BestBuy.Com

[ShockSystem]

From Allan:

Hi ShockSystem,

I have to admit I am confused by this last response from you. Samsung has not issued us any amount of money at this point, but has instead authorized us to replace your Dryer with the most comparable Samsung model we currently carry that doesn't exceed your original purchase price. Once the replacement is processed we would then provide them the replacement information, and they would reimburse us for the cost of the new unit up to the amount you originally paid.

With that said I would like to see if the store can re-visit their determination as to what model is most comparable with the hopes that we can provide you an acceptable resolution. Before I do this I would need to get from you the model numbers of any Dryers you feel would be comparable to what you had. Thanks!

Allan

Community Connector

Best Buy Corporate

[ShockSystem]

Hello Allan,

The original receipt is: *************************** - I do not have the washer / dryer information at work anymore (I carried it around for a month) but I should probably know it off hand by now. I believe they are "419" series. I will send another message with the specifics or you can look up the receipt. The most comparable unit is: DV431AEW/XAA. 

I'm sorry for your confusion, if you don't understand my situation. I don't understand why if you are being issued a credit in the amount to replace the unit($650, because it was discounted) why I have to pay a higher ($900) "less discounted" non sale price for the replacement. In other words, if the cost of the dryer is less than $650 you are not out anything. However, because I received a discount on the defective unit, I'm either stuck paying $250 extra for the same thing because it's not on sale, or I loose the features that we use. Best buy seems to want to make out on both transactions as though these are individual sales where a profit must be made instead of just an inventory replenishment for you and an equivalent washer / dryer for me.

Very bad way to treat the customer and very bad for business.

This may make it clear. It's ever easy:

Old unit = Inventory cost: $600 (total guess) - Retail price: $1099 - Sold to customer at sale price: $650 to clear out inventory but was defective

New Unit = Inventory cost: $600 (total guess) - Retail price: $1099 - Sold to customer at cost+10% as the original was defective and you wasted his time: $650

All this could equal  = Customer is at least satisfied that you back the product and took care of business after jerking him around for six weeks.

Now, the actual situation is = Customer must pay $900 and Customer is livid and despises Best Buy with vehement hatred due to being violated after a defective product failure and Best buys total lack of customer service and complete disregard for the patron. After wasting 18hours on the phone with corporate, 3 trips, 10 hours in the store and 7 hours on the phone with the store, no call backs or communication, never being able to talk to the stores General Manager, told I have to pay extra for a replacement, and the thing still is not here six weeks later, I have come to the conclusion BestBuy sucks.

I agreed to pay the extra amount and I still don't have a dryer!

After the way I have been treated, the hours on the phone, lack of action and communication from anyone there, when this transaction is complete I will never purchase a product from Best Buy. You make me do all of the work, and then charge me extra for a replacement item. I have been explaining this six week long situation to everyone I work with. At this point if this problem goes unresolved, you loose my business and everyone that I know. Family, friends and anyone that mentions needing electronics that I talk with will automatically and categorically by discouraged from purchasing at BestBuy. I build computers about every month or so for people at work - I just tell them better to wait for parts from tiger direct. Two of our guys wanted 55in televisions... They won't be shipping from Best Buy.

This has been by far the worst customer experience I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with.

Angry, Livid, Irritated and Disrespected Customer

ShockSystem - "Christopher"

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi ShockSystem,

Thanks for the quick reply! It seems like you would like to interact on your thread vs. private message, and I will continue to reply back here unless I need some additional personal information. Thanks for providing the model number of the dryer that you feel is most comparable to the one being replaced by Samsung. I have forwarded this information onto the General Manager of store 120 to see if they agree with your assessment and if there is any resolution they can provide you in this matter.

I do have to say that your guess as to our cost on both the dryer being replaced, and model DV431AEW/XAA, is way off the mark. I see that our cost for both of these models is much higher than $600. Once again we would only be reimbursed by Samsung up to the amount you originally paid us for this Dryer, and no store should be replacing a Dryer with one that currently sells for more than the customer originally paid us. Once I hear back from this store's management I will post back to this thread.

Thanks,

[ShockSystem]

Hello Allan,

Yes, I am posting the interaction on the public side of the forum so that there is transparency. People can see and understand the interaction and make informed decisions about dealing with BestBuy for themselves. Although they may never get to experience my irritation with the hours upon hours of phone conversations with corporate and the store, they may be able to read and identify with why I am angry.

I now have a vehement hatred of Best Buy and will now do anything in my power to discourage people from spending money with the company. I was a long time customer that (like everyone else mentions) spent many thousands of dollars, and I want others to see why I have a venomous, seething, burning anger and hatred of this company. I want others to know why, when I hear the mere mention of the possibility someone I know making a purchase at Best buy it sends me into a profanity laced, turrets syndrome like tirade of mouth frothing angry ranting.

I always try to be nice to the people on the phone (I know they did not cause the problem) but they exasperate the issue. I've never been rude with the people I've dealt with in person, but the incompetence has moved into a level of total ridiculousness. I have been pleasant, nice, cordial and understanding and it has gotten me exactly nowhere. I have lost all patience with BestBuy, and I want others to SEE and READ EXACTLY WHY.

I have since the beginning wanted to speak to the mythical "Chaz", General Manager of the Santa Rosa #120 store and have never been able to see this individual, even when I drive 50 miles each way to show up to deal with this in person - as requested. There is always a meeting or off site function that gets in the way of our time we could spend figuring this thing out. I can assuredly say that If I get the opportunity to speak to "Chaz", I will try to be constructive, however he should understand just how much and on what level Best buy has failed.

Aside from all of this, even agreeing begrudgingly to pay the "extra" for a like model because I have not been able to dry my clothes for more than a month - I still have no dryer! We received exactly one phone call after our third 100 mile round trip to the store, to say that they are "working on it". Another week later, no action, no phone calls, no resolution, no replacement dryer - Just me on the phone again for hours with corporate and whom ever they can round up at the store to say that they are a manager that day and that they need 48hours to "look up my information".

If the units cost more than $600, why were they sold for $650. I understand clearing out inventory, but most companies will not sell an item for less than it costs. So a comparable model would have a similar cost I would think? Why do I have the suspicion that the cost is still less than $900? If the new and old unit both have a full MSRP of $1100, was there some sort of magical sudden increase in washer / dryer manufacturing costs? Is the replacement made of titanium? Why is it the same sale price? I was offered the beat up floor model, missing the lint trap, two series down from my unit as a "straight across" trade. Why not at this point just stop wasting time and get the thing to me? Why is my time, satisfaction and possible resolution  without further bad blood not worth cutting your losses and delivering the equivalent unit as a straight trade? I would be in full damage control at this point, if my company was getting so much negative backlash from legions of angry customers who have been treated appallingly poorly.

Thoughts from an angry customer

[redbarron55]

I agree with the customer completely after going though a similar experience with a Cabrio Washer.

I sold it for $25.00 on Craigslist just so I could explain a nearly new washer for $ 25.00.

Promised to take a long time to repair and no one could say that the inherent problem with the defective bearings had been addressed. Expensive Junk.

[ShockSystem]

Called corporate to get to the inside line to the store again today at aprox. 13:30hrs. After about a half an hour Appliance Repair was able to get through to Santa Rosa 120 and I talked with a "sales associate" after asking for the General Manager. Was put on hold and finally got to talk to "Jason" whom took my information (for about the 60th time) and promised to call back at least one of the two phone numbers within two hours. I also asked to speak to the General Manager "Chaz" but was informed that he (as always) is unavailable, and that Jason was a "Sales Manager". It is now 18:00hrs exactly and I have as usual NEVER HEARD BACK from anyone at BestBuy about the status of my replacement dryer!

[redbarron55]

I have to agree with Shock System. You purchased a dryer with a certain set of features and Samsung or best buy should replace it wit a dryer with equal features. The dollars you paid are not the issue. You purchased the utility advertised at the price advertised. Was the unit discounted because the companies involved realized that the unit was prone to defects and were unloading them on unsuspecting consumers?

Shockwave purchased the dryer in good faith that it would last through the warranty period or at least be maintained for that period and it sounds like you (Samsung and Best Buy have failed miserably in providing the utility purchased and promised!

I am beginning to think that what is needed is a good class action lawsuit to clarify the situation. I live in Alabama and here I only need to find 26 others with a complaint to file. I don't think that that will be a problem with the standards and practices I have seen here.

At least the standard practices of handling and interpreting the "Policy" and the presentation of the same at the time of sale.

The promise far exceeds the reality.

Personally I have purchased the vast majority of my "equipment" from Best Buy and the treatment when I have paid extra for " Black Tie protection" is very disappointing. Also the lenght of tome to come to a solution is unreasonable.

ShockWave should be having a problem getting touch with "Chaz" because he no longer works ofr Best Buy.

His replacement should be more customer oriented. Remember customers? they are the ones who generate the profits (if any with poor management).

[ShockSystem]

After several calls to corporate, and another hour on the phone letting them know ineffective their store communication is, I finally received a phone call updating me on the status of my replacement dryer from the store - That was the good news. I actually received a phone call. The funny thing is how they treat you like they are doing you a giant favor, as if somehow this communication is an unusual way to treat customers. Bad news is that it will be another week until my dryer shows up the the store, then arrangements have to be made to deliver it, which puts us at a total of about two months to replace a defective unit under warranty (and I'll wait 'till that happens to believe it). Apparently they have to manufacture this thing from scratch and fly in specialist left handed gnomes from Finland or something.

Wow.

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi ShockSystem,

Thanks for the update on your concern, and I did hear back from the management of this store. The store has advised me that since your dryer was approved for replacement they have made a number of offers of comparable replacements (without you having to pay any additional money). It sounds like you have finally agreed upon a comparable replacement, but this store doesn't have the unit in stock. It is correct that if a customer wants to pick up a replacement dryer from their local store, instead of paying us to deliver the new unit, we would have to wait for an out-of-stock Dryer to be shipped to that store.

Thanks,

[ShockSystem]

Total fabrication! I have never been offered a replacement other than a damaged lower feature floor model as a direct "no cost" swap. They did not have anything in stock because they are clearing inventory for a remodel and only have damaged equipment there - NO NEW PRODUCT. At no time was I EVER offered anything other than a DAMAGED FLOOR MODEL. Tell me what the "number of replacements" are. No one ever called me back anyway -So whom are these people that offered me anything?

I had paid to have a working unit in my house. You people have failed on a massive scale in delivering that. You have failed on communicating with me, failed to offer a replacement and failed to get it to me ion a reasonable time frame. Now you are outright LYING to me! Unbelievable! Every time, it's my fault. I didn't come to an agreement, you dictated what I could get, then failed to deliver. Why am I paying more for the same features!

I wanted an out of stock dryer because I don't want a damaged piece of garbage you are trying to pawn off on me again! YOU DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING - Don't you dare make this MY FAULT! You jerks are totally outrageous! You have got to be kidding me! Absolute LIES from you and the store - UNACCEPTABLE.