Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[LatretaStout]

We purchased this TV from Best Buy in May 2008, at the Wichita Falls, Texas store.  The salesman seemed very good and knew his business and with his sales pitch convinced us to purchase the 4 year service plan. My husband and I are both retired and live in a rural community and thought this would be just what we needed. The television was not cheap especially when you put all the add ones; surge protector, cables and other items the salesman suggested we needed to get everything hooked up in top notch shape. Oh yes this included a sound system also! There was a $200.00 charge for delivery and setting all this up because we lived outside the city limits, 40 miles away from this store. This in itself seemed strange since we were making such a large purchase at their store. I will not go into the Geek Squad, not enough time or space to write and you do not have time to read it all!!!

Approximately on May 27, 2010 the television had lines appearing across 1/2 of the screen. After a couple of days we called the Geek Squad. On Thursday the 3rd day of June 2010 we turned in a service call on our television. I was talking to a female operator (with the Geek Squad) and she was trying to find someone close to our location to come work on the TV. At first she was sending someone 4 hours from our residence. I questioned her about this and this is when everything came to light for me. I truly felt like we had been mis-led on the service plan, my husband or I neither one remember it being explained to us and stupid us; we just supposed someone would come from (Geek Squad) out of Wichita Falls, Tx. to work on our T. V.  I found out Best Buy contracts this work out to different repair men and it is contracted by the brand of the T. V.  The operator finally found a business in Lawton, Ok. which is about 1 hour from our residence that had a contract with Best Buy for Samsung televisions.

Friday the  4th of June 2010 we received a call from the service man wanting to know what was wrong with the television, we told him and he ask for the model and serial number and said he knew what was wrong and would get the part ordered. He explained to us that Best Buy would only pay him for one trip down so he wanted to make one trip to fix the television.

Let me shorten this a bit by saying there has been three new parts put on our television.  Today is Saturday the 26th of June 2010 and our television is still not fixed!!!! They are ordering another part so we are looking at 4 weeks from first repair before we can hope to get our television repaired.

This is totally unacceptable!!!! JUST UNREAL!!!!!!  I have called Best Buy Geek Squad numerous times and talked to a supervisor three times and get the same old song and dance.

I have decided two things:  We will not buy Sam Sung brand again and have no plans to buy from BestBuy again, we will only tell our story to friends and relatives and advise anyone we can to purchase elsewhere.

I realize my small complaint will not close their stores but I have a very very very unpleasant taste over this deal!!! We have bought two televisions ( second TV. Was a Panasonic) a printer and digital camera over the last two years, our purchase will not make or break them but people need to know about this. There are many many other places that sell televisions, printers and cameras.          Latreta

[akcs03]

So theres a thing called TERMS and CONDITIONS. Just because you bought a service plan DOES NOT mean they will jump and fix it right away, theres just no way. These products are produced outside of the USA and it takes time to order parts and get them back in. When something goes wrong its always "Ill never go back" until you shop somewhere else and something doesn't go YOUR way again. You have a service plan, they had someone out there. Wait for it to be repaired.

[EKL18]

Maybe you should start by editing your posts prior to posting them. Aside from your reply being useless, it is poorly written. I'll tell you why they are probably upset, it most likely has to do with their salesman telling them that the service plan would provide them a replacement, and even a "loaner" TV while they repair the unit. I have heard it all. They will tell you whatever you want to hear in order to sell you that service plan. I have, on more than one ocassion, tried it myself, and still am amazed at the responses I get from these kids.

It's pretty bad when the majority of the time, you are buying one of these plans because you are already aware of the high failure rate of many of these units. The more bells and whistles, the more likely they are to have issues. Quality control at the manufacturer is down the tubes. Furthermore, in their haste to release the latest and greatest (every 6 months apparently), they skimp on parts, panels, etc.....and sell you a lemon. Hence, yet another reason to be upset.

Regardless, one thing that is iron clad in the "terms and conditions", is that after the 4th repair, they will give you back your money, or find you a comparable unit. Hope it works out for you folks. I can't imagine how money doesn't even buy reliability these days.

[LatretaStout]

I was hoping this would fall into management hands and this would be used as a tool to better serve the customers but I do not think that is the case.

I certainly expected quicker service than 4 weeks out - you live and learn from these experiences. You are correct it is easy to say "I'll never go back" when you are upset but we are in our retirement years and one thing I do know no more major puchase with Best Buy. Anything your store has to offer can be found at numerous other places. Not only that but most places will price match!  We will shop around and check all things out in a much better way. We are on up in years and this is the first experience for us in this manner.  I know a lot of brands are made overseas but surely all products are not made overseas-may be more expensive to buy one that parts can be purchased for in America but I can assure you we learned a lesson - you never get too old to learn.

Never in my life have I had a service plan that takes this long to fix the product - not like the good old days-these are changing times and they are not for the best!!! At this point we have no choice but to wait for repairs. One thing I know no more SamSung TV and I still have freedom of speech.

[akcs03]

60 days, I contacted BBB. 90 Days wrote a nice letter to the attorney general with photographs, emails to and from company back and forth. day 98 recieved a phone call from the company asking to settle the dispute. i do not purchase these service plans. good luck though

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Good afternoon Latreta -

Allan, one of our Community Connectors, will be reaching out to you regarding your concern.  Thank you for your continued patience!

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi LatretaStout,

I’m sure the fact that your TV needs repairs after only owning it for two years is disappointing to say that least, and I completely understand you being upset with how long this repair is taking.

It is true that we sometimes have to use a local service center repair one of our customer’s TVs, and this would only be done if we didn’t have an authorized technician that works in that particular customer’s area (or if the customer requests that a local service center perform the repair). We are working towards getting full coverage for our services in the U.S.

I would like to work with you towards getting you the fastest possible resolution to this, and I am sending you a private message to work towards that goal. 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,

[atlib1986]

This is very similar to what I am experiencing right now.  For short, its been over a month and my TV is still nto replaced.  Let me summarize and I will repost this as its own Thread.

End of May my TV went on the fritz, called it in that day and had it picked up Saturday the 29th.  I followed up multiple times so this is what follows.

June 4th, follow up with outside repair company.  Was told part was ordered 2 days ago.

June 10th (THURSDAY), follow up with company,  part was received on the 14th (WEDNESDAY).

June 11th (FRIDAY) called for delivery.  PART WAS JUST PUT INTO TV, and needed 24 hours to ?set?

Company does not delivery on Saturday (BUT PICKS UP) so I have a 2 week work trip.

(CALLS TO BEST BUY 4+ managers told me nothign was done wrong basically suck it up and wait for deliveyr on Monday). (was also told normal repairs are 3-10 business days HAHAHA)

June 23rd MONDAY TV was delivered back to me ( I HAD TO TAKE A DAY OFF OF WORK TO BE HOME TO ACCEPT DELIVERY).

Now the TV flickers and has turned off 3 times on me.  Called to report back to BB, and they said the POLICY SAYS that the repair company has to come out pick up my tv and fix it again, since its within 90 days of the last repair.  No acknowledgement of poor service and poor support, and definitely no compensation.  Basically back to square one with my tv, and I have waited over a month plus will have to take atleast two days off of work.

[LatretaStout]

On June 23rd, 2010 - 1 day short of 4 weeks since the repair was turned in, the service man put a new LCD panel on our TV and so far everything is working fine. This was the third new part that was put on. Hopefully this last part has fixed the TV.

[LatretaStout]

Bless your heart, I feel your pain. I did not go through quite as long as you have, mine was just a month but seemed forever. Keep after them and hopefully you will get it fixed. I truly know how frustrating it is!!!! Sounds like you could possibly need a new LCD panel also. No one knows until they have been through something like this.