Best Buy Store Purchase

[steakfish]

I just had a very frustrating and highly unsatisfactory experience at my local Best Buy, the Galleria location in Houston, TX. I purchased an open box TV online and received an email this morning informing me that my item was ready for pickup. I borrowed an SUV (my car can't fit a big tv) and headed over on my lunch break. 

Once I arrived it was at least 15 minutes until an employee informed me that my item had been located. It was not ready and waiting for me up front. Shortly thereafter I was told that it was not in a box. This TV was "Geek Squad Certified." The Best Buy website states the following:

 Products in this condition look brand new — with no physical flaws, scratches or scuffs — and include the original parts1See disclaimer 1and accessories, as well as the original box (or a suitable replacement).2See disclaimer 2In addition, the product was professionally cleaned, then repackaged with care to give you a product as near to new as possible. 

1. Product might not include the owner's manual or manufacturer registration card.
2. Common home delivery products such as TVs and major appliances may still qualify for Excellent or Excellent-Certified condition without packaging or a box.

The employee who told me there was no box told me that "open box means it doens't have a box." No, it doesn't. I was then informed that the tv was missing its power cord and, maybe 10 minutes after that, it did not include its original stand. Clearly, this particular open box item should not have qualified for "Geek Squad Certified" status. At this point a manager became involved. The manager informed me that "Geek Squad Certified" items may be missing power cords and stands. According to Best Buy's own documentation, they should not.

Around this time I realized that I had been in the store so long I was going to be late to my 1pm meeting and would either miss the meeting or leave without my purchase. I located the manager who was assisting me and informed him when he told me that they were taking $30 dollars off and that he wanted to do something for me for my time and incovenience and take off another $20. When we went to the register to process the discount he told me the $30 discount was the original open box discount and I would only be refunded $20. Frustrated and tired of dealing with it, I relented, took the TV and went home.

I'm still frustrated about it and don't feel good about the experience. Not sure what to do from here.

[Bobby-BBY Social Media Specialist]

Good Afternoon, steakfish.

Welcome to the Best Buy Community Forums. I definitely understand how you are feeling after being excited to pick up your open-box television, only to discover that it did not match the description of a Geek Squad Excellent-Certified product. 

Televisions may still qualify for Excellent-Certified condition even without packaging or a box. However, the item will still need its remote, power cord, and stand to be properly categorized as Excellent-Certified. For non Excellent-Certified televisions, universal remotes and power cords are common, and most televisions can be wall mounted in a customers home. So even if an open-box television is missing these items, there are simple solutions to ensure that you can benefit from the cost savings of an open-box item without any downsides. 

I am happy to research this further on your behalf and find out what is possible. Please send me a private message with your full name, phone number, email address, and the order number.

Kindest regards,