Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[amers1015]

In November I went into Best Buy to purchase a laptop for gaming.  I told the guy the names of the games I wanted to play and that I didn't care anything else about the laptop EXCEPT that I wanted to play the games (Mass Effect 1&2, Dragon Age, etc.) AND I did not want the Intel Graphics card because I've heard it didn't work well, if at all, with the games.

He talked me into a laptop with the Intel card, promising me it would be fine and that Intel had made great strides.  So I trusted him (BIG mistake) and bought the laptop he suggested.  Everything was fine for awhile because I was involved in a big Neverwinter Nights campaign (very old game, lame graphics so it wasn't an issue).  Well, yesterday I installed Mass Effect 1&2 and imagine my complete shock when they ran HORRIBLY.  Then I tried Dragon Age.  Same thing.  In Mass Effect 2, every single character in the game has stripes all over and the lag is intolerable.  I literally can't play.  I've also pre-ordered Dragon Age 2, which I'm sure won't play either.  I went online to the Bioware websites (game-maker) and found out that Intel's graphics cards are not only highly NOT recommended, but are also unsupported.  No workarounds exist.  The advice of the Bioware tech guys was 'never by an Intel graphics card'.  WHICH I KNEW AND WAS TALKED INTO DOING!   

So then I thought I'd try to upgrade the video card.  Sure, it's irritating to have to pay a bit more but I'll live.  Then I find out the graphics card is hard-wired into this laptop so I can't even do that.  I am totally and completely S.O.L.

I called the store to ask for some remedy and they told me two things:  1) It's not their fault that I didn't know the Intel card wasn't good for gaming (which I DID and told the guy, who assured me it was fine) and 2) Since it's been more than 30 days I'm out of luck.  I even asked about exchanging it and getting a better one with a better graphics card and was told no.  Even if I spent more money.  It's been too long and that's that.

Fantastic.  So I trusted someone who was supposed to know his laptops and got burned.  Now I'm stuck with $700+ of debt on my Best Buy card for a computer that doesn't do the ONLY THING I wanted it to do which is play my games.  We have spent literally thousands of dollars at Best Buy in the past on laptops, desktops, TVs, EVERYTHING, and have never gotten bad advice or poor customer service before, but this is awful.  I am beyond livid right now and have no recourse. 

[QuantumThunder]

If you are buying a computer for the specific purpose of playing specific games why would you not immediately test the games when you get home, and further wait OVER a MONTH to test them?!?! The return policy on computers is actually 14 days but why would you wait over a month to even try to play them?

Store sales associates can make hardware recommendations but computers arent like game consoles...Certain combinations of hardware just wont work with certain games...Even though on paper it meets the specs...

It sucks this happened to you but some (actually most) of the blame has to be placed on you... If I am going to spend over 700 dollars on something that has a specific purpose I will make sure it meets that specific purpose immediately, and further I will inquire about the return policy before I spend that kind of money.... 

[amers1015]

Sorry, I'm a very busy mother of 4 and have a bit larger priorities than loading 10 games on a computer to check if they work or not.  Who loads every game they own onto a computer at once?  Why wouldn't you wait until you wanted to play them?  Some of the games were Christmas gifst so I didn't get some of the games until then, including Mass Effect 1&2, which are the ones I tried and discovered didn't work.  Next time I'll psychically install them and check whether or not they work before the 14 days are up.  My bad.  You're right, it's my fault that I forgot that people are in general dishonest and/or incompetent these days.

I didn't check the return policy because I had no earthly idea I'd want to return it.  I went in with specific requests and talked to the guy.  It's not my job to know these things.  It's my job to ask for what I want and his to sell it to me.  When I got home, I turned on the computer and verified that it actually worked.  I've bought computers numerous times from this very store before and have always been sold what I needed, and have had excellent experiences with returns. 

Wish I was as perfect as you, but alas we can't all be supreme specimens like yourself.  What's your contact info for next time I need someone to download and try a bunch of games for me?  Since you seem to have a lot of time on your hands. 

Thanks for your extremely helpful reply. 

[CrystalWoW Community Veteran]

Which computer make/model number did you buy?

[amers1015]

Toshiba Satellite A665. 

Seems like a nice laptop overall.  I'd be fine with it if I could upgrade the video card, but the lady at the store told me I couldn't. 

[CrystalWoW Community Veteran]

there should be more to the model number. that isn't all of it.

[amers1015]

Okay let me see...I know nothing about computers obviously. 

Satellite A665 S6086 

Is that right?  Sorry, my computer knowledge is basically nothing.  I'm more of a play the games and don't care how or why they work kinda gal.  

[CrystalWoW Community Veteran]

One thing I would keep in mind that if you went into the store with no research and gave the employee a budget to work with which I don't know if you did, but unless you were aiming around 800 or so gaming performance isn't that great. They may have given you the best that they could without raising your budget by hundreds. How much had you planned on spending if you don't mind me asking.

[amers1015]

I didn't give a price.  I said the cheapest one you have without an Intel card that would play the following games.  Then I gave him the list.  Then he swore up and down that the Intel card would work. 

I would happily return this one and buy one that's heck, even TWICE as much as this one for all I care.  But they won't take it back. 

Now I just called another store where I was asked whether or not I had the accidental damage policy.  I said yes and the man said I should dump water on this one and bring it in so they'd have to give me a new one.  At that time I could request an upgrade.

So here's me trying to be honest and ask for help and I get advised to run a scam.  Nice.

[Apathy]

Yeah, he shouldn't have told you to spill water on it.  That wouldn't even solve your issue considering they may just fix the computer that you have.  I would have gotten the name of whoever said that and informed his manager.

It's unfortunate you were sold a product that wouldn't meet your needs.  Being interested in playing some of the latest PC games is very demanding on computers and honestly laptops are not really ideal for this.  It's not so much the Intel card that is included with the computer but the lacking of a dedicated graphics card which most laptops do not have, or if they do are very basic.  The PC listed below is what you are looking at for gaming on a laptop, which is a $500 point increase from what you originally paid.

You really should have tested the computer out when you initially got it.  Not saying you needed to load every game you have, but something newer and more demanding so you would have seen immediately it would not give the results you were looking for.  Caveat emptor is the lesson here, you need to make sure you're fully researched before making a purchase.  This applies to any retailer or business, not just Best Buy.

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