Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[Agent_Will]

I'm actually a current employee of Best Buy (Geek Squad).  I assure you all of the products we sell we receive new, in sealed cartons from the manufacturers, and all come with the standard manufacturer warranty period.  I can also say from experience that a few new in box computers are defective, even never having been powered on.  The manufacturers have QA testing but it is not nearly 100% accurate.  As far as harddrives, they're easily the most common part to fail.  I've seen where we replaced a drive and it failed during shipping from the service center to store.  It's not uncommon for a new computer to experience an issue within a month, week, or even days after purchase.

As for your concerns about our data backup service.  It is a service we offer, we aren't trying to steal money from you, its 100% optional.  Saying we should do it for free because it could be done in the time it takes me to type a message is silly.  That's like taking your car in for an oil change and asking them to throw in a free wheel alignment and tire rotation.  Geek Squad is in the service business; we're here to provide a service and make a profit, like every other business in the world.

[Justinekakembo]

'Saying we should do it for free because it could be done in the time it takes me to type a message is silly.'

And you are customer service.

A word of advice, insulting customers.....not a very good customer service decision, actually its a bad one. Here's a good method, If you do not like what I have to say but still feel that your company has important information that would be in my best interest as a dissatisfied and gruntling customer to know, have some one else relate it to me. This way you avoid burn out and irritation that leads to insulting language. I may have a bunch of gramatical errors but I do not htink that constitutes my opinions as 'silly'. And no, you dont have to issue out free data back-up service, however in my case you could offer it as a courtesy to placate me, especially if your service center calls badgering me to take the 'offer'. It is very frustrating to spend the first few months with one's new laptop in the repair store....courtesy goes a long way in easing the discomfort.

By the bye, googd luck with the 'world domination bit'. So far I'd say you are doing a very good job, too bad I can not be a part of your kind of world. Very silly indeed.

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hello Justinekakembo -

Aaron, one of our Geek Squad Community Connectors, will be reaching out to you regarding your concern.  You can expect to hear from him shortly.  Thank you for your patience.  

[Justinekakembo]

Still waiting on Aaron......

[Justinekakembo]

So I went in yesterday to pick-up my laptop, fresh from repair with a new hard drive and nothing on it. The squad told me to take it home and install the recovery discs that were created the first time it crashed (a couple of days after purchase). I luckily had anticipated this request and brought said discs in with me and aked the geek to help run them as I was sure I would screw it up. So I will have to wait acouple of days to pick it up which is fine by me. ON the other hand, the Sd card slot worked just fine, I actually had him run an sd card through to make sure the fittings were right; so we are all square on that front. 

[Aaron-BBY Community Connector]

Greetings Justine (Justinekakambo),

I can imagine how frustrated you must feel to be without your laptop, especially if you have experienced difficulties in the past with another computer.  Your disappointment at discovering the unit’s hard drive would need to be replaced is also understandable if you did not have the opportunity to back up your data prior to seeking service.  I would be equally disheartened in a similar situation.

Like other posters have mentioned, however, please remember that neither most factory warranties nor our service plans provide coverage for software-related issues.  It is ultimately the consumer’s responsibility to back up their data, and data backup is only available through our retail stores for an additional fee.  For additional information though I would strongly encourage you to check out the following link:

http://www.geeksquad.com/services/computer/service.aspx?id=2923

As far as your laptop’s hard drive is concerned, Agent_Will is correct in stating that once replaced the defective drive becomes the property of Best Buy® and is promptly disposed of to ensure the data on it is no longer accessible by anyone.  This doesn’t just apply to hard drives though – it applies to all internal components we replace under factory warranty or service plan coverage.  Parts are exchanged on a one-for-one basis, meaning that we provide you a fully-functional replacement part in exchange for the defective one.

I have sent you a private message with some additional information.  You can check your private messages by signing into the forums and then clicking on the letter icon in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

[Justinekakembo]

Hello Justine,

I have had the opportunity to speak with several associates at our Bloomingdale, IL store and was able to confirm that an in-store technician completed reinstalling Windows on your laptop late yesterday afternoon.    You should be able to pick the computer up at your earliest convenience.  I regret to inform you, however, that despite several attempts by the store to retrieve the old hard drive for data backup services it appears that this will not be possible.

It’s regrettable if this does not meet your expectations, but again, please keep in mind that we are unable to make any guarantee that data will be present and intact when products return from service if data backup services are declined.  As such, I would strongly encourage you to backup your files on a regular basis or to seek data backup services prior to seeking repairs to avoid the possibility of future disappointment.

Agent Aaron
Geek Squad® Community Connector
Go Ahead.  Use Us.

Case #: 65541827 

I'm sorry but I don't feel comfortable receiving 'private messages', from you when the title of my complaint is 'Geek Squad blackmail'. So thanks for the check-up but I will pass on the reiterated advice that had already been passed on from the name-calling agent, Agent_Will. Besides, it does not help my comprehension any when the communications connector directed to my issue starts off with an ill courtesy. My name Agent Aaron, is Kakembo. As it appears all over my poorly expressed, or rather "silly"opinions as Agent Will pointed out,  on the forum.

Then again maybe it is a best buy/geek squad tradition to make assumptions as opposed to using facts. No, the bloomingdales store did not finish installin windows on my laptop yesterday afternoon, they did so today. Yesterday evening at about 6:30pm, i made the trek out to the store from st charles to pick up my ready laptop, only to find it blank. luckily i had the re-installation discs with me in anticipation of this and asked the geek at the counter to help me run them. He told em it would take a couple of days. This evening, about the same time, I called the store to inquire if my laptop was ready and after a 26 minute wait (dont you just hate the timers on you cell?), the lady told me it was ok to pick it up. So I drove back out to the store from St charles and picked up my laptop that I am now using to write you.

Also, I beg to differ but I didn't go 'seeking repairs' for my laptop. last time I checked, the only thing I did wrong was buy the laptop from best buy and I can't tell you how many times I have kicked myself for having done so. Like I said before, I have gone through this head ache with the failing electronics from best buy and the geek squad circus because I bought a laptop from best buy before. Yes Aaron, the one that ended up crashing and forcing me to get another one. I also simply must mention the fact that I did purchase an HP external hard drive ( becaue I was forced to when the first laptop crashed one month into purchase due to an overheating unit and they had to send it back for 'service') and I was kindly informed by a geek at the randall store that all my backed up data on the external hardrive, can't be transferred to the new laptop.

Do me a favor Aaron, if you really want to help me, take the time to read through my posts. I have an issue and it may not be all that important to the casual observer but its keeping me from doing everything else I usually do in the time I have allocated to posting on this board. If you can't perform this simple service before putting me in my place, then I suggest, just like I suggested with Agent_Will,geek squad/best buy find someone who can, while I am still on board.