Best Buy Store Purchase

[ErichK]

Hope I'm in the right part of the forum. I had an issue with an online order that should have easily been resolved at the store (Store 44 in Brookfield, WI) but for some reason the store manager decided to lie about it. 

I was looking at Chromebooks online, last day of the a 3 day sale. Stores don't have the one I want in stock but I decide to go in anyways to look at all the models. After spending some time looking at all the options I decide that my first choice was the best deal. Go to order a new one online and they are all out of stock. No big deal, I can get a certified open box one for $9 less. I THOROUGHLY read everything on the website to make sure I'm getting a working Chromebook in good shape with all the accessories (in this case its just a charger). 

Chromebook shows up a couple days later and no charger in the box. I chat with customer service and they tell me that my local store can get me a charger. I show up to the store today and the manager flat out lied to my face.

Manager: At the price you paid for this Chomebook ($169) it does not include a charger.

Me: It is a certified open box item. The ad says it includes all accessories. Nowhere does it say "no charger".

Manager: Well, if the ad misrepresented the item then all I can do is a return.

I was honestly blown away by how stupid his lies were. I thanked him and walked out. Got straight on the phone with customer service who confirmed that I should have received a Chromebook WITH a charger and that the store normally rectifies problems like this in two ways.

1. Return

2. Provide a free charger

Customer Service offers to find another solution since I'm not going in that store again. I tell her that I have another store nearby and I would try that store if she could provide me some kind of proof that I am entitled to a charger. She gives me some kind of reference number for the notes of our call. I figure this is good enough and I head to the other side of town.

This is where things get hilarious. Not only does the other store not give me a hard time at all, they offer to do an exchange and give me a NEW chromebook. Yes, I have to wait a week because they aren't in stock but that's a decent trade off.

Before I leave I ask how I can complain to corporate about a manager. They give me the corporate number but I haven't had any luck with that route. Pretty sure the person I have a problem with is the GM so no point in contacting the store.

There has to be some kind of direct way to contact someone at corporate for issues like this. I've read that District Managers do not interact with customers but there has to be someone above GM's to deal with issues like this.

[nckhammond]

The official policy I believe on any open box product is to return and refund it. As the stores do not have access to replacement parts including chargers.

[ErichK]

Strange that both customer service reps I talked to said that was only one of two options.

Stores do have access to replacement parts.... maybe not the brand name HP charger but they had a 45W Insignia charger that would have worked at the Brookfield location.

[ErichK]

Here's my chat when the item first arrived.

ChatBot (01:09:41 GMT) : Beginning of a non-XXX bots history message(s).
ChatBot (01:09:41 GMT) : XXX-01-13T01:03:27.XXX-00:00USER: BOT:We are connecting you with the next available Agent.
Auto-Generated Message (01:09:41 GMT) : A service technician will be with you shortly
Rose (01:09:45 GMT) : Thank you for choosing Best Buy, my name is Rose. How may I assist you today?
Rose (01:11:09 GMT) : We have not heard from you for some time. Do you wish to continue to chat?
Visitor (01:11:36 GMT) : yes
Visitor (01:11:51 GMT) : I ordered a certified open box Chromebook and didn't get a charger
Rose (01:12:30 GMT) : Hi Erich!
Rose (01:12:52 GMT) : I certainly understand that you have not received the charge on the package.
Visitor (01:13:54 GMT) : I think that is the only accessory but I'm not XXX% sure
Rose (01:14:12 GMT) : We are really sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.
Visitor (01:15:04 GMT) : Can I pick up a charger from my local store or is this something that has to be shipped to me?
Rose (01:17:24 GMT) : Please do not worry, you can pick up the charger at any of the Best Buy store.
Rose (01:21:48 GMT) : We have not heard from you for some time. Do you wish to continue to chat?

[jdogg836]

Nckhammond is correct, open items are one of a kind items and if there is a problem or concern the item should be returned.

Hopefully the moderators will be by soon to take down the details of your interaction, the answer provided in the chat is incorrect. You cannot simply walk into any Best Buy store and pick up a charger. I would not recommend following through with that, stores do not have replacement parts in the store. While we do have universal chargers for sale, these are not generally provided free of charge for an open item computer.

[ErichK]

So two customer service agents lied to me and a GM lied to me in a completely separate way. Glad I asked for a reference number for my phone conversation and saved the chat log.

The second store I went to did the right thing....but I guess I should feel lucky?

The vibe I got from this whole debacle is the GM probably wanted me to just make the purchase for the charger since it would be cheaper than doing a return and buying a new Chromebook since the sale was over.

I was really hesitant to buy an open box item but now I know that it's never worth the hassle.

[SeanM-BBY Retired: Social Media Specialist]

Good afternoon, ErichK,

I appreciate you taking the time to join our Community and while I wish your experience with our Bookfield, WI store ended on a more positive note, I’m glad you took the time to share your feedback with us.

Reviewing the interactions you’ve had with nckhammond and jdogg836, it appears the information they’ve provided thus far is correct, in that our stores, while having chargers for sale, will typically not have them available to provide customers for free, should they discover their computer arrived without one.  Outlined in our Return & Exchange Promise, if you discover the item you ordered isn’t quite what you were expecting, or not packaged with the necessary accessories, your local Best Buy store should be able to assist in arranging for a return or exchange, withing your order’s return and exchange period.  I apologize if this information was not relayed to you accurately during your initial chat with our other support teams. 

With that said, please know our Support Forums are moderated out of our Corporate Headquarters here in Minnesota, and you’ve certainly come to the right place to share your experience with us.  I’ll be fully documenting your feedback here to ensure it is visible to the appropriate parties, so we might improve the level of service we’re able to provide our customers in the future.

Thank you for posting,