Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[Pyrettablaze]

I have had to have my TVs replace several times already under the manufacturer's warranty. I did not use the best buy protection plan to get them replaced. The first time, they gave me the "Purchase price" of my TV as a credit to apply to the next TV. Since I upgraded to a 50 inch LG plasma, I had to pay the difference. Fine so be it, it was more expensive and I accept that.

The 50PY3D that I did buy was about 3k new at the time, and now the panel seems to be bad. Most likely it is going to be replaced and upon calling the store, they say that the "comparable" product would be a Samsung, Panasonic, or Insignia 50" plasma. I do not want any other brand other than LG because going from a 2 year manufacturers warranty is not acceptable. The Insignia is not nearly what the quality that the LG would be and that unit does not have the same amount of HDMI ports for my needs. (Of the 3, the insignia has 2 years limited warranty)

So, I would get credit for one of those 3 units I would guess. My question is, why is it fair to me as a customer to be forced into paying an extra 1200 dollars for a replacement that is more suitable under the manufacturer's warranty? Certainly you are not going to get your Cadillac replaced under the warranty for a Geo Metro because it has 4 wheels and goes from point A to point B. I paid for LG quality and I want LG quality in return along with 2 years of manufactures warranty.. I can already feel the stress in my chest building up as I contemplate having to try to argue my point with no success.

If this was being replaced under the protection plan then I guess so be it, it is out of the manufacturer's warranty. But this should have nothing to do with the protection plan's comparable replacement guidelines.

[Nokia]

You're right, it doesn't have anything to do with the No Lemon policy which is provided with the GSBTP. It has everything to do with the mfg. Because you are dealing with the mfg. and not BB, BB can only do what the mfg. authorizes, because that's all BB gets credit for.

[Pyrettablaze]

Looking at my last product swap RA voucher it says

"Your retailer will replace your product with the same or comparable model at an amount not to exceed the original purchase price."

Now since I have at the very least 2500 dollars into the original purchase price, why is BB going to start at the bottom of the price list and scroll up until they find the first 50" 1080p television to replace it with? Looking at the this LG model compared to what they are going to offer, anyone can clearly see that the LG is a much higher quality TV.  Again, if you bought your BMW boxter in PA and are going to have it replaced under the no lemon law, you are not going to take a PT Cruiser as a replacement because it is the same size, has a motor, and 4 wheels. There is more to "comparable" than just size of the screen. And if all TV's are created equal, then why would not everyone just buy a Vizio or a Westinghouse and save loads of money? It will be one thing if they are refunding the difference in purchase price to the lower quality unit but to flat out say you are going to lose the difference and have to "re-buy" the difference of what it should be replaced with is flat out extortion. I paid 2500 for a TV and I want it replaced with one that is 2099. LG is the bill footer here so BB should not be impeding this process.

So in the end of this, BB is going to make out because they offloaded a cheaper quality TV to me that they have marked up at 999-1099 versus giving me the same quality range of TV that is currently marked at 2099 which is under the original purchase price. Heck, you cannot even buy the 50PY3d online at this moment for the amount of money that BB is going to give me credit if I do not want their "comparable model". 

[Nokia]

This would require knowing what LG has told BB, which unfortunately neither of us have access to.

BTW, Porsche makes the Boxster, not BMW.

[Pyrettablaze]

OH I meant Roadster!

I am going to lean on LG to try and ship me a replacement as to avoid any collusion between LG and Best Buy. It is a shame that people are forced into this sort of thinking when all I want is what I bought.

[Nokia]

Just please understand that if there is a 50" LG under your purchase price, LG must've said something to BB for them not to be able to give it to you.

[Pyrettablaze]

Once I have the RA setup with LG, I will see what they have to say about the comperable replacement policy. Going from LG to Samsung, Panasonic, or Insignia is not going to work in my Simplink environment. So those are not going to be comparable replacements.

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hello Pyrettablaze -

Thank you for sharing your concerns.  Allan from our Community Connector team should be reaching out to you in the next few day.

[Pyrettablaze]

Ok thank you Dorothy. I have learned that the RA is going to be processed within the next 2 days after which, I will have more precise details on what is being marked as a comparable replacement.

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi Pyrettablaze,

No customer should feel like they are going to get into an argument with someone from our store when discussing with the store what a comparable TV would be to the one that is being replaced.

Hopefully I can shed some light on this for you, and alleviate any fear you might have, in regards to what TV your local Best Buy® store would consider comparable to yours if it ends up being approved to be replaced by the manufacturer’s warranty or your Performance Service Plan (PSP).

If the manufacturer ends up approving your TV for replacement and the TV was being serviced through our TV repair services, the store should provide you with the same TV if they still carry it. If we don’t still carry the same TV the store should replace your TV with a comparable model LG TV as determined by us. If we do not have a comparable model LG TV the store should provide you with store credit in the amount of what a comparable model LG TV would cost today. Keep in mind that the price of the replacement TV or the amount of the store credit cannot exceed the original purchase price.

If your PSP ends up replacing your TV the process is mostly the same with the exception that the store would not be required to consider the manufacturer (of the TV that is being replaced) when determining what a comparable TV is.

In my experience our stores are very accommodating in determining what a comparable TV would be, but I would like to personally look into this and do what I can to make sure you are taken care of. 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,