Best Buy Repair Support

[lisaraines66]

We purchased a full size whirlpool refrigerator December 30. It quit working 2 weeks ago. I contacted Best Buy and they said since I didn’t purchase their protection plan (for several hundred dollars more) they “couldn’t” help. Call Whirlpool. We did and a week later someone came out. He couldn’t fix it and we needed someone certified in sealant repairs to come out. That would take another 2 weeks. We have thrown out a freezer full of food and will now be a month, or longer, before this is hopefully repaired. I contacted Best Buy again a to explain that this isn’t acceptable. The refrigerator is only 3 MONTHS old!! Best Buy should stand behind the products they sell to their customers. We’ve been buying appliances with them for 20 years and have never needed the expensive protection plan. She said she was very sorry but since we didn’t buy the protection plan there is nothing they can do. That is total nonsense! They CHOOSE not to do anything unless you pay extra. With that kind of customer service we will never be buying ANYTHING from them again. And have shared this issue with friends on social media to let them know how little Best Buy cares about their customers.

[WilliamM-BBY]

Good afternoon, lisaraines66!

Thank you for reaching out to us and welcome to our Community Forums! As someone who has had refrigerator issues in the past, I certainly understand how frustrating this can be. While we are more than happy to stand by everything we sell, there is only so much time we have to act on it without a Geek Squad Protection Plan being involved. Once it is outside of our return policy, if there is not a Geek Squad Protection Plan on the item, we must defer to the manufacturer. Although I do understand these can seem expensive, our protection plans are offered to give extra protection that covers things the manufacturer does not and also last longer. I am glad to hear that the manufacturer is able to help you out in this instance though! Hopefully they can get there and get your refrigerator fully running sooner than planned! 

Please feel free to reach out to me using the Private Message button in my signature below if you have any further questions!

Thanks,

[lisaraines66]

WilliamM, thank you for speedy response.
However, I still find your response completely void of any actual customer service. What I am hearing is that Best Buy will provide customer service IF we PAY for it. We have bought almost every appliance needed from Best Buy over the past 20 years and have NEVER needed the additional protection plan. That, at this point, would have been thousands of extra dollars!
This purchase is only 90 DAYS old. The fact that Best Buy won’t stand behind a product that new, without being paid extra, is reprehensible.
At this point we still don’t know IF the manufacturer will be able to fix it. We have to wait ANOTHER 2 weeks or longer to even find out. So in the meantime we are buying ice and filling coolers. And apparently Best Buy has no problem with that level of customer service or providing substandard products to their customers.
At this point I will continue to fight this and make the situation known to everyone I know.
And know that the complete lack of ANY help from Best Buy will stop us from ever shopping in your store again.

[shespicy]

Well what do you think other retailers will do about the problem? 

Its a manufactured issue, why do you think it's the sellers responsibilty to fix it? The seller already gives you the option of purchasing an additional warranty on top of the manufacture warranty. You declined. Now you must use the manufacture warranty which means go through Whirlpool. Easy to understand and every retailer works this way. If you bought it from home depot, you'd be in the same position. Sounds like Whirlpool has awful costumer service, not Best Buy. 

[lisaraines66]

I agree with you that they both have awful customer service. However, on a 90 day old purchase I do believe the retailer should still carry some level of responsibility for what they are selling. If I bought it from Lowes or Home Depot they would have replaced it (per friends that have purchased from those retailers).

[lisaraines66]

**Update** I called Whirlpool to check in the status of the next repair visit and asked to speak to a manager. Explained how unhappy I was with how long getting this repair done was taking. He asked me to hold and after a few minutes came back and asked me if Best Buy had told us that this refrigerator had been previously owned and Whirlpool had already repaired it for that customer! Absolutely not!! We thought we were buying a NEW refrigerator not a USED one!!!
Really Best Buy?? Selling second hand appliances as new??? I have purchased a used appliance before, but I KNEW that was what I was buying. Not paying full price at the retailer for a second hand appliance!
Best But this is just straight up deceitful sales tactics. We should have been informed of exactly what we were buying.

[AndrewB-BBY Social Media Specialist]

Hello, lisaraines66,

Thank you for taking the time to visit us again here on our community forums. Having had appliances go out in the past, I know that even a single day without a refrigerator has a major impact on daily life. While we do sell open-box products, they should be clearly marked as such when making your purchase.

If you'd like, I'd be glad to look into your original purchase to get some more information about the refrigerator you purchased. In order to do so I will need to verify a few details. Can you please send me a private message that includes your:

Full name

Email address

Phone number

Order number

You can send me a private message by clicking on the blue button at the bottom of this post across from my name. I'll keep an eye out for your message.