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Best Buy Sued By Ohio
liryon writes "The Register is reporting that the state of Ohio has sued national electronics retailer Best Buy for misleading customers by repackaging used goods and then selling them as new, and for failing to pay rebate claims. The Register report can be found here, and the original story is here. I guess this is what you get for deciding the customer is not always right." See also the Ohio AG's press release.
This kind of reminds me of a fellow often sighted on the outskirts of the parking lot of the shopping center that houses the Best Buy here in Springfield, Missouri, particularly during big sales. There's a landscaped border to the lot, with small grassy ridges and trees and things, and this fellow will bring a lawnchair, thermos mug, perhaps a parasol for shade, and set up right there on the hill overlooking the entrance with a big posterboard protest sign. I can't remember exactly what the sign said--I'm sure he had different ones on different occasions--but it was basically warnings like not to trust Best Buy's warranty plans, don't shop at Best Buy, etc.
I never quite worked up the nerve to approach him and ask him about it, but I did ask a couple of Best Buy servicepeons I happened to encounter while eating in the nearby Subway one day. Apparently the fellow had bought a video camera, damaged it in a fashion not covered under warranty (apparently dropped it over the side of a boat into a lake or something, I can't remember exactly now) and then got upset when Best Buy refused to honor the service plan.
So now he's getting his money's worth back by carrying out this oddball protest. Takes all kinds, I suppose.
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
I try to shop online to get a 7% discount avoiding the sales tax penalty for local purchases. I would not mind buy locally but I ran into just as many problems at a local retailer as online.
The only rebate I have been denied was for a ViewSonic monitor I bought from BestBuy about 5 years ago. Back then, the rebates stated that if you do not include all necessary documents, you can resubmit. I forgot to include the UPC symbol and that was a $100 mistake. 8 weeks later, I got the letter stating that I did not include all information and that it would not be paid. 8 weeks is longer than the 30-day return policy. I think nowadays, you have the right to resubmit in these cases. Do not really know but I have not ever bought another viewsonic since and I have not ever forgot to re-read the fine print to know exactly what to send. The rebate hand in the middle of the paragraph what to include. I read the bottom that said it needed the receipt and a sticker from the box. It was my fault but I am still mad about that it was a $100 and local retailers only have customer service going for them.
"Firing customers", and now this?
Doesnt look too good for The Yellow Tag.
Why people ever shop at Best Buy I will never know. Sadly I was tricked into going there just last night...
I have a problem with Best Buy at all times of the year but especially at Christmas when they block off lanes so you can only enter/exit in one spot. That way they have an easier time trapping you in there to tell you that they do not work on commissions but that they are happy to help you look for everything they offer.
The second to last time I went to Best Buy I was looking for a wlan CF card for my iPaq. I went to Circuit City first and they had one for $40. I wasn't a huge fan of the maker (never heard of them) so I went to the Best Buy (less than 2 mi as the crow flies). I went into the area with the CF cards and looked at their gigantic selection of two CF cards. Both were over $75. Immediately the vultures descended on me. For once I had a question, "where are the rest of your CF wifi cards?" "That's it." "Wow, these are expensive." I was then dismissed with a wave of the hand and an insult about my lack of wifi CF card knowledge. I told them to start shopping at Circuit City, their discount couldn't even help to match their prices.
So last night I go in there to pick up a SD card reader. Their selection was, again, fantastically lacking. Five card readers. Two took SD the rest were for Sony format. $35.00 was the cheap one. Huh? Newegg.com here I come. So as I am leaving I am asked why I am leaving without buying anything, "Not here for Madden 2k5?" "No, I was here for an inexpensive SD card reader, it's obvious you don't carry those."
Now I was lying a bit when I said it was $35. It *was* $35 but I was not-so-politely informed that I could buy it at $35 and wait X weeks for my refund to come in the mail. Sorry about that Best Buy but I could get I online for $14 including shipping and no need to wait for my money to come back. Perhaps Ohio should force Best Buy to pay interest on the money while you wait for a rebate... Don't they make you pay back all the interest accrued if you don't have it all paid off when their 0% APR offer is done? It would be nice for them to taste their own medicine for once. Perhaps they would care about their customers more if they did.
For Best Buy being on nearly every block here in Minnesota (there are 5+ within a 5 mile radius of me) they suck. How the hell did they get so popular? People are really willing to put up w/lack of choice and expensive prices?
I'm sorry, I forgot I was in Microsoft-taught hell.
They could stop them from using all those rebates in their advertised prices. Come on! Its $20 instant rebate with a $45 mail in rebate that takes 6 to 8 weeks to get to you if it does at all. What happened to paying what they advertise!
Moo!
This is a problem I've had with best buy in the past ... they refuse to honor the Uniform Commercial Codes implied warranties of merchantability without explicitly disclaiming said warranties at the point of sale. It's about time something was done about it.
an interesting little insight from a disgruntled staff member.
Top 5 things Best Buy doesn't want you to know
I should have posted this long ago. As a former employee, here is an insider's look at the top 5 things from the HT department of Best Buy (where I worked) that I guarantee they do not want their customers to know.
5. Barely legal bait and switch schemes. They push the limits of the laws with many of their flyer ads with some cheap product, like a 40 dollar DVD player to get you in the store, in hopes of encouraging you to buy something better, ie more expensive. That's the salesmen's job under any circumstance, so it doesn't change with these cheapo sales events either.
4. Open box items are usually returned items, not something that just happened to get opened in store, which rarely happens. I've seen many store employees try to avoid saying it was returned, in fear of losing the sale. Also most employees don't take the time to properly label the open box tags so you may think you are getting all accessories when you are not.
3. I've discussed this before, but here is more on this subject. As part of employee training, monster cables are drilled into employee's heads as a part of all applicable sales add ons from day one. In fact it is part of the "Total Solution" mechanism in place that all employess are to follow during their sales routine. Employees are told straight up that monster's products are superior, but never given any detailed reason why this is supposedly so. The employees I witnessed would typically memorize much of the fluff that was written on the package, on their own behalf, as a way to more quickly answer customer questions, preserve "expert" status, and eliminate possible reservations that the customer might have about spending more on something that was already provided in the box. In fact, this was often lied about. Employees don't like telling customers that zipcords come with their dvd player when asked. If they employees are forced into telling a customer, they will be quick to point how poor in quality they are in comparison to monster's products. One manager would actually say "The only thing (the customer) better be using zipcords cords for is to hold their trunk shut after they've just bought something". AR cables and recoton cables are seen as a failure of doing a proper sale at Best Buy and used only as a last ditch effort to get the customer to buy a little something extra. If an employee doesn't ask you "do you want cables, an antenna, blank discs, tapes, etc. with that?" when you are buying an applicable product, then they are simply not doing their job as instructed.
2. Employee know how. There was a recent Home Theater magazine article on the knowledge of Circuit City, Ultimate Electronics, and Best Buy employees. The rag was trying to determine how well each store knew their stuff. I knew what the results of this absolutely retarded article were going to be before I even began reading it, but as a former employee I read it anyway for curiousity's sake. The results, of course, depended on the individual knowledge of the employee that the writers happened to speak to.
Best Buys's policy is for each employee to know as much as they can about the products they sell in their primary area of responsibility. Yet, in order to do so they have to research the product almost entirely on their own time. During slow times throughout the day when you would think an employee could do a little studying, typically this is when the merchandising manager obegins running around being his/her most concerned about the store's cleanliness and the straighntess of the product on the shelves etc., so employees rarely get to know their products that well and also because of the constant product turnover. Also keep in mind when selling something such as a DVD player you can
Payback's gonna be a (mutli-million) dollar bitch, eh Best Buy?
Gives the people at http://www.bestbuysux.org/
some hope....Maybe other states will look into doing the same....Read some of the stories-it's pretty shocking.....
Last time I went in there, they treated me like a total crook, and had the blue shirts follow me wherever I went....Bastards!
-thewldisntenuff
My MythTV HowTo
You want to know who isn't running Firefox 2.x? They spell it "definately" and "rediculous".
The customer is not *always* right. The business is not *always* right. No one is always right. That's why treating your customers with respect (which sometimes means saying "no" to the truly asinine requests) is the best way to be successful.
Having been a Best Buy employee for three very long months in 1999, I can tell you that respect for the customer is *far* from BBUY's focus--it's all about PSPs, PSPs, PSPs--that's Product Support Plan, or BBUY's in-house extended warranty. I was told to lie about service policies, suggest that the product would be broken and unusable in a year without the PSP, and even offer discounts off of an item's price up to the amount of the PSP (and I worked in PC & Home Office, so the PSP was $199)--ANYTHING to get the customer to buy the damn thing.
That place is as close to evil as any company that exists. Not honoring rebates is probably in one of their SOP manuals.
I am damn proud to be living in Ohio right now. Thank god somebody stepped up to the plate and did something about this. Best Buy's customer service has been on the skids for years ever since they have become too large for their own good. I now go out of my way to go buy electronics and anything of substantial dollar amounts at Circuit City. I am guessing that other people are doing the same thing.
It is kind of funny that Best Buy's shit service is the one thing preventing it from having a total monopoly. Does anyone else feel that CC has a huge edge in terms of service? I'd imagine in some cases it is the lesser of evils, but still, Best Buy needs to re-evaluate themselves. Too bad to see we are seemingly in an era where customer service has gone by the wayside...
If you cater your business to the most vocal, whiny, ignorant, unscrupulous customer, you will fail. "No sir, you can't return those underpants. It appears you have worn them as evidenced by these brown streaks here. Yes sir, I know they say the customer is always right, but I don't have to put up with your shit."
for the first time in years, and it will probably be the last time.
I wanted a bluetooth keyboard for my notebook and some other accessories. I got all the accessories and then I was looking at the keyboards. The sales girl came and said that if I'm going to get a keyboard, I should get the extended warranty.
She didn't even try to see how interested I was in the keyboards or try to convince me to buy one. When I said "that's okay", she said I should read about it and shoved a brochure in front of me. I said "no thanks", and she angrily shoved it even closer and said "I really should at least read it; it's a great deal". I ignored her and she kept trying. I finally just abandoned my cart full of things I'd already decided to buy right in front of her and walked out of the store.
In summary, I didn't RTFA, but I hope this lawsuit breaks them.
I had fun getting Best Buy and Circuit City to go back and forth concerning the 50in TV I have in my living room now. I got the price down 500 dollars just from them going back and forth. J
I used to work at Best Buy. On one hand I feel for the state. Best Buy's practices are sometimes a bit draconian. Especially with regards to service plans and rebates. This would cause major trouble for us as employees when Jimbo would come in looking for his $200 computer only to find that in actuallity he would have to spend $800 that day and would need to fill out thre different rebate forms. It would usually be at this point where a manager would start urging us to "sell dem service plans"
By the same token some customers were dumb as bricks and I would be surpriesed if they could get the return address correct, let alone a rebate or understanding a service plan.
We did try to sell returned merchindise as new. We never lied, but hell if we would voulenteer that information. I still feel kinda guilty about it.
100% Crunchier
I never buy from Best Buy anyways... of course, I live in Canada.
Umm, dude? I hate to tell you this, but they're here already. In fact there's a store in Markham, at Markville Mall (scroll down to see them on the floor plan)
You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The impossible just takes a little longer.
and for failing to pay rebate claims.
THANK GOD
Best Buy is absolutely CROOKED.
Alito: A vote for Alito is a punch in the eye to put that bitch back in her place!
A few years ago, a Best Buy in east Kansas City installed a hard drive, supposedly new, in one of my teacher's home computers.
/q /s" on it, answering "Y" then "N"; this triggers a bug in older versions(before Win95, though I don't think I tried it with Win95) of DOS that allows DOS to read a partition that has been deleted and recreated.
When I was looking at it, I created one partition, and out of curiousity, did a "format
There were many normally-named(not garbage names like what there would be if the hard drive were new) files and directories on that hard drive that my teacher knew nothing about, making it obviously used.
On August 29, 2003, the Panasonic 27" television that I purchased at the Best Buy store in Columbia, MD was replaced with a model comparable in specification, according to the 4-year Performance Service Plan (hereafter PSP) that I purchased with the unit. The salesperson informed me that, under the PSP, if anything ever goes wrong with the television, I can bring it back to the store for repair or replacement. When the original unit was replaced, the salesperson informed me that, under the PSP, the remainder of the 4-year term of the PSP would carry over to the replacement unit.
Since my roommate and I found a substitute for the unit in the interim, the unit sat unmoved and unopened in my parents' house for approximately 120 days. (Yeah, I know. I probably should have checked it out, but I mean, i didn't really have the room to open this thing, especially when I didn't immediately require its use.) When I opened the unit that was given to me as a replacement, it turned out to be defective, with considerable cosmetic damage in the form of cracks and warps in the case. On January 6, 2004, I returned to the Best Buy store in Columbia, MD to have it repaired or replaced according to the PSP, the salesperson at the store told me that the PSP did not cover physical damage. I told the store salesperson that the unit was in that condition when I opened it. Then the salesperson said that the situation would be different if the unit did not function. I then told the salespeople that I did not turn the unit on, so I did not know if it functioned at all. Once it was determined that the unit did not function, the store salesperson agreed to send the unit to their authorized repair facility, saying that they would contact me when it was returned. They did not contact me. On February 3, 2004, I finally contacted the store myself--at which time I found that the unit had been in their possession for the past 3 weeks--and they told me it was repaired and I could pick up the unit. When I arrived, the store salesperson told me that the unit was not able to be repaired. When I asked for the unit to be replaced according to the PSP, they told me that I must have caused the damage myself, and that it was therefore not covered under the PSP. This is unacceptable, as the salesperson who sold me the unit and the PSP told me that if anything goes wrong with the TV, I could return it for repair or replacement, and since the full disclosure of the terms of the PSP were not given to me until after I purchased it.
So yeah, I probably should have checked it out to make sure it was ok, but I didn't really feel the need - the box had no signs of damage or trauma, was sealed, etc, etc. But that will surely be a lesson to me not to trust Best Buy ever again, ESPECIALLY not their so-called "service plan."
For more stories - FAR more offensive and appalling than this one, I might add - check out http://www.bestbuysux.org/.
a 42 inch widescreen hitachi. Its been working wonderfully.. ..but now I know why the workers there seemed so reluctant to actually SELL me the damn thing, when I flat out refused the warranty. (fyi, most warrantys are total scams. The product is expected to work anyways. The company is under obligation to sell you a working product. If it doesnt work, they have to replace it.)
Heck, they wouldnt even help me and my buds load the thing into the van. _WE_ lifted it onto the trolley bed. WE pushed it outside. WE loaded it onto the bed.
A wonder they gave me an evil eye when i shoved to trolley back into the store. There were SIX employees just watching me and my friends at work.
Yargh. Bestbuy sucks.
Heck, they used to have good deals on dvds, now they dont even have that anymore.
no
I can say that the accusations are 100% true. How do I know this? Because on one occasion, I had a manager personally show me how to operate the shrink-wrap machine. Working in PCHO, the 'printer to push' routinely changed depending on how much ink we had in stock. Being told to sell Packard Bell computers was a hoot, when I knew them to be the shittiest things on the planet. PSP's (extended warranties) were drilled into our collective heads every day, and despite protestations to the contrary, the saleskids *DO* get a kickback from them. That's why they're paranoid about scribbling their employee number on the back of the form. What's incredibly amusing is that after having worked 2 winters and a summer with them, i was spit out by their automated interviewer for being unqualified. The manager wanted me badly, and even reset the program twice and told me which answers to choose, but alas, alack, the computer just knew too much.
Recovering BBuy lackey xxxxxx, stores xxx and xxx.
(Wouldn't they like to know... afterall, I am an eyewitness to their illegal actions)
I suspect that one of these choices is incorrect. Correct.
I stopped trusting anything mail-in when I was a kid. You see, Kellogg had this "special offer" on the side of their box that claimed you could get a FREE Darkwing Duck knapsack with X number of proofs of purchase, and a few dollars shipping and handling. Being the big DW fans we were, my siblings and I all dutifully at our cereal, snagged our UPCs, and sent in the money (a lot for a kid!).
Never
saw
nothin'
Thats so strange, when I was a kid out of the blue I got 5 darkwing duck knapsacks sent to me. I had no idea where they game from, but I was extremely happy to have them!
Do you Gentoo!?
While I'd really like watching the state collect a huge sum of money for each violation, it would be tough to prove every single violation. The State knows it, BestBuy knows it.
In the end, I expect a big settlement. Best Buy will admit that they have done nothing wrong, and agree that they won't do something wrong again in the future.
The lawyers involved will recieve a payment of 200 million, the state will recieve a check for 5 million. Oh, and the people actually harmed will get some in-store settlement checks.
They'll end up giving out settlement checks for $4.93 to each customer who is or was a resident of Ohio during the time of their doing-nothing-wrong, and end up with a quarter of them actually redeemed, usually spent on items costing ten times the settlement check, ensuring continued profits for the company.
Just once, I'd like to see the lawyers and state paid with in-store credit settlement checks.
frob
//TODO: Think of witty sig statement
I work at best buy as a computer tech, in the new 'Geek Squad' outfit. Every day I deal with customers that were blatantly lied to by the sales people about PSP's. Each product has a different status, some are replaceable, others have to be repaired, for a general rule of thumb, anything over a couple hundred dollars is being sent out to repair. Meanwhile every sales person is told to tell people the PSP replaces products right on the spot for 'any reason'. Also regarding computers, people are also told PSP covers stupidity, by that I mean it supposedly covers any viruses that get in there, or if you hose your Windows install. On top of that the techs dont know anything most of the time and just act as F10 techs, if it cant be fixed in a half hour we're supposed to charge the 60 dollars to do a OS reinstall. Geek Squad is a joke and the people who founded it are too busy reveling in the money that they got when Best Buy bought it out and is treating it as such. We're supposed to have a 48 hour turn around time, falsely advertised as such on the website. Realistically its more like 10-30 days! The stores are understaffed and underpaid, and overworked. Everyone is expected to work on at least 4 computers at a time, but nothing ever gets done, because we're all ordered to sell In-home services and PSP above working on computers and actually getting that stuff done. Don't shop at bestbuy, and above all don't bring your computers to Geeksquad unless you want to wait a couple weeks. But i'm pretty sure if your reading slashdot you probably don't need somebody else to work on your computer! Posted anonymously just in case someone from work reads this!
The easy way to shop at these 'burb chains is the same way you shop in the "camera district" in major cities.
Walk in, tell them what you saw in their ad, tell them what it comes with, tell them that's all your going to pay and that's all you want, no shit, and you want to be holding the item FIRST and inspect it FIRST before you hand over any payment.
Q. "But we can't give it to you at that price without..."
A. "FUCK YOU. Good day." (walk out)
Q. "That price only includes A, B, and C, not D, E, and F, I guess the ad was wrong..."
A. "FUCK YOU. Good day." (walk out)
Q. "We don't have it in stock, but we've backordered it for you..."
A. "FUCK YOU. Good day." (walk out)
Q. "You're going to need X, Y, and Z in order to make it work. Now I know you didn't ask for them, but..."
A. "FUCK YOU. Good day." (walk out)
Q. "That price is acutally only after rebate/only applies to gray market model/only applies to members of our sales club..."
A. "FUCK YOU. Good day." (walk out)
It's easy. Salespeople are assholes or pimply-faced teenagers without a clue anyway, they don't come in any other flavor. Use and abuse them and get what you want, ream them hard in the ass if you can, or walk out with your money and don't give it to the chickenshits.
We don't. Fry's seems to be a strictly Left Half of Country operation. I wish they'd hurry up and expand out this way.
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
I normally buy pc stuff online, but any electronic equipment I buy in a physical store 95% of the time I shop at best buy.
I have a best buy card, I buy stuff with rebates all the time, I've successfully used the PSPs. This was all shopping in NY, and OH stores. I have never had a problem with a rebate, return, or anything like that.
I can only conclude that either I've been very lucky for the last 6 years, or else there are alot of morons out there who can't fill out rebates properly and don't know how to finesse their way into a successful return/exchange.
This story really shouldn't surprise anyone. My personal policy is this: never, ever, under any circumstances, talk to any salesperson at Best Buy. Here are a few of my worst anectodes:
1. While laptop shopping I asked one of the computer people how much video memory a particular model had (it wasn't clearly stated on the tag). After looking it up on the computer he replies "Ah, here it is, um, it has eh 64, um M.....B, yeah that's it". Now it's hard to convey here in writing, but it was obvious from the tone of his voice and the way he said it that he had absolutely no idea what MB stood for. Long story short, I subsequently bought a laptop from CompUSA.
2. While waiting at a counter in the computer section, I overhear a 'salesperson' talking with a customer who had asked if he knew the difference between a serial port and a USB port. He did not.
3. Another conversation overheard, a 'salesperson' clearly did not know the difference between a hard drive or any other drive on the computer, nor their relative capacities.
4. A nightmare situation evolved after I foolishly tried to sign up for SBC Yahoo DSL service at a Best Buy. (hint, just go straight to SBC or Yahoo if you want this) The deal called for a free starter kit which included a modem to be provided by the store. Unfotunately they gave me a cable modem and I didn't realize it (I'll take some tiny amount of blame for that one) until I got home. It turns out they didn't even have the DSL modems in stock (and never did) and that SBC will send it out later. This guy claimed to have the service himself at home - which leads me to wonder if he even knows the difference between DSL and cable? Doubtful.
The price is wrong, bitch.
Speak truth to power.
Man, the one thing that cracks me up more than anything.... you know, the $100/ft oxygen free copper wire that supposidly has less resistance therefor better sound than lamp cable from the hardware store...
Anyways, the ignorance finally showed with the release of the TOSLink fiber optic cables used that carry the digital data (SPDIF format I believe).
Monster and other companies sell high grade TOSLink fiber optic cables that, according to the packaging, provide better sound than the factory throw ins.
It costs more than your SC to SC multimode fiber optic patch cords that you would use for a gige switch. Shit, probably more than a SM MRTJ cable for 10gig...
But the truth is, it works just as good as the cheapo. ZERO difference. It is all ones and zeros. I have a 10$ cable I used between a PC and my MD deck, and also between two MD decks. The secret is, there is a hidden option to enter a service mode where you can video the errors received on both toslink and the optical pickup.
The fact it, it is false advertising. Sure it might have more plastic wrapped around it and look cooler, but it is all just a plastic lightpipe (unlike computer cables which are indeed glass). I saw zero errors on the most budget cable out there.
Don't, (jibbie wack), don't believe the hype.
Southeastern Virginia REPRESENT!
In the Best Buy around here, it's okay to test out things like speakers that would have management eyeing you strangely in other stores. I went in, found the best price/performance ratio'd speakers I could find, and left, to get them 50 dollars cheaper off newegg.
Boycotting buying is fine by me, but everyone (even Best Buy) has thier uses.
Last thanksgiving, I purchased one of the cheapy eMachines PCs for my mom. The mail-in rebate for the thing was $250.
:)
Within two days, weird things started happenning to the machine (video glitches). I had mom (I live FAR , far away) take it back to Best Buy. They gladly exchanged it for a duplicate machine... all is happy... OR SO I'D THOUGHT.
Flash forward about 3 months and I get a letter from BB stating that my rebate was denied because the original product was returned. Wha?!
Well, turns out that the folks gave her a NEARLY identical machine at the store, and the rebate wasn't good on that model. No fucking way.
I spent a good 3 days talking to various folks at BB "Customer Service" (HA!) until I finally convinced then to honor the rebate. The only issue now... they need the ORIGINAL receipt from mom's exchange.
Well, due to other circumstances she couldn't get this to me for another few weeks, at which point I sent it in.
Wouldn't ya know, a few weeks later I received another mail that the rebate was declined because the FUCKING "MAIL-BY" date had passed.
And no amount of talking was going to make them budge on this. I don't know that I've EVER been so pissed.
Ah well, makes me feel a lot less guilty about the $400 worth of stuff I got from them and MSN several years back.
Anytime i've gone to make a major purchase or even enter an electronic store I make a point to be baggy unneat clothes. e.g. no collared shirts. I already look a LOT younger than i am so the salespeople leave me alone. And if i'm going to be buying something like a comp where I'm going to HAVE to interact with an employee I get my dad to go with me. Guess who the sales people pressure? Leaving me free to look over specs and such.
That said I normally shop at staples and found them really good at sending back rebates.
Though they did try to sell us a PSP. Dad wanted to get it and since he was paying i said ok cause we didnt have much time. Started looking over it and everything that was covered in there I could fix. So we took it back to the store a couple days and they gave us a refund with no problem.
Just once, I'd like to see the lawyers and state paid with in-store credit settlement checks.
That's how it is in Texas now. Best. Law. Ever.
I'm sorry, but when I'm in charge these class action lawyers who go around from state to state to state suing companies will be round up and executed. Looking forward to having one as our Vice President...
Want to see lawsuits in the US get even worse? Kerry/Edwards 2004!
I've just signed legislation that'll outlaw Russia forever. We'll begin bombing in five minutes.
I purchased a Toshiba notebook about this time last year. I really needed it because I was going out of town. The local BestBuy was out of stock, but a store about 1hr away had one. They said I could have it shipped down, and it would be there in time, but only if I bought it at that store. Considering there was a sale ending that day, which gave me $150 off the notebook, I thought sure, why not.
... but what didn't make sense to me is why the 3 different people I talked to to make _sure_ it would be okay told me it was no problem.
... as mentioned in many other posts, one of BB bigest problems is many of their employees don't know jack, whether it be about the merchandise or store policy. Though I thought the manager did good though to resolve my first issue.
So, the "delivery" day came and went. No call. I called them up -- the unit hadn't even left the store where it originated from. I asked my local store if I could drive up to get it. They say, "shouldn't be a problem, but call their store first to make sure".
Sound advice. So I called. The person said "Sure! That's no problem what so ever. We have it back in the warehouse."
So, I called my local BB to let them know I actually was picking it up, they said no problem.
I ended up driving through one of the worst thunderstorms of the year to get to this store.
I get there, and after about 30 minutes of hassel, I find out I can't pick up the unit. Even though had my receipts, showing I had purchased the item. My computer was not even a 2 minute walk away, after a 1 hour drive, in the back warehouse. I fought with them for another 30 minutes... no good.
Apparently, since I "bought" the computer at the other store, they had to recieve the merchandise and scan it into their system before I could have it. This made sense to me
Needless to say I wasn't happy. And the manager knew it.
They ended up giving me a $50 gift card for my troubles, and the word of the manager that he would personally deliver my unit to my local best buy in the morning, after which it was all mine.
Sure enough, he did. I was still pretty pissed, however, I felt the manager did what he could. I could understand why I couldn't pick it up (the inventory was not technically their anymore, but my local stores, who needed to scan it into the system), but not why they didn't tell me that before.
Second story. When I first started shopping around for the aforementioned notebook PC, I went to BB. I was looking at the model I was most interested in, but the screen was totally screwed up. It *looked* to me like someone had jacked around with the font settings, and made it unreadable.
So, out of curiousity, I thought I'd see what the computer personel said. I knew from the minute this guy opened his mouth he had no clue what so ever.
He squinted at the screen, trying to read the fonts. Thought about it a minute and said "nothings wrong"
I said "You're kidding, right? Did you notice the fonts?"
"Yeah. I can read them just fine," he said
"Well, I can't. And I have perfect vision"
He said, "Well, I have 20/15"
I almost said "So, a person has to have better than normal vision to use this computer?" but instead I left it as is. I sort of shadowed the fellow for the next 15 minutes or so, to hear some of the "fascinating insights" he had about computers when talking with other customers. After one, I spoke with the customer after the fact and made sure he was *properly* informed before I finally left the store.
Anyway
I love how all the complaints about the service plans state "the employee told me it is like this". People never say "the contract I signed told me that it was like this..."
And then people wonder when something breaks why they don't get what the employee said and instead best buy follows what the contract says.
People are morons, customers are NOT always right (they aren't even occassionally right).
what will really blow your mind is when i tell you they probably have a roll of laminate and a shrinkwrapping machine in the back.
doesnt work on large things like a TV but routers and PC equipment its very standard practice to re wrap things.
I'll just use my special getting high powers one more time...
I can't begin to say how happy I am to hear that Best Buy is getting theirs!!
... We don't carry that unit any more. We'd be happy to give you some money that you can spend in Best Buy on another MP3 player.
...
... ever ... ever ... purchase anything from Best Buy ever agian.
Personally I've been missled by their sales associates. I purchased a 40gig Nomad MP3 player. At the time of purchase the sales associate said that I should buy a service plan. His argument was that the batteries are expensive to replace. And with the service plan I just bring in the device and they replace the battery.
Sounded resonable.
Six months later the battery dies.
I bring back the unit and explain that I had the service plan and that I needed a replacement battery. I was told that Best Buy would only replace the entire unit.
Oh and by the way
What! Crazy!
I bought that item on sale. There's no way I can get something comperable and maintain the value of purchasing something on sale.
Okay
Refund the money I spent on this service plan. It is clearly designed so that I can never utilize it.
Best Buy's response: NO
I ended up having to pay $40 for another battery.
Which, by the way, is what I spent on the service plan.
I will never
ever.
--The Dude
I purchased a printer from Circuit City about a year ago. Went home opened the "factory" sealed box and discovered that the printer required extensive nozzle cleaning to print correctly. I was pretty upset because this is what old printers do. I returned the printer and told them it did not work. They did not have anymore in stock so they credited my account. Then I went to another Circuit City and purchased the same printer and told them not to give one that had been resealed. It took them about half and hour but they finally gave me a dusty box. Went home opened it and realised that this one even had more cupons , documentation and software. I finally got what I paid for NEW printer.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" - Emiliano Zapata
Hmm,
1. Instead of offering a $20 rebate and redeeming 50% of those, why not just offere a straight at the counter $10 discount. Pisses off less people
2. I bought a TV-tuner card a couple years ago because it advertised a $50 rebate. Buy it, open it up to read to rebate information inside the box only to find out the rebate expired months before I purchased it. Was I pissed off? Damn straight.
Way back in the day, my parents bought me a refurbished Packard Bell 486 (this was right after the Pentium came out) [at Best Buy]. We got the extended warranty, where after they fix three problems, the next results in a replacement computer. More accurately, it results in a store credit for the original purchase price. To make a long story short, after a few years it developed its 4th problem, and we replaced it with an HP K6-2 laptop... for free (actually, maybe $100 or so more; the laptop was priced higher than the 486 had been). We got an extended warranty on it, too.
So, a few years later it developed a problem. Not it's fourth, but one severe enough to warrant my mom getting so pissed that the customer service people treated it like one (It overheated to the point where it melted the varnish on our computer desk). Anyway, it was replaced again, with a P4 2.2 GHz Compaq laptop.
So, we've gone through a total of 3 computers for a grand total of about $2000 ($1000 for the first one + ~$150 extra for the second, + ~$350 extra for the third, plus 3 service agreements -- not quite sure how much they cost). I'd say it's been a pretty good deal.
Ironically, the Compaq has been really, really reliable, especially considering how crappy every other Compaq I've ever seen has been. But we still have a year left, and rest assured it will have four problems by then, if I have to inflict them myself! : )
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
Lo, about a year later the screen went dead. I took it back. Problem: they no longer sell this model of phone. No problem, I'm not surprised, just give me the comparable model phone.
Well, apparently, the comparable model phone - which, I'll admit, had a color screen which mine did not - was $250, whereas mine was originally $129. Even worse, the absolute CHEAPEST phone they had was $149, and it was way more sucky than the one I already had.
Nope, sorry, they'll only give me the retail price on the phone in exchange - I'll have to pony up at least $20 to get a crappier phone, even more if I want something the wife will accept.
Thppt. Circuit City has paid for their transgressions with DivX, I'll give 'em another shot.
You can always tell who's worked retail and who hasn't.
Slashdotters without retail experience: "I went into Best Buy to purchase a wireless router, and the sales drone dared to try and sell me a replacement plan on it! I laughed and told him that I had forgotten more about computers than he will ever know, and that because of this I knew that if my router breaks at anytime in the next 10 years, I can bring it back in to any Best Buy in the nation and demand a full refund, no questions asked!"
Slashdotters with retail experience: "To quote Ben Affleck, 'The customer is always an asshole!'"
Anyway, my retail horror story: After two years of tech work at CompUSSR, I was literally on my last day. About 3:00 in the afternoon a lady, her husband, and son bring in a computer they had purchased about a month ago. It was fuxored, wouldn't boot, etc; she wanted a brand new machine, and was going to part heaven and earth to get it.
CompUSSR policy at the time was no refunds/exchanges after 14 days. CompUSSR policy was also that if the customer had problems with their machines, they first needed to call our support 800 number to initially trouble shoot the problem. All you people with retail tech support experience, I'll pause to let you have a good laugh at that one........Anyway, needless to say that 9 times out of 10 when a customer brought their computer into us first with problems, we pretty muched dropped what we were doing and at least took a cursory look at it. Since I was just treading water anyway running out the clock, I volunteered.
Well, it turns out this computers problem was a trashed Internet Explorer. The lady, who was hot to begin with, had went off with one of the managers, who was I'm sure repeating the mantra all sales managers do when a customer brings in a computer demanding an exchange: Upsale...Upsale...Upsale. I talked to the husband and son for a few minutes, and determined that they had attempted to install a new version of IE, but had apparently got scared half-way through and bailed on the process. With a shutdown-reboot. Nice.
OK, so we know what the problem is now, and I'm pretty confident I can fix the machine by running the setup of IE from a CD we had at the time. Might take a little hoop jumping here and there, but it can probably be done (You know I'll say this for CompUSA: the job sucked, but damned if I wasn't a fucking good tech by the time I got out of there. Those kind of jobs: you see it all). One problem: CompUSSR policy (you know whats coming now) states that we are only responsible for fixing hardware issues: software issues will cost you a flat fee of $99.95 (or whatever it was back then).
Well about this time the lady comes back over with the sales manager at her heel, and when she hears this she pretty much loses it. How dare I tell her it's going to cost $100 to fix this computer, we didn't do anything to it, it's your responsibility, this is ridiculous I want my money back, you're going to fix it for free, blah blah blah for near on 10 minutes straight.
So there I am, straight in this bitches crosshairs eating flaming death by the metric ton. The sales manager is about as useless as you might imagine in this situation, piping up only to remind the bitch every couple minutes that he can't give her a refund or exchange. I think the fucker actually left mid-argument to leave me to fend for myself. Eventually I get a word in edgwise, practically yell "Let me talk to my manager" and retreat to the safety of the tech department. Eventually Sales Manager finds his way back there, and it's agreed that I'm going to go ahead and fix her computer for free. At this point I don't even care, I just want the day to end.
An hour later I've got the thing working again, and take it out to the front couter to demonstrate as such for all parties. WonderBitch gives me a look the entire time like she can barely surpress her gag reflex at the mear knowledge of my existance. As I'm opening up every dam
Well, while she was taking her final I decided I would go to the local mall and hang out for awhile to burn some time. I ended up at Best Buy (most guys, when left to their own shopping accords with no woman at their hip and money to burn, will end up at an electronics store. Call it Jay's Law). Anyhow, I went inside and was glancing at everything: computer stuff, DVDs, video games, TVs, stereo stuff, etc., basically deciding what I wanted to get that day. I didn't have a cart on me in their defense just because I may have gotten a DVD or a stereo; I wasn't sure yet.
So, about 15 to 20 minutes into the excursion I notice a pretty big guy in tattoos looking at The Sims' latest expansion. A little odd, I decided, that this wanna-be biker guy was checking something like that out. I filed it in the back of my mind and went to look at digital cameras.
Not 5 minutes later I am leaving digicam land to examine TVs and, while deciding between one model and another (had my mind made up at this point as to what I wanted) who do I see but Mr. Tattoo "looking" at plasmas. Now I know I am being tailed. Having time to burn, I decide to have fun with this.
I abandon TVs, deciding any major purchases from this point on will be done at Sears or CC. I walk over to the car stereo section, and change the display test model to the most annoying rap station I could find, then proceed to blast Puff fitty cent or what-have-you at an annoying level. I get the "can I help you?" not too long afterwards and start chatting with the clerk about what subwoofer is the best. Dollar signs in his eyes, I proceed to listen with half an ear as he extols the latest and greatest 12" with case and built-in amp. Meanwhile, I catch tattoo guy moseying on over to check out - I shit you not - Celine Dion CDs that are stationed close to the stereo section!
Breaking the poor salesguys's heart, I interrupt his explanation of how badly I'll need a PSP on the sub and ask him straight up does tattoo guy work for you? He glanced over at the guy and looked back at me and gestured me over to the cable section and said "Yeah, he does. He's security."
I thanked him, walked out the door, and was halfway to my car when I felt a tap on my shoulder. There, in the parking lot, was a manager (the name tag alluded to that fact) and a blue-shirt I hadn't remembered. They asked me to come back inside. Having yet another half hour to burn and wanting to clear my name, I went back in. I was escorted to an office. I was asked why I was wandering from dept. to dept. aimlessly. I was asked where was the DVD I stole. On and on. Finally Minnesota's finest shows up. I plead ignorance, knowing I had done nothing wrong. Finally it comes down to tape (I am running behind at this point, and I don't have my cell on me to call my sister and let her know what's happening. Best Buy, of course, won't let me make the local call. Meh, whatever. I'm having fun.)
So, in true NFL action, it comes down to me and the tape. The tape ends up clearing me; at no point do I do anything with any DVD except look at the back of it. After all that, I am escorted from the store by the cop, who says this happens waaaay too often, and told by the manager that I am not allowed there ever.
Needless to say, I'll never browse or buy at a Best Buy again. Their loss; I went to Circuit City and was met with the best of sales staff and dropped $300 on a new TV.
One thing I do recommend when you get good customer service though is to talk to a manager or send a letter. Yeah, it takes 15 minutes from Doom 3 and a stamp, but the feeling afterwards is well worth it. I even got a hand-written letter from the CC employee and a $5 gift card for my feedback. To this day, that $5, the letter, and the amazing customer service has done more for their business for me than anything else. I continue to shop there to this day and extol their virtues to others.
"This food is problematic."
I live in ohio, I have been to many different Best Buy locations over the years. I have never been treated properly at any store, they always try to push their services plans on me or sell me something I don't need.
:P and I found a cheap card, I think it was around 40 bucks or so. At that time it was least expensive card they had there, not to mention that was the last card they had on their shelf. I picked it up,headed to the
Anyways, this is besides the point.
I would like to share my soundcard experience.
about 5 years ago I was fixing a friends computer and out of urgency I needed to get a sound card fast, so I decided to head to our local Best Buy (Mentor, Ohio) So, I walk in the store and head to the sounds card department
checkout counter and paid for it and went home.
I got home, opened up the box and to my disapointment the driver cd was missing, I was like wtf?!? I look through the box just to make sure and still no damn cd. Because I know most manufacturers provide drivers online I didn't get too upset. So I take the card out of the bag and I look at it closely. It had dust all over it!! Now , call me stupid, but a new card should not have dust on it! I got pissed then. I put it back in the bag and shove it back in the box. While putting it back in the box, I notice that the plastic on was kinda funky, I take a closer look...it appears someone put super glue on the seams....I was furious, I put all the shit in the besybuy bag and headed back to Best Buy.
I got to Best Buy and went to the service desk, I say hey, I just bought this sound card two hours ago, I got home and it was missing the driver cd, the card had dust on it because it was probably used before I bought it and and the box plastic was superglued shut.
Now I would like to get a refund or a new card.
They gave me this weird look and said, well because the card is missing its software and is not in resale condition we cannot do anything.
I said Hello!! Look at my receipt, I just bought it!! They said it again, we cannot do anything since the card is missing the software.
I was pretty much yelling by then. I asked to talk to the mananger. So, they called him and I explained the situation. He said sir, all you can do is return the card to manufacturer and get a replacement cd or card. If the card would have included the software, we could have refunded your money. Knowing that I was powerless, I said fuck it. I told the mananger, You Better not let this happen again, you sold me a used sound card and it is illegal in my eyes, you should be more careful.
I picked up the card and walked out.
Needless to say, I called the manufacturer and got a free replacement. But I did tell them what Best Buy did to me.
Ever since then I have ordered my computer parts online, and heck why not? you can save 10-25 percent by ordering online anyways. Anyone who buys their computer supplies from Best Buy is stupid, you're paying more and getting less service.
Rot in hell Best Buy, may you go out of business!
I am a former employee of Best Buy and a current resident of Ohio - I won't say who I am or what I did there but my former supervisor is on their website, on the Executive team list.
I can confirm their rebate practices are less than stellar. For years Best Buy had a "rebate center" in each department that consisted of a rudimentary wire recipe rack, for lack of a better description, with paper coupons from each respective manufacturer. Customers were supposed to use the coupon from the rebate center, send it directly to the manufacturer and wait patiently for 6-8 weeks for their rebate. It was totally hands-off for Best Buy.
Unfortunately, that didn't work very well. Stores were frequently out of the rebate coupons, didn't have the correct ones, the manufacturers would send the wrong ones or too few - whatever the case was, it turned out to be a tremendous headache. Not to mention the "recipe racks" were hard to keep organized and the rebates were freqently misplaced.
Fast-forward to ~1996. In an effort to streamline the process and take some burden off of the sales personnel, the merchandising dept (shelf-stockers) were handed a brand new, nifty, Rebate center that went in the front of the store, organized by department that really ended up just consolidating the recipe racks to a central location. The problem still existed of the missing, disorganized rebate coupons.
Later that year Best Buy decided to make a real effort to fix the rebate problem. That's when the current system was implemented. Corporate management decided to outsource the handling of rebates to Young America, Inc. (www.young-america.com).
Young America did a decent job of handling the rebate outsourcing for a very brief time. I can't speak intelligently of their corporate structure, governance, or policies. However, all of this rebate outsourcing occured during an explosive growth period in Best Buy's corporate history. They are currently opening about 50-60 stores per year in 2004. Between 1993 and 1997 they more than doubled thei size. They had a corporate paradigm shift during all of this when they realized that they were outgrowing their ability to manage it and continue providing the kind of service that enabled them to grow at that rate.
Unfortunately, it seems, the growth spurt never stopped. Eventually the over-riding vision was to break the $20 billion revenue mark. Add-on accessories and service plans became the pot of gold at the end of their rainbow and rebates became the tool to get the sale. This all happened in the mid to late 90's when computer prices were falling rapidly, DVD players were becoming affordable, and the dotcom boom was impending - manufacturers were pushing rebates like mad thus Best Buy was too.
Outsourcing the rebate processing was a mistake for Best Buy. Not that Young America can't handle the volume or the execution - It's because it enables Best Buy to take the hands-off approach and essentially tell its customers that it can't help them because it's being handled by another company. This presents the largest problem for them - they won't stand behind their rebates. Anyone that has tried to resolve a rebate issue should be able to attest that managers at the store level will not do very much to assist in the matter other than hand out the 800-number to Young America. This is unfortunate because the consumer purchased a product from Best Buy and typically makes no distinction between a manufacturer's rebate and where they purchased the product. Consumers rightfully expect a retailer to stand behind the offer they willfully advertised in a weekly sales flyer, not give a brush off that they aren't responsible because the rebate was offered by the manufacturer and is being handled by a third party.
It's not that they willfully and maliciously try to swindle their customers - They truly believe that it absolves them of the responsibility to provide the customer satisfaction in regards to reba
If you do what you always did, you get what you always got.
My first digital camera died young. It was in my pocket when I fell over while drunk. So when I replaced it with a new one, I decided to get an extended warranty.
I read various plans to see what they covered. Most were about 10% of the cost of the camera, and only covered failures that resulted from normal use. Gee, thanks. I wonder how many cameras survive the first year (when the manufacturer covers it) but die the second during "normal use." Even if it's 10%, which I seriously doubt, I imagine not everyone actually uses the coverage (you kept track of your receipt, right?), and those that do can be given a refurb model of what will then be an obsolete camera. It's almost like they're printing money.
I finally found a store that had a decent warranty plan. I read the policy online, then when I got to the store I quizzed the sales guy to see what it covered. I figured if the sales guy knew and pitched what was actually in the documentation, it was a good sign I wouldn't have trouble getting service.
If memory serves, a 2 year plan cost about 15% of the camera price. A year and a half later I was drunk at a Halloween party (me being drunk with a camera is a pretty common event) and smashed it into a wall hard enough to pop two screws from the case. Good night, Gracie.
I took it in, brought my receipt, filled out the form, and they sent it out for repairs. It took longer than promised because of a screwup on their side, but after a little over two weeks I got my camera, a $10 gift certificate and an apology for the delay.
So here's my advice:
Everytime I pass a line of customers at Sears Auto I am reminded that consumers have very short memories and will always forgive a few lawsuits for a glossy bargain ad.
Why use best buy? I set up a corporation with some friends (cost us about $1,150 Cdn in total and we use it to order products directly from suppliers. Best Buy has insane markups, and it is so much easier to order a product from Synnex or Ingrammicro. We have earned back our money countless times... (Just remember that you are required to pay the PST if you purchase an item to use instead of resell). As an added bonus, we make a few bucks reselling items to other people. As long as you meet the minimum requirements for having a business, you can order directly from distributors and can avoid the retailers who jack up prices like there is no tomorrow.
Whenever I'm begrudingly dragged along to Best Buy by someone, I am constantly amazed by all the hoops you have to go through to make a purchase. By that I mean, if you want something, you're going to have to put up with someone trying to sell you a service plan more often than not, and on top of that, now they're trying to get you to buy magazine subscriptions on the way out (8 months free and then we mail you for the rest of your life!). Whatever happened to being able to just buy something?
As for being nice to salesmen? Hell no. Make them hate their job. I don't care if they're working for some mean old manager who's making them sell PSPs. The more misery you can rain down on them, the more likely they're going to quit working there. As the jobs open up, Best Buy has to hire less and less qualified people. As those people quit, the cycle repeats. Eventually, it will be all those asshole managers working triple-time trying to sell shitty service plans to people who are assholes right back to them. And then Best Buy collapses under it's own filth.
Feel bad about being mean? We don't go into war and not shoot the troops because their commanders are the really mean ones. We kill 'em ALL.
Many moons ago, I was working part time in Marks and Spencer's warehouse, Oxford, while I was attending a local tech. college.
Marks and Spencer for those of you who are not UK-centric, is a department store, supposedly of above average quality which prides itself on the level of customer service they provide. They have/had a very liberal returns policy, and were famous for standing behind their products.
Picture the scene: It is January the 2nd. The customer service desk is swamped with people returning unwanted Christmas gifts for cash. As I am taking a trolley load of packaging down to the waste compactor in the basement, one of the customer service assistants is peering quizzically at the inside of a pair of boxer shorts that have been presented for refund.
Her facial expression, and her words, will stay with me until the day I die:
"I'm very sorry sir, we can't accept these shorts: They are soiled".
T&K.
Political language
ACT 1: I bought a LCD monitor and I got my credit card checked "for my own security" because the purchase was over 500CND. I felt like walking out, but I tolerated the insult.
ACT 2: I paid a small item with my ATM card. The cashier girl uses a plastic bag as a glove to receive the card and swipe it. She looked like a uptight doll.
ACT 3: I was told that the 4th gen iPod and iPod mini will be released in mid October. So I should buy the will-never-sell-stocked 15GB 3rd gen iPod instead, and now.
FINAL ACT: Took from the shelf an audio card with a pricing clearly marked. Went to pay for it; it is 40 dollars more. Then I am told that "it must be a mail in rebate available for it". I left the item there and I walked to never enter again.
Rebates aside - Best Buy owes me some cash, but I have a bigger point.
People "recycling" hardware.
Best Buy is not taking used products and putting it on the shelf, the customer is.
Allow me to explain.
Joe Q. Customer has an sound card he wants to replace. So, he goes to his local Best Buy and gets a brand new sound card - carefully opens the box, using Un-Do to release the adhesive on the tape, pulls out the new card and puts his old one back in its place. He glues the box shut, re-applies the tape to hold the flap shut, takes it and has it shrink-wrapped at the local Kinkos and then puts the labels back on the shrink wrapping. Looks like a new box.
Then, Joe Q. Customer takes the box back and returns it. The customer service rep doesn't open it up because its "factory sealed". It goes back on the shelf.
Best buy isn't the one ripping you off, they're the victim. The perp counts on you buying the old technology, being the victim and its left to YOU to explain it to Best Buy.
A number of years ago I went to return a factory sealed package of Office 97 software at an office supply store, our office didn't need it. I watched as the Customer Service Manager broke the factory seal and checked all the contents of the package. This was back when a heafty printed manual was included with software.
When I asked what she was doing, she stated that she had customers buying software opening it, taking the CD and Manuals out and replacing it with campbells soup cans, then returning it.
Now that you know, if it happens to you, you can inform the Best Buy weenies that both of you have been scammed.
This is why manufacturers of prodcuts put them in see-through plastic so you can see the product you're buying, and you must destroy the packaging to get the item out.
Lesson: Always pay with a credit card because then you can dispute the charge if the merchant is unwilling to work with you.
Good security is based upon reality and common sense. Common sense is a function of having common knowledge.
It's about time that someone kicked Best Buy in the ass.
Here's my Best Buy horror story.
1. Purchased HP N5450 Laptop + Extended Warranty
2. Power jack dies after a year and a half.
3. Take to Best Buy on Dec. 22, 2002 for repair.
4. Wait 2 weeks. They order motherboard and don't use it.
5. Wait another 2 weeks. The order jack and resolder the motherboard.
6. Pick up laptop on Jan 17, 2003. Boots fine in the store.
7. Return home. Laptop stops working after the 15 minutes.
8. Return to Best Buy that night. Laptop boots. Got excuse about power surge.
9. Return home. Laptop still won't boot plugged into UPS.
10. Remove battery. Won't boot in the morning.
11. Return to Best Buy for re-repair.
12. Call manager on Jan 20, 2003. Will "rush repair".
13. Call repair center on Jan 27, 2003. Laptop hasn't even been touched.
14. Motherboard arriving today, Jan 29, 2003.
15. Install mobo today ot tomorrow.
16. Ship back to Best Buy on Thirsday, Jan 30th, 2003.
17. Best Buy called today, Monday, Feb. 3rd, 2003.
18. Arrive at store. Laptop is there. They forgot the fucking power adapter!!!!!!. Now keep in mind, they asked for the power adapter to be sent with the laptop this time. It's in the computer and on the packing list when it was sent. And of course, the repair checklist was check marked and verified on the "verify accessories" option.
19. After numerous "nothing I can do" excuses, they "find" an adapter.
20. Plug it in. Power it up. It appears to work.
21. Return home.
22. Plug laptop in. No fucking sound. I should've checked at the store, but I figured it was at 0% volume where we usually leave it.
23. Shut down laptop. Try turning it on and using the front panel controls as a CD player. Nothing. Not one fucking thing on the front display works.
24. Call Consumer Relations at 1-888-BESTBUY (1-888-237-8289)
25. Talk to tier 1 idiot. Ask for manager.
26. Talk to manager. "Take it back for them to check". Yeah, wait for them to ship it back to their service center for another 2 weeks. Fuck you.
27. Won't give me Regional Supervisor name. Click
After another trip and a lot of bitching, they finally replace the laptop.
I have another friend who is suffering from almost the same treatment. soldering the power jack. Nice.
I don't understand what fascniates people so much about Best Buy that they drop so much money there.
Sure the store layout is "neat" but they don't always have the best price (computer stores selling OEM parts have better prices), warranties at Best Buy suck, the Extended Service Plans are almost never honoured and the sales staff are too overconfident in their knowledge and abilities.
I never set foot in a Best Buy or Future Shop (they're now BB too) knowing this. I buy all my computer stuff at a local dealer(s) and my appliances with Sears who have great Consumers Report ratings.
Only when BB's stock takes a nose dive from the 45 or so its trading at right now will their business model change == when consumers get a clue! It seems the the "baby boomer" generation who are cash rich and relatively computer illiterate are responsible for boosting Best Buy's sales. In time, 10 to 15 years or so, if BB's practices continue, they will take a nosedive.
I signed up for Comcast at BestBuy and I got a Motorola modem with that, which was free after rebate. But Best Buy didn't honor my rebate. They first sent it back saying I hadn't submitted all the right papers (which I had!) and then when I sent it AGAIN with the right papers AGAIN, they still sent it back to me saying my rebate was rejected since I had not submitted all the right papers. Interestingly, they returned all the papers I had submitted and I checked the list and all the papers were there !!
I just let it go because I had read online that Best Buy sucks as far as honoring rebates is concerned. I am glad to see someone is taking action.
SG
I used to sell computers at Office Depot and they really pushed us to sell the PPP's (product protection plans). They went so far as to give us bonuses if we sold the most of any store in our region. The is pure corporate greed. The plans rarely cover anything and if you buy things with a Gold credit card you usually get the same added warrenty for free. Here is another scam that Best Buy and others are using. Floor models -- The sales people are told to only sell floor models with a PPP this is how they can knock down the price and not lose any money. The PPP's are pure profit for the company as they rarely cover anything. Do not buy these plans no matter how good they sound. There is a reason they offer such a good sounding plan -- it makes them money.
This was a PC that didn't *need* anything, except a fresh install of Windows and a more clueful user.
As I used to live in Minneapolis (the birthplace of the Geek Squad), I recall when they were trustworthy, and cool. The guy who started it occasionally came on MPR and answered call in questions with mostly good advice..
Geek Squad completely BLEW it with this. My friend's dad is out 1500 dollars (because he's an idiot), and Geek Squad STOLE it. (because he's an idiot.)
At least I know that whats-his-nuts reads slashdot when he's not counting his zillion dollars, or marveling at the uselessness of his flash-ridden website.
Not cool, guy.
Being an ignorant foreigner, I have to confess to favoring Best Buy on several occasions in the past. I was always satisfied with the service and the prices (mind you, I exclusively bought items that I couldn't get as fast or as cheap online).
My rude awakening came this summer, when all of a sudden they decided that they wouldn't accept non-US credit cards anymore.
At the checkout the computer happily accepted my card (and said "approved" on the screen), but then the girl (who appeared barely old enough to work) looked at my card and called a manager. The manager asked me to show and ID (I happily complied), then took my ID and the card and went away with them (wtf??).
He came back after about 15 minutes, and said that he cannot accept the card, because he couldn't call my bank (the card carried the number and I'm 100% positive he could have called them if he wanted -- granted he knew how to get an international line). He also waved a photo copy of my ID and card (which of course would be something entirely illegal to do in any country without a Patriot Act).
I offered him several more non-US cards from different international banks. He declined to accept any of them.
After mumbling a curse for wasting 20 minutes of my time, I walked over to the neighboring Circuit City and bought the same items without any problems.
Being unhappy with the service as I was, I decided in a moment of fury to write to Best Buy. I went into great lenghts to emphasize that my card was valid and the computer system acknowledged this fact, the problem was with the human software.
They answered rather promply and said that I should talk to my bank, because only they can advise me why my charge was declined (which it wasn't). Obviously they don't even take the time to read a 5 sentence letter to figure out what someone is complaining about, they just send one of their stock answers. When I tried to explain what happened in even greater lengths in follow-up mail, they simply ignored it.
I did them a favor and decided to spare them the inconvenience of serving me in the future. I also advised every friend I have not to purchase in BB and particularly in that Arizona store.