Here is the email I sent to the General Manager, Mr. Todd. R. who when I called the store back, found out no longer works there, and my concerns needed to be directed to Ginger, an assistant manager, because they don't have a GM right now. The website http://stores.bestbuy.com/242/announcement/11/ says Mr. R. is the GM. Maybe this fact could have been shared as well, instead of saying the GM "IS Not available rgith now." I feel as if the people in the store couldn't care less about how they talk to people. I would have been fine if they had been up front and said that they would make an exception about the 14 day issue and I could come back tomorrow, rather than saying they could take the same power cord out of one box but not another.
Good afternoon Mr. R*****,
I wanted to write you in regards to Kendall and Leon in customer service.
I came into the store today, July 25 2011, at lunch time to see about trading my 16GB Toshiba Thrive in for a 32GB. I was told when I purchased it that I would have a 14 day return window. Today is 14 days, so I wanted to handle it.
When I asked Leon about the return policy, he had to study the back of the receipt to fully understand the return policy timeline to give me the best answer. He told me that I could do the exchange. As I was talking to him, I told him that I had an empty box with me and the Thrive in my car, but the charging cord was at my house because I forgot to bring it with me. The Toshiba part that is included in each size, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB is located on their website at http://us.toshiba.com/accessory/PA3922U-1ARA. Since all models use the same power supply, I asked if we could swap the power supply from the 32GB model and leave it with the 16GB that I was returning. Leon informed me that he needed to include the same part that came with the Thrive when I did the exchange. I asked him since it was the same part in both boxes, why we couldn't just take it from the new one and put it with the old one and he told me that since the two had different capacities that the power supply was specific to this one and that I had to have the exact accessories that came in the box to return it. I told him that the power supply is the same and that the only difference is the memory inside the machine. He said it didn't matter, that it was policy. I asked him what would happen if I just bought the 32GB and went to the parking lot and switched the boxes and brought it back in. He told me he would not accept it since I told him I was going to do it, but if I bought another 16GB he would be fine moving the power supply from one box to the other.
At that point Kendall finished with his customer and came over to assist. I explained to him that I did not understand the problem with switching the power cord from the 32GB to the 16GB since it was the same. He told me it was policy that everything I bought in the box with the 16 had to come back. I told him I was more confused then because Leon was willing to switch the cord from one 16GB to another 16GB and if that was the case the same cord is in the 32GB and it wouldn't be any different. He tried to explain to me that capacities were different and that wouldn't work. He then proceeded to start walking away and said, "This isn't confusing; even if I didn't work here I would understand this stuff."
When he said that I said I was done talking to them and that I wanted to see a manager because he had insulted me by saying I was stupid. Kendall didn't think he said I was stupid so I corrected myself and said he inferred I was stupid. He then told me that I am putting words in his mouth because he never called me stupid and then said he was the manager. I asked for the General Manager, and he said that the General Manager wasn't available, and that I should understand their point. I was pretty angry at this point, because the attitude that I was treated with. He went on to tell me how polite they had been trying to explain the policy that what went out with the product had to come back exactly, a policy that they were willing to make an exception to by trading out a cord from a 16 to a 16, and that I needed understand the policy.
I then told them that since the power cord is in my house in Texas City, that I wouldn't be able to get it back today and that I would be outside of my 14 day return policy. They told me that they would make an exception to that policy by letting me return it tomorrow. I again asked for the General Manager and they told me to go ahead and make my call and complain because I was not being cooperative.
I tried to make it clear that I didn't understand how their strict policy adherence made any sense if they were willing to trade power cords from 16 to 16 and not 32 to 16 if it was the exact same part. They didn't seem to care or understand my point and reiterated that it was the policy. At the tune of almost $710 for warranties and buy back, I would imagine that I get treated like I am a smart person. I was pretty ticked off when I left because there was no resolve except that I could come back tomorrow, which is outside my 14 day return period, and exchange the product with the correct power cord because they were willing to make an exception to the return policy for me.
I am still confused how the policy is so strict and so loose and don't understand how they didn't see my confusion with what they said.
I would appreciate a call back with some sort of explanation from someone who won't talk down to me and tell me that I should understand something that has such contradiction to it.
Ryan-BBY
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