Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[Scammed2009]

We bought a Kodak digital camera and the sales clerk said we could get a replacement plan. He used the word replacement. The camera broke less than a month later and we took it to the store with our paperwork, only to be told that it wasn't a replacement plan, but a service plan. Nobody said anything about service. We were told a replacement plan. 

We left it at the store and were told we'd be contacted in 3 days. Three days later they sent an email saying they were looking into it and would contact us in another 3 days. We never heard back. We went back to the store tonight, almost 2 weeks after the last contact from the service department, and were told they were still looking into the repair.

When we bought the camera nobody said anything about a repair. The sales clerk and the cashier both said it was a replacement plan. My wife and kids leave on vacation tomorrow with no camera because a clerk lied to us about what we were buying.

The Best Buy warranties are a complete scam. The employee told us it was a replacement plan; that is a verbal contract. He was is representative of the company and told us we were purchasing a product. I can't wait for the class action lawsuit. Sign me up NOW!!! It may not be much money, but the satisfaction of seeing a jury (or even a judge) who have all been told by Best Buy employees that they were purchasing a replacement plan and instead find out in court, during the trial, that they bought a "service plan" will really brighten my day. The clerks tell everybody about "replacement" never anything about "repair." There isn't an adult in the country who hasn't heard that line.

The service manager even tried to sell us a new camera! He said, "If they fix the other camera you can just bring it back." What a joke! I was going to buy a few things and immediatly put them on the counter and walked away.

It sucks that Best Buy has put everybody out of business. I guess I'll stick to Apple or buying used. Apple honors their warranties and when you buy used you KNOW you're taking a chance. I really expected better. Shame on me for falling for a scam.

Oscar {last name removed per forum guidelines}

Message Edited by Elizabeth-BBY on 06-20-2009 11:01 AM

[Nokia]

You are making an assumption here, and that is that these two employees knew what they were selling. It's entirely possible that they were just misinformed employees.

With consideration to your "contract", I believe you mean an oral contract.  However, there's a very good chance it wouldn't be valid, because only one party agrees. It's actually a case of hearsay.

BTW, in reference to your class action, it'll never happen. There is no way for the plantiffs (customers) to prove what was said to them. I don't doubt that many customers have been misinformed, but if a class action like that were to come up, you'd have every dishonest person in the country who bought a product and a PSP/GSBTP from BB saying that they were told "replacement".

A Community Connector should be along shortly to resolve your issue.

[Scammed2009]

Nokia:

I know there won't be a lawsuit, and if there was one I wouldn't be a part of it. And yes, I am making an assumption... When an employee sells something, he/she should know what they are selling. That's not too much to ask of any company. 

Hearsay doesn't apply here, because they make the same claim to so may people it has become a "past practice" and an oral contract is as valid as a written contract if it can be verified. In this case, given the company's advertisements and the huge numbers of customers who have been told about the replacement policy, the oral contract argument COULD hold water and be a real thorn in their side. At the very least, it'll give them a black eye which I think they should work hard to avoid. 

As far as the company overall, I'd have to say they are good to deal with and have pleasant people working there. However, they are misrepresenting their replacement policy and it will come back and bite them. Either they should rethink how they present the warranty product or they should retrain their employees.  

 I got an email today saying the camera is looked at to determine if it will be repaired. However, repair was not what I was told when I bought it. I was told it would be replaced. They still haven't committed to repair it, just to see if it can be repaired. That's far from honoring a commitment.

They are the only large electronics retailer in the country and if they want to retain their customer base they need to live up to their commitments. I go to Best Buy for service. If that goes away there are several retail options with lower prices I (and a lot of other people) could shop at. The service won't be the same, but if Best Buy forgets about customer service, then what have we got to lose? 

[Elizabeth-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hi Scammed2009,

I've asked Allan, one of our Community Connectors, to review and respond to your concerns.  You should hear from him within the next few business days at the most.

Thanks for posting,

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi Scammed2009,

I truly do apologize for any miscommunication that happened at the time of your transaction, and being a photographer myself I can’t imagine ever going on vacation without a camera. I honestly hope your wife got a camera to use while on vacation.

Although we do have replacement plans for some product categories, Best Buy® has never sold a replacement plan that covers a digital camera or camcorder. The store associate should have been truthful with you in regards to what is covered by your service plan when you were considering the purchase, and you should have received a copy of the terms and conditions of the plan at the time of your purchase.   Replacement may be an option under the service plan when/if a product becomes eligible under the No Lemon Policy, is deemed un-repairable by a qualified technician, or is found to be uneconomical to repair.  If you are not satisfied with this coverage, you can return your service plan for a pro-rated refund.

I would like to look into your camera repair and see if there is something I can do to get this resolved faster for you. I am sending you a private message, and to check your messages you should log into the forum and then click on the letter icon in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

Thanks for posting,
Allan
Community Connector
Best Buy® Corporate

[Scammed2009 · Accepted solution]

I take back most of what I said. Best Buy replaced the camera and held up their end of the bargain just fine. After about a month of going back and forth with the store customer service department and the repair folks the camera was replaced with the current model. We are completely satisfied with the support we received from the service reps at the store and the repair facility.

I still believe the sales people are not being upfront about the replacement policy, but Best Buy met any reasonable expectations regarding a store warranty. I am much better educated about the service/replacement products your store offers and will purchase a warranty again.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and all the feedback on this site.