Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[dmurchie04]

So I have a 56'' Toshiba DLP. Paid roughly $1900 for it and the PSP. It died on Jan 4th. Today is Januaray 14 and I am just as far as getting it repaired the first day it broke.

So when it break's I get out my protection plan brochure and I call the number to get someone out here and fix the tv. That is all good and great, I explain that I was watching tv and all the sudden I heard a loud pop and the screen went black. I could still hear...It obviously is the bulb that has blown. The person that I talk to agree's they say we will send someone out there to get the tv whats your next day yadda yadda. The first date they had was the 13th, but I knew I worked so i set it for the day after, the 14th.

The time the schedule it for is between 4-8 PM. That is good becuase I have class in the AM until 1:30. But I get a call from the tech that is coming out saying he is going to be very early and that he would be there between 1 and 3 and that if it doesn't work I should call bestbuy back for a reschedule! That obvisouly doesn't work for me since I am not home till little after 2. But I didn't get to answer because I was in class. So when I get out I call 888-bestbuy to make sure that if he did come out, he was not gonna scew me and say I would have to reschedule b/c my original time was between 4-8PM. They contact the technician and he says that he had ordered the part and that when it comes in they will call me to re-set up a time for him to come out and actually fix it! I cannot believe this! 

So now the part is on order after my tv has been unwatchable for 10 days. 3-5 days for a part to come in. That will put me at Monday the 19th before I will get a call for a reschedule. Then I would assume another week because my only days off are monday and wednesday! I am just appauled that bestbuy thinks that this is ok. How can they be fine with someone spending SO MUCH on a product and then not fixing it right away. I was not happy with waiting the 10 days to get it fixed but I did, and I didn't complain. But now that I have to wait another 10-14 days for them to get a part and then come out again to fix it is just unnacceptable. I talked to the supervisore on the phone and he just kept repeating that it is stated in the PSP that it would be fixed. And how this is a $700 repair. It is not a $700 it is a $300 at best. I got the receipt emailed to me from bestbuy! The tech didn't even diagnose my tv which they said was the whole reason he came out here today. Because I wasn't there he read my service ticket and just ordered the part! Why couldn't he or someone else read what was wrong with my tv and said yup it is the bulb that popped and thats what I will order so come time for your appointment your tv will be fixed on time. 

I'm not expecting a new tv I don't care for that! I wouldn't mind a $50-100 giftcard from bestbuy and then they're policy changed for anyone else who might get the shaft by this PSP crap. 

But if bestbuy doesnt make this right by me you can be sure that I will never buy another PSP plan again, I will tell everyone I know to never buy one. And I will likely never go back to bestbuy. There are plenty of other retail chains for me to buy everything you guys have. One last chance to save a customer...It's up to you

[chesman2k1]

The Product Protection Plan (PSP) is a joke. They just make so much money from that given that the margins on electronics are very slim. I have bought a camera at BestBuy for $1475 and which I also purchased a PSP to for $175. I use this for business also. When my camera started to malfunction I turn it in to get repair. This was last week on Monday, January 7, 2009. They sent me an email saying it was checked in on January 7, 2009. That is the only state which I know the camera is in. I don't receive any other status reports. I call the BestBuy and ask for the status and they read from their computer screen that it is in repair but cannot call to check on it. As a business customer I don't recommend buying products from BestBuy. The PSP is not worth the money too. It takes too long to get your products back in time for business use. I spent so much money here and get crappy service. I'll just be telling my story to others and save them their money, time and despair.

[Elizabeth-BBY Community Supervisor]

Dear dmurchie04, 

Thanks for posting your concern on our Best Buy® Forum.  Your issue has been assigned to one of our Community Connectors for further review and response, and you should be hearing something within a maximum of 3-5 business days.  Please note that it may be sooner depending on the complexity of your issue and the current volume of posts.  Thanks for your continued patience as we work to assist all of the customers who have reached out to us on this forum.

[FrustratedinAZ]

dmurchie,

I can certainly feel your pain.  I have a 46" Toshiba, and have been without it, on this particular occasion, since December 19th.  I think BBY is going to replace it this time, but won't know for sure for a couple of days.  And I'm not sure what it will be replaced with even if the decision goes my way. 

As a joke, I have told all of my friends that I am holding a super bowl party at our local BBY store since I am not sure when our TV will be repaired or replaced.   

Good luck....

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hello dmurchie04 -

My televisions is an integral part of my family life, so I can understand how inconvenient it must be to have yours out of commission.  I do apologize for the wait you are experiencing, however service on a product is rarely an immediate fix. 

The standard procedure is to have a technician first perform a service call to properly diagnose the failure, then order any parts that might be necessary.  At that time a follow up service call would have to be scheduled.  While you might have to wait for an appointment, please remember there are many other people who require service also, and we do our best to maximize scheduling to accommodate all our customers.  

I do offer you my sincerest apologies, and I have documented the challenges you have reported here, so they can be reviewed for internal follow up.  I would also like to speak with you further on this, therefore I am sending you a private message.  You can check your private messages by first ensuring you are logged into the forums, then clicking the envelope in the upper right hand corner.  

Regards,

Dorothy

Community Connector

Best Buy® Corporate

[dmurchie04]

So the tech replaces the bulb.... make sure the tv comes on, but leaves it to me to calibrate it!

W T F!

Are you kidding me? The tech doesnt set it up so it is working immediately? WHY!?!

[maverick]

These protection plans give you more that you expected!! Poor Service, stress, and you will get to visit with many of BB finest uncaring team members. Oh yes, you will be educated in all of the policies and processes (hoops you must jump through) to get really crappy service.

I canceled every plan I had because the Bonehead Geeks can't fix a good TV let alone one that has a problem..

Best advice, if your TV has manufacture warranty on it, contact them and get a name of the authorized servicer in your area. Once your set is repaired, cancel your contact and use the money to have a party, at least you will get some enjoyment instead of frustration!! I learned that the hard way after BB tech screwed up my set. The manufacturer recommended repair provider did not include the Geek Squad, hummm, perhaps they have had experiences like we have.. Good luck, you will need it dealing with the Geeks..

Maverick

[chesman2k1]

I had a camera which I sent to repair on 1/07/2009. I had horrible service from Geek Squad. The Geek Squad Agent Jordan at the Curnter Ave, San Jose, CA Best Buy threated to have me kicked out of the store by asking him to call the repair center and ask about my repair which other Geek Squad Agents told me I can request. I had the camera sent to service on 1/07/2009 and it took 20 days to find out that I needed to get my camera replaced.

I got an email from Geek Squad that my camera was shipping back to the Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA store on Wednesday 1/21/2009. I call on Thursday 1/22/2009 to ask when I can expect it back they say that it would be two days because it was shipping from the repair center. My camera had not arrived on Friday or Saturday. I call again on Sunday 1/25/2009 and they say that it was shipped from the manufacturer (Canon) back to the Geek Squad repair center and it would be shipped from the repair center to the store where it originated from. Why was this information now changed from last Thursday's conversation? I think they are just saying a bunch of BS just to get people off the phone. They tell me that their shipments arrive by truck and they had not received it in their last truck on  Saturday so it should arrive on their truck Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. I get a call on Tuesday from Geek Squad saying the manufacturer (Canon) told them that my repair needs to get replaced so that I qualify for a replacement. Why was this information not made known over the phone on Wednesday 1/21/2009. They just had to lie in between until Tuesday 1/27/2009 to tell me this information. Are they just sending this information over snail mail. Someone could have just sent an email or phone call. Why are they selling technology when they do not even use it? Just to warn people STOP buying and DO NOT ever buy at BestBuy or use GeekSquad. DO NOT purchase the Geek Squad Black Tie protection because you will not get the service you pay for. BestBuy and GeekSquad make a lot of money from selling this Black Tie protection. Send them a message that you do not tolerate horrible service by not allowing them to rip you off and take your money by NEVER EVER purchasing from them and if you really have to buy from them DO NOT buy the Black Tie protection.