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Best Buy sucks, don't go there
Slashdot (again, thanks to /. for the lead) has an article about a recent debacle whereby Best Buy is NOT honoring "special" advertised pricing on GeForce Ti 4 cards.
They originally had them advertised at $129.99. Now thats obviously really really cheap, maybe below cost, but so what? That was the advertised price. They now have over 2000 angry customers who have ordered the item and Best Buy wont provide it. Also, and very important, for the record the price included the terms "Special pre-order price" and "Savings value of over $200."
Best Buy has *always* had TERRIBLE customer service (terrible trying to get a hold of someone, terrible return policies, overall very poor treatment of customers). Now they are not only NOT honoring the prices (which some customers BOUGHT AND PAID FOR online), but they have gone so far as to have customers ARRESTED who go to the stores to obtain their cards!
This is clearly a case of the retailer not posting the correct price for an item. This happens frequently with many retailers. However, most retailers change the price, and HONOR the deal to those that already have ads or have made purchased. REGARDLESS of the legality of or existence of any "disclaimer" on the website. Treat the customers right, don't disclaim them. Best Buy may have made a minor mistake in pricing the item incorrectly, but that is irrelevant, they also have definitely made a HUGE mistake in not honoring the prices and taking care of their customers (which is par for Best Buy, their true colors are showing, very customer unfriendly).
Some TotSP folks GOT these cards at the reduced price because they ordered early. More power to them, but still all who ordered should have had prices honored.
Stay the hell away from Best Buy, vote against them with your dollars, take them elsewhere. For the record, they are almost never the "Best" buy either, unless the screw up as in this case.
For more info see the linked slashdot article. Best Buy Sucks, dont go there.
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Comments
Re: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
always despised this place. Never gotten anything online, but trying to get help from somebody in a blue shirt in the store was more than enough for me.
Re: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
HUMMMMMMMMMMM--just had similar experience with Best Buy (aka: Bad Bargins!): they had advertised Samsung L100 portable DVD players for $279.99 (selling price is $999.99). I ordered and two days later, my order was cancelled due to "human error listing the price wrong"! Not my fault--I feel they should honor their advertised price even it is below their cost: PR would go much further!
Re: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Best Buy: A Den of Thieves?
I have purchased from Best Buy a wide screen TV, big screen TV, digital camera, DVD player, Playstation 2, flat panel monitor, Gamecube, video camera and the service plan for each item. I also bought assorted music CD’s, DVD’s, games and software. All of this totaled over $10,000.
When I purchased my Digital Camera, DVD Player, Gamecube and Playstation 2 I initially declined the warranty. But for each of those four things, at different times, with four different salespeople, I was told the exact same thing, "If you buy a warranty you can bring the item back for any reason during the life of the warranty, even if you just want to exchange it for a newer model." This sounded great and I quickly jumped on those deals. I was told the same thing when I purchased a phone but I declined that warranty.
As of February 12, 2004 I never want to shop at Best Buy again. I wanted to exchange my digital camera per the conditions of the warranty. I spoke with someone in customer service and told him how the warranty was explained to me when I purchased my camera and said I wanted to upgrade it. He said OK and walked away for a few minutes then came back and told me I would have to speak with someone in service. I spoke with someone in service and told him what I had told the other gentleman and he proceeded to tell me I couldn’t exchange the camera and suggested I speak with the store manager.
The store manager was busy so instead I spoke with a customer service manager. After telling him what I was told and how I didn't appreciate being lied to I asked him "Are you going to refund my money?" He replied that he wasn't. I asked to speak with the store manager and he got him and explained what I told him, but dubbed it a 'miscommunication problem.'
The store manager, as if he had this speech prepared for this occasion started with "I can't verify what you were told when you bought this warranty therefore I won’t refund your money." We went back and forth with me explaining what I was told and asking why I was told this if it wasn't true and him refusing to refund my money. I asked him "Either I'm lying to you now or I was lied to when I bought this warranty, which one is it?" Again he told me he couldn't verify what had happened. He then went on this spiel for over a minute saying if you buy a car then try to sell it 3 years later you wouldn't get the same amount of money for it so why would they give a full refund for a camera 3 years later. I told him I could understand that I misunderstood the person who sold me the warranty if that was the only time it happened but I was told this exact same thing on 5 different occasions. He told me the other 4 times didn't matter because we are talking about this one warranty. He can go on and on comparing Best Buy to a car dealership but if I have the nerve to mention the fact that I was lied to by his employees 5 different times that doesn't matter, I can only mention this one lie. We went back and forth for a few more minutes when he started to say something while smacking his hand down on the counter. Being deaf in one ear I sometimes have a hard time hearing people so I asked him to repeat himself and he said in very slow and selective tones, as if speaking with a two year old "We aren't going to do this, I'm not going to do this, this isn't store policy." I asked him "Are you speaking to me like a child?" He didn't appreciate the fact that I was pointing out the truth because he started waving his hands at me in a dismissive manner, walking away, saying "I'm not doing this anymore!" Before he could subtly walk away I asked for the name and number of the district manager, he wrote down a number saying "I'm giving you a customer service number that handles problems like this." I thought 'handles problems like this?' Does that mean Best Buy often gets customers complaining they were lied to when they bought a warranty?
I called the number he gave me and got a recording trying to sell me products and asking if I needed service support. After fiddling through the options that didn’t address my concern I was finally connected to a customer service agent and I explained the whole story. He said he would need to connect me to corporate customer service. After being transferred I again explained the whole story and asked "Are you going to refund my money or not?" He said that he wouldn't because that's not covered under the warranty and because of fraud reasons, "what if a customer comes into the store and says 'you guys promised me a plasma screen TV' what are we supposed to do? Give him a plasma screen TV?" This was an outrageous comparison, some guy claiming he was promised a $6,000 TV for no reason and a customer wanting to exchange his $380 camera because he was told it was covered under the warranty he purchased. I asked to speak with his manager and he got him on the line.
I explained everything that has happened and he had the same speech prepared that the store manager gave me. He then said during the time I bought the camera Best Buy didn't repair them, rather they replaced a defective camera with a new one and even allowed the customer to upgrade to a new model. I asked him if it was possible that when I bought the warranty I was told I could upgrade it for any reason, he said it's very possible I was told that. I asked him that since I was misinformed shouldn't Best Buy honor that and give me a refund? He declined. I asked him “Either I’m lying to you now or I was lied to three years ago, which one is it?� He replied “No one is calling you a liar sir.� I said “Great! You’re not calling me a liar, which means you believe my story. Since I was lied to shouldn’t you refund my money?� Again he declined.
Having enough I asked who the next link in this chain was. He replied that he was it, he was the highest person I could speak with who spoke with customers. His manager and everyone above him refused to speak with customers. I thought this was amazing, only 3 chains in customer complaints? I asked if he could give me the name and number of the district manager and he stated that district managers no longer speak with customers either.
That was the last straw for me, a company that has employees lying to customers, a manager and store manager that don't even try to provide quality customer service, district managers refusing to speak with customers, sends complaints right from a store manager down to customer service, and even after speaking with the highest person there is to speak with, and having him admit that it's very possible I was misled, STILL refused to make a customer happy by refunding me $380 after I spent well over $10,000 at their store.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Short and Simple
1. Laptop broke four times within five months.
2. Repairs took up to three weeks longer than promised (even for the same problem.)
3. Was told the exact same "this warranty lets you come in and upgrade your computer whenever you want to" BS.
4. Hard-drive failed after one month; repair took one month rather than two weeks.
5. Replacement hard-drive failed within two weeks after it had been returned from repairs for the same problem; repair took five weeks.
6. Sent back to me with structural damage to the laptop, of which resulted in the collapse of the keyboard.
7. Was told that since the keyboard still functioned and I had not informed them of the damge when I recieved the laptop back from them, my warranty would not cover the repairs. I had to get the manager who finally OK'ed the repair after being nothing less than a total jackass and nincompoop.
8. Recieved laptop from repair; CD/DVD drive did not open/function, and would not display anything on the screen.
9. Took laptop back to Best Buy for replacement by the No-Lemon Junk Out policy that came with my warranty. Was sent out to verify the problem, but was sent back repaired instead... after four weeks.
10. Took laptop back to get replaced, told me they could do nothing because it was repaired. Told them I was owed a replaced laptop. I was then told I had to remember the technician who authorized the No-Lemon Junk Out. I told them the day and the time I came in when the No-Lemon was authorized. He said that wouldn't help and that he couldn't do anything. I proclaimed "Fuck Best Buy!" and left the store.
11. Came back the next day with a vengence, finally got in touch with the manager, and demanded a replacement, which I finally got.
12. Was talked into buying a Rewards Zone card ($10.00), accumulated well over $200 worth of "points" went to buy shit there with them, but was then told that I was sent gift certificates in the mail. BS.
13. There was always at least a twenty minute wait to simply talk to someone at the "customer service center", after which I was frequently told I had to talk to someone else, meaning another wait in another line.
14. Calling customer support is just as bad. Was transfered over six times, each time being told that I had to talk to so-and-so in the whatever-department, who would then refer me back to the same people who just transfered me.
15. FUCK BEST BUY!
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Best Buy is a wharehouse style business, a la Fry's and Costco and the lot. You do not go to these places for a.) customer service and b.) super high quality shiz nizzle. You go for cheap prices and the ease of not waiting for something to be shipped. Anything else they give is nice, but take it with a grain of salt. I think before you make the purchase, make sure what you are buying is well know for durability and quality - that won't proabably break anyways. I got the 3 year warranty either way. And, most importantly - I'm sure you can agree that customer service jobs/store manager jobs are probably the crappiest job around - you basically listen to people bitch and moan and yell at you (even though it wasn't your fault), and you 99% of the time probably can't do a damn thing about it. Honestly, these guys probably hate their job so much that when sh** like this goes down, if you act obsessively nice and smily, yet still annoyingly persistent (i.e. keep bugging them), they definately end up helping you out to repay you for not threatening them. Either way, I agree that they suck a phatt one at customer service, but know you know that customer service and quality are muy importante to you. As such, go with the manufaturer extended warranties, where you can take your **cked up computer to a ton of places.
Word.
There is no truth in the
There is no truth in the name Best Buy. It is absolutely the worst decision a consumer could make unless they KNOW FOR CERTAIN that once a product is purchased they will NEVER need to go back to Best Buy about the product. This includes if the product is broken or if there is NO PRODUCT in the box. Best Buy simply doesn't care. They would sell you air packaged as a video game if they thought they could and then, once you opened it and found out it was only air, they would deny the return and keep your money. They are crooks and should not be in business.
rude and arrogant turban guy at best buy-naperville
As per the policy you can return goods at any best buy store. We have two best buys within 7 miles radius. We purchased an adopter at Bolingbrook store. It didn’t fit my laptop so I try to return it to Naperville store since I happened to be in the vicinity. This rude guy with Turban at Naperville Best Buy asked 10 different stupid questions before he finally agreed to take it as if it his mama’s store. One of the questions was “Did Bolingbrook store told you to return it here?” What a jerk? Best Buy is not best place anymore. Very rude and arrogant people in the store.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
I bought the reward zone card after purchasing $700 worth of camera equipment at Best Buy. I should have received certificates worth $25 based on that purchase. Since the time of purchase 4 months ago, I have been bombarded by Reward Zone propoganda, yet I have never received the certificates. I finally called Best Buy, and they claim they sent the certificates, and refuse to send me replacement certificates for those that never made it to my door. I cant believe the lack of accountability of this business. They will never have my business again.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
*** DON'T WASTE $10 on REWARD ZONE program, it's a scam!***
I bought a laptop and software totaling 3,000 dollars at Best Buy in the beginning of April- then signed up for the Reward Zone thinking I could take advantage of the large purchase to get points. This was seven months ago, before my baby was born. She is now crawling, and six customer service phone calls later, I am still waiting for my reward zone points to come to me via E-mail. The first excuse they had was they had the wrong address, next, they claimed they sent them in the mail to my correct address and it never came. Lastly, I signed up to receive them via E-mail- that was three months ago, and still waiting 7-10 days due to 'system glitches'. It has become obvious that they have no intentions of sending me my certificates. They won't reimburse my initial $10 either, it's 'against Best Buy policy'. They just lost a loyal customer and I am considering taking this to my local press for a good story for weeknight news.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
I’m an employee at a best buy. All of the stories about best buy being liars and bastards are true. On top of BBY lying to their customers they also lie to their employees and treat them like absolute shit. The only reason why people work there and continue to work there is the discount you get which is 5% above cost.
First off they try to teach us to sell the most expensive item we sell in that particular department. They also try to teach us to milk as much money out of the customer even if (in some cases) that’s not in the best interest of the customer. An example of this, I was telling a customer about the XBOX and telling her pretty much the basic stuff you need (like a game and possibly more controllers) I had already told her she didn’t need any memory cards because the XBOX contains an ass load of memory on it and that most of the games don’t support it anyway. I ask my manager (who was walking by) a question about an accessory after he answered he question he pretended to clear his voice and said to me memory card under his breath after I had just told her she didn’t need one. Anyway I told her we offered a 2 year warranty but told her she didn’t need it because the XBOX wont break down. After she left my department (Xbox, extra controller, and game in hand) my “boss� came over to me to see what she had purchased. The first question he asked was did you get the PRP (2 year warranty) I told him no and that she didn’t need one or a memory card. He then got completely in my face and yelled at me telling me that we need to hit certain numbers. Every day I work I get yelled at for one reason or another. Most are not hitting numbers which is ridiculous because BBY makes so much money anyway. I also saw my manager tell someone who was buying a PS2 to get the PRP because the PS2 is are most returned item and then five minutes later tell someone else that he needed to get the PRP for his Xbox because he claimed the Xbox is BBY’S most returned item.
They also lie to their employees about things they are going to for them. For example, my supervisor told me that for the day after Thanks Giving sale that I would be running (caption) of the gamming part of the media department. Then found out that they planed to put me in DVD’s which I have never worked in my stay at BBY. Another situation is that the scheduled me to work during the time I had class. When I first got hired at BBY I filled out an availability form telling them when and what times I could work. Apparently they don’t take that into consideration because they scheduled me anyway and when I told them they had made a mistake they put the blame on me and told me I would have to find someone to work for me. Also about scheduling, they schedule you to work the most retarded shift patterns. For example, I worked a 2-11pm shift on a Friday and then on Saturday they scheduled me 6am to 8:30am for a bullshit meting (that no employee took seriously) then turn around and come back (on the same day) work 5-11pm and then on Sunday work an open to mid-day shift. Also BBY is so cheap they don’t even give us a holiday bonus. On the Friday after Thanks Giving my store alone is projected to make 1.3 million dollars. On my wage which is 8.50/hour I make (in an eight hour shift after taxes) about $50 to $55 that to BBY out of that 1.3 million is like .0000004 percent. I know BBY can afford to give a little more to their employees.
So with all that a word to the wise if you want to get back a BBY then just simply buy just Gamming hardware (such as PS2 system or a Xbox system) by its self no accessories because BBY doesn’t make any money off of them just but your games, controllers, and whatever else you need somewhere else. That goes for computers digital cameras and recorders. And don’t buy in to some of the employees who work there and are brain washed and try to milk your money I just hope you get someone like my-self who tells the truth.
Right on, thanks! Need more
Right on, thanks! Need more honest people in the world like yourself!
How to Resolve Best Buy Issues
This is a long post, but it is worth reading. Trust me.
I used to run the legal department for a fraudulent corporation, so I have perfected a technique that will solve any problem with any corporation. I use this technique all the time, and I recently used this technique to resolve my Best Buy Reward Zone Scam issue.
First, understand that any corporate “Customer Care� in-bound call centers are not run by the actual corporation. They are third-party service providers that contract with the corporation to basically answer their incoming telephone calls. Best Buy is no exception to this rule. Often, the company’s 800-number will even re-route your incoming call to a call center located overseas. Whether located overseas or in the United States, the people you will talk to, usually poor minorities sit at a desk and answer telephones all day for poverty-level wages. Lesson #1: Do not waste your time with a “Customer Care� 800-number. It will almost always prove futile (useless, of course, you simply want to yell at someone about your problem which often proves to have cathartic and therapeutic value).
Second, the only people who REALLY care about a company’s problems are those in the legal department. Why? Because if any problem that escalates into a lawsuit, especially a class action lawsuit, increases the legal department’s work load and the companies expenses. Being the lazy, greedy people that they are, those employed in the legal profession go to great lengths to avoid unnecessary work and incur unnecessary expenses. Lesson #2: The people who you should be interested in talking to about your problem are those employed in the company’s legal department. Sometimes a legal department may refer you to a corporate level employee to resolve your problem. This is okay because anytime an employee is told to do something by the legal department, they listen.
Third, having said all of that, here is my secret. Go online and find where the company’s corporate headquarters is located. There are several methods of doing this. First, simply read the company’s packaging or their website. Packaging often provides at least the City and State of the corporate headquarters. Websites usually have a link to a “Contact Us� page. For example, the Best Buy Contact Us page at http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?j=1&id=cat12104&type=page
Indicates that the company is headquartered at 7601 Penn Avenue South, Richfield, MN 55423. It further indicates that their telephone number is (612) 291-1000. Bingo.
If the previous method did not work, it is usually a red flag indicator that the company engages in questionable activity (why else would you avoid contact with your customers?). In those case, you may have to resort to Hoover’s Online at http://www.hoovers.com/free/, or a a Google search at http://www.google.com (you may need to familiarize yourself with Google’s advanced search tips at http://www.google.com/help/refinesearch.html). If the company has engaged in fraudulent-type of consumer activity, you may find information if you search the Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org/ or the Federal Trade Commission website at http://www.ftc.gov/ (be sure to also search any other relevant regulatory web site such as the FDA, State Attorney General, etc. You might also want to lodge a complaint while you’re there). If the company is traded on a public stock exchange, you can also search the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions EDGAR database system at http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/webusers.htm (you may wish to read the EDGAR tutorial at http://www.sec.gov/edgar/quickedgar.htm and you should at least familiarize yourself with the different types of filings in the EDGAR database at http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/forms/edgform.htm). If it is a nonprofit corporation, search Guidestar’s National Database of nonprofit corporations at http://www.guidestar.org/ (be sure to sign up – it is free and provides much more detailed information that the free search). Lesson #3: You can find anything you want on web if you look hard enough.
Fourth, find out who the company’s General Counsel is. You can often do this by searching the companies web site or doing as Google Search on “Company Name� “General Counsel.� For example, by Googling “Best Buy� “General Counsel� we learn that Best Buy’s General Counsel is Joseph M. Joyce, 48, and is also Senior Vice President. Lesson #4: You can find anything you want on web if you look hard enough.
Fifth, try to find the General Counsel’s direct telephone number. This is easier than you might think. First, try the Martindale-Hubble nationwide attorney directory at http://www.martindale.com/xp/Martindale/home.xml. If this does not work (it does not work for Best Buy’s General Counsel Joseph M. Joyce), then search for the General Counsel’s name at the State Bar Attorney Directory for the state in which the company is headquartered, ANY state in which the General Counsel previously lived (its online if you look hard enough), and the state from which the General Counsel graduated law school (again, its online if you look hard enough). A list of State Bar links are located at http://www.palidan.com/statebar.htm. Lesson #5: You can find anything you want on web if you look hard enough.
Sixth, whether you get General Counsel’s direct dial telephone number or only the company’s general headquarters telephone number, call them. (If your state law permits you to tape the phone call, by al means do so.) Ask for Joseph Joyce’s assistant (I believe that both Nancy Krolick (I do no know if this is the correct spelling) and Tony Mason work in this capacity). When making this call, first identify yourself by first and last name then ask “With whom am I speaking?� ALWAYS ASK THE PERSON HIS OR HER NAME (PREFERRABLY FIRST AND LAST) AT THE OUTSET OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT GIVE IT TO YOU IF AND WHEN THE CONVERSATION TURNS SOUR. Tell them your problem. Speak courteously but with authority. DO NOT ACT IRATE. These people are not call center material, and they WILL resolve the problem. Treat them with respect. If they express reluctance, NICELY explain that you would rather resolve the matter amiably than have to litigate it. If this does not work, reiterate that litigation would be expensive for both parties and therefore it would be a shame if you and Best Buy were forced to spend thousands of dollars in legal fees simply because you could not get a small problem worth $100 or so resolved. If all else fails, explain that if Best Buy is going to inconvenience you by compelling you to file a lawsuit to resolve a relatively simple matter then you will have to inconvenience Best Buy by making the suit a class action. Mention key phrases (e.g., Misrepresentation, Fraud, Unjust Enrichment, Consumer Protection Act, etc) in the course of otherwise natural sentences. IF YOU HAVE MADE NO PROGRESS AT THIS POINT, GET IRATE. As a last ditch effort, repeat the employee’s name and let them know that when Best Buy has to pay millions of dollars to settle an otherwise avoidable class action, you are going to make sure that they know that it was because this employee would not help you (e.g., “If we have to litigate this matter, rest assured that I will let everyone involved know that Best But had to spend millions to settle a class action because John Doe refused to do his job and help me resolve an other wise trivial problem.�) If the employee is adamant on not helping you, try calling back and getting another employee in the legal department so you can try again.
If this does not work, then go online and consult with a class action attorney. After all, once 20 or so of you reading this try this approach, Best Buy will catch on, and the threat will mean nothing anymore (they will probably start screening their telephone calls to the legal department too). I do not care what you think about class action and the attorney who profit from them, they are the ONKLY DETERRENT TO CORPORATE SCAMS SO USE THEM.
I have used this approach countless times and it only failed once. Remember, I speak from experience. What happened to my former fraudulent corporate employer you ask? It has since been sued in bankruptcy which is the closest thing to a victory for the many victims of its fraud that amounted to millions of dollars.
Good luck.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
the reward zone program is not only the most reprehensible and misrepresentative customer incentive plan i have ever encountered but it is also a prime example of corporate disconcern and customer ignorance. i (like the other 1 million members it boasts) willingly plopped down $10 in january 2005 to get some “money back� on a large purchase of $4582. you can imagine the elation of the sales clerk that was credited for my purchase and my elation for receiving so many reward zone points. i received my card exactly four weeks later. however, my first initial certificate (vie email) did not come until after 9 weeks. when i tried to print it the website gave me an error message and after two tries rendered my certificate number invalid. i phone bestbuy and was reissued. seven weeks later i got my 2nd certificate (via email) only to find out after two print tries that the print command was not compatible with Mac computers. i then phone bestbuy and asked to have my certificates snail mailed. i am still waiting. i have since become intimate friends with the people on the “customer service� end of myrewardzone. i have memorized all of their rebuttles and have even begun to finish their sentences for them. i warn you all. albeit $10 is no fortune. save it. imagine if all 1 million of us had saved our $10? it is no wonder the bestbuy stock has risen +0.90 on a regular basis since the beginning of the fiscal year. we are paying them to lie to us! here is my idea. for every $150 you spend at an A/V store…put $5 or $10 in a piggy bank or a pickle jar or something. in no time you will have tangible money to spend on something frivolous and you will see what true reward is!
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Best Buy ripped me off too on the Reward Zone. I won't step foot in their store again and i will urge my family and friends to shope elsewhere as well. i would also encourage you all to shop elsewhere. they are thieves. they are rude. they lie, cheat and steal to make a buck.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
In May of this year we relocated to the Houston area. After the close of our new house we needed to buy two refrigerators. After shopping around it seemed that Best Buy had the ones we wanted in stock and with the promis of their Reward Zone rewards, they would have the best price. We purchased the appliances two months ago and still no rewards.
We've tried calling their 1-800-EAT-CRAP number just to get the run around. We tried going to the store, but they told us they have no control over the Reward Zone promotions. Since they do not want to honor their own promotion, I am going to try to return the units. It is disappointing that a company like this would use such deceptive and fraudulant business practices. I will not spend another dime at Best Buy. I would ask those that consider shopping there to think twice about it. If the price is good WITHOUT the Non-Reward Zone promise, then buy it at there.
Reginald
Missouri City, Texas
U.S.A.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
aweful place.... I hate bestbuy.
Their manager was very rude to me and also they promissed me that they have 20 laptops in stock, came there 30 minutes later and they told me that they all on RAin check. WHy the fuck would you say that we have 20 on stock if i cant buy them.. FUCK BEST BUY!
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Sorry to hear Best Buy is so bad, I dont normally shop there, guess I am fortunate.
Anyway, just wanted to say that "Law Firm Employee" is right on. Be courteous and polite, but talk to the President of the company, or the General Counsel. Dont waste time ever with 800 numbers.
I personally have spoken with the staff of the President of Cingular Wireless about several issues, they were resolved right away. And I have spoken DIRECTLY with the President of Adelphia Communications (this was several years ago - John Rigas Sr. is now in - lets see - JAIL) - also resolved my issue. I have called the staff of the President of a few other companies as well.
Each time I found contact info for the companies not on the "Contact Us" page (nice when it is there - but in my cases it was not) but rather on the "investor" pages of the same websites. That and look further for prospectus information at other sites, etc. From there I SIMPLY CALLED INFORMATION AND GAVE THE HEADQUARTERS CITY AND COMPANY NAME. In each case that I have done this I got right through to the staff of the President, or the President themselves.
Again, be nice, explain your situation (if you really believe you were taken advantage of and have some standing), tell them what you expect (dont just complain, explain what you want) and if that fails (which in my case has not yet happened) then pursue other matters such as contacting regulating authorities with complaints (depending on the industry, try to find a governmental regulating body), contacting your legislators about the matter, contacting consumer advocates - etc. Make some noise, but do it in the correct channels, and stay polite.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
It appears Best Buys.com has a lot of \"SYSTEMS ERRORS\", especially, in their pricing of postage/handling. How can I get data on these System errors without going into court?
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Go to your local Attorny genrals office they might help. or try getting a lawyer like i did for my problem.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
I did file an online complaint to the attorney generals office for my state. Best Buy give me all kinds of excuses on why my reward certificares didn`t get here. This time best buy tells me the rewards expire even if I never receive them! They have my e mail address so why aren`t they sending them out before they expire? Just another way to rip consumers off.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Regarding service plans.. They are SERVICE plans people, not "we'll give you a new one no matter what" plans. Just because you abuse your product doesn't mean thanks to a $10 warranty purchase you get a new one. Even if the damage is not your fault, it still doesn't make sense to replace a product for such a fraction of the cost.
One thing that a lot of people don't do is read their warranty information before (or even after, for that matter) buying it, and then get upset when they are told that X isn't covered, or Best Buy has to get something repaired instead of replaced. Yes, part of this is due to certain employees being ignorant of the plans themselves, or simply lying about them, while explaining. The thing is the person buying the plan ultimately has no one to blame but themself. Before making the purchase of the warranty ask to see the details. They have thousands of the brouchers. It's that simple. I read terms on any service I pay for as should everyone.
I never got how people can think that paying $30 for a warranty entitles them to a brand new product no matter what they do to it. Why should Best Buy (or any company) replace your product if you seriously damage it (Talking about non-use related)? If I buy a laptop from a store with a $150 warranty, I sure don't expect them to repair or replace it if I drop it out of my car, my kid steps on it, or I spill a drink on it; A vast majority of customers do though.
To the fellow who paid roughly $50 for a warranty under the impression that he could upgrade his product at any time for any reason... Come on, you've got to be kidding? Does that make any sense to you in an economical sense? Best Buy is a company. They are out to make money. I'm sure you were most likely told that (I can't count the number of times I've had to educate customers on a warranty, because a salsperson told them incorrect information), but you have to refer back to the saying, "If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't." I know personally if I had heard that I would have definitely questioned the terms.
People expecting exchanges done on their product because they were supposedly told it would be exchanged under their warranty for any reason at all. Put yourself in the manager/employee's shoes for a moment there. If a random customer came in and said they wanted to upgrade their product for free under their warranty (That statement is not located, nor even implied, anywhere in the pamphlet) because an employee X years ago told them they could, would you do it? Most likely not. Why would you? If you did, you may as well just offer all your products for the price of the warranty. It's near the same thing.
Regarding the person who called to see if a certain laptop was in stock. Chances are you were speaking about a laptop that had a killer sale on it, yeah? I really wouldn't doubt it if they were indeed in stock when you called, but by the time you got there all in-store laptops were sold, and the rest rain checked.
I believe the number one issue people have with Best Buy is unreasonable expectations.
The people who want Best Buy to exchange eight month old products that break, or CDs over a year old because they don't play so well anymore because Best Buy sold it to them.
The people who mess up their computer with software Best Buy happens to sale, and then expect Best Buy to cover all related costs of repair and do technical support for said software.
People not understanding what the word ESTIMATED means (in relation to service repairs), or even the word SERVICE. I must state again, service != replace.
The people who want reimbursement for gas money because they bought a defective product. Sure, it sucks that you have to exchange your product (Something any company can actively refuse, for any reason, if they so choose mind you), but you expect them to pay you to do it? Come on.. Best Buy even goes as far as to honor manufacturer warranties to the best of their ability, something they are not required in any way to do. They could just as easily tell you to go to the manufacturer directly, and pay all related shipping and diagnostic fees associated with that.
I can't really comment on issues about Reward Zone, as I have no personal experience with it.
If Best Buy the greatest company ever? No. Do they have issues with customer service? You bet. Do they have issues in general? Of course. Are they as bad as they are made out to seem? Not by a long shot.
As the other guy mentioned, treating the person helping you like...Oh, I don't know.. A person.. will always get them to help you the best they can (Even if it means breaking rules). There have been numerous customers who have been in bad situations, but treated me like a person (instead of a drone there solely to be yelled at), and I've helped each and every single one of them to the best of my ability. I'd be lying if I said the ones who started off by screaming didn't get the shaft. If you start out screaming, all you're going to get is a canned response, the 1-888-BESTBUY number, or a manager who will more often than not tell you exactly what the employee did and give you the 1-888-BESTBUY number. Threatening lawsuits will only get you removed from the store. It's a Best Buy policy to end all conversation once any mention of a lawsuit or lawyer has been made.
So to sum up..
1.) Have realistic expectations
2.) Best Buy is there to make money
3.) Use common sense
4.) Be sweet; not sour
Btw, this is all from an employee who absolutely hates his job.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
I am done with that place!
$249.99 for service plan, 13 weeks with no working computer!!
that's worth $249.99
RE: Mistakes? Lies? They really don't care
making a long story short: I got false info from a sales associate--asked about a digital video camera that works with iMovie-- I only used the camera twice, but just found out (2 months after purchase) that it DOESN'T work with iMovie at all. I bought the wrong camcorder (panasonic DVD cam does not work with iMovie, the DV cam does). Now, this is of course MY fault--it's MY responsibility to make sure that Best Buy employees are telling me the TRUTH when they say, "Yes. This camera definitely works with iMovie." Been through managers, customer care line, yadayadayada...same problems as everyone...bestbuysux.com...The above lawyer's post is the first advice I've found to follow to actually get something taken care of. So, I looked up the rest of the info on Best Buy's General Counsel--
Joseph M. Joyce
Firm: Best Buy, Co. Inc.
Address: 7601 Penn Ave. South
Richfield, MN 55423
Map & Directions
Phone: (612) 292-2300
Fax: (612) 292-2323
E-mail:
Web site: http://www.bestbuy.com
Hopefully, going this route will actually get me the refund (or exchange...though I'd much prefer a refund since I really don't ever want to deal with Best Buy again...). We'll see...
About the imovie on the MAC
Your camera does work with imovie. First off, you have to download an Mpeg2 decoder which you have to pay for. It is on the apple site. You can not use the usb port on a mac to stream movies, but if you have one that saves to a DVD or better yet a hard drive, you can get the file by using it just like a plug and play hard drive. Just pull the movie to your mac and open with imovie to edit. NONE of this will work unless you download and PAY for the mpeg2 format.
I found this out one day with a customer by simply reading the manufactures website. Reading and solving the problem is all it took. The internet is such a wonderful tool isn't it?
Thing is i am a very rare case, i actually enjoy solving these problems. Unfortuanately because the consumer market demands by competition such "fair" prices, it is hard to find employees willing to do so much work. It isn't part of their job requirement AND it doesn't get you any recognition at all (you aren't making the company money). That is why expensive computers offer so much more customer service. Sure you pay alot for it, but those cost go to the employees to give you good customer service.
RE: Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
Yep they f-ing suck. I bought an "open box item" TV from best buy with a sticker saying "best buy inspected" on the box. It also came with a 10$ giftcard with the purchase of this open box tv at regular price. Took the thing home carried up 2 flights of stairs and it had no picture at all. When I took it back they could only return the TV and the giftcard and just give me back the regular price not including the 10$ card. Now I dont want any handouts but if it was "inspected and approved" by best buy and it didn't work at all after carrying the thing back and forth as well as driving back to the store they could have at least let me keep the damn giftcard or given me a discount on another TV. It wasn't "policy" though. F*** Best Buy.