Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[Zee]

On December 6th I went to my local Best Buy in hopes of purchasing the TV (LG 32LE5400) I saw online. There was one left, but it was returned item and already opened. I preferred a new TV, so the sales employee gave me the option of having one shipped to the store. It sounded like a good idea at the time, and told me it would arrive around the 26th. I paid for the item, and obtained a receipt for the purchase.

Before Christmas, the 23rd, I went to the store to check if my item may have arrived early. The Customer Service associate didn't give me a definite date, but told me the 26th after 2 pm or the 27th. He also told me to periodically check by calling their local store number and giving them the Pick-up Order#. I called the store beforehand, but I kept getting hung-up on. I figured it was because it was the day after Christmas, so I went to the store. I talked to the same employee that sold me the TV (apparently he didn't remember me either), and he checked the warehouse for me. I was hoping my item arrived already, but sadly I was disappointed. He told me it was on backorder and it was discontinued, and that if it didn't arrive on the 27th or later on during the week, that they would have to issue a refund.

So today is the 27th, and I was advised to call their store...so I did. Boy was I disappointed. Not only have I called almost 10 times, I was hung-up on 10 times. I had to tell them my story numerous times, and I knew they were the same 2 people. I called the number, told my story to the employee, and he told me that I would need to check my email for the confirmation. I explained to him that it was an in-store purchase, so he transferred me to the warehouse. I told my story to the employee at the warehouse, and he told me to call an extension and hung up (I wasn't done...and he didn't explain how to call the extension either). So I called the extension, and to my suprise (sarcasm intended) it was the original employee I talked to. I repeated my story, he transferred me to the warehouse again. Same thing happened again, but finally the person in the warehouse decides to check if my item has arrived. As he does so, he puts me on hold. I was on hold for about 10 minutes, before some numbers were pressed and he hung-up. At this point, I'm pretty angry as as anyone in my same situation would be. I call again, explain thoroughly to the original employee this whole ordeal, and he tells me he will check (asks for the info too). He puts me on hold for about 5 minutes, and picks up to tell me that he's going to check the warehouse (which I thought he was already doing). After being on hold for 10 minutes, the hold music halts and it sounds like I'm being transferred. The sound continued with no one answering until I decided to just hang up.

So here I am, disappointed...not only because of all the phone calls and time wasted, but because I waited 3 weeks for my item in hopes of receiving it in time (close to Christmas/New Years). Instead, I am told that the item may or may not come (don't get your hopes up...), and apparently there is no way for me to check without physically going into the store. I thought it would be easy and convenient to just call and give the store my Pick-up Order# (like the CS associate mentioned), but it turned out to be complicated and time consuming. I originally planned to buy my TV somewhere else, but I thought that Best Buy would have a larger inventory, wider selection, better and also more service options. However, it seems that if I did buy it elsewhere, I would be enjoying a new TV for almost a month now.

I highly doubt my TV will be coming at all, and if it does...it isn't even worth it. The TV was on sale for $300 off, but during the time I bought it and now...the value has decreased as well (pretty much cheaper online now) - should I mention time consuming? Probably going to just get my cash back.

Thanks for reading,

Z

p.s. In case you're wondering, I was only given a receipt so I cannot check my order status online (tried to) and no email from Best Buy regarding my order has been sent to me.

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Good afternoon Zee -

Karina, from our Community Connector team, will be reaching out to you regarding your concern.  Thank you for your continued patience until she is able to touch base.

[AndyH]

It's pretty sad that the person answering the phone transferred you to the warehouse instead of just checking himeself the first time, he should have taken care of that. That said, on the 27th, wait times are going to be long, the store is usually incredible busy the days following christmas. Also, when the associate came back and said he was going to check the warehouse, usually stores have 2 different places for ordered items, smaller stuff is usually by the customer service desk and bigger stuff is kept back in the warehouse so he probably checked the customer service location first and then went to see in the warehouse in case it got stuck back there for some reason. This certainly doesn't excuse getting transferred back and forth though, that shouldn't have happened.

[Karina-BBY Community Connector]

Zee,

I am sorry to read the horrible experience you had when waiting for the delivery of your television. I can understand that during the holiday season the stores can be pretty busy, but that is no excuse to have you explain your question over and over again, only to transfer you to the same department, to possibly the same person. It can be even more frustrating when you take the time to call in 10 times or more and you are hung up on; there is simply no excuse that can be given for that.

 I understand that the store representatives suggested to for you to check BestBuy.com for the status of your order, but I believe there was a confused on the order type that you where calling on. I assume that they where suggesting this option only because they were confusion your order for an online order.

Thank you for taking the time to provide in detail, the frustrating matter. As I was looking into your purchase, I discovered that you decided to return the television. I apologized that for the trouble you went through, and for the disappointment in the delivery of your television.

If there is anything our team can do in the future, feel free to reach out to our team for help.

Sincerely,