Best Buy's employee discount is 15% off most items in-store and online, though some products and categories are excluded
Best Buy employees receive a 15% discount on most merchandise they buy for themselves. This applies to computers, phones, TVs, appliances, games, and accessories both in stores and through the Best Buy website. The discount shows up at checkout when an employee uses their employee ID number or scans their badge.
Not everything qualifies. Items already on clearance, open-box products, services like Geek Squad repairs, gift cards, and certain brand-new releases during their first few weeks on sale are typically excluded. Some high-end appliances and a few other categories have lower discount rates or none at all. The exact list of excluded items changes, so employees check the internal system before buying something expensive.
The 15% applies whether you buy in person or order online for pickup or delivery. If you're buying for someone else as a gift, you cannot use the employee discount — it's for personal purchases only, and Best Buy tracks this.
Key Takeaways
- Best Buy employees get 15% off most products they purchase for themselves, applied automatically at checkout with their employee ID.
- Clearance items, open-box merchandise, Geek Squad services, gift cards, and some brand-new releases are not discounted.
- The discount works both in-store and online, but only for the employee's own purchases, not gifts for others.
- High-end appliances and certain other categories may have reduced discounts or no discount at all, depending on the product line.
How the discount appears when you check out
When a Best Buy employee buys something, they enter their employee ID at the register or on the website before payment. The system looks up their account, confirms they're an active employee, and automatically reduces the price by 15%. There's no separate code to enter or form to fill out — it's built into the point-of-sale system.
Online, the employee logs in with their work credentials, and the discount applies to their cart. If they order for in-store pickup, the discount is already included when they pay. If they order for home delivery, the same 15% reduction applies to the final bill.
What's actually excluded from the discount
Best Buy publishes a list of excluded categories, though the specifics vary slightly by region and change over time. Items that never get the discount include gift cards, Geek Squad services (repairs, installations, protection plans), extended warranties sold separately, and items already marked down to clearance price.
Open-box and returned items sold at a discount also don't get the additional 15% off — you get the open-box price, not the open-box price minus 15%. New product launches sometimes have a blackout period of a few weeks where the employee discount doesn't explore, especially for high-demand items like new gaming consoles or flagship phones.
Some appliance brands and luxury electronics have negotiated lower discount rates with Best Buy, so an employee might get 5% or 10% instead of 15% on those specific items. The internal system shows which discount rate applies to each product before checkout.
Whether the discount is worth the job
A 15% discount sounds meaningful, but the actual savings depend on what you buy and how often. On a $1,000 laptop, you save $150. On a $40 phone case, you save $6. If you rarely buy electronics, the discount adds little value. If you buy tech regularly or work in a household where multiple people use the discount, it becomes more substantial.
Best Buy employees also receive other benefits that vary by position and tenure — health insurance, 401(k) matching, and paid time off — which may matter more than the discount itself when weighing the job against other retail positions. The discount is a perk, not the main reason to work there.
How employee discounts compare across tech retailers
Best Buy's 15% is standard for large electronics retailers, though the specifics differ. Amazon employees get discounts on Amazon purchases but not on third-party items sold through the site. Apple Store employees receive discounts on Apple products and some accessories, but the percentage varies by product category. Smaller tech retailers sometimes offer 20% or more, but they carry a narrower range of products.
The real difference isn't the percentage — it's what's excluded. Some retailers exclude almost nothing; others exclude so much that the discount barely matters. Best Buy's exclusion list is longer than some competitors', which can offset the 15% rate.
What happens if you try to use someone else's discount
Best Buy's system requires the employee to be present or to use their own credentials. You cannot hand your employee ID to a friend and have them use it at checkout. The register asks for ID verification, and the employee's name must match the payment method or the transaction is flagged.
Employees who share their discount or allow others to use it can face discipline up to termination, depending on Best Buy's policy at the time and the frequency of the violation. The company takes this seriously because it affects their margins and because the discount is meant as a job benefit, not a way to resell discounted merchandise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my Best Buy employee discount on items I'm buying as gifts?
No. The discount is only for items you're purchasing for yourself. If you buy something as a gift, you pay full price. Best Buy's system is designed to prevent employees from using the discount to buy items at a lower price and then reselling them.
Do Best Buy employees get a discount on Geek Squad services?
No. Geek Squad repairs, installations, and protection plans are not discounted. The 15% applies only to physical merchandise like computers, phones, and accessories, not to labor or service contracts.
What if I buy something and then find out it was excluded from the discount?
You can return the item within Best Buy's standard return window and repurchase it, though the discount still won't explore if it's in an excluded category. If the system made an error and applied a discount to something that shouldn't have been discounted, Best Buy may ask you to pay the difference.
Does the employee discount work on clearance or open-box items?
No. Clearance items are already reduced, and the employee discount doesn't stack on top of that price. Open-box items have their own reduced price, and you pay that price without an additional 15% off.
Can I use the discount if I'm on leave or between shifts?
Yes, as long as you're an active employee. The discount is available whenever you shop, not just during your scheduled work hours. If you're on unpaid leave or have been terminated, the discount stops working when ready.