Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[flyingaimlessly]

Hypothetical situation here. Lets say I order an item online for store pickup, go to the store, receive the item, give it a quick glance to make sure it's right, sign for it, show my receipt to the guy at the door, etc. Everything seems kosher, only to get home, rip open the box like it's Christmas morning and discover that it's not the exact product that I ordered and paid for, but a slightly better version of that product. Am I obligated to return it? It seems like it would be more of a loss to the store if I return it out of the box and they still have to give me a new item of the correct version. On the other hand, I'm a little worried that when I go to activate it it's going to flag as stolen since the store's inventory is obviously not going to show that this item was purchased.

Is there a policy on this? I've seen through a quick google search that this happens quite often with in-store pickup because they don't scan the items at checkout. Usually it's someone disgruntled complaining, though. I haven't seen any posts from people who have come out on top due to a best buy mistake.

[Jimmienomam]

It's ethics. Yes you should return it as it is theft.

But again it's ethics meaning that there will be 20 people coming on here saying that it was BBYs fault for going you the wrong item etc.

In my eyes you should call the store and tell them they gave you the wrong item. If it is a small difference in price you can mention that you are willing to bring it back, but they will lose more money selling that item as open box. They may choose to just let you have it.

I was in a similar situation at Target over Christmas. There was a lot of clearance games so I grabbed about 10 for gifts and they didn't ring one up. I didn't know till weeks later when I was making sure I had receipts in case they wanted to take one of them back.

I walked in and told them. I knew the price of the game. They already wrote it off as a loss, so as much as I wanted to give them the money they could not legally take it as it would be fraud since they wrote it off.

I gave that money to charity and called it a day.

[biff]

I personally would.  I think I would make someone's day as well.  But that is just me.

[flyingaimlessly]

I know what my ethical options are, I'm really more curious about specific policy. Will I be compensated for my trouble if I do bring it back (I spent $30 bucks in gas to get there, and will have to do so again to bring it back, that's more than the price difference in the two items), can they flag it as stolen, will this count toward that mysterious return tracking that they do, can it be bricked if I try to activate it, those sorts of things.

[kst8no1]

They won't compensate you for your gas nor should you expect them to. they can't consider it stolen since when you signed the pickup pairs best buy agreed on giving u the right product. its best buys loss either way. id call them and just get them know but they'll just have you keep it.

[flyingaimlessly]

I don't expect them to pay for my gas, I just put that out there to indicate that I'm really being put at a disadvantage by their error. McDonald's offers you a complimentary soda when they screw up, I'm just trying to figure out what BestBuy policy is on handling these types of situations.

[AaronE]

I know of no policy regarding situations like this.

Would a hearty thank you and a hand shake be good enough compensation?

[CheapestGamer]

---

kst8no1 wrote:
They won't compensate you for your gas nor should you expect them to. they can't consider it stolen since when you signed the pickup pairs best buy agreed on giving u the right product. its best buys loss either way. id call them and just get them know but they'll just have you keep it.

---

That's the problem with society nowadays. People do something that's considered to be right and they want recognition or to be compensated for it somehow. Whatever happened to doing the right thing just because it's the right thing to do?

[sethschroeder]

Ya but why should he be held responsible to clear up their mess? I mean afterall he is doing the right thing by bringing back the item. Think about it the other way, would best buy come to your door if they discovered they messed up and gave you a worse product?

No so why should be expected to do the same. I would call them and let them know, if I had to go more than 10 mins out of my way to get to Best Buy I tell them to ship me my item and include a return box for me to put the item in. I am all for doing the right thing but it shouldn't be at the person doing the good deeds expense.

Believe me just had an experience where someone's medication got shipped to me, I did the right thing and got ahold of the actual person but I am not driving half way across the city to give it to them as they put down the wrong address.

I say call Best Buy explain it to them and if they do want it back either ask for them to ship it or explain the next time you will be in the area to do the exchange. Most likely they will probably tell you to keep it as its more hassel in the end and like someone else said it will be open box and who knows how much mark down they will need to do.