Best Buy Crooks

[michiken]

Extremely busy work schedule meant I have to be a last minute shopper.....

I spent all weekend shopping for a hdtv for a Christmas present for my parents. Dad is set in his ways and the old tv is 'GOOD ENOUGH'.

All the advertised models are 'out of stock' - ok I can deal with that.

I decide that I can afford a couple hundred more for the better model.

'Sir you will have to drive across town to pick it up'

- Ok I can deal with that even with the holiday traffic.

- Go to the store and explicitly ask the return policy not once but TWICE!

'If you pay cash, you can get a full refund in cash' says the salesman.

I buy the tv and head over to the parents house for Christmas Eve .... cool, I don't even have to wrap it.

I open the door and my mom had bought my dad THE SAME DAMN EXACT TV!

My mom gets the best buy news advert from the newspaper.

' They are open til 5, why don't you go back and get a refund so that you don't have to wait in line on the day after Christmas?' she says.

I get there 15 minutes before they close..........

'They refuse to give me a cash refund on money I paid less than 3 hours before. Instead I have to wait 2 to 3 weeks for a check.

Christmas Ruined!

F Best Buy. I will NEVER SHOP THERE AGAIN.

[Dave Schwartz]

They are the absolute worst. A close friend of mine was trying to decide between 2 video cameras, one analog and the other digital. The salesman sold and packaged the wrong one (the analog one).

They got home, realized what had happened and returned to the store in less than an hour. The store demanded a 15% restocking fee.

I refuse to walk into their stores myself because of their "two-year replacement plan."

I purchased a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse about 4 years ago for $80. It comes with a 90-day warranty from Logitech but I purchased the 2-year replacement plan as well. When the keyboard failed 32 days later I took it back to the store and they replaced it.

Everything is fine until they tell me that I would have to purchase a new replacement plan as this "replacement" unit does not even have a factory warranty!

"You mean I paid extra for the priviledge of having less warranty than I started with?"

Every other store I have ever questioned said that a 2-year raplacement means they will replace the item for a 2-year period, whether that means 1 replacement or 20. Not Best Buy.


Shop at Best Buy at your own risk.


Dave

[schweitz]

Two words: Circuit City :ThmbUp:

[FoxTrot]

Two better words: Online (or is that one?)

[chickenhead]

one word: Costco.

[The Judge]

Bought a computer and printer from these guys, don't pay and no interest for a year. I figure if I make $120.00 payments each month when the year rolls around I will owe $0.00 so I make my 1st payment in the same month as I made my purchase.

Next month I get a bill interest and all. Told I should have waited and paid the last month of the deal. So I paid the whole thing off and have never been inside there store since (to make a purchase) have gone in to check some prices. I would rather pay a little more somewhere else.

This was 2004.

[BIG RED]

Just two weeks ago, wanted an advertised desk top for my godson. Of course they were out of stock,(only the 3rd day later). So after a long discussion, I agreed to get a rain check, and was sent over to that counter. 45 minutes later , they tell me they can't issue one for that deal!! The woman I was with went balistic (she later said she was sorry to embariss me, hell, I loved it). I only waited because that was exactly what I wanted for him. Went over to CCity, got a better deal for same system ($50 cheaper), only drawback is the mail-in rebates.

I WILL NEVER GO TO BEST BUY AGAIN! I was treated and felt like a fool.

[JPinMaryland]

Bought a computer and printer from these guys, don't pay and no interest for a year. I figure if I make $120.00 payments each month when the year rolls around I will owe $0.00 so I make my 1st payment in the same month as I made my purchase.

Next month I get a bill interest and all. Told I should have waited and paid the last month of the deal. So I paid the whole thing off and have never been inside there store since (to make a purchase) have gone in to check some prices. I would rather pay a little more somewhere else.

This was 2004.


You really ought to read what you wrote knowing what YOU had in mind when you wrote it. Because I am pretty sure whatever meaning you had does not come across to anybody else.

Best I can figure is you bought something on a payment plan and you paid it all off ahead of time. That and you're so irate you never go there again.

[Tom]

4 words - Get it in writting.
Never, ever believe thing one a "salesman" tells you.
Your satisfactin is not thier goal.

And while we area at it, I will never buy anything with a rebate attached to it. Nothing P*** me off more than seeing an ad for something, and then find out it is AFTER a refund or two. To me, that is false advertising. What do I pay to walk out with it?

Refunds, in my experience, a delivered by snails riding turtles and going "WEEEEEEEE!" :mad:

[Dave Schwartz]

Tom,

Please... finally a "hate Best Buy" thread. Let's try to keep this one on-topic, okay. <G>

(I've got an agenda here.)


Dave

[The Judge]

I left off a few words. I bought an item, the deal was, you don't pay anything or interest for one full year. I made a payment in the same month of my purchase. I was going to make monthly payments until it was paid off. Best Buy did not allow this and rather then give me a full year to pay the whole thing off made it into an installment contract with interest.

I shouldn't have to have paid anything for one full year. If I were allowed to make my payments the way I wish in a year I would have paid the whole thing off and paid no intersest at all.

I have done this at many other stores never a problem.

[bigmack]

http://www.ihatebestbuy.com/wtd.gif

http://www.ihatebestbuy.com/

[Tom]

Tom,

Please... finally a "hate Best Buy" thread. Let's try to keep this one on-topic, okay. <G>

(I've got an agenda here.)


Dave



Well, I hope YOUR stocking was full of.......HERCULES HOOKS!

:lol:

[gjones6794]

I will not shop at Best Buy for Electronic Equipment anymore. I bought a DVD recorder with a 30 day return policy. Decided to take it back and had to argue for 20 minutes before they took it back. I bought a Mits HD TV from Fry's that Best Buy was selling for $1,300 more than Fry's. I advise my friends to look at Best Buy but buy from Frys (or some other place). The Wall Street Journal had an article last week that mentioned that Best Buy had a polcy to minimize returns. Buyer Beware!

[DJofSD]

Well, I hope YOUR stocking was full of.......HERCULES HOOKS! :D :D :D

[The Judge]

Just saw on local news (7 on your side) a lady bought a camera at Best Buy. It came with a rechargable battery. The battery wouldn't recharge she took in and had it repair 3 times. After the 3rd repair the same problem continued. She then ask for a new camera as this one was a lemon.

She was told the first repair was under the store 14 day return policy not under the camera companies repair policy so she needed one more repair under that policy to make 3 before she could get a replacement camera.

She called 7 On Your Side and they gave her a new camera. She said all she ever wanted was a camera that worked.

[Shacopate]

I went into a Best Buy on X-mas eve, to ask for directions.

They told me to "get lost."

Those bastards!

[highnote]

I went into a Best Buy on X-mas eve, to ask for directions.

They told me to "get lost."

Those bastards!

I shop online here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

Their store is located on Manhattan at 33rd and 9th. They do a tremendous business -- catering to the professional video and photography market, but have a good consumer dep't, too. I know lots of people who shop there and they keep going back. That's a good sign.

I was there recently and they had good prices on flat-screen TVs.

You can order online.

Their store hours may seem strange to some -- they don't process orders from Friday night through Saturday because the stored is run by Hasidic Jews.

[Shacopate]

Wow, okay...noted.

[Secretariat]

What do you expect from Best Buy?

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/573

The Blue Pages: Find Out Which Political Party Companies Support

It's that time of the year again - Election season - and this year the candidates are fighting as hard as ever. Republicans are hoping not to lose seats amidst the past year's barrage of scandals, and Democrats are hoping to gain seats and capture the majority.

Now, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or even an Independent, you might be curious to know which of your favorite stores and companies support the various parties.

Top Ten Republican Contributors:
Microsoft Corporation ($960,870)
Dell Computer Corporation ($360,529)
Cisco Systems ($276,165)
Intel Corporation ($264,705)
Motorola, Inc. ($233,877)
Hewlett-Packard Company ($120,691)
Activision, Inc. ($112,250)
Eastman Kodak Company ($104,485)
Gateway, Inc. ($97,940)
Best Buy Company, Inc. ($54,434)

....

Best Buy must be using the GOP handbook as their customer service manual.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[JustRalph]

Best Buy must be using the GOP handbook as their customer service manual.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

you are obsessed aren't you? It must be a special place in your little world? Wherein you see demon repubs everywhere...........

[andicap]

Top Ten Democratic Contributors:

Microsoft Corporation ($692,074)
Gateway, Inc ($167,937)
Cisco Systems, Inc. ($162,835)
Adobe Systems, Inc. ($138,250)
Motorola, Inc. ($75,994)
Google, Inc. ($71,500)
Intel Corporation ($68,544)
Hewlett-Packard Company ($61,109)
Dell Computer Corporation ($47,359)
GameStop Corp. ($36,600)


So Republicans can boycott Gateway, (gave more to Dems), Google, Adobe.
:lol:
Actually with the Democrats now in control of Congress I would expect those figures to even out a bit. You play the rules you are given even if you are trying to change them.

To keep it on-topic, I recall buying a microwave oven at Best Buy and was told by a very friendly, eager salesman I had to have a particular amount of space in my kitchen for the in-wall appliance. The dimensions had to be just so in order for the microwave to work effectively. I searched high and low on the Web and couldn't find a shred of that nonsense.

Next day I go back -- he's not there. Instead I get young woman who could careless what I did. She acted like I was intruding on her conversation with a co-worker by making her check whether a model was in-stock.

P.S. Wait until I start my I hate Comp USA thread.
:mad:

[JPinMaryland]

at least you didnt buy the "Hello Kitty" digital camera for your child. This is probably going to be first on the return to store list.

[Tom]

"Now, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or even an Independent, you might be curious to know which of your favorite stores and companies support the various parties."

Not unless you are an extremely dull person with no life and no focus and cannot get off a single obsession.

I could give a rat's ass who the guy who sells me asprin voted for.
Do you have ANYTHING to offer non-political?

[andicap]

http://www.gethuman.com/us/

best site I've seen in a dog's age for customer service.

[JPinMaryland]

that one and www.bugmenot.com/ for reading news paper articles w/o having to register.

[njcurveball]

Thanks for posting! These are great sites!!!!

This one is kind of a cross between Ebay and Amazon. It has some good deals and you can even bid lower than the asking price.


http://www.ioffer.com/

[Stevie Belmont]

Circuit City is great. They give you 30 days if you like it. If not bring it back and you get your money back. They don't even ask why you don't want it. Hassle free shopping. Very easy. No BS.

[spilparc]

Fry's has the most liberal return policy I've ever seen. I've seen people bring back computer chips with the thermal conductant still on them! [They're return lines are often just as long as their purchase lines.]

I recently bought a digital camera at www.newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com/) and they even threw in a 1G card.

I've bought a lot of comptuer hardware from them. They've branched out into other markets just like Amazon did. They have a 30-day money back 1-year exchange policy. Good company, and fast service. Great prices too.

And the camera is amazing. My first digital camera. I took 450 pictures at the Grand Canyon on Christmas day. I couldn't belive the quality.

No Christmas ruined here, but then I haven't exchanged a present in over 35 years.

[schweitz]

Circuit City is great. They give you 30 days if you like it. If not bring it back and you get your money back. They don't even ask why you don't want it. Hassle free shopping. Very easy. No BS.

They also have a policy that if you buy an item and then find it at a lower price at a local store (within 30 days) they will refund you the difference ON THE SPOT if you bring in the ad. I have used this a couple of times through the years.
I have also had a salesman tell me not to buy an item that day but to come back in a few days because it is going on sale then.
A very customer friendly store.

[Dave Schwartz]

Fry's has the most liberal return policy I've ever seen

Fry's is still getting sued way too often for my taste.

Just do a Google.


Dave Schwartz

[bigmack]

Fry's has the most liberal return policy I've ever seen. I've seen people bring back computer chips with the thermal conductant still on them! [They're return lines are often just as long as their purchase lines.]

That's balderdash. Fry's return policy is laughable in comparison to Costco.

[spilparc]

That's balderdash. Fry's return policy is laughable in comparison to Costco.

Costco doesn't sell computer chips, mother boards and video cards.

[JPinMaryland]

Hey I had a pretty good experience at Best Buy returnign the Hello KItty digitial camera. I was afraid of the restocking fee, 15% but apparently it didnt apply. Or that it is illegal in MD. I have no idea, the sales slip said there was a 15% charge for restocking cameras and the like, but they did not charge it. Gave me back cash too.

THe thing about the "no cash, check" only thing (see above thread) was that this is for returns over $350. I guess it is a safety thing in case someone has stolen checks or something and is trying to cash out. Doesnt seem too bad a thing...

I saw the restocking thing as I was stadning in line and decided right there that if they charged me that I would never set foot in there again. So it worked it out I guess.

[gjones6794]

I have returned many things to Frys. Even a CPU with heat sink on it. They take it back without question. Then they put it back on the shelf and resell it. Whenever you buy something from Fry's, always check to be sure it is in a new unopened box. You also have to be prepared to make two trips. The first trip is buy and 2nd is to return it. However, their prices are compelling. I have saved thousands of dollars over the years. I am curious about the law suits.

[spilparc]

I have returned many things to Frys. Even a CPU with heat sink on it. They take it back without question. Then they put it back on the shelf and resell it. Whenever you buy something from Fry's, always check to be sure it is in a new unopened box. You also have to be prepared to make two trips. The first trip is buy and 2nd is to return it. However, their prices are compelling. I have saved thousands of dollars over the years. I am curious about the law suits.

You can always tell if something has been returned at Fry's because it will have a white sticker on the package, but I forgot what it says. You can always ask an employee. I didn't know what they meant until a helpful employee set me straight.

[Dave Schwartz]

GJones,

I am curious about the law suits.

One of the biggest suits (which I searched for unsuccessfully) was filed by the CA Attorney General about exactly the issue you mentioned: selling used merchandise as new.

I recall that the AG prevailed but do not recall the specific outcome.

Maybe Dick Schmidt recalls because I believe he told me about it to begin with. (Besides, he knows everything.) (Seriously.)


Dave

[Dick Schmidt]

Dick Schmidt does know everything, or at least everything worth knowing, however in this case Dave is incorrect, I didn't know about the suit until he told me about it, and I never looked to find out anything about it. I do shop at Fry's all the time and in fact plan to go there tomorrow or Tuesday to return something. Returns are not handled very efficiently, but they are done without question.

I know someone who worked there and he said it was a great place to work. He also told me that they do not put returns back on the shelf it the reason for the return is that the item is defective. Of course, like every other business, it something is returned because the buyer changed his mind or his wife didn't like the color, it goes back on the shelf. One of his jobs was to ship defective parts back to the manufactures for credit.

As far as I'm concerned, Fry's is great, a department store just for geeks. I've bought computers, speakers, telescopes, cameras and much else there, and bought my mother's Christmas present there this year. I really like that not only do they sell motherboards and electronic components, they sell all the bits and bobs that you use to make them. In today's disposable world, this is unusual. Love Fry's.

Dick

If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kickboxing

[Lefty]

I've had good exp with Best Buy in Vegas. Especially, just before Christmas. I wanted a laptop around $600 with cd and dvd RW and at least 80 gigs. They had several ondisplay and everytime i said that's the one the kid chkd and they were out due to a sale going on. He said more coming next week. I said, can't make it. Well he searched and searched and found me just what i wanted. Only I got a 100 gig and at $549

[bigmack]

As far as I'm concerned, Fry's is great, a department store just for geeks.
For selection and "lost leader" items Fry's can't be touched. If you're ever going to return something do it within the first hour to open or last hour to close. Depending on the location the returns line can be daunting.

They've finally done it. They now have online shopping.

http://www.frys.com/