Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[mancisco]

Went to best buy in Salem NH, with my voucher to replace my Sony kdl46w4100 due to no LCD panel available to replace it. When I arrived customer service rep told me to go to geek squad. Geek squad said to go pick a TV for the price I spent on the other TV. After 45min of looking I found a comparable TV, in my eyes. Went to the geek squad guy and he sent me back to customer service where she told me that the computer was going to give me an equal replacement, Now that was a waste of 1 hour of my time... Now I wait for a home theater specialist to show up. When he arrives he tries to give me a 60hz 1080p TV. I say no my TV is a 120hz he responds no it's not. Yes it is, no it is not. I say Google it, instead of looking it up he argues with me like a 5 year old. After looking it up he offers a Toshiba 46 120hz 3hdmi, I didn't agree because my TV was a Sony with 4hdmi. He tells me that doesn't matter only the main specs matter size, hertz, 1080p.  But then offers another one a Sony 46 1080p 120hz 4hdmi but it is 5 to 7 days away they can order it. I said no I'm not leaving without a TV today thank you. So he offers a Samsung LN46D630 that I took home, but didn't agree with. My Sony had an optional module that allowed for connection to internet to stream netflicks and youtube this TV doesn't have that option. I was told several time over the phone that the TV would be replace on a feature to feature comparison. The gentlemen I was dealing with had no intention of doing this, and kept telling me the computer gives him the comparable model. That was definitely a false statement I could see he was on best buy.com looking at TV's and giving me model numbers. I believe that TV model number kdl-46nx720 is the comparable TV to the one that I had. I don't think I am asking to much. the previous TV was sold to me including all these features the replacement shouldn't,t be lacking any of the features that I paid for.

[mancisco]

Am I wrong to expect the replacement TV to have equal features

[Ryan-BBY Senior Social Media Specialist]

Hello mancisco -

Allan from our Social Media team, will be reaching out to you regarding your concern. Thank you for your continued patience!

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi mancisco,

It certainly seems like this store could have handled the replacement of your TV much quicker, and I’m sorry that you spent an hour looking for a comparable model for nothing. The store should have offered a comparable TV, as determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase price.

When determining what model TV we currently carry is most comparable the store should be trying to match every feature of your TV; I should point out that matching every feature is rarely possible, which is why the term “most comparable” is used.

I do see that you purchased this Sony TV on 12/03/2008, and that you accepted the replacement of this TV with the 46 inch Samsung LCD model LN46D630 on 4/1/2012. I show this Samsung is the most expensive 46 inch 1080p LCD TV we currently carry with a 120 Hz refresh rate.

After seeing all this it certainly does look like this store ended up providing you the best possible option in this matter. If you are not satisfied with the TV you received as a replacement I would suggest you go back to this store, and they might be able to apply the cost of this comparable TV towards any model you want.

Thanks for posting,

[mancisco]

When I got this TV home and hooked up I was unable to stream netflixs as I did on my old one. I think this is a problem and It should not cost me more money to get this feature back. The person at this store didn't understand that the TV should have been compared by more than just it's 46', 1080p, and 120mhz refresh rate. Nor did he take the time to try after I tried to explain. There are plenty of other LCD TV's that you offer, the others are just led-backlit LCD panels. The comparable Sony as he determined was 5 to 7 days away he should have gave me the next one above that he had in stock. I was explained how this was going to work by the gentlemen that came to my house, then the person on the phone that gave me the voutcher same story. I get to the store and I have to fight with the manager just to get the 120mhz right he was trying to give me a $500 60mhz TV. I called the store 4 day before to get the comparable model from them so I could research the products and do a side by side comparison but I was told that couldn't be done because the computer does that and I have to be there cause they can't cancel once started. That was a complete lie. Instead the pressure me into taking a Samsung tv that is not comparable.

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi mancisco,

Thanks for the added perspective on this. Once again it looks like the store did end up providing you with a comparable model, and it is unfortunate that we no longer have a comparable TV that exactly matches every feature your TV had. An LED-LCD TV would not be considered a comparable TV to your LCD, and I clearly show the TV you received is the most expensive comparable LCD TV we currently carry. If you aren't happy with this TV the store will most likely allow you to put the purchase price of this Samsung towards any TV you want.

Thanks,

[mancisco]

$1,769.98 this is the price I paid for the tv, that broke 4 months after I got it and had to wait 2 weeks for a replacement panel, and this sorry excuse for a warrenty that is giving me less of a tv. Thank for your time. The tv is less then what I had and was told that the tv will be equal or better.  

[rellarillear]

How much did your Sony TV weigh? Were they able to match the weight as well?

[rellarillear]

Clearly if you got a lighter TV you were upgraded.

Also is the power consumption the same? Most TVs seem to have been upgraded over the past 4 years, you might be hard pressed to find a TV that will consume as much energy as your original TV.

It's also entirely possible that the TV would have MORE apps, and therefore not be a match, I don't know of any Sony that is sold that would have the same apps as your older TV.

[Pio]

Your KDL-46W4100 had a a port for the long-discontinued DMEx Bravia Internet Video link module, which as you stated was an optional, separate purchase.  The TV simply came with a connection available for a proprietary device that could be purchased spearately, and the TV did not come with any apps built-in.  The DMEx port and connection has not been on TVs for years  and there are no longer any Sony devices that support it.  The connection for the DMEx Internet module required connection to this port and to an HDMI port on the TV.

The Samsung LN46D630 you received is a comprarable replacement and likely has better picture quality than your 4-year old LCD.  If you really liked the apps, today's equivalent would be the Sony SMP-N200 Network Media Player that is compatible with any HDTV (yes, even your new Samsung).  It simply requires and HDMI cable connected from the box to the TV, and either a wired ethernet connection or wireless LAN connection.  

Remember, your TV did not come with any internet content built-in, but it rather was an optional upgrade.  With the evolution of today's Smart-capable devices, your new Samsung is even more capable of being internet-connected than your old TV was when you bought it due to the sheer amount of web streaming boxes available today (Sony SMP-N200, Roku, Apple TV, Blu-Ray players, just to name a few).  The fact that the BB staff hassled with you almost-comparable replacements before giving what was really comparable is not excusable, but you did end up with an equivalent model at the end of the day.

The Sony NX720 you're asking for is an LED-lit LCD with dynamic local dimming (yours was a standard CCFL-backlit LCD) 3D, apps built-in, wi-fi built-in, and 3D capability.  It's not that you're asking too much, but you're asking for a model that is not comparable to what you had.  If you're still unsatisfied after that explanation, then you'll be able to pay the differrence between your comparable model (the 46D630) and the model you want.