1 00:00:02,174 --> 00:00:03,831 My name is Nathan Fielder, 2 00:00:03,831 --> 00:00:06,454 and I graduated from one of Canada’s top business schools 3 00:00:06,454 --> 00:00:08,732 with really good grades. 4 00:00:08,732 --> 00:00:11,183 Now I’m using my knowledge to help struggling 5 00:00:11,183 --> 00:00:14,117 small business owners make it in this competitive world. 6 00:00:15,705 --> 00:00:19,743 This is "Nathan for You." 7 00:00:19,743 --> 00:00:22,263 Alen Harikian is the owner of Speers TV, 8 00:00:22,263 --> 00:00:24,300 a South-Pasadena electronics store 9 00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:25,991 that’s been operating in the neighborhood 10 00:00:25,991 --> 00:00:27,579 for over 60 years. 11 00:00:27,579 --> 00:00:30,168 But ever since a massive Best Buy moved in 12 00:00:30,168 --> 00:00:32,135 just minutes away from his tiny shop, 13 00:00:32,135 --> 00:00:33,654 he’s been finding it impossible 14 00:00:33,654 --> 00:00:35,656 to keep up with their aggressive pricing. 15 00:00:35,656 --> 00:00:37,589 Their sales are ridiculous. 16 00:00:37,589 --> 00:00:39,522 I mean, there’s no way that I can compete. 17 00:00:39,522 --> 00:00:40,833 And if it keeps up, 18 00:00:40,833 --> 00:00:43,284 Speers TV is at risk of going extinct. 19 00:00:43,284 --> 00:00:45,873 So I paid Alen a visit with an ambitious solution 20 00:00:45,873 --> 00:00:48,462 to undercut his biggest competitor. 21 00:00:48,462 --> 00:00:51,223 Are you familiar with the Best Buy price-match policy? 22 00:00:51,223 --> 00:00:52,466 Yeah. It’s horrible. 23 00:00:52,466 --> 00:00:56,194 I mean, it’s bad for small business. 24 00:00:56,194 --> 00:00:57,643 One of the main reasons 25 00:00:57,643 --> 00:00:59,818 Alen has such a hard time competing with Best Buy 26 00:00:59,818 --> 00:01:02,648 is because of their aggressive price-match policy, 27 00:01:02,648 --> 00:01:04,581 which guarantees they will match the price 28 00:01:04,581 --> 00:01:06,307 of any local competitor, 29 00:01:06,307 --> 00:01:09,034 preventing stores like Speers from underselling them, 30 00:01:09,034 --> 00:01:11,209 but if Alen dropped his prices so low 31 00:01:11,209 --> 00:01:13,245 to make his TVs virtually free, 32 00:01:13,245 --> 00:01:15,351 according to Best Buy’s own policy, 33 00:01:15,351 --> 00:01:17,387 they would have to match that price, too, 34 00:01:17,387 --> 00:01:19,113 giving Alen a short window of time 35 00:01:19,113 --> 00:01:21,840 where he could buy up all their inventory for $1 36 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,256 and then resell those TVs for any price he wants 37 00:01:24,256 --> 00:01:26,569 to make a huge profit. 38 00:01:26,569 --> 00:01:30,124 The plan: use Best Buy’s price-match policy against them 39 00:01:30,124 --> 00:01:33,955 to get Speers an endless supply of $1 TVs. 40 00:01:33,955 --> 00:01:35,198 Um... 41 00:01:36,717 --> 00:01:38,270 It’s a great idea. 42 00:01:38,270 --> 00:01:40,721 It might take a little bit of work and time to do. 43 00:01:40,721 --> 00:01:41,998 Okay. 44 00:01:41,998 --> 00:01:44,242 Do you have a lot going on right now? 45 00:01:44,242 --> 00:01:46,554 No, I honestly don’t. No. 46 00:01:46,554 --> 00:01:48,038 So you don’t have commitments at home 47 00:01:48,038 --> 00:01:49,178 or anything right now? 48 00:01:49,178 --> 00:01:50,558 Relationship stuff? 49 00:01:50,558 --> 00:01:52,112 I’m not in a relationship, no. 50 00:01:52,112 --> 00:01:53,872 I’m not in a relationship either, so... 51 00:01:53,872 --> 00:01:55,184 Oh. 52 00:01:55,184 --> 00:01:58,601 We can both work on this, you know, full-time. 53 00:01:58,601 --> 00:02:01,397 Okay. All right. That’s fine. 54 00:02:01,397 --> 00:02:02,984 After a bit more discussion, 55 00:02:02,984 --> 00:02:05,711 Alen was on board to move forward with dropping the price 56 00:02:05,711 --> 00:02:08,714 on one of his premium Samsung HD TV models 57 00:02:08,714 --> 00:02:10,889 to just $1 apiece, 58 00:02:10,889 --> 00:02:13,374 but once the new discounted price went into effect, 59 00:02:13,374 --> 00:02:16,170 people would be flocking to Speers to get the deal. 60 00:02:16,170 --> 00:02:18,310 So to help dissuade these bargain hunters 61 00:02:18,310 --> 00:02:20,933 from buying up all of Alen’s dollar TVs, 62 00:02:20,933 --> 00:02:23,833 I implemented a strict dress code, requiring customers 63 00:02:23,833 --> 00:02:26,698 to wear formal attire just to enter the store. 64 00:02:26,698 --> 00:02:29,183 I then had all the dollar TVs moved to an area 65 00:02:29,183 --> 00:02:30,667 at the back of the store 66 00:02:30,667 --> 00:02:33,325 and had a new wall constructed to surround this area 67 00:02:33,325 --> 00:02:34,533 that could only be entered 68 00:02:34,533 --> 00:02:36,984 through a tiny, two-foot-tall door. 69 00:02:36,984 --> 00:02:39,573 Finally, in between the door and the TVs, 70 00:02:39,573 --> 00:02:41,264 I added a live alligator, 71 00:02:41,264 --> 00:02:43,887 which would hopefully force customers who made it this far 72 00:02:43,887 --> 00:02:45,372 to reconsider their decision 73 00:02:45,372 --> 00:02:48,478 to take advantage of the great offer. 74 00:02:48,478 --> 00:02:50,411 With our preventative measures in place, 75 00:02:50,411 --> 00:02:53,345 I could now prepare to get Alen his TVs. 76 00:02:53,345 --> 00:02:55,105 According to Best Buy’s policy, 77 00:02:55,105 --> 00:02:58,074 price-matches are restricted to one item per customer, 78 00:02:58,074 --> 00:03:00,835 so to maximize the number of TVs I could get Alen, 79 00:03:00,835 --> 00:03:03,873 I put an ad on Craigslist to recruit a team of people 80 00:03:03,873 --> 00:03:05,599 to help make the purchases, 81 00:03:05,599 --> 00:03:08,153 and later that week, I met with those who responded 82 00:03:08,153 --> 00:03:10,017 to see if they were right for the task. 83 00:03:10,017 --> 00:03:13,779 So this job involves buying things. 84 00:03:13,779 --> 00:03:15,056 Okay. 85 00:03:15,056 --> 00:03:17,542 Are you good at buying things? 86 00:03:17,542 --> 00:03:21,304 Um, I would say so. 87 00:03:21,304 --> 00:03:23,168 Like, what do you mean by buying things? 88 00:03:23,168 --> 00:03:25,860 Like, going into a store and buying something. 89 00:03:25,860 --> 00:03:26,930 Yeah. 90 00:03:26,930 --> 00:03:27,931 All right. Great. 91 00:03:29,519 --> 00:03:32,212 All six applicants seemed qualified for the job, 92 00:03:32,212 --> 00:03:34,144 so after printing out some flyers 93 00:03:34,144 --> 00:03:36,250 and distributing them throughout the neighborhood, 94 00:03:36,250 --> 00:03:37,493 it was finally time for Alen 95 00:03:37,493 --> 00:03:40,841 to offer his $1 prices to the world. 96 00:03:40,841 --> 00:03:42,601 On the morning of the big promotion, 97 00:03:42,601 --> 00:03:45,535 the deal vultures were already circling out front, 98 00:03:45,535 --> 00:03:47,606 and that meant we had to move quick, 99 00:03:47,606 --> 00:03:49,781 so I met my team of buyers out back 100 00:03:49,781 --> 00:03:53,267 and gave them each the dollar they’d need to buy the TVs 101 00:03:53,267 --> 00:03:56,339 and then sent them off in a van to Best Buy. 102 00:03:56,339 --> 00:03:59,204 Meanwhile, I hung back at Speers to help Alen ensure 103 00:03:59,204 --> 00:04:01,379 his inventory remained untouched. 104 00:04:01,379 --> 00:04:02,587 - Hey. - Hi. 105 00:04:02,587 --> 00:04:03,933 - You look good. - Thank you. 106 00:04:03,933 --> 00:04:05,417 - You too. - Thanks. 107 00:04:05,417 --> 00:04:07,488 And once Alen unlocked the front door, 108 00:04:07,488 --> 00:04:09,559 we were officially open for business. 109 00:04:09,559 --> 00:04:11,527 - Wow, this is nice. - Can I help you, or... 110 00:04:11,527 --> 00:04:12,942 We’re here to-- 111 00:04:12,942 --> 00:04:14,599 for the TV deals. 112 00:04:14,599 --> 00:04:17,153 Just so you guys know, we do have a strict dress code, 113 00:04:17,153 --> 00:04:20,018 as you can see on the wall, so... 114 00:04:20,018 --> 00:04:21,261 - Wow. - There’s no advertising 115 00:04:21,261 --> 00:04:22,434 - about the dress code. - Yeah. 116 00:04:22,434 --> 00:04:23,849 - Yeah. - That’s-- 117 00:04:23,849 --> 00:04:25,472 I mean, it’s right in the front of our store 118 00:04:25,472 --> 00:04:27,301 - for everyone to see. - Yeah, but that doesn’t-- 119 00:04:27,301 --> 00:04:28,682 - It’s inside. - This is the front. 120 00:04:28,682 --> 00:04:30,994 It’s inside. We were waiting out there. 121 00:04:30,994 --> 00:04:32,789 We were waiting in the front of the store. 122 00:04:32,789 --> 00:04:34,964 I knew some people might be a bit frustrated, 123 00:04:34,964 --> 00:04:36,206 so I offered up a list 124 00:04:36,206 --> 00:04:38,243 of tuxedo rental stores in the area 125 00:04:38,243 --> 00:04:40,728 to show them that Speers did value their business. 126 00:04:40,728 --> 00:04:42,385 Honestly, you seem like very nice people, 127 00:04:42,385 --> 00:04:43,869 and I’d love to let you in, 128 00:04:43,869 --> 00:04:46,838 but I think doing so would be unfair to the customers 129 00:04:46,838 --> 00:04:49,875 that, you know, chose to dress...decent. 130 00:04:49,875 --> 00:04:51,256 What the... 131 00:04:51,256 --> 00:04:53,569 My plan on the Speers TV side was working, 132 00:04:53,569 --> 00:04:55,605 as 30 minutes after opening, 133 00:04:55,605 --> 00:04:59,437 exactly 0 of his $1 televisions had been purchased. 134 00:04:59,437 --> 00:05:02,163 Meanwhile, everything was on track with my buyers 135 00:05:02,163 --> 00:05:05,339 as they were just now arriving at Best Buy, 136 00:05:05,339 --> 00:05:08,584 but then, to my surprise, a customer actually returned 137 00:05:08,584 --> 00:05:11,138 with attire that met our strict dress code. 138 00:05:11,138 --> 00:05:13,071 - Did you rent that? - Yes. 139 00:05:13,071 --> 00:05:14,831 I wasn’t completely shocked that someone 140 00:05:14,831 --> 00:05:17,144 would be determined enough to make it inside, 141 00:05:17,144 --> 00:05:19,077 but I was hopeful that the remaining steps 142 00:05:19,077 --> 00:05:20,665 would prove more discouraging. 143 00:05:20,665 --> 00:05:24,600 So this is the section with those TVs. 144 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,740 - Okay. - Um... 145 00:05:26,740 --> 00:05:28,535 - It’s the premium-TV section. - Yeah. 146 00:05:28,535 --> 00:05:29,812 - That’s the doorway? - Yeah. 147 00:05:29,812 --> 00:05:31,261 These are the more expensive ones... 148 00:05:31,261 --> 00:05:32,504 Okay. 149 00:05:32,504 --> 00:05:33,781 So we keep them in a separate room. 150 00:05:33,781 --> 00:05:34,989 That’s gonna be in there. Okay. 151 00:05:34,989 --> 00:05:36,059 Yeah. 152 00:05:45,241 --> 00:05:46,242 . 153 00:05:46,242 --> 00:05:48,486 Oh. Okay. 154 00:05:51,627 --> 00:05:53,353 That’s not good. Um... 155 00:05:55,838 --> 00:05:57,218 Yeah. 156 00:05:57,218 --> 00:05:59,082 The customer may have been determined, 157 00:05:59,082 --> 00:06:01,499 but once he came face-to-face with our alligator, 158 00:06:01,499 --> 00:06:02,672 it was all over. 159 00:06:02,672 --> 00:06:04,364 I’m sorry. I mean, I feel bad, 160 00:06:04,364 --> 00:06:06,400 ’cause that’s a dollar we’re losing as well, you know? 161 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,333 My plan was a success. 162 00:06:08,333 --> 00:06:11,198 The guy chose not to buy the dollar TV, 163 00:06:11,198 --> 00:06:13,303 and every customer after that met our dress code 164 00:06:13,303 --> 00:06:15,582 got no further than Herbert as well. 165 00:06:15,582 --> 00:06:17,411 Herbert? What is Herbert? 166 00:06:18,861 --> 00:06:20,552 I’m sorry. Did you not want a TV? Or... 167 00:06:20,552 --> 00:06:23,900 No, I don’t want to be in the same room as an alligator. 168 00:06:23,900 --> 00:06:26,386 Everything seemed to be going according to plan, 169 00:06:26,386 --> 00:06:28,388 but then I got word that, back at Best Buy, 170 00:06:28,388 --> 00:06:30,320 things weren’t looking so hot. 171 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,599 After presenting the flyer to sales associates, 172 00:06:32,599 --> 00:06:34,117 my buyers were told 173 00:06:34,117 --> 00:06:36,465 that the company would not honor their price-match. 174 00:06:38,915 --> 00:06:41,815 This is a store, and this is their price. 175 00:06:43,264 --> 00:06:45,474 I couldn’t understand why this was happening, 176 00:06:45,474 --> 00:06:47,924 so I left the shop and headed over to Best Buy 177 00:06:47,924 --> 00:06:50,962 to see if I would have any better luck myself. 178 00:06:50,962 --> 00:06:53,930 I actually have a price-match for this to get it for a dollar. 179 00:06:55,829 --> 00:06:57,140 Why not? 180 00:06:58,659 --> 00:07:00,420 They are. They’re within 25 miles. 181 00:07:05,425 --> 00:07:08,324 Even with my confidence and negotiation skills, 182 00:07:08,324 --> 00:07:10,257 I was denied a price-match too. 183 00:07:10,257 --> 00:07:11,741 I’m gonna count to three, 184 00:07:11,741 --> 00:07:14,054 and if you don’t do it by the time I get to three, 185 00:07:14,054 --> 00:07:15,262 I’m gonna leave, okay? 186 00:07:15,262 --> 00:07:17,989 One, two, three. 187 00:07:17,989 --> 00:07:19,577 I couldn’t believe it. 188 00:07:19,577 --> 00:07:22,165 How could Best Buy, one of my favorite companies, 189 00:07:22,165 --> 00:07:24,029 turn their backs on the very policy 190 00:07:24,029 --> 00:07:25,928 that drew me in as a customer? 191 00:07:25,928 --> 00:07:28,309 It was a classic bait-and-switch, 192 00:07:28,309 --> 00:07:31,105 but the one thing I knew is that when big corporations 193 00:07:31,105 --> 00:07:33,418 try to mess with regular people like us, 194 00:07:33,418 --> 00:07:35,627 we don’t have to take it lying down. 195 00:07:35,627 --> 00:07:38,181 So, the next day, I returned to Alen’s store 196 00:07:38,181 --> 00:07:40,425 with a slight adjustment to our plan. 197 00:07:40,425 --> 00:07:42,807 I’m just so sick and tired of these big companies 198 00:07:42,807 --> 00:07:44,809 like Best Buy and Enron 199 00:07:44,809 --> 00:07:46,914 thinking that, you know, the rules don’t apply to them. 200 00:07:46,914 --> 00:07:48,295 Yeah. Yeah. 201 00:07:48,295 --> 00:07:49,814 They can just push around the little guy. 202 00:07:49,814 --> 00:07:51,505 - You know what I mean? - Yeah, absolutely. 203 00:07:51,505 --> 00:07:53,058 - You’re right. - As far as I’m concerned, 204 00:07:53,058 --> 00:07:54,922 you’re entitled to those TVs. 205 00:07:54,922 --> 00:07:55,992 Yeah. 206 00:07:55,992 --> 00:07:58,478 So that’s why I’ve decided 207 00:07:58,478 --> 00:08:03,068 to file a class-action lawsuit against Best Buy on your behalf. 208 00:08:06,762 --> 00:08:08,315 In a way, it’s kind of nerve-racking, 209 00:08:08,315 --> 00:08:10,351 you know, like, going up against a big company. 210 00:08:10,351 --> 00:08:11,698 And how is that gonna work? 211 00:08:11,698 --> 00:08:13,389 What is the process? 212 00:08:13,389 --> 00:08:15,840 You know, I don’t know what it will entail at this point, 213 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:17,635 but we’ll figure it out together. 214 00:08:17,635 --> 00:08:19,188 - You know what I mean? - Mm-hmm. 215 00:08:19,188 --> 00:08:21,017 We both aren’t in relationships. 216 00:08:21,017 --> 00:08:22,571 - We don’t have a love life. - Yeah, but... 217 00:08:22,571 --> 00:08:23,675 That’s true. 218 00:08:23,675 --> 00:08:25,988 So you have time to do this? 219 00:08:25,988 --> 00:08:28,749 Well, I mean, I-- this is my only li-- 220 00:08:28,749 --> 00:08:30,751 basically, only way of making money. 221 00:08:30,751 --> 00:08:33,547 So I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. 222 00:08:33,547 --> 00:08:35,860 After telling Alen I was gonna sue Best Buy, 223 00:08:35,860 --> 00:08:37,344 he was immediately concerned. 224 00:08:37,344 --> 00:08:38,518 They got bigger lawyers, 225 00:08:38,518 --> 00:08:40,450 better lawyers, probably, more money. 226 00:08:40,450 --> 00:08:42,660 Alen was worried that Best Buy would retaliate 227 00:08:42,660 --> 00:08:44,662 and have their lawyers come after him. 228 00:08:44,662 --> 00:08:46,215 So you’re a bit worried? 229 00:08:46,215 --> 00:08:48,044 Yeah. Not a bit. A lot. 230 00:08:48,044 --> 00:08:49,080 I was torn. 231 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:50,322 I couldn’t live with myself 232 00:08:50,322 --> 00:08:52,152 if Alen ended up broke and homeless 233 00:08:52,152 --> 00:08:53,878 because of my actions, 234 00:08:53,878 --> 00:08:56,639 but according to my research, suing was the only way 235 00:08:56,639 --> 00:08:59,090 I could get him the TVs he was rightfully owed, 236 00:08:59,090 --> 00:09:01,886 but that’s when I came across a sure-fire way 237 00:09:01,886 --> 00:09:04,405 to legally protect him from Best Buy: 238 00:09:04,405 --> 00:09:07,132 a diagnosis of insanity. 239 00:09:07,132 --> 00:09:09,756 If Alen were diagnosed as clinically insane, 240 00:09:09,756 --> 00:09:12,552 Best Buy wouldn’t be able to come after him for anything, 241 00:09:12,552 --> 00:09:14,795 but to do this would take some maneuvering. 242 00:09:14,795 --> 00:09:16,107 So without telling Alen 243 00:09:16,107 --> 00:09:17,902 I was moving forward with the lawsuit, 244 00:09:17,902 --> 00:09:19,489 I booked him an evaluation 245 00:09:19,489 --> 00:09:21,595 with L.A.-based clinical psychologist 246 00:09:21,595 --> 00:09:23,390 Dr. Judy Rosenberg. 247 00:09:23,390 --> 00:09:25,495 I told Alen it was just a routine checkup 248 00:09:25,495 --> 00:09:27,670 for insurance purposes for the show, 249 00:09:27,670 --> 00:09:29,327 but I came prepared with a plan 250 00:09:29,327 --> 00:09:32,261 that would hopefully get me the diagnosis I needed. 251 00:09:32,261 --> 00:09:35,885 So I’m very concerned about my friend Alen. 252 00:09:35,885 --> 00:09:37,646 - Mm-hmm. - I believe he maybe 253 00:09:37,646 --> 00:09:40,303 has some sort of psychological issue happening. 254 00:09:40,303 --> 00:09:42,374 Okay. What are you noticing? 255 00:09:42,374 --> 00:09:45,446 He believes he’s the manager of an electronics store... 256 00:09:45,446 --> 00:09:46,827 Okay. 257 00:09:46,827 --> 00:09:49,519 And has been working there for the past 15 years. 258 00:09:49,519 --> 00:09:53,454 Okay, so this is a delusion that he’s having. 259 00:09:53,454 --> 00:09:57,148 I mean, as you’ll see, he has quite the imagination. 260 00:09:57,148 --> 00:09:59,115 - Okay. - All right. You--you ready? 261 00:09:59,115 --> 00:10:00,427 - Let’s go. - Okay. It’ll be easy. 262 00:10:00,427 --> 00:10:01,842 - Just be yourself. - All right. Okay. 263 00:10:01,842 --> 00:10:03,257 It’ll be pretty straightforward. 264 00:10:03,257 --> 00:10:04,638 - Yeah. - Okay. 265 00:10:04,638 --> 00:10:08,193 All right, so tell me a little bit about yourself. 266 00:10:08,193 --> 00:10:10,264 Well, I work at the Speers TV. 267 00:10:10,264 --> 00:10:11,818 Mm-hmm. 268 00:10:11,818 --> 00:10:15,407 I’ve been there for, I would say, 15, 16 years, and-- 269 00:10:15,407 --> 00:10:16,616 Mm-hmm. 270 00:10:16,616 --> 00:10:18,100 And are you still working there? 271 00:10:18,100 --> 00:10:19,446 - Yes, I am. Yeah. - You are. 272 00:10:19,446 --> 00:10:20,827 - Do you like? - I love it. 273 00:10:20,827 --> 00:10:22,449 You love it. Okay. 274 00:10:22,449 --> 00:10:25,521 Maybe ask about the alligator. 275 00:10:26,591 --> 00:10:28,041 Okay. 276 00:10:28,041 --> 00:10:30,043 I didn’t know. Go ahead. 277 00:10:30,043 --> 00:10:31,941 Well, we did this thing where, 278 00:10:31,941 --> 00:10:35,082 you know, we put an alligator inside a small door-- 279 00:10:35,082 --> 00:10:37,015 or a smaller room, basically, with a small door... 280 00:10:37,015 --> 00:10:38,396 Mm-hmm. 281 00:10:38,396 --> 00:10:40,225 And we would have customers coming in 282 00:10:40,225 --> 00:10:41,502 to get a $1 TV, basically. 283 00:10:41,502 --> 00:10:42,780 Okay. 284 00:10:42,780 --> 00:10:45,437 So--and the only thing they had to do was go-- 285 00:10:45,437 --> 00:10:46,784 have, basically, a dress code. 286 00:10:46,784 --> 00:10:48,026 - We had a dress code. - Okay. 287 00:10:48,026 --> 00:10:50,373 So you have to be dressed nicely. 288 00:10:50,373 --> 00:10:51,512 Maybe a suit, you know. 289 00:10:51,512 --> 00:10:53,100 A tie. Nice shoes. 290 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:55,482 Wow. That is so interesting. 291 00:10:55,482 --> 00:10:57,415 Yeah. 292 00:10:57,415 --> 00:10:59,072 It’s interesting idea, and-- 293 00:10:59,072 --> 00:11:00,694 - It is an interesting idea. - Yeah, so. 294 00:11:00,694 --> 00:11:03,732 After Dr. Rosenberg was done with her evaluation, 295 00:11:03,732 --> 00:11:06,700 I excused Alen from the room so I could get her report. 296 00:11:06,700 --> 00:11:08,115 What did you get from him? 297 00:11:08,115 --> 00:11:09,185 What sense... 298 00:11:09,185 --> 00:11:11,705 He’s not rooted in reality. 299 00:11:11,705 --> 00:11:13,189 You and I can sit here and go, 300 00:11:13,189 --> 00:11:15,709 "Wow. What a story." 301 00:11:15,709 --> 00:11:16,710 - Hmm. - "Jeez." 302 00:11:16,710 --> 00:11:17,815 Yeah. 303 00:11:17,815 --> 00:11:20,093 I mean, read the writing on the wall. 304 00:11:20,093 --> 00:11:22,440 Alligators, little doors... 305 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,270 Is this insanity we’re witnessing? Or... 306 00:11:25,270 --> 00:11:27,341 I’m seeing psychosis. Okay? 307 00:11:27,341 --> 00:11:29,654 I’m seeing delusional thinking. 308 00:11:29,654 --> 00:11:32,208 Is there any way you could put that in writing for me? 309 00:11:32,208 --> 00:11:33,762 Sure. 310 00:11:33,762 --> 00:11:35,902 With proof of Alen’s insanity in hand, 311 00:11:35,902 --> 00:11:37,593 he was now immune from prosecution... 312 00:11:37,593 --> 00:11:38,905 Thank you so much. 313 00:11:38,905 --> 00:11:40,354 And knowing he was protected, 314 00:11:40,354 --> 00:11:43,254 I was comfortable moving forward with my lawsuit, 315 00:11:43,254 --> 00:11:44,496 but if I was gonna go up against 316 00:11:44,496 --> 00:11:46,706 a massive company like Best Buy, 317 00:11:46,706 --> 00:11:48,569 I would need some legal advice, 318 00:11:48,569 --> 00:11:50,364 so I paid a visit to my old pal, 319 00:11:50,364 --> 00:11:52,539 California judge Anthony Filosa, 320 00:11:52,539 --> 00:11:54,990 for guidance on how to build my case. 321 00:11:54,990 --> 00:11:57,751 If you decide to sue Best Buy, 322 00:11:57,751 --> 00:11:59,442 based upon what you’ve told me, 323 00:11:59,442 --> 00:12:00,996 it’s gonna be a huge battle. 324 00:12:00,996 --> 00:12:03,343 Filosa was skeptical about my prospects, 325 00:12:03,343 --> 00:12:05,310 but he said there was one piece of evidence 326 00:12:05,310 --> 00:12:07,036 that could turn the tide to my favor. 327 00:12:07,036 --> 00:12:10,868 If you had an insider from Best Buy that-- 328 00:12:10,868 --> 00:12:15,389 that could testify as to the price-match policy 329 00:12:15,389 --> 00:12:20,740 that they don’t adhere to across the board, 330 00:12:20,740 --> 00:12:22,120 that’s relevant. 331 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:23,466 So I need info from the inside. 332 00:12:23,466 --> 00:12:26,055 Yes, whistleblower for--type of person. 333 00:12:26,055 --> 00:12:28,713 It became clear that without an inside source, 334 00:12:28,713 --> 00:12:30,197 I wouldn’t have a case, 335 00:12:30,197 --> 00:12:32,406 but getting someone from within these walls 336 00:12:32,406 --> 00:12:34,961 to disclose corporate secrets on camera 337 00:12:34,961 --> 00:12:36,825 would be a whole other challenge. 338 00:12:36,825 --> 00:12:38,792 So to conceal my true intentions, 339 00:12:38,792 --> 00:12:41,657 I put up an ad to recruit Best Buy employees 340 00:12:41,657 --> 00:12:44,487 for a new reality show called "Retail Dating," 341 00:12:44,487 --> 00:12:47,801 where people who work at retail stores go on blind dates, 342 00:12:47,801 --> 00:12:49,423 and after a couple days, 343 00:12:49,423 --> 00:12:52,564 I got a response from a female Best Buy employee named Elle. 344 00:12:52,564 --> 00:12:53,911 I’m 24 years old. 345 00:12:53,911 --> 00:12:56,361 I’ve worked at Best Buy for three months. 346 00:12:56,361 --> 00:12:58,847 My plan was to pose as another retail employee 347 00:12:58,847 --> 00:13:00,952 who was chosen to be her date, 348 00:13:00,952 --> 00:13:03,437 and because she mentioned she liked alternative music, 349 00:13:03,437 --> 00:13:06,268 I decided to go as the manager of a local Hot Topic 350 00:13:06,268 --> 00:13:07,925 named Nathan, 351 00:13:07,925 --> 00:13:10,134 but what Elle didn’t know is that my one and only goal 352 00:13:10,134 --> 00:13:11,756 was to get secret inside dirt 353 00:13:11,756 --> 00:13:14,069 on the Best Buy price-match policy. 354 00:13:14,069 --> 00:13:15,380 Do you want to see a magic trick? 355 00:13:15,380 --> 00:13:17,244 - Oh, sure. - Do you like magic? 356 00:13:17,244 --> 00:13:18,901 Yeah. Yeah. 357 00:13:18,901 --> 00:13:20,144 - It’s just a little-- - Yeah. 358 00:13:20,144 --> 00:13:22,215 - It’s not-- - Why not? 359 00:13:22,215 --> 00:13:23,595 Okay. 360 00:13:23,595 --> 00:13:24,700 See the coin? 361 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:26,598 - I see it. - Okay. 362 00:13:34,606 --> 00:13:36,574 I think I’ve seen that before. 363 00:13:36,574 --> 00:13:37,817 Okay. 364 00:13:37,817 --> 00:13:39,404 Now that I had impressed Elle, 365 00:13:39,404 --> 00:13:41,613 it was time to see if I could get her to admit 366 00:13:41,613 --> 00:13:43,926 that there was something more going on with the Best Buy 367 00:13:43,926 --> 00:13:46,515 price-match policy than meets the eye. 368 00:13:46,515 --> 00:13:49,829 One cool thing about Hot Topic is that, you know, 369 00:13:49,829 --> 00:13:51,796 they’re pretty lax on the rules, you know? 370 00:13:51,796 --> 00:13:53,798 We can kind of do what we want a little bit. 371 00:13:53,798 --> 00:13:55,144 - Yeah. - For example, 372 00:13:55,144 --> 00:13:58,078 we have this, uh, price-match policy. 373 00:13:58,078 --> 00:13:59,631 Sometimes, like, someone will come in 374 00:13:59,631 --> 00:14:01,357 with a legitimate price-match, 375 00:14:01,357 --> 00:14:03,566 and if I’m not feeling it, I’ll just be like, "No." 376 00:14:03,566 --> 00:14:05,085 You know what I mean? 377 00:14:05,085 --> 00:14:06,466 You guys ever do that? Or... 378 00:14:06,466 --> 00:14:08,606 - Oh, I’ve seen it happen, yes. - At Best Buy? 379 00:14:08,606 --> 00:14:10,608 - Mm-hmm. Yes. - You’ve seen what? 380 00:14:10,608 --> 00:14:13,576 Other people not do it because they’re not-- 381 00:14:13,576 --> 00:14:14,923 - Not do the price-match? - Yeah. 382 00:14:14,923 --> 00:14:16,925 Because they’re not "feeling" the person. 383 00:14:16,925 --> 00:14:18,098 - Oh, really? - Yeah. 384 00:14:19,928 --> 00:14:20,998 That’s crazy. 385 00:14:20,998 --> 00:14:22,275 Yeah. 386 00:14:22,275 --> 00:14:25,036 And there it was: the smoking gun. 387 00:14:25,036 --> 00:14:28,005 On-camera evidence of a culture of corruption, 388 00:14:28,005 --> 00:14:30,110 eroding the insides of one of America’s 389 00:14:30,110 --> 00:14:32,630 most-respected institutions. 390 00:14:32,630 --> 00:14:34,287 But even though I had what I needed, 391 00:14:34,287 --> 00:14:36,496 I didn’t want to be rude and leave abruptly, 392 00:14:36,496 --> 00:14:39,016 so I decided to stay for the private salsa lesson 393 00:14:39,016 --> 00:14:40,776 I had prearranged for the date. 394 00:14:40,776 --> 00:14:42,709 How are you guys doing? 395 00:14:42,709 --> 00:14:44,849 You’re supposed to move your shoulders, 396 00:14:44,849 --> 00:14:47,127 your hips, and your arms as well. 397 00:14:47,127 --> 00:14:48,611 I have to admit, 398 00:14:48,611 --> 00:14:50,475 I was a bit nervous about dancing, 399 00:14:50,475 --> 00:14:51,925 but once we got going, 400 00:14:51,925 --> 00:14:54,065 I discovered I was actually really good at it. 401 00:14:54,065 --> 00:14:55,170 Look at his eyes. 402 00:14:55,170 --> 00:14:56,688 He’s waiting for you. 403 00:14:56,688 --> 00:14:58,207 Perfect. 404 00:14:58,207 --> 00:15:00,900 And once our date was over, we said our good-byes. 405 00:15:00,900 --> 00:15:01,935 Nice meeting you. 406 00:15:01,935 --> 00:15:03,523 Okay. Yeah. See you. 407 00:15:03,523 --> 00:15:04,696 - Bye. - Bye. 408 00:15:09,184 --> 00:15:10,806 Now that I had the evidence I needed 409 00:15:10,806 --> 00:15:13,015 against Best Buy, the potential of an ugly courtroom battle 410 00:15:13,015 --> 00:15:15,017 was becoming a scary reality, 411 00:15:15,017 --> 00:15:16,743 and the only people who could screw it up 412 00:15:16,743 --> 00:15:18,400 were my team of TV buyers, 413 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,023 who would have to take the stand if this went to trial. 414 00:15:21,023 --> 00:15:23,060 So I invited them to a courtroom I rented 415 00:15:23,060 --> 00:15:25,338 to prepare each of them for what they would face 416 00:15:25,338 --> 00:15:28,513 when they went head-to-head with the Best Buy legal team. 417 00:15:28,513 --> 00:15:29,756 Do you swear to tell the truth 418 00:15:29,756 --> 00:15:31,171 and the whole truth and everything? 419 00:15:31,171 --> 00:15:32,483 - I do. - Yes. 420 00:15:32,483 --> 00:15:33,518 I do. 421 00:15:33,518 --> 00:15:34,692 - Yes. - I do. 422 00:15:34,692 --> 00:15:37,212 On the morning of March 31, 2015, 423 00:15:37,212 --> 00:15:38,489 you entered a Best Buy, 424 00:15:38,489 --> 00:15:40,594 trying to price-match a TV for a dollar. 425 00:15:40,594 --> 00:15:42,355 Is that correct? 426 00:15:42,355 --> 00:15:45,358 It is, although I would have to think of the exact date. 427 00:15:45,358 --> 00:15:47,532 How did you find out about that promotion? 428 00:15:49,224 --> 00:15:50,570 From... 429 00:15:52,365 --> 00:15:53,400 Uh, a flyer. 430 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,023 It was a flyer that was in the... 431 00:15:55,023 --> 00:15:56,679 - A flyer. - Mm-hmm. 432 00:15:56,679 --> 00:15:59,406 Did anyone tell you to go to Best Buy that day? 433 00:16:00,994 --> 00:16:03,134 Well, yes. 434 00:16:03,134 --> 00:16:05,792 I mean, no. 435 00:16:05,792 --> 00:16:08,070 No. I just wanted to go. 436 00:16:08,070 --> 00:16:11,901 And was the television for you, or was it for someone else? 437 00:16:11,901 --> 00:16:14,352 It would’ve been for me. 438 00:16:14,352 --> 00:16:15,836 - It was for you. - Mm-hmm. 439 00:16:15,836 --> 00:16:19,944 Then how would you explain this footage? 440 00:16:19,944 --> 00:16:23,361 What you’ll be doing is going to Best Buy 441 00:16:23,361 --> 00:16:25,777 and using this flyer to price-match 442 00:16:25,777 --> 00:16:27,779 - and get a TV for a dollar... - Okay. 443 00:16:27,779 --> 00:16:30,299 And you’ll bring that TV back to me for me to keep it. 444 00:16:30,299 --> 00:16:32,129 It’s not yours. You understand, right? 445 00:16:32,129 --> 00:16:33,371 Mm-hmm. 446 00:16:33,371 --> 00:16:35,753 How do you explain that? 447 00:16:35,753 --> 00:16:37,686 Um... 448 00:16:42,863 --> 00:16:44,934 I... 449 00:16:44,934 --> 00:16:47,109 Right away, my buyer’s lack of confidence 450 00:16:47,109 --> 00:16:48,593 began to concern me, 451 00:16:48,593 --> 00:16:50,561 and as more and more took the stand, 452 00:16:50,561 --> 00:16:52,390 it became clear that they could be thrown off 453 00:16:52,390 --> 00:16:54,565 by even the simplest of questions. 454 00:16:54,565 --> 00:16:55,911 Ms. Barcelona, 455 00:16:55,911 --> 00:16:58,569 have you ever seen a man that looks like this before? 456 00:17:02,711 --> 00:17:04,092 No. 457 00:17:04,092 --> 00:17:05,369 And for the first time, 458 00:17:05,369 --> 00:17:07,405 I began to have doubts about our chances 459 00:17:07,405 --> 00:17:08,855 of winning this case. 460 00:17:08,855 --> 00:17:10,305 To make matters worse, 461 00:17:10,305 --> 00:17:12,617 when I showed Judge Filosa the damning evidence 462 00:17:12,617 --> 00:17:14,033 I had obtained on Best Buy... 463 00:17:14,033 --> 00:17:15,689 A witness has to be in court, 464 00:17:15,689 --> 00:17:17,898 otherwise you can’t introduce their testimony, 465 00:17:17,898 --> 00:17:19,762 ’cause they have to cross-examine her. 466 00:17:19,762 --> 00:17:20,832 But I have it on video. 467 00:17:20,832 --> 00:17:22,144 No, that’s not good enough. 468 00:17:22,144 --> 00:17:23,456 He told me that Elle’s statements 469 00:17:23,456 --> 00:17:24,905 would only be admissible 470 00:17:24,905 --> 00:17:27,460 if she agreed to say them in an actual courtroom, 471 00:17:27,460 --> 00:17:29,082 but when I arranged a meet-up 472 00:17:29,082 --> 00:17:31,602 to ask her if she would be willing to testify in person, 473 00:17:31,602 --> 00:17:33,811 she wasn’t at all interested. 474 00:17:33,811 --> 00:17:35,744 That’s really weird 475 00:17:35,744 --> 00:17:38,229 that you’d take someone on a date and then ask them, 476 00:17:38,229 --> 00:17:42,095 "Hey, dude, like, why don’t we sue Best Buy?" 477 00:17:43,510 --> 00:17:44,615 Okay. 478 00:17:44,615 --> 00:17:47,376 For all I know, you’re crazy. 479 00:17:47,376 --> 00:17:49,309 Elle didn’t want to help me out, 480 00:17:49,309 --> 00:17:55,315 and our case was crumbling before my very eyes. 481 00:17:55,315 --> 00:17:57,179 With Elle and her testimony out of the picture, 482 00:17:57,179 --> 00:17:58,525 my case had taken a huge blow, 483 00:17:58,525 --> 00:18:00,769 but for some reason, once she was gone, 484 00:18:00,769 --> 00:18:02,805 I just couldn’t get her words out of my head... 485 00:18:02,805 --> 00:18:05,670 For all I know, you’re crazy. 486 00:18:05,670 --> 00:18:07,120 And for the first time, 487 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:09,778 I started to really think about what I was doing. 488 00:18:09,778 --> 00:18:11,400 Here was a woman who thought 489 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,231 she was sharing a genuine connection with someone, 490 00:18:14,231 --> 00:18:16,681 but it was all just a calculated ruse 491 00:18:16,681 --> 00:18:20,444 to get information, a classic bait-and-switch, 492 00:18:20,444 --> 00:18:22,860 and in that moment, I realized I’d become 493 00:18:22,860 --> 00:18:25,690 no better than the corporation I was trying to defeat, 494 00:18:25,690 --> 00:18:28,107 that in my efforts to take down Best Buy, 495 00:18:28,107 --> 00:18:30,833 I became the worst guy. 496 00:18:30,833 --> 00:18:32,732 I could’ve kept pursuing this lawsuit 497 00:18:32,732 --> 00:18:35,079 and tried again to get the court testimony I needed 498 00:18:35,079 --> 00:18:36,736 from another Best Buy employee 499 00:18:36,736 --> 00:18:39,014 that submitted to my "Retail Dating" show... 500 00:18:39,014 --> 00:18:40,636 You know, when you work at Best Buy, 501 00:18:40,636 --> 00:18:42,190 you’re, like, in a tech playground 502 00:18:42,190 --> 00:18:44,192 with, like, CDs and DVDs. 503 00:18:44,192 --> 00:18:46,642 But I didn’t want to break the heart of another angel 504 00:18:46,642 --> 00:18:49,024 who was just searching for a real connection... 505 00:18:49,024 --> 00:18:51,371 Admittedly, it’s been awhile since I’ve been on a date. 506 00:18:51,371 --> 00:18:53,408 So I decided to drop my case 507 00:18:53,408 --> 00:18:56,342 and give up on getting Alen his TVs. 508 00:18:56,342 --> 00:18:59,207 When you define yourself entirely by your successes, 509 00:18:59,207 --> 00:19:01,864 failure can leave you feeling pretty empty inside, 510 00:19:01,864 --> 00:19:04,660 but when I was reviewing the footage we shot, 511 00:19:04,660 --> 00:19:07,007 I stumbled upon a conversation I had with Alen 512 00:19:07,007 --> 00:19:08,699 on the day of his big promotion. 513 00:19:08,699 --> 00:19:10,701 She says like, "You know, you should, you know, 514 00:19:10,701 --> 00:19:12,634 find someone and get married, so--have kids." 515 00:19:12,634 --> 00:19:14,291 - Your mom? - Yeah. So. 516 00:19:14,291 --> 00:19:17,363 And it made me realize that my definition of success 517 00:19:17,363 --> 00:19:19,054 might’ve been entirely wrong. 518 00:19:19,054 --> 00:19:20,089 Getting close, or... 519 00:19:20,089 --> 00:19:21,505 - No. No. - No. 520 00:19:21,505 --> 00:19:23,748 Just concentrating on the job, so. 521 00:19:23,748 --> 00:19:24,818 - Yeah. - Yeah. 522 00:19:24,818 --> 00:19:26,061 I didn’t see it before, 523 00:19:26,061 --> 00:19:28,719 but the truth was all over his face. 524 00:19:28,719 --> 00:19:32,101 Alen might’ve said he wanted some TVs at a discounted price, 525 00:19:32,101 --> 00:19:33,793 but it wasn’t what he needed. 526 00:19:33,793 --> 00:19:35,795 So, the next day, I returned to Speers 527 00:19:35,795 --> 00:19:38,038 with the one thing he’d been denying himself 528 00:19:38,038 --> 00:19:39,764 for so many years. 529 00:19:39,764 --> 00:19:43,251 So I know I couldn’t get you those TVs that I promised... 530 00:19:43,251 --> 00:19:44,838 It’s okay. 531 00:19:44,838 --> 00:19:47,116 But there is someone I’d like to introduce you to. 532 00:19:47,116 --> 00:19:48,152 - Okay. - Is that okay? 533 00:19:48,152 --> 00:19:49,153 Yeah, that’s fine. Yeah. 534 00:19:49,153 --> 00:19:50,706 - Okay. One sec. - Okay. 535 00:19:50,706 --> 00:19:52,605 Thanks. 536 00:19:54,054 --> 00:19:55,263 Hi. 537 00:19:55,263 --> 00:19:57,299 Alen, this is Cathy. 538 00:19:57,299 --> 00:19:59,267 - Hi. Nice to meet you. - Hi, Cathy. Nice to meet you. 539 00:19:59,267 --> 00:20:01,752 Cathy used to work at Best Buy... 540 00:20:01,752 --> 00:20:02,960 - Yeah. - Okay. 541 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,480 And she also happens to be single. 542 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:06,929 - Mm-hmm. That’s right. - Oh. 543 00:20:06,929 --> 00:20:08,655 So I’ll let you two get to know each other. 544 00:20:08,655 --> 00:20:10,209 - All right. Okay. - Awesome. Thank you. 545 00:20:10,209 --> 00:20:11,279 - Hi. So. - Hi. 546 00:20:11,279 --> 00:20:12,832 Hi. So. 547 00:20:12,832 --> 00:20:14,420 - How are you doing? - Everything’s good. 548 00:20:14,420 --> 00:20:15,559 - Yeah. So. - Good. 549 00:20:15,559 --> 00:20:17,285 Yeah. So you worked at Best Buy, huh? 550 00:20:17,285 --> 00:20:18,976 Yeah, I worked at Best Buy in high school. 551 00:20:18,976 --> 00:20:20,184 - Oh, you did? - Yeah. 552 00:20:20,184 --> 00:20:21,875 Okay. Which location? Was it around? 553 00:20:21,875 --> 00:20:23,325 Seeing Alen light up 554 00:20:23,325 --> 00:20:25,396 made me feel great about what I had done. 555 00:20:25,396 --> 00:20:27,295 The crazy thing is, like, once it starts raining 556 00:20:27,295 --> 00:20:28,882 for a few days, everybody’s panicking. 557 00:20:28,882 --> 00:20:30,367 Oh, yeah. Then they freak out. Yeah. 558 00:20:30,367 --> 00:20:32,058 They’re like, "Oh, my God, we need the sun. 559 00:20:32,058 --> 00:20:34,302 It’s California. What the hell?" Like, they can’t do it. 560 00:20:34,302 --> 00:20:36,338 As for me, I was fine being alone 561 00:20:36,338 --> 00:20:39,341 because it would give me more time to focus on my work. 562 00:20:43,069 --> 00:20:44,484 So 773 is a Chicago area code... 563 00:20:44,484 --> 00:20:46,037 - Okay. All right. - But it’s my cell phone. 564 00:20:46,037 --> 00:20:47,832 - It was good to meet you. - Good to meet you too. 565 00:20:47,832 --> 00:20:49,593 - Thank you so much. - All right. Bye. 566 00:20:49,593 --> 00:20:51,698 I’ll see you soon, hopefully. I’ll give you a call for sure. 567 00:20:51,698 --> 00:20:53,528 - Okay. Bye. Yeah. Thank you. - Okay. Bye. 568 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,193 - You have the Hot Topic look. - Oh, yeah. 569 00:21:04,193 --> 00:21:05,747 Well, employee discount, you know... 570 00:21:05,747 --> 00:21:07,576 How much discount do you get, anyway? 571 00:21:07,576 --> 00:21:08,577 40%. 572 00:21:08,577 --> 00:21:09,785 Oh, my God. 573 00:21:09,785 --> 00:21:11,097 - Wow. - That’s pretty good, right? 574 00:21:11,097 --> 00:21:12,236 That’s amazing. 575 00:21:12,236 --> 00:21:13,548 What do you get at Best Buy? 576 00:21:13,548 --> 00:21:17,548 I think it was 40% off.