Horrible Customer Service and Failure To Honor Warranty
In Feb of 2011, I purchased a Samsung washer, dryer and refrigerator from BestBuy store #120 in Santa Rosa California. It took a couple of trips to the store to determine the best price, features and quality and visiting the store is a 100mi round trip, but we figured it was worth it to make sure that we got the right product. We are 5mi outside the “free” delivery area so we had to pay $100 extra for delivery – OK. We got a great deal on the units as we made one large purchase – about $3000. The washer and dryer have a full retail MSRP of $1100ea. We paid $650ea. A small additional discount was added after their not so professional delivery crew damaged the units when bringing them in and hooking them up.
Well, less than a year later, the dryer fails – No heat, deffective. I call BestBuy, after about an hour waiting on the phone they tell me that I didn't add the extra protection so, call the manufacturer. OK, I call Samsung and they issue a service call tag to a local repair shop; the totally incompetent Lake Appliance. No one from lake appliance ever calls me, so I call the repair shop and they state they won't come out unless I pay extra for mileage and time, or I can have Samsung authorize coverage. I call Samsung and get authorization on the extra charges. Lake Appliance won't come out unless I get it in writing from Samsung. Which they won't do because I am the customer not the repair contractor. I do all the footwork get all the authorizations and still no calls back from the jerk at Lake Appliance. So after, six calls to the repair shop, a promise from them to finally setup an appointment later that week, no call back. After five additional calls to Samsung explaining that no one has ever called me back to even look at the drier after two weeks, they agree to replace the washer and dryer (matched set) and issue authorization numbers for both units to be returned to BestBuy store 120 to be exchanged.
I call BestBuy Santa Rosa to arrange an exchange. After about an hour on hold they say bring the old one into the store. I paid for delivery because I don't have a vehicle to transport them, I can't “bring it in”! Santa Rosa store staff member states; “Well, just come down to the store and pick out the new model. We can just swap it for the new model and pick up the others when delivered”. Why can't this be done over the phone? Apparently I need to show up in person to give them the authorization number. So we drive down to the store - a hundred mile round trip for no reason whatsoever. “Well... that model is not made anymore and the model that is its equivalent is not on sale for that price so you will have to pay the difference or pick out a different set that is several models downgraded to match your credit”. What? So, even though they will get a credit from Samsung that should cover the cost of replacing the inventory, I have to pay the difference for the full MSRP retail price! So to replace the washer and dryer with the equivalent models I have to pay full non sale retail! BestBuy gets to make a profit twice on a defective item! Several times I've been offered open box or damaged items, but how are those going to hold up? I paid for a new matched set without defects, why can't I get a new matched equivalent set without paying several hundred dollars extra? “We will see what we can do, go home and we will call you tomorrow by 11am”. 2pm the next day no phone call, I call into the store and wait on hold for about 30 minutes. Staff member says “We are not sure what we can do, so we'll call you in the next 48hours”. 48Hours later no phone call. I call in, they need more time, they never call back and no one knows how to solve the situation without a $400 to $600 out of pocket cost to me for exchanging a defective item.
The total time spent on the phone with BestBuy corporate and the store (when they bother pick up the phone, or transfer you to nowhere) has exceeded 12hours. The customer service agents at corporate are pleasant but not helpful, the store staff can be downright rude when they pick up the phone and don't “accidentally” hang up on you several times. They act as though I'm trying to “get one over” on them or gain some monetary amount. I just want the equivalent replacement item. My dryer was $1100 retail, $650 on sale – Why do I have to pay $1100 retail for its replacement. BestBuy is getting a $650 credit, most likely more than the wholesale cost of the unit. It should be a straight swap, simple and easy. Make the customer happy by standing behind the product they sell by helping out the customer. No loss. They can't do that! They must make additional profit on every transaction, as if I was buying another one.
If we got such a deal on the appliances, or we are outside the service area (they knew where they were delivering to) that BestBuy / Samsung can not replace or repair them, they should have stated that the warranty was forfeit or wouldn't be honored. Now that I have been jerked around for a month, put on hold or transferred for hours at end and I still don't have a dryer, I think I'll just post the whole experience on FaceBook. I just want to educate others to stay far away from BestBuy. Lesson learned: They don't stand behind the product, are impossible to get a hold of for service, are deceptive in their business practices and will not honor warranties unless they can make additional profit with “extra protection” or additional charges.
Thanks for nothing,
Very angry, very irritated former customer - ShockSystem
Ryan-BBY
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