out
about that promotion?
428
00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:49,980
- From...
429
00:15:50,980 --> 00:15:51,980
Uh, a flyer.
430
00:15:51,980 --> 00:15:53,980
It was a flyer
that was in the...
431
00:15:53,980 --> 00:15:55,980
- A flyer.
- Mm-hmm.
432
00:15:55,980 --> 00:15:57,980
- Did anyone tell you
to go to Best Buy that day?
433
00:15:59,980 --> 00:16:01,980
- Well, yes.
434
00:16:01,980 --> 00:16:04,980
I mean, no.
435
00:16:04,980 --> 00:16:06,980
No. I just wanted to go.
436
00:16:06,980 --> 00:16:10,980
- And was the television for
you, or was it for someone else?
437
00:16:10,980 --> 00:16:12,980
- It would've been for me.
438
00:16:12,980 --> 00:16:14,980
- It was for you.
- Mm-hmm.
439
00:16:14,980 --> 00:16:18,980
- Then how would you
explain this footage?
440
00:16:18,980 --> 00:16:21,980
What you'll be doing
is going to Best Buy
441
00:16:21,980 --> 00:16:24,980
and using this flyer
to price-match
442
00:16:24,980 --> 00:16:26,980
and get a TV for a dollar...
- Okay.
443
00:16:26,980 --> 00:16:29,180
- And you'll bring that TV back
to me for me to keep it.
444
00:16:29,210 --> 00:16:30,980
It's not yours.
You understand, right?
445
00:16:30,980 --> 00:16:31,980
- Mm-hmm.
446
00:16:31,980 --> 00:16:34,980
- How do you explain that?
447
00:16:34,980 --> 00:16:36,980
- Um...
448
00:16:41,980 --> 00:16:43,980
I...
449
00:16:43,980 --> 00:16:45,980
- Right away, my buyer's
lack of confidence
450
00:16:45,980 --> 00:16:47,980
began to concern me,
451
00:16:47,980 --> 00:16:49,980
and as more and more
took the stand,
452
00:16:49,980 --> 00:16:50,980
it became clear
that they could be thrown off
453
00:16:50,980 --> 00:16:52,980
by even the simplest
of questions.
454
00:16:52,980 --> 00:16:54,980
Ms. Barcelona,
455
00:16:54,980 --> 00:16:57,980
have you ever seen a man
that looks like this before?
456
00:17:01,980 --> 00:17:02,980
No.
457
00:17:02,980 --> 00:17:03,980
- And for the first time,
458
00:17:04,010 --> 00:17:05,980
I began to have doubts
about our chances
459
00:17:05,980 --> 00:17:07,980
of winning this case.
460
00:17:07,980 --> 00:17:08,980
To make matters worse,
461
00:17:08,980 --> 00:17:11,980
when I showed Judge Filosa
the damning evidence
462
00:17:11,980 --> 00:17:13,140
I had obtained on Best Buy...
463
00:17:13,170 --> 00:17:14,980
- A witness has to be in court,
464
00:17:14,980 --> 00:17:16,980
otherwise you can't introduce
their testimony,
465
00:17:16,980 --> 00:17:18,980
'cause they have to
cross-examine her.
466
00:17:18,980 --> 00:17:19,980
- But I have it on video.
467
00:17:19,980 --> 00:17:21,140
- No, that's not good enough.
468
00:17:21,170 --> 00:17:22,980
- He told me that Elle's
statements
469
00:17:22,980 --> 00:17:23,980
would only be admissible
470
00:17:23,980 --> 00:17:26,980
if she agreed to say them
in an actual courtroom,
471
00:17:26,980 --> 00:17:28,140
but when I arranged a meet-up
472
00:17:28,170 --> 00:17:30,980
to ask her if she would be
willing to testify in person,
473
00:17:30,980 --> 00:17:32,980
she wasn't at all interested.
474
00:17:32,980 --> 00:17:34,980
- That's really weird
475
00:17:34,980 --> 00:17:37,020
that you'd take someone
on a date and then ask them,
476
00:17:37,050 --> 00:17:41,050
"Hey, dude, like,
why don't we sue Best Buy?"
477
00:17:41,980 --> 00:17:43,980
- Okay.
478
00:17:43,980 --> 00:17:45,980
- For all I know, you're crazy.
479
00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:48,980
- Elle didn't want
to help me out,
480
00:17:48,980 --> 00:17:51,820
and our case was crumbling
before my very eyes.
481
00:17:53,110 --> 00:17:55,900
- With Elle and her testimony
out of the picture,
482
00:17:55,910 --> 00:17:57,900
my case had taken a huge blow,
483
00:17:57,910 --> 00:17:59,900
but for some reason,
once she was gone,
484
00:17:59,910 --> 00:18:01,900
I just couldn't get her words
out of my head...
485
00:18:01,910 --> 00:18:04,900
For all I know, you're crazy.
486
00:18:04,910 --> 00:18:05,910
- And for the first time,
487
00:18:05,940 --> 00:18:08,910
I started to really think
about what I was doing.
488
00:18:08,910 --> 00:18:10,030
Here was a woman who thought
489
00:18:10,060 --> 00:18:12,910
she was sharing a genuine
connection with someone,
490
00:18:12,910 --> 00:18:15,900
but it was all just
a calculated ruse
491
00:18:15,910 --> 00:18:18,900
to get information,
a classic bait-and-switch,
492
00:18:18,910 --> 00:18:21,900
and in that moment,
I realized I'd become
493
00:18:21,910 --> 00:18:24,900
no better than the corporation
I was trying to defeat,
494
00:18:24,910 --> 00:18:26,900
that in my efforts
to take down Best Buy,
495
00:18:26,910 --> 00:18:29,900
I became the worst guy.
496
00:18:29,910 --> 00:18:31,900
I could've kept pursuing
this lawsuit
497
00:18:31,910 --> 00:18:33,910
and tried again to get
the court testimony I needed
498
00:18:33,940 --> 00:18:35,910
from another Best Buy employee
499
00:18:35,910 --> 00:18:37,900
that submitted to my
"Retail Dating" show...
500
00:18:37,910 --> 00:18:39,390
- You know, when you work
at Best Buy,
501
00:18:39,420 --> 00:18:40,910
you're, like,
in a tech playground
502
00:18:40,910 --> 00:18:42,900
with, like, CDs and DVDs.
503
00:18:42,910 --> 00:18:45,900
- But I didn't want to break
the heart of another angel
504
00:18:45,910 --> 00:18:47,900
who was just searching
for a real connection...
505
00:18:47,910 --> 00:18:50,150
- Admittedly, it's been awhile
since I've been on a date.
506
00:18:50,180 --> 00:18:51,910
- So I decided to drop my case
507
00:18:51,910 --> 00:18:54,900
and give up
on getting Alen his TVs.
508
00:18:54,910 --> 00:18:57,900
When you define yourself
entirely by your successes,
509
00:18:57,910 --> 00:19:00,900
failure can leave you feeling
pretty empty inside,
510
00:19:00,910 --> 00:19:03,900
but when I was reviewing
the footage we shot,
511
00:19:03,910 --> 00:19:05,900
I stumbled upon
a conversation I had with Alen
512
00:19:05,910 --> 00:19:07,900
on the day of his big promotion.
513
00:19:07,910 --> 00:19:09,900
- She says like, "You know,
you should, you know,
514
00:19:09,910 --> 00:19:11,670
find someone and get married,
so... have kids."
515
00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:12,910
- Your mom?
- Yeah. So.
516
00:19:12,910 --> 00:19:15,900
- And it made me realize
that my definition of success
517
00:19:15,910 --> 00:19:17,900
might've been entirely wrong.
518
00:19:17,910 --> 00:19:18,900
Getting close, or...
519
00:19:18,910 --> 00:19:20,900
- No. No.
- No.
520
00:19:20,910 --> 00:19:22,900
- Just concentrating
on the job, so.
521
00:19:22,910 --> 00:19:23,900
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
522
00:19:23,910 --> 00:19:24,910
- I didn't see it before,
523
00:19:24,940 --> 00:19:27,910
but the truth
was all over his face.
524
00:19:27,910 --> 00:19:30,900
Alen might've said he wanted
some TVs at a discounted price,
525
00:19:30,910 --> 00:19:32,900
but it wasn't what he needed.
526
00:19:32,910 --> 00:19:34,900
So, the next day,
I returned to Speers
527
00:19:34,910 --> 00:19:36,900
with the one thing
he'd been denying himself
528
00:19:36,910 --> 00:19:38,900
for so many years.
529
00:19:38,910 --> 00:19:41,900
So I know I couldn't get you
those TVs that I promised...
530
00:19:41,910 --> 00:19:43,900
- It's okay.
531
00:19:43,910 --> 00:19:45,950
- But there is someone
I'd like to introduce you to.
532
00:19:45,980 --> 00:19:46,910
- Okay.
- Is that okay?
533
00:19:46,910 --> 00:19:47,950
- Yeah, that's fine. Yeah.
534
00:19:47,980 --> 00:19:49,910
- Okay. One sec.
- Okay.
535
00:19:49,910 --> 00:19:50,910
- Thanks.
536
00:19:52,910 --> 00:19:53,900
- Hi.
537
00:19:53,910 --> 00:19:55,900
- Alen, this is Cathy.
538
00:19:55,910 --> 00:19:58,030
- Hi. Nice to meet you.
- Hi, Cathy. Nice to meet you.
539
00:19:58,060 --> 00:20:00,910
- Cathy used to work
at Best Buy...
540
00:20:00,910 --> 00:20:01,900
- Yeah.
- Okay.
541
00:20:01,910 --> 00:20:04,900
- And she also
happens to be single.
542
00:20:04,910 --> 00:20:06,070
- Mm-hmm. That's right.
- Oh.
543
00:20:06,100 --> 00:20:07,910
- So I'll let you two
get to know each other.
544
00:20:07,910 --> 00:20:08,900
- All right. Okay.
- Awesome. Thank you.
545
00:20:08,910 --> 00:20:09,900
- Hi. So.
- Hi.
546
00:20:09,910 --> 00:20:11,900
- Hi. So.
547
00:20:11,910 --> 00:20:12,900
- How are you doing?
- Everything's good.
548
00:20:12,910 --> 00:20:13,900
Yeah. So.
- Good.
549
00:20:13,910 --> 00:20:15,900
- Yeah.
So you worked at Best Buy, huh?
550
00:20:15,910 --> 00:20:17,900
- Yeah, I worked at Best Buy
in high school.
551
00:20:17,910 --> 00:20:18,900
- Oh, you did?
- Yeah.
552
00:20:18,910 --> 00:20:20,900
- Okay. Which location?
Was it around?
553
00:20:20,910 --> 00:20:21,900
- Seeing Alen light up
554
00:20:21,910 --> 00:20:23,900
made me feel great
about what I had done.
555
00:20:23,910 --> 00:20:25,900
- The crazy thing is, like,
once it starts raining
556
00:20:25,910 --> 00:20:27,900
for a few days,
everybody's panicking.
557
00:20:27,910 --> 00:20:28,900
- Oh, yeah.
Then they freak out. Yeah.
558
00:20:28,910 --> 00:20:30,900
- They're like, "Oh, my God,
we need the sun.
559
00:20:30,910 --> 00:20:33,110
It's California. What the hell?"
Like, they can't do it.
560
00:20:33,140 --> 00:20:34,910
- As for me,
I was fine being alone
561
00:20:34,910 --> 00:20:37,900
because it would give me
more time to focus on my work.
562
00:20:37,910 --> 00:20:41,900
♪
563
00:20:41,910 --> 00:20:43,900
- So 773 is a Chicago
area code...
564
00:20:43,910 --> 00:20:44,900
- Okay. All right.
- But it's my cell phone.
565
00:20:44,910 --> 00:20:46,900
- It was good to meet you.
- Good to meet you too.
566
00:20:46,910 --> 00:20:48,900
Thank you so much.
- All right. Bye.
567
00:20:48,910 --> 00:20:51,270
I'll see you soon, hopefully.
I'll give you a call for sure.
568
00:20:51,270 --> 00:20:52,910
- Okay. Bye. Yeah. Thank you.
- Okay. Bye.
569
00:20:52,940 --> 00:20:56,580
♪
570
00:21:00,890 --> 00:21:03,190
- You have the Hot Topic look.
- Oh, yeah.
571
00:21:03,190 --> 00:21:05,190
Well, employee discount,
you know...
572
00:21:05,190 --> 00:21:06,710
- How much discount
do you get, anyway?
573
00:21:06,730 --> 00:21:07,180
- 40%.
574
00:21:07,190 --> 00:21:09,190
- Oh, my God.
575
00:21:09,190 --> 00:21:10,470
Wow.
- That's pretty good, right?
576
00:21:10,490 --> 00:21:11,180
- That's amazing.
577
00:21:11,190 --> 00:21:12,390
- What do you get at Best Buy?
578
00:21:12,410 --> 00:21:14,410
- I think it was 40% off.
45390
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