Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[gadgetmom]

I ordered a Toshiba computer for a xmas present from Bestbuy.com.  When it was delivered I noticed it was in a box from their return center and the tape around the inner computer box had been tampered with.  I emailed customer service and was told it was a returned computer sent to me by mistake but "should be just fine".  It wasn't!  It was a used computer.  I asked for a comparable or upgrade to the computer but you can guess where that went.  All I am asking is for them to honor their ad.They don't respond to my emails anymore.  So, on Christmas, I had to tell my son that this was his present, but we had to send it back.  That was fun!

So Thanks, Bestbuy.com, for a memorable Christmas!

p.s. I do wonder how many other "mistakes" they made......

[justathought]

They probably thought you wouldn't make the connection.

[gadgetmom]

Well, I finally heard from Best Buy concerning this computer.  They thanked me for returning it and wished me a happy new year!

QUESTION:  What do you call a disgruntled Best Buy customer?

Answer:  A CC customer!

[Elizabeth-BBY Community Supervisor]

Dear gadgetmom,

Thanks for posting your concern on our Best Buy® Forum.  Your issue has been assigned to one of our Community Connectors for further review and response, and you should be hearing something within a maximum of 3-5 business days.  Please note that it may be sooner depending on the complexity of your issue and the current volume of posts.  Thanks for your continued patience as we work to assist all of the customers who have reached out to us on this forum.

~Elizabeth

Community Supervisor

Best Buy® Corporate

[gadgetmom]

It seemed like such a simple problem to solve.  All I wanted was for you to replace a $549 computer with one of equal or greater value since the mistake was clearly yours and it was a pretty big mistake at that.  You caused us great aggravation over the holidays and all I got from you was "it should be ok", and "thanks for returning the computer".  I have been a loyal BB customer over the years.  I'm sure you can check our records and see that we spent quite a bit.  The store that we usually shop in (Evansville, IN) has the best employees I have dealt with. They are very knowlegable and helpful.  When they read the emails from BB.com they were flabergasted.  But they said that although Best Buy and BestBuy.com are parts of the same company, they were unable to do what they thought should be done and that was simply to give me an upgrade. Apparently Bestbuy.com has different priorities than the good will and return business of their customers.

So my advice to anyone reading this is that if you buy from Best Buy, do it in a brick and mortor store where they will check your computer for free before you leave the store.

[Heath]

I dont buy electronics from best buy anymore unless the packaging is completely sealed in some way they cant attempt to duplicate.

They have sold me so called "new" expensive items that were in fact used, or opened before.

Target never does that, however Wally world  does the same as best buy.

[tanginamo]

Bait and switch, what a classic.

Worst Buy of all time.

[gadgetmom]

TO WHOEVER AT BEST BUY:   2 days and counting for your reply.........TUES. JAN 6

Message Edited by gadgetmom on 01-06-2009 09:56 PM 

JAN 7

Does anyone else ever wonder how many people they have working on this website to be able to move complaints so quickly off the message board into here?

But you wait.... and wait....and wait for them to deal with your issues?

3 DAYS AND COUNTING.... (actually, our dispute began Dec. 20)

Message Edited by gadgetmom on 01-07-2009 06:50 PM

Message Edited by gadgetmom on 01-07-2009 06:50 PM

JAN. 8--  DAY 4-- is anyone surprised that I still haven't had that reply from BB?

Message Edited by gadgetmom on 01-08-2009 08:08 PM 

JAN 9--DAY 5 HAS PASSED.  REFER TO PREVIOUS POSTING BY BB THAT THEY WOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH ME NO LATER THAN 5 DAYS.  I will continue to count...but won't hold my breath!

Message Edited by gadgetmom on 01-09-2009 07:05 PM

Message Edited by gadgetmom on 01-09-2009 07:06 PM

[u_hsen]

how do you know it's been tempered with? did u make sure everything is in the box correcty?

have you tried returning the computer to a local retail best buy store? i don't think they will charge you with a restocking fee, call in and ask before because technically all purchase through bestbuy.com gets sent back to the ware house, we don't restock them at all.

[gadgetmom · Accepted solution]

I guess I didn't explain fully.  When I received the computer, the outside box was from the Return Center for Best Buy. Then I noticed the tape on the bottom of the actual computer box had been replaced.  I then emailed customer service and they readily admitted they sent me a used computer but they "thought it would be fine".  After more emails from me a second BB.com Customer Service Representative email also confirmed it was not new.  It was bought as a Christmas gift so it would be Christmas before I could actually see if the computer was ok.  After it was opened my son thought it might work (he really had been waiting for a new computer a long time) but it was very slow.  fHe noticed quickly that it needed to be defragged. It took 3.5 hours to accomplish that.  What new computer needs to be defragged on receipt?  There were also some files that were not his.  After several more emails from BB.com they said they would accept it for return  and refund the purchase price because they no longer had this computer. The BB store I returned it to looked at it and said in her nine years of working returns she had never seen anything this bad.  So it was returned at the sale price + shipping costs.  According to BB.com customer service I should now be very happy with them when, in fact, I am definitely not.  I bought this computer on sale, and by the time I could get to a store, I had to pay $200 more for a slightly better computer.  The original computer was on sale for $150 off and what I was asking for was the same amount applied to the next priced computer.  So, although there was only a $50 difference in the prices of the two computers, I paid an extra $200 because of losing the sale.  After all the aggravation they caused us, I didn't think my request was out of line.  And do you really think I am the only one who they did this to?  Would you have noticed the label on the box was from the return center?  Maybe everone needs to check their boxes if they ordered a "sale" item from the website.  I believe RETURNED or REFURBISHED  product is, by law, required to be labeled.  Do you really believe "oops" is an appropriate response to any customer?  I grant that it COULD have been a "mistake" but their response leads me to believe it was more than that.

What can I say, except, Thank You Best Buy.  We have an acceptable solution at last.

So to anyone else out there, keep trying...they may finally come through for you.

Message Edited by gadgetmom on 01-09-2009 09:05 PM