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Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
This was posted by HiMyNamesBob in the storyComments phorum and I just noticed it. I thought it deserved some more attention so I am making an article out of it. I dont really think the premise of the Best Buy warranty "we will replace it" story makes sense, I wouldnt believe that even if I was told it, but I have had plenty of other horrible customer service incidents at Best Buy. Also I think its incredible and asinine if companies have district managers, vps and even presidents that "wont speak to customers", that pisses me off. So here it is, caveat emptor:
I have purchased from Best Buy a wide screen TV, big screen TV, digital camera, DVD player, Playstation 2, flat panel monitor, Gamecube, video camera and the service plan for each item. I also bought assorted music CD’s, DVD’s, games and software. All of this totaled over $10,000.
When I purchased my Digital Camera, DVD Player, Gamecube and Playstation 2 I initially declined the warranty. But for each of those four things, at different times, with four different salespeople, I was told the exact same thing, "If you buy a warranty you can bring the item back for any reason during the life of the warranty, even if you just want to exchange it for a newer model." This sounded great and I quickly jumped on those deals. I was told the same thing when I purchased a phone but I declined that warranty.
As of February 12, 2004 I never want to shop at Best Buy again. I wanted to exchange my digital camera per the conditions of the warranty. I spoke with someone in customer service and told him how the warranty was explained to me when I purchased my camera and said I wanted to upgrade it. He said OK and walked away for a few minutes then came back and told me I would have to speak with someone in service. I spoke with someone in service and told him what I had told the other gentleman and he proceeded to tell me I couldn’t exchange the camera and suggested I speak with the store manager.
The store manager was busy so instead I spoke with a customer service manager. After telling him what I was told and how I didn't appreciate being lied to I asked him "Are you going to refund my money?" He replied that he wasn't. I asked to speak with the store manager and he got him and explained what I told him, but dubbed it a 'miscommunication problem.'
The store manager, as if he had this speech prepared for this occasion started with "I can't verify what you were told when you bought this warranty therefore I won’t refund your money." We went back and forth with me explaining what I was told and asking why I was told this if it wasn't true and him refusing to refund my money. I asked him "Either I'm lying to you now or I was lied to when I bought this warranty, which one is it?" Again he told me he couldn't verify what had happened. He then went on this spiel for over a minute saying if you buy a car then try to sell it 3 years later you wouldn't get the same amount of money for it so why would they give a full refund for a camera 3 years later. I told him I could understand that I misunderstood the person who sold me the warranty if that was the only time it happened but I was told this exact same thing on 5 different occasions. He told me the other 4 times didn't matter because we are talking about this one warranty. He can go on and on comparing Best Buy to a car dealership but if I have the nerve to mention the fact that I was lied to by his employees 5 different times that doesn't matter, I can only mention this one lie. We went back and forth for a few more minutes when he started to say something while smacking his hand down on the counter. Being deaf in one ear I sometimes have a hard time hearing people so I asked him to repeat himself and he said in very slow and selective tones, as if speaking with a two year old "We aren't going to do this, I'm not going to do this, this isn't store policy." I asked him "Are you speaking to me like a child?" He didn't appreciate the fact that I was pointing out the truth because he started waving his hands at me in a dismissive manner, walking away, saying "I'm not doing this anymore!" Before he could subtly walk away I asked for the name and number of the district manager, he wrote down a number saying "I'm giving you a customer service number that handles problems like this." I thought 'handles problems like this?' Does that mean Best Buy often gets customers complaining they were lied to when they bought a warranty?
I called the number he gave me and got a recording trying to sell me products and asking if I needed service support. After fiddling through the options that didn’t address my concern I was finally connected to a customer service agent and I explained the whole story. He said he would need to connect me to corporate customer service. After being transferred I again explained the whole story and asked "Are you going to refund my money or not?" He said that he wouldn't because that's not covered under the warranty and because of fraud reasons, "what if a customer comes into the store and says 'you guys promised me a plasma screen TV' what are we supposed to do? Give him a plasma screen TV?" This was an outrageous comparison, some guy claiming he was promised a $6,000 TV for no reason and a customer wanting to exchange his $380 camera because he was told it was covered under the warranty he purchased. I asked to speak with his manager and he got him on the line.
I explained everything that has happened and he had the same speech prepared that the store manager gave me. He then said during the time I bought the camera Best Buy didn't repair them, rather they replaced a defective camera with a new one and even allowed the customer to upgrade to a new model. I asked him if it was possible that when I bought the warranty I was told I could upgrade it for any reason, he said it's very possible I was told that. I asked him that since I was misinformed shouldn't Best Buy honor that and give me a refund? He declined. I asked him “Either I’m lying to you now or I was lied to three years ago, which one is it?� He replied “No one is calling you a liar sir.� I said “Great! You’re not calling me a liar, which means you believe my story. Since I was lied to shouldn’t you refund my money?� Again he declined.
Having enough I asked who the next link in this chain was. He replied that he was it, he was the highest person I could speak with who spoke with customers. His manager and everyone above him refused to speak with customers. I thought this was amazing, only 3 chains in customer complaints? I asked if he could give me the name and number of the district manager and he stated that district managers no longer speak with customers either.
That was the last straw for me, a company that has employees lying to customers, a manager and store manager that don't even try to provide quality customer service, district managers refusing to speak with customers, sends complaints right from a store manager down to customer service, and even after speaking with the highest person there is to speak with, and having him admit that it's very possible I was misled, STILL refused to make a customer happy by refunding me $380 after I spent well over $10,000 at their store.
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Comments
Buyer Beware
I Believe that this guy was genuinely dissapointed and lied to. At the same time I can't fathom a warranty that allowed the purchaser to upgrade just because there was a newer model. That would not be purchase but rental.
Confronted with a claim like that I would definately want it in writing.
Re: Buyer Beware
I do feel some pitty for this guy, but didn't he [i]read[/i] the warranty before he purchased it? If so, did it, or did it not, specify whether or not he could return it for a refund or upgrade? If the warranty [i]said[/i] that, he should have an easy case. If the warranty [i]does not say that[/i], Best Buy has a clear case. I don't agree that it's ethical for sales folks to lie, but am not naieve enough to think that it doesn't happen. So, to protect myself, before I purchase something like that [extended warranty], I take the time to educate myself about exactly what it covers. If I have questions, I ask the sales person that's trying to sell it to me. If they don't give a satisfactory answer, or I still don't understand it, I don't buy it. A better option [than buying the extended warranty] is to purchase the item on a Gold or Platinum card, and take advantage of the warranty service available through that (be certain to pay the item off before the interest is assessed, though). This is generally 60 days. If the item doesn't break after 60 days, chances are it's not a lemon (which is, imho, what a warranty is for to begin with). Not a lot of help, but my $0.02 worth anyway.
Re: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Sorry, but if this guy really thought that he could just bring back a camera for a newer model whenever he felt like it, he's nuts. Word of advice: NEVER buy Best Buys extended warranty crap. They have been covered by Clark Howard, 'undercover' news specials, Consumer Reports and every other consumer news source as being bad, bad, bad. Hard for me to feel sympathy - he had every opportunity to read the warranty information before purchase. Caveat emptor.
Re: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
$10,000 on home electronics gadgets? Go out and get some sun! My word. Believing those store sold extended warranties? Get out of the hot sun! It was a funny article. Keep up the great entertainment TOSP. When real geeks want new electronics gadgets we make our own.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
No retailer should allow a complaint to go this far without resolving the issue to some mutual satisfaction of both the customer and the company.
My experience at Best Buy is as follows: Purchase 4 CD's for wife's B-Day. She decides she doesn't want 3 of them. Thirty-eight days later I want to return them in their still unopened packages and give her the cash to get what she wants. I am told by the reurn cashier that I am eight days past the cash back date. I speak to the "Lead" who tells me the same and again by the Ops Mgr.
To think that a business would intentionally create ill will towards with its customers so that "policy" is followed baffles me.
I am a Store Manager with Bed, Bath , and Beyond and believe me; our DM's speak to customers. It is my "policy" to not spend my money at a retailer who would rather enforce "policy" than make a customer happy that the rules were bent on a whopping $45.00 sale.
A happy customer tells a few people about the service they received. An angry customer tells EVERYBODY.
BB Service Problems
I am new to hating Best Buy, great to see your story. In December 2006 I purchased a new Washer, Dryer, and Dish Washer. In March the Dish Washer rusted on the inside, I called LG who said "You purchased a Besy Buy plan, Best Buy covers it", I called Best Buy who sent out two appliance techs, who both said "Oh, this is a manufactures defect, the manufacture, LG, has to replace it". Months later I went to Best Buy store in Germantown, MD and told this story and demanded my money back, the installation cost back, and the delivery charge back. I was suprised that the BB MOD (Manager on Duty) agreed with me, but, when he called BB corporate to arrange it, he was denied, becuase BB and LG corporate said the same this - this is each others problem. I will never, ever, spend $$$$ there again.
I also had a terrible experience with Best Buy
I will never ever buy from Best Buy again. Had a terrible experience purchasing a 50" Plasma TV. The people there have no idea what they're doing, using bait and switch techniques, and outright lying to customers to make the sale. My husband and I went to Best Buy twice, spent over three hours and walked out with nothing because of their incompetence. We then went to J and R, spent all of 10 minutes, and walked out with what we wanted.
I called corporate headquarters to complain. They apologized and said they would look into this further.
You are right - Best Buy customer service = donkey balls
I helped out a friend two weeks ago who had a crisis (his three year old destroyed his cable modem somehow) so I stopped by Best Buy and charged off $90 on a new modem - well, his ISP replaced his modem within a day and his wife took the modem back to Best Buy to get a refund credited back to my card. According to their website - I should have received my refund within 72 hours - well two weeks later, no refund has appeared on my card and no one in customer service can tell me why. I took a copy of my bank statement to the store along with their refund receipt and demanded cash. The manager sat there scratching himself and weaseled his way out of doing anything for me. If they don't give me my refund by this Friday, I'm going to file credit card fraud charges against the fuckers. Fuck that piece of shit store! I'd sooner buy all my electronics off eBay then ever shop there again. I HOPE CIRCUIT CITY ANALLY RAPES YOU OUT OF YOUR SALES, BEST BUY! (My only wish now is that one of the Geek Squad becomes disgruntled and mows down a few blue shirted dumbasses for laughs) I hate those bastards so much -
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Assuming the truth of the story thats been told, a sales person who lies to make a sale is still a representative of the company he/she lies for. It is imperative that the company make every effort to satisfy the customer.
As was said, an angry customer tells everybody as this customer just did.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
First: Get the District Manager at the Main office...sit outside if you have to then go for the Regional Manager!!
Second.. get the name of the individual(s) that spoke to you in the way they did...
Third... Call the Local TV stations re: customer complaints....and get the TV cameras at their front door...
Fourth...File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and last ..
File a Fraud Complaint with the District Attorneys office...they HAVE to reply in a formal court hearing
Don't sit on this....Their in business to make customers happy NOT take the money and Run...
Finally....shop at Wal-Mart...I wlll not get any richer...but you the customer will be happier..we take back nearly everything..if thats what it takes
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
First: Get the District Manager at the Main office...sit outside if you have to then go for the Regional Manager!!
Second.. get the name of the individual(s) that spoke to you in the way they did...
Third... Call the Local TV stations re: customer complaints....and get the TV cameras at their front door...
Fourth...File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and last ..
File a Fraud Complaint with the District Attorneys office...they HAVE to reply in a formal court hearing
Don't sit on this....Their in business to make customers happy NOT take the money and Run...
Finally....shop at Wal-Mart...I wlll not get any richer...but you the customer will be happier..we take back nearly everything..if thats what it takes
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
My negative experience with BB is from their Finance Company who collects payments. When I bought a projection tv 2 years ago it was suggested to finance the cost at 0% interest for 2 years. That was great...except if I didn't pay off in full on the maturity date the interest would be charged for the full amount of the purchase. In short, I made monthly payments for two years and brought the purchase price down from $2000 to less than $500 at the maturity date. Missed the pay-off date cause of the holidays and was charged a whopping $675 in finance charges (21% annual interest). Two weeks after the maturity date the BB Finance Company was unsymphatic and unforgiving whae I called to try to rectify the oversight. They said I was warned, which I was (in pretty fine print)
A hard lesson learned. I'll not shop BB for a long time.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
I wanted to return a defective item (a $300 MP3 player and was told I had two options
1. Exchange it for the same type of item and they would keep the box from the new product and anything I didn't bring in with me (I forgot the CD at home) or
2. Pay a restocking fee of 15%.
I'm sorry, but if you have a defective item, they shouldn't charge a restocking fee and they shouldn't demand that you open your new item in their store and let them keep the box so they can use that box to return the defective item to the company who made it.
No more Best buy for me.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
I to thank Best Buy sucks . I For One Will never buy againe from Best Buy .2 year ago I Purchase a Big screen Tv And I All so Purchase The Performance Warranty And TV went out . I Call Someone to send . No One to look at yet.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
What an idiot. This guy must of been 2 years old to actually believe he could just trade in his camera. That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. Is this a retard or what? How do you expect a company like Best Buy to stay in buisness if they are letting customers trade in old products. This guy makes me sick!!! Everybody knows that you cant trade in your old product for new product.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
I have been in the Return business for 20 years. I tried to return a headphone set because a piece on the strap fell off.I had just purchased the item 2 days before.Anyways, I was told I could not get my money back because it was not in"like new condition" because the piece fell off . Does that make sense?
I left and called the store that evening and the manager who wouldnt see me said they would exchange it. It was a defect, and I did not want the same headphone, I would have purchased a more expensive set, but not after my first initial conversation.
I called BB the next day and I got a manager who knew about my story, and said that it was customer abuse. I was really upset.
he also said he had to refuse a return from a customer who had in the past spent in excess of $10,000 at BB.. He then said I didn't see the "Big Picture" if he accepted every return from customers, B.B. wouldn't make money.
Anyways I went online, found Best Buy.com and wrote to the customer service area. I sent a message three times with no reply.
I will no longer shop at Best Buy.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Bottom line, dont shop there, vote with your dollars. And the line about Wal-Mart above is correct, they may have lots of other issues (benefits for workers, where they purchase products, etc) but they do handle customers and returns FAR BETTER than Best Buy.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
And see this post - Best Buy Sucks, dont go there
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
They probably said if the item is under warranty and it can\'t be fixed it will be replaced with a new item.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
I agree that BB customer service and "policy" sucks. I don't shop Wal-Mart, but Circuit City is good for electronics and the prices at Home Depot and Lowes are much better than BB for household appliances.
Not only is the guy and idiot, but think of how much time he wasted trying to return a 3 yr. old product. Not to mention...if he had all ready spent 10K on a bunch of crap he really didn't need...do you mean to tell me he couldn't give the camera away to someone or sell it on eBay...or better yet, if he has so much money to waste, just friggin buy a new camera??? This guy is arrogant, self absorbed, delusional, and merely another consumer in the sense of...consuming without regard. Sounds to me like he needs a tradegy in his life to open his eyes and help him evaluate his priorties.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Sounds to me like the guy is a drama queen.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Wow, some people are just idiots!! You did't purchase an "upgrade" Plan, you purchased a "sevice" plan, what does that tell you?!?!? At least read the name of the plan, then ask questions if you have any.
Secondly in reference to "tomas"....are you that much of a moron or just stupid!?! I don't know of any retailer card out there (Circuit City, Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, etc.) that doesn't do the same thing as Best Buy. If you end up being a DEADBEAT, ie. not making at least the minimum payments and paying the account off within the timeframe that the 0% interest applies to, then I think you should have been charged much much more than 21% from purchase date. The minimum payments are always set up to have the account paid off in the time period the the interest special applies to. Long and short, don't get what you can't afford or, if you do, be ready to pay out the nose for your incompetence/lack of proper budgeting. I can't stand people that blame others for the lack of common sense and utter stupidity that they obviously have!
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
You people amaze me. You think that they should return everything no matter how long you have had it, whether you have all the parts or not, or just because you didn\'t bother to double check what you were told by reading the warranty. Let me give you a little tip, first of all if they don\'t return a product with all the parts, they lose money, they are in the business to make money. Also, I would like to point out to customers that while you may hate the people at customer service, please remember that they don’t make the policies, they are made to enforce them. They don’t do it to be mean. Managers walk around with their own copy of the return policy in their heads, that they can change at whim. Telling everyone how many thousands of dollars you spend in the store doesn’t change their minds because they hear it several times a day. I know that as a customer it is different than if you know the inner workings of a store, but let me also point out that while I am no fan of Best Buy….read you return policy, be aware before you open it or use it or decide you don’t want it. I know that it is a hassle but Best Buy employees rightly assume that if you can make it to the store to buy something then you can read your return policy. My advice to anyone who must shop at Best Buy: open it (if it doesn’t have a 15% restocking fee), plug it in, make sure it works, has all it’s parts, and is not damaged. I know that everyone is busy but you WILL get screwed out of your money if you don’t. Stop being unreasonable and expecting them to bend over backwards just because they are a retail store. And to the guy at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, are you saying that there should be no return policy or that they should just pick and choose who to bend it for? If it is the second one, that is what they do.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Are you kidding me? What an idiot. Are you 18 and never bought anything at a retail store before? No electronics place on THIS planet would offer a three year warranty/guaranteed upgrade! I guess you have never heard of add on sales...not to mention-how old where these five sales people telling you about this warranty? Having been in retail myself for over 10 years, I know how often customers HEAR WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR and then come in and act like morons becuase they\'re too damn stupid to listen. Not to mention, 99% of retail stores won\'t take back a paper clip after three years, yet alone a camera. Bed Bath and Beyond is the only retailer that takes back everything because they\'re so afraid their customers will figure out how expensive they are. Maybe you should try returning your camera there...they don\'t sell them, but then again, that\'s not your problem, is it?
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
I purchased an ipod warranty under these conditions. This man is NOT an idiot. I can recall the exact conversation, and was explicitly told that if at any time a new model came out within the warranty\'s coverage time, I could upgrade to the newer model and only have to pay the price difference. This was the only selling point for me seeing as Apple\'s ipods already come with a 1 year warranty, so 50 bucks for an extra year is pointless. I am going to call the Best Buy local manager right now to ask him about this. I know plenty of people who purchased warranties under the premise that Best Buy provides an upgrade path. Either this plan was revoked without informing the consumer, or there is a tactic going on to trick consumers. similar to how BB was FORCING customers to purchase accessories and games when the xbox 360 launched(they were sued for this and had to rectify the entire situation).
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
This is the poster above. Indeed it is a consumer scam tactic. I called and explained my situation. The exact response from the customer service rep was: "I'm not supposed to tell you this. But when the new ipods come in, your battery isn't holding a charge." Obviously I was confused for a second, then it clicked and I said oh ok thank you very much. Apparently the problem has becoem so widespread that Best Buy is keeping it hush hush by telling confused customers to make up a defect iwth thier unit so that they can turn it in and get it replaced with the new model. Pretty effing dispicable, but hey, at least I'll be getting my free upgrade...
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Thank you! I just went to Best Buy to upgrade as well--I bought a video iPod back in May after having a lengthy conversation with an employee. I told him I was only shopping around, looking for an inexpensive mp3 player (around $50) until the new iPod came out--I'd heard Apple was working on a new version (which I'd read on Endgadget or something) and I wanted to wait a few months before getting something more expensive. He explained the great deal with the Extended Service Plan and how you pay $49.99 for this plan--if a new version comes out within 12 months of purchase, you can bring in the old one and exchange it for the new one, only paying the difference in purchase price. I thought that was a great deal, so I paid $399 for the iPod and $49.99 for the Service Plan, walking away happy.
Well, Apple just released the 80GB video iPod with a brighter screen. It's only $349. So I took my iPod, with all of the paper, box, etc to Best Buy to exchange it. The customer service people told me "no, that's not how the plan works". I spoke with a manager that told me she couldn't do anything about it unless I told her the name of the employee that gave me misinformation. I said it was the person who checked me out, couldn't she just use my receipt to determine the employee? After all, every retail store gives its employees sales login numbers. She suddenly stammered that she wouldn't be able to do that. No. I would need to provide a name. I went back and forth with her for a while and resigned myself that maybe I was totally wrong. Maybe I made this up somehow. So I came home and got online.
NO! I *knew* that was what they told me initially! So now maybe my iPod has developed a charging problem too.
RE: Best Buy Customer Service Sucks
Their rebate processing is very bad also. Told I had to resubmit and then told it expired when it took me several days to resubmit. I only shop at Circuit City now. They have been wonderful.