So, I pre-ordered a iPhone 4s - 64 gb black (ATT) last friday (the 7th), in the morning. At the time of the pre-order, I was told by the mobile employee that I would be receiving an e-mail confirmation of the pre-order to my email (used by bestbuy reward zone card as well and confirmed my information on the credit card reader screen and it was correct, have recieved e-mails for other video game pre-orders in the past as well) as well as receiving an e-mail when my phone is shipped to the store AND that I would be receiving a call on Thursday (the 13th) from a mobile employee to schedule an "appointment" to pick up my phone on friday. Sounds good right?
Well, not only did I not receive ANY emails from bestbuy, but sure enough, didn't receive a phone call as stated I would. However, I did call a few times on thursday. Called in the afternoon and was told they hadn't received any, but they were expecting their shipment sometime that day and would begin making calls as they received them. Called again about 6 pm, and was told they had not received ANY of the 64gb model for AT&T and they didn't have ANY idea if or when they would be receiving them. Woke up today, and figured I would call again at opening (10am). Mobile employee said still not received 64gb models, however, I requested to know my "position" in the pre-order line for that model (just to know if I should begin looking elsewhere since obviously bestbuy has thusfar not lived up to their pre-order promises made ot me). Employee took my name/phonenumber/info and said she would call me back within the hour. Never heard anything back after 1 1/2 hours, howver, after checking the bestbuy website, it was indicated this model was in stock at my local store (was previously shown as unavailable) so I promptly called. This time, I was directed to the mobile manager, Arianne, she stated they had just received them and were busy (understandably) but that they would definitely start calling people within the next 30 mins. I again requested to know my positioning on the pre-order list, however she stated she was busy, and didn't have the time to check. So I let it go. So after about 2 hours, I decided to call back.....this time, got a COMPLETELY different story from a mobile employee. Was told they had them, and it was first come first served. Asked what about the fact that I pre-ordered? Doesn't matter, it's first come first served. So I IMMEDIATELY leave the house (about 15 min drive to the store). As I am parking, I receive a call from the Mobile manager stating that my pre-order was in and asking if I wanted to set up an appointment to pick it up? I'm flabbargasted at his point and reply that I was just told by another employee they were first come first served and so I was parking right then so I wanted to pick it up now.
Get inside, and of course the mobile department is full. There was a sign in sheet and I was about 8 on that list. I waited patiently for my turn. However to my dismay, I overheard several customers purchasing (and attempting to purchase but a few werent elligble for upgrades and did not purchase) who HAD NOT PRE-ORDERED. I was floored by this. ON TOP of that, ON 3 occassions, customers that had just came in AND WERE NOT on the waiting list were helped WITHOUT Waiting. Still I kept my cool. Then when I was finally called, the mobile manager (who recognized me as when I first came into the store, I went to customer service to process a return while I had my sister sign in was at customer service making phone calls, and she had asked if I was there to pick up the iphone and I responded yea, I was just on the phone with you).....anyways...so when I'm finally called, the mobile manager is telling the employee to take me to the back of the store to process my phone purchase with another employee. I guess she could tell I was upset as right when I twas my turn to be called, I was standing up (maybe impatiently, but also the benches best buy have are extremely uncomfortable, so I just needed to stand up and strech my legs) and someone else was helped who had just came in the store and was not on the sign up list. At this point, I was talking to my sister how that wasn't right, and my sister was urging me to say something, but I was just like why even bother, they obviously don't care. So before they take me to the back, I ask about a pre-order bonus that was advertised on the bestbuy website that you got a free pair of $20 headphones when you bring up your pick up e-mail, however, I've never received any emails from bestbuy regarding my iphone pre-order and so asked them if they would be able to honor it. The male employee was extremely rude and interupted me, at this point, I had ENOUGH, and so I flatly told him that he was being rude by interrupting me. So at this point, the mobile manager cut in the conversation and insisted I had to have the e-mail. At this point, I was extremely frustrated with this whole process and being treated with such little respect by bestbuy, so then I recounted most of this pre-order disaster up to this point and about not receiving ANY communication from bestbuy about my pre-order, aside from the times I have called, so she relented and said they would look it up and try to process it in the back of the store.
So, the male mobile employee takes me to the back of the store (where the computers are and hands my paperwork and phone to another employee who was in the process of selling an iphone to another customer. At this point I am LIVID, as after waiting in line at the front of the store in the mobile department, they were bringing me the back of the store to WAIT AGAIN in another line while the employee who had the time to walk me back their w/ my phone was going to go back to the front and help someone else with their phone purchase. SO i called him on this, and said that wasnt right that I was being made to wait longer and directly asked him if he was going back to the front to assist the next customer on the list, which he responded he would be. I asked for the district manager phone number and he claimed he didn't know it, so I then demanded to speak to Amy Burke, the store manager. After about 10 minutes, Amy comes to the back (all this time I'm still waiting to be assisted with my purchase as the girl back at the computers is still processing the customers iphone sale that was there when I first came). I assume before she came to the back, she stopped at the mobile department, as throghout the conversation, she said a few times, well Ariane told her "such n such". So I explain everything thats happend so far to her and request the district managers phone number. Amy diverts the request by apologizing for the whole experience but states that the mobile department is a separate entity within best buy, so the district manager would have no impact and that the people who supervise the mobile department would have the complaint forwarded back to the mobile manager to handle anyways. She offers a free iphone accessory as an apology. At first, I refuse it, as to me, that does NOTHING to rectify the situation, and just simply request the free $20 headset that was advertised on the bestbuy website for iphone pre-orders. She goes over to the register and begins to look it up. After a few minutes, I just state that I would accept the free accessory if that would be easier for her to process as she was still looking up the $20 headset pre-order promotion I had mentioned. I have my sister go pick out a case for her as shes been patiently waiting with me all that time as well (as she had also got a new iphone 4s today directly though AT&T shipped to her house, oh how I wish I would have just done that, as I would have avoided all of this frustation and hassle). I thank Amy for the case, and by the time she processed it on the register, the girl was ready to begin processing my iphone sale. After about 15 minutes, I was on my way with my new iphone.
This whole process (in the store) took a little over 2 hours. I understand Bestbuy mobile was busy (as well as any other place that was selling the iphone), but my local Bestbuy did a HORRIBLE JOB with this pre-order. What is the point of pre-ordering if obviously best buy does not care and follow up with customers as they stated they will. Also, it is evident some customers are being treated differently then others. I overheard a few employees talking in the back who were complaining about the number of "Friends" who have been calling and asking them to "hook" them up in getting an iphone, so I can only imagine if they were this open to talking about such behavior openly in front of me, the number of employees that are participating in this shady behaviour. I WILL NEVER AGAIN trust this best buy store to pre-order anything else in the future. This is not the first problem I have had with this store & pre-orders. Just this past tuesday, they had not received my Forza Collectors edition for xbox, and so I had to purchase the regular edition. Not to mention other customer service issues I have experienced in the past, and I have spoken to the store manager Amy Burke about. After this debacle, I am convinced my problems will not be resolved at least at the store manager level, which is why I requested the district manager number to address my grievances with, primarily over this lasted debacle of a pre-order as well as past issues that are still un-resolved.
I would like to be provided with the contact information (phone/e-mail) fo the district manager for the Stafford, Va (#1476) store, Or if it is easier to have this information posted forwarded to them and for me to be contacted. Posting in these forums have helped me before in the past with issues with this store, so figured I would try one more time before completely writing this store off.
