So, on Friday (June 26), I went to Best Buy and purchased a new Samsung front-loading washer/dryer set with pedestals I paid to have the units delivered and installed the next day since there were delivery slots open. Saturday, the delivery people arrive but they only have the washer, dryer, and one pedestal. They tell me I'll have to call to get the other pedestal delivered and installed. They go ahead and install the washer, dryer, and pedestal for the dryer. Things are working well, I do a ton of laundry, and things are happy.
I call to inquire about the washer pedestal, the fulfillment center is perplexed as to why I didn't get both pedestals on Saturday (as am I), they tell me, "It's a Best Buy issue and we can come out any time with your second pedestal." So, I tell them Wednesday. Somehow I end up on the Tuesday list, which ends up being okay since the conflict I thought I had cleared itself up.
Tuesday (June 30), the delivery people show up (after an odd exchange on the phone with the fulfillment center who claims they're at my front door when they're not...I suspect they got lost). One of the guys looks at my washer and tells me they won't install the pedestal unless I claim full responsibility for any scratches and/or damages done to the washer as a result of installing the pedestal. This is because they have to flip the washer over to install the pedestal and then flip it back over to put it in its rightful position and the shipping bolts have been removed.
I, of course, immediately realize I'm going to get hosed here if the guy is telling me this and requiring me to write the claim down. So, my options are thus: 1) claim responsibility and risk a damaged washer, 2) receive an uninstalled pedestal which doesn't really do much for me, or 3) return the washer pedestal which, again, does nothing for me since I want the pedestal. I go for option 1. The pedestal is installed. Sure enough, the washer drum is out of whack and will not spin properly.
I have the premium blacktie plan and the lady I talked to said the damage is covered, but that's not really the point. If the installation folks know that there's a chance (a high one) that the washer could be damaged in the process of flipping it over twice and requiring customers to claim responsibility for damages...what is the incentive to even try to install the pedestal without damaging the unit? Is there a way to get some sort of feedback to the delivery/installation crew that if they have to install a pedestal on a washer or dryer unit after said units have been installed that some method of doing so without damaging the units should be used? I'm fairly certain had I gotten both pedestals and the units at the same time I'd have no problem so this is a special case, but still.
Anyway, I'm still waiting for the repair center to call. I just called Geek Squad back since I have not received any such call for an appointment yet (even though the system claims I have an appointment for today, but that's kind of hard to do when no one tells me). Hopefully everything will get resolved in the next couple days and I'll have a fully functional, shiny, new washer/dryer again. I'm just hoping there's a way to save other folks from this kind of issue. It can't be cost effective for anyone, customer or Best Buy, to incur extra maintenance that I'm sure could be avoided.
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