Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[leslieandcurtis]

I work from home for three different companies so my computer is very important.  In February my Dell computer died - after a couple of years of good service.  I lost everything but the minimal amount that Best Buy could recover.  We had to buy a new computer and one of the agents helped us decide on an HP a6700y that fit our needs and was within budget.  We did not get the extra warranty that Best Buy pushes because we could barely afford a new computer and thought that a new computer would last for a few years anyway....

It has only been four months and it appears that we have a bad hard drive.  If it gets turned off, it does not want to come back on, just leaves a black page with a blinking light at the top.  We took it back to Best Buy and an associate plugged it in and got it to work.  I was so happy to see all of my stuff.  He said it looked fine, so we brought it back home and now it is doing it again.  The disc drive is also not recognizing CDs.  I called Best Buy and they said it sounded like a virus.  To remove it, it would be $199, to save my data it would be another $150 or so, and it also costs just to look at it in the first place.  If it not a virus (which someone else told me it does not sound like it is), and anything needs to be replaced it needs to go to the manufacturer becasue they are not responsible (even though they sold a faulty computer) and unless we pay to have our computer backed up, it will be wiped clean.

It seems to me, even though we were unable to buy the extra warranty, a store should stand behind any items they sell, especially for only 4 months!  Shouldn't the data that would be lost because they sold me a bad computer be backed up for free and shouldn't they do everything possible to save my data and get it onto a new working computer as soon as possible at no charge? 

I am very frustrated by this situation as I work at home and not only have potentially lost all of the data that I have just spent the last four months replacing on what I thought was a great "safe" new computer, I will literally be out of work as long as it takes somebody (I hear the manufacturer can take up to two weeks) to fix it.......

[Starflyer59]

A black page with a blinking cursor in the top left would not be a virus. In my experiance with this problem it is usually a bad processor or a bad motherboard. I would recommend calling HP tech support and explaining the issue to them.

[leslieandcurtis]

Thank you for that.  It was a Best Buy agent that said she thought it was a virus.  In the case of a mother board or processor, do you lose all of your data if it has to be replaced?

[Starflyer59]

Your data would be safe. HP usually will have you keep your hard drive and then you ship the computer. HP usually sends you a postage box to ship the computer to them.

[leslieandcurtis]

That sounds like almost the best news I could get except for the wait time.  Thanks so much!

[Starflyer59]

HP will also send a tech to your home to do the repair if all else fails.

Replacement parts
	When you need a replacement part, we’ll ship it to your home or business—and you’ll get it the next business day.1  We’ll also include detailed instructions to guide you through the repair process. As always, an HP technician is available if you need assistance.

	Local service from an HP-authorized provider
	Take your HP or Compaq product to an HP Authorized Service Provider (ASP) for repair and pick it up just a few days later. Visit www.hp.com/us/support to find the nearest HP Authorized Support Provider in your area.

	Product repair or replacement by HP
	Have your HP or Compaq products picked up and delivered to an HP Central Repair Center. An HP technician will repair your product and send it back to you promptly. HP pays round-trip shipping and handling under the standard warranty.

	In-home repair for customized HP desktop PCs
	Whatever your needs, HP House Call service representatives are ready to help at any time. Chat online or over the phone with an HP technician. And if that doesn’t solve the problem, we’ll send an HP technician to your door to perform repairs on the spot. 2

[leslieandcurtis]

This is making me feel so much better.  I already found a couple of places somewhat close by with the information you provided.  Thanks again!

[leslieandcurtis]

Yes, I am frustrated with the situation but it was not my intention to get into an argument.  As a Best Buy customer I do expect the company to stand behind the products that they sell to me, especially when they tell me how good and dependable they are before I purchase them.  I don't think that Best Buy should eat the money, but good customer service would warrant Best Buy standing behind the products that they sell and the manufacturers that they sell products for.  It would be good customer service to get problems taken care of, especially with brand new products, and then deal with the manufacturers themselves rather than leaving it up to their customers to do. 

I was not looking for or expecting anything for free - just what I paid for, which was a brand new computer from Best Buy.

[Elizabeth-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hi leslieandcurtis,

I've asked Dorothy, one of our Community Connectors, to reach out to you.  You should hear from her within the next few business days.

Thanks for posting,

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Good afternoon leslieandcurtis -

I know how frustrating it can be to have issues with my computer, and I really feel for you on this.  It took a pretty bad loss of my precious pictures and music last year for me to realize the value of backing up my computer regularly.  Much like you, I lost memories I can never replace.  I now back up my computer like clockwork, and would advise anyone out there to do the same. 

I know how inconvenient it must be for you to be without your computer for the time it takes to get it fixed, but it sounds like with Starflyer59 recommendation, you have been able to connect with the manufacturer and are on your way to getting your unit fixed in a manner that is more acceptable to you. 

I want to thank you for taking the time to share your experience.  We do encourage all types of feedback, and try to use them to the advantage of our customers. 

Please let me know if you need any further assistance.  You can contact me through private message by choosing my user name (Dorothy-BBY) and selecting the option "send user a private message". 

Regards,

Dorothy

Community Connector

Best Buy® Corporate