Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[SuperHighway]

It's obvious that this is not about the laptop being "optimized" by the "geeks," but rather the way the store manager handled the situation. Instead of apologizing to the customer for giving him the wrong item, not to mention a hairy and dusty laptop, the manager decided to argue all out with the customer and claimed that it's a brand new item. He insisted that the buyer NEEDS certain options when the buyer kept saying he doesn't need them? Uh..manager...are u wacked or just a rude dude with a managerial position?? Does he actually think he could force a customer to just suck it up and take the item? BB needs a Firing Squad. Geeksquat.

BTW I've gotten a few laptops and NONE of them have ever been tampered. Xeno has every right to be angry for his time wasted with this kind of service.

[kst8no1]

But he wasn't charged for it. The manager gave him $100 free in services. If the customer doesn't want it then the GS can remove the work..if he STILL doesn't want it then get another computer.

[SuperHighway]

I guess my post wasn't clear enough when I said it's not about the "optimization" of the laptop but the attitude of the manager. Just by saying you "gave" a customer something he doesn't want free of charge does not mean he should be grateful for it. No business in their right mind would selectively give out free service. This is obvious that the laptop was a return item and the bb staff did a messy job at repackaging the thing, thinking no one would turn down the pre-installed free anti-virus and recovery discs. C'mon, NOBODY sells new laptops like that. I bought a laptop from BB before. The anti-virus cd comes separately, unopened, SEALED. Everything sealed, unlike what xeno received. Bottom line, I say the cocky manager was wrong for not apologizing to his customer. Bad attitude from a merchant? That's one way to lose customers.

[Apathy]

This is so ridiculous, the laptop WAS NOT RETURNED.  Best Buy will open laptop boxes, setup the computers and burn recovery discs and charge customers for this service.  When this computer was ordered they probably didn't have any that were unopened.  

If the OP was so tech-savvy and capable of working on the Geek Squad, he wouldn't insist that he doesn't need recovery discs.  "i dont need a restore CD because i know how to get around everythign"  Does that include writing an Operating System from scratch?  All those discs are for is to return the laptop to the factory settings if you have a software corruption or a bad hard drive. 

The manager gave you the option to return the laptop, exchange it, or keep it.  He wouldn't of had more of that laptop were not already setup by the Geek Squad or he wouldn't have given $99 in free services to you.  Sounds reasonable to me.

BTW, the laptop still carries the manufacturer's warranty too, even if it was already opened and the seal was broken.  

[Justin-BBY Community Connector · Accepted solution]

Good afternoon xenogear327-

The experience that you described at our Alpharetta, GA store location over your new laptop purchase left me shaking my head in disappointment.  I too would be raising my concerns if I went through what you shared with us and I'll help out in any way I can.

It's true that while it sounds like your laptop purchase may have been optimized with pre-installed services and restore discs, I agree with you that this situation should have been handled differently.  If you did not want this laptop, you should not have been met with such resistance and the store could have been more accomodating.  I also agree that if what you desribed during your interaction with store management is the case, then it's very troubling that you did not receive professionalism and a high level of service. 

After researching, I do see that you were able to return the laptop and receive a different one at another location, but it's disappointing that you had to go through all of this effort to get a laptop to your satisfaction.  I want to truly express my deepest apologies to you for this instance, and I have already shared this matter with the upper levels of store management.  

If you have any other comments or questions, feel free to reply to this topic or send me a private message by clicking the link beside my name.

Regards,

[Bob_A]

          Beware the Best Buy " Spin Doctors " ! 

[SuperHighway]

@Apathy

Would you take u a possibly used electronic item just because in the back of your mind thinking "oh there's a one year manufacturer's warranty anyway. If anything happens I'll just send it back", when you rightfully should be getting a brand new one? Do you see unneccesary hassles? Again, don't expect ppl to thank you for unwanted free service of tampering their products.

And I'm sure he returned it without hesitation. It's all about the way the situation was handled, not freebees.

@Justin

kudos 

the end.

[xenogear327]

@justin-BBY

Thank you for your response.

Yes because this laptop is for my girlfriend to use at school, so i must get another one for her, i drove 30 mins to go to another location and received the "NEW" laptop, this new store is awesome, because they just have the new products right on the shelf with a security device on it. it was just 10 mins, step into the store and step out!

@those who said the first lap was not returned item (kst8no1 and Apathy)

please check your facts before you post, i have tried to let you guys know not to upset the customers on here, clearly you didnt get it. now, let me tell you this one more time after gotten the NEW laptop, the first laptop was definitely a returned item, actually, it could be even worse. because if i were returning a laptop within 14 days, i wouldnt have removed the plastic dust film around the screen, and i would tried to restore the item as it was when i opened it the best i can. with that said, this first laptop was dusty and had hair on it as i mentioned originally. the action/attitude of the store employee and manager was just off, everything points me to think in the direction of some nasty possibilities. like i said on previous posts, there are many people return items at bestbuy, but i've seen NONE that was out for sell as open box items.

IF YOU WERE NOT THERE with me to see the laptop and witness the debate, shouldnt you at least give me some credit of posting this LONG msg? have you wonder why was i so mad?

last thing, the CD worth $100? not only i said i dont need it, i can make these recover cds myself for your info. i do not wish to get into the idea of how ______ to charge customer $100 for recovery cD (u can fill in the blank), the manufacturer actually include the software/option for you to burn/create the recovery cd right under the start menu. maybe that's the reason why some store like to do these "PRE-INNSTALL" thing?? to take away the program that let you make your own recovery CD and charge $100 to make them for customer?

I am seriously done here, school had started for me today, gonna be busy!

Have a great day