Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[sblacklock]

I pre-ordered 2 Droid X phones from my local store for myself and my wife.  We loved the phones when we received them, but 3 weeks after getting the phones, mine started experiencing the screen problem that plagued several of the Droid X phones on launch day. 

This problem (Not my video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRFX0t7cDb4

I took the phone back to my local store, but they didn't have any other phones in stock to trade with my bad one and they said that they didn't know when they would be getting any in.  Since I was getting close to the end of the 30 day exchange window, the associate at the store recommended that I should sign up for the black tie service and send the phone in for repairs before my 30 days was up.  So I signed up for the service and turned over my phone.  They gave me a loaner phone (a very basic flip type phone) to use while I waited.

This was over two weeks ago!  I have called the store and they have told me that they don't have any further information about the issue.  All they know is that they shipped the phone off for repairs and I'll just have to keep waiting.

I have seen several other reports online of Verizon customers whose phones had the exact same problem that I had, who contacted Verizon and had replacement phones in their hands within a matter of days.  I asked the associates at my local store if I should do this instead, and they recommended against it as it would void my Best Buy warranty. 

And also, since my phone has been sent off for repair, my local store won't let me trade in for any new ones they receive until the broken one is sent back / fixed / whatever.

Now I'm scheduled to take a trip for work next week and it looks like I'm going to be stuck with the crummy flip phone the entire time.

Did I make a mistake by making my purchase from Best Buy?  It's really starting to seem that way.

[nytngale]

Dear Sblacklock,

I am sorry to hear that your new Droid phone experienced problems so shortly after purchasing. I am glad that you were able to add the Black Tie protection on the phone and were able to send it out for service, and even though it is not the Droid you purchased, because you are a valued Best Buy customer, they were able to get you a loaner phone, set up the service, and keep you connected while your device is in repair.

When you checked the phone in at the store, you were given a check in form and at the top of that form is a service order number. If you go to GeekSquad.com you will be able to type in that number as well as your zip code and get an update of where your phone is at in the repair process.

Sometimes with newer model devices, replacement parts take some time to receive from the manufacturer. This could be one of the reasons that you are eperiencing a delay. A Community Connector here at the forums may be able to help you further. Someone may be contacting you through Private Message soon about your situation.

~Nytngale

[GarfieldOne]

I'm going to sound bad but allow me to look at it from a seperate angle.  You bought a phone and in less than 30 days it has gone bad.  You went to the store and spent the money on a warrenty for a phone that has the manufactuer warrenty still in tact.  In the end, the repair center will call motorola and have them replace it just like you would have.  If it was within the return period I would have gotten my money back and found another locally.  While you were down you could have either used your old phone, or purchase a cheap prepaid phone that is already locked into their network.  A prepaid phone would have worked with non-prepaid accounts.  I hate to say it, but you were taken.  You paid full price and the phone you get back will be what by all accounts is a refurb.  Its not a good, new, factory phone you paid all the money for.  You will have a torn apart repaired phone now.  Thats just my opinion though.

[sblacklock]

Nytngale, thank you for your reply.  I have tried to track the status using that method, the latest update on the website says "Customer approved estimate for repair or upgrade".  I don't know what that means and neither did the staff at the local store when I called and asked them.  Neither did the people at the corporate support line when I called and asked them.

About the loaner phone, I switched to Verizon from AT&T specifically for the Droid X. I paid $200 (+$10 / month black tie protection) for a phone that I don't have.  In another week, Best Buy support will have had my new phone longer than I did.  For my money, I now have a cheap flip phone that I could have gotten for free with new service. 

Additionally, the loaner phone that I should be so happy to have took 2 tries to get.  When I went in with my problem, the staff gave me a loaner phone that didn't work!  It wouldn't even turn on (they had assured me that it just needed to be charged)!  So I had to turn around the next day and take it right back to the store (a 45 minute drive) to get ANOTHER loaner phone.  Please excuse me if I am not in awe of the customer service I have received.

I understand that replacement devices can take some time to receive, however if I had bought my device directly from Verizon, I would already have a replacement in hand.

As Garfield said above, I feel like I've been had.

[sblacklock]

Garfieldone, believe me I've had the same thoughts. My first response to the issue was to take the phone back to my local Verizon store, but since it had been purchased from Best Buy, they said that it had to be taken back there. Since there wasn't a trade-in phone available at the Best Buy store, and my 30 day trade in period was almost up, I was told that the Black Tie plan was my best option. I could have gotten my money back, but since I got the phone at a discount for being a new Verizon customer, it wouldn't have been enough to get another Droid X.

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Good morning sblacklock -

Aaron, from our Community Connector team, will be reaching out to you regarding your concern.  I appreciate your continued patience.

[GarfieldOne]

I feel for you.  I will say my own personal experience.  I have been with sprint for a few years.  Not the best but ok.  I have a instinct if you remember all the commercials.  its been an ok phone.  screens have problems.  I am on phone # 4 and second screen on phone 4.  All that said, the 4 phones were shipped to me within a day or so, and the screen was replaced in 4 hours.    It really stinks to have to wait that long for a new phone.  I hope they do you right cause you deserve it!!

[Aaron-GS Community Connector]

Hello sblacklock,

I’m sorry to hear about the problems you’ve encountered with your Droid X!  Although I do not know why you would’ve been asked to wait for your original phone to come back from service if the store had offered to exchange it, your disappointment is certainly understandable.  I would be equally frustrated under similar circumstances.

I’ve had the chance to look into this situation and it’s my understanding that you were provided a replacement phone a few days ago.  If this is not the case - or if you are still in need of assistance - please do not hesitate to let me know.  You can send me a private message by signing into the forums and then clicking on the letter icon in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

[sblacklock · Accepted solution]

Hi Aaron,

You are correct. I was contacted Friday evening by a store employee that said they had set aside a new phone for me to pick up as soon as they got permission from the corporate Geek Squad.  So, on Saturday (the coporate office was already closed by the time I had received my call on Friday) I called the corporate support number again and explained my situation again.  They told me that the store should be able to give me a new phone through the rapid exchange program even though the broken phone had been sent away for repair/replacement. They didn't know why I had been told otherwise. So, I called the store yet again and told them about my call to corporate support. They allowed me to then come in and swap out my loaner phone for a brand new unit.

The store staff was very helpful and apologetic during the exchange process on Saturday. I could not have asked for better service in that regard.

Long story short, 3 weeks after my phone crashed, and 2 1/2 weeks after it was sent away for repairs, it has been "rapid-exchanged". 

For the record, I understand that Best Buy is not responsible for the faulty phone.  My irritation came from being jerked around for 3 weeks where it seemed like the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing.

Anyway, my problem is resolved.  Thank you for your attention on this matter.