Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[eba0922]

I have been a loyal Best Buy customer for 7 years now. I have a Best Buy Credit Card in excellent standing, never missed a payment in all these years. For the last two years I have qualitfied automatically as a rewards zone silver member because I spend at least $2500 a year. On Monday 1/30/12 I went into bestbuy to return a Klipsch SW-350 home theater subwoofer I purchased from that same store about 2 weeks ago. Great sub but I was able to get a bigger better sub from a buddy of mine, hence the return. The associate polietly told me my account was "Flagged", and I had to sign and agree that I was not to return anything else at bestbuy for the next 90 Days! Of course I immediatly told him this must be a mistake? But he assured me it wasent. I immediatly went home to do research to uncover that Best Buy has an affiliation with The Retail Equation, which keeps track of customers returns(http://www.theretailequation.com/Default.aspx). Reading through their website I realized this company helps retailers prevent forgery, theft, return of stolen goods, and return-acholiocs, by tracking their return behavior. While I completely understand Best Buy's intentions, this time they flagged the wrong customer. After-all, One of the benefits of being a rewards zone silver member is an extended return policy of 45days! I called best buy consumer relations as soon as I get home(12 in the afternoon on the 30th) and spoke with LIZ. She told me my account was flagged because I've made three returns in the past month! The cheapest being an HDMI cable and the most expensive being a pioneer FS-51 speaker and a pioneer reciever which was $450. And the only reason I returned those items was becasuse Best Buy 1 week later released a Pioneer speaker bundle netting me all 5 surround sound speakers for only $65 more, which I purchased right back on my Best Buy Credit Card. Liz politely apoligized for the "flagging" and later noticed apon digging further into my account that I am a loyal customer. She told me should would be contacting the department to remove the flag. She said she will call me back that same day. I have yet to recieve any call. This whole process is absolutely ridiculous and I am growing very impatient. Best Buy is on the verge of losing a very loyal customer. 

[pds1506]

Best Buy customer service is going down the drain.   I noticed the small print on my receipt as well as this Community Board around needing a driver's license for returns.  I find it interesting they don't give any details other than it is to keep costs low.   How is a customer to know how many returns are acceptable if Best Buy doesn't give any details?   While I frown on people who return items that have been opened, used or are not complete, I find it extremely invasive that Best Buy does this for all returns, even those where the product is unopened, the customer has a receipt and it is within 30 days. 

I personally am beginning to look more at Amazon and WalMart.com for items I would traditionally have gone to Best Buy to purchase.  I'm assuming from these customer unfriendly policies, that is what they want.

[hydrogenwv]

Requiring ID for a return is becoming the norm. A lot of retailers are using third parties to monitor returns, just as Best Buy is doing. The alternative is charging restocking fees, which are even less fair to the people with the more legitimate returns you are speaking about.

[Ryan-BBY Community Connector]

Hello eba0922 -

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

[APR28]

As much as despise BB's customer service and shady loopholes in policies that vary from store to store, I do not fault them for their return policy. If it takes you more than 30 days to return an item that you don't want then that is your fault. Even 14 days for other items is plenty of time.

[eba0922]

Mellisa has yet to contact me...

[Art646]

---

hydrogenwv wrote:

Requiring ID for a return is becoming the norm. A lot of retailers are using third parties to monitor returns, just as Best Buy is doing. The alternative is charging restocking fees, which are even less fair to the people with the more legitimate returns you are speaking about.

---

Please tell me the retailers that are requiring ID to return an item when you have the receipt and it's within the time period.

Walmart? No

Target? No

Sears? No

Kmart? No

Supermakerts? No

Amazon? No

Becoming the norm???? 

[eba0922]

***Update*** Liz called back and let me know the return flag was removed BUT if I make one more return, my account will be banned again. This is all she had to offer a loyal customer. Mellisa from the Social Media Team has yet to contact me. Best Buy has provided me with very poor customer service. Best Buy has lost a very loyal customer. 

[CheapestGamer]

How many returns do you make in an average year though? What values are they at? What I mean is, are they large purchases that have a high dollar value that you change your mind on within a month?

If so, then that's likely why you got flagged. They're trying to cut down on people who 'rent' large ticket items and then decide they don't want them just at the end of the return period.

[CrimsonRain]

---

Art646 wrote:

Amazon? No

---

Amazon does track your returns and deny future returns/exchanges if you hit their undisclosed limit. They do not need an ID because it's tracked using your Amazon account.

---

eba0922 wrote:

***Update*** Liz called back and let me know the return flag was removed BUT if I make one more return, my account will be banned again. This is all she had to offer a loyal customer. Mellisa from the Social Media Team has yet to contact me. Best Buy has provided me with very poor customer service. Best Buy has lost a very loyal customer. 

---

I know this may sound like a crazy idea, but it may help reduce your returns/exchanges if you research your product(s) before purchasing them. Wild right?