Beware Best Buy PSP Plan

[45R]

Best Buy Service Plan Horror Story.
Last month before my vacation I took my Sony Viao laptop in for repair. The hinge that held the LCD was cracked and the fan has stopped working. I was told that would have my laptop back in one week. 7 days not bad!! I can live with that. I'll have my laptop back before I start work.

Well 7 days later no phone call, so I called the store. The laptop was still at the repair center with no new estimated return day. The tech that answered the phone said all the wrong things, Words like "I dont know", "we can't do that for you" and the "worst of all check back next week." He would not even give me the number to the corporate office. Later that day I called the store back and explained my situation, they decided that a loaner was in order so they said come on down and get pick up the loaner. We will need 2200 dollars from you........ I said "what!" and they told me that I had to pay for a loaner. Just in case I ran off with it..

At this point was a little P.Oed and called the 1888Bestbuy # to find some resolution for my problem. The lady that helped me could not find my service number and told me that she would call me back. Never happened.

I waited a few days to cool off and called the store again to find the status of the laptop. They told me that it was still at the repair center. At this time, I started to think how long does it take to replace a latch and a fan? I could have done this feat myself if I had the parts. Well no luck and they would not give me the number to the service center. So I had to call the 800 number again and later found out that the parts were on order. Fair enough.

Well the third week rolled around nobody could figure out what was going on with the laptop. Neither the store nor the 800 number guys had any estimate of return or what was holding them up. By now I sent Best Buy a nice letter explaining the situation to them. There was no call or email sent back. So needless to say I've lost most of my confidence in this Electronics chain.

So after 4 weeks I finally get a call and my laptop has return to the Best Buy. The tech hands me the laptop and turns it on. The first thing I noticed was that there was software installed on my PC that did not belong to me............ and after 10 seconds the laptop completely froze!!! After further inspection they had broken a panel during installation, the fan was never replaced and the entire bottom of the laptop was scratched up. I looked like they ran over a bunch of screws with the bottom. So at this point I am pissed. We rebooted the PC and after 10 minutes it went into lock up. I even tested the USB port to make sure the touch pad was not the issue. Complete failure to fix my laptop and it comes back worst.

The tech went to get his manager and he tested the fan. No luck. It wasnt kicking. So all this time it took Best Buys repair center 4 weeks to replace a 2 latches. I told the manager to replace it but under the service plan it has to go back FOUR times before they will do anything. He had no solution to the problem and went back to ask the lead tech for help. While the tech and I were talking we noticed that when he picked up the PC we heard something rattle inside. He notated all that things that were wrong with the PC and assured me that it would come back in outstanding order. I am beyond angry and disappointed at this point. I spend good money on a PSP policy and I cannot believe that it returned in worst condition than when I gave it to them. The tech stated that the laptop would be back in the store in 7 days.

My main concern is the knuckle head tech at the repair center running the PC with no fan may have caused motherboard damage.....

The matter has still not been resolved and the corporate office is waiting patiently for the manager to "call them back" to resolve this issue.

Now for the camera related stuff. I recently purchased a 10D from them on a 18 month interest free program. After this is paid off I will never buy anything from them agian.

[DocFrankenstein]

I'm never bying anything from them again either...

I have my S1 IS on the extended service plan, I triend to exchange it for the rebel 38 days after I bought it. The rebel with the kit lens was at 1400 CAD, so they were making a decent profit.

The moron of the manager said that there are "rules that had to be followed"

I replied that the whole point of the store would be to make profit, and it would be clearly profitable for them to exchange it. The "rules" were more important than the customer.

I'd go to best buy if I had to, I'd just bring a some gasoline with me :twisted:

[Persian-Rice]

Thats an awful story, I hope thing work out for you.

I myself have almost in completely stopped shopping at big retailers. I rather spend a little more money at a smaller store that will give me friendly and honest service.

If I were you, I would not settle for anything other then a new laptop. Be a prick, I know it might not be in your personality, but its the only way that works. I'm a nice guy, but I learned from my brother, he knows how to be an ass and it get him places..........Acer once did this to me a very long time ago with one of their products. After calling everyday, asking to speak to the manager of the manger of the supervisors manager in an aggressive borderline blown gasket tone, I ended up getting my part replaced with a new one and for my inconvenience a brand new 17 inch monitor............... which was worth 3 times my part............

Futureshop screwed me once, scary thing being I'm a distant relative of owner the entire damn chain. Big companies like these electronic retailers make me sick.

[sdcoates99]

The State of Ohio is currently suing Best Buy.

http://www.ag.state.oh.us/press_releases/2004/press_release_20040819.htm

[Cordell]

These are reason I tell everyone to never buy extended warranties. Companies make very good money from these for the simple fact that most electronics don't have issues. Sure you hear the horror stores from people who do have problems, but the odds are most people don't have a problem and end up spending money on these plans.

Another thing is I would never buy a computer that I don't plan to repair myself from a large chain like BB or CC. When they do most major repairs, that means your lovely component was sent out to a contracted company. Mom and Pop joints are the way to go. Many of them offer the same kind of warranties as your BB and CC. The best thing about the smaller places is that they service your component in house.

I wish you luck.

[cmM]

typical Best-Buy....

Let me tell you a sad fact. The only requirement to work for Best-Buy's tech department is an A+ cert. In other words, the guy that "fixed" your laptop probably has no clue how to change a fan. Just return it a couple more times and they will replace it for you.

I had one bad experience like that in the past, and now all I buy from there are blank DVDs, and Dust-OFF :?

[cmM]

I must disagree with you Mitch. I used to study computer networking and got my A+ cert in the meantime. The tech dept at BestBuy does not require anything else (experience, etc...), at least not in my neck of the woods. I have heard some really funny things come out of the mouths of BestBuy "specialists".
Indeed it's not only Best Buy, but they're the worst.

[CyberDyneSystems]

BestBuy and CompUSA are the two BEST examples of what has gone completely wrong with the concept of customer service in the "Post AOL Unlimited dial up disaster of the '90s"

It seems that it was AOL that made the discovery that you can completely screw your paying customers for months on end and still have them flocking to give you money on a service that they can't use.

This model has been the foundation of the computer industry ever since.. and has spread to other forms of retail... BestBuy again being a perfect example. (I won't even get into what this model has done to honest lumber company's Vs. Todays "depots" )

Look back as recently as the 1980's... and the idea that such a business model could survive would have been deemed completely ludicrous.

Reminds of what we have come to expect from our public servants as well.

[sds4kst8]

Basically, they probably never will (read: can't!) fix that laptop and are just delaying the inevitable...replacing it with the same laptop or one of equal value/features.

BB won't offer to replace something if they can get away without doing so. But they can really do nothing but replace that laptop, plain and simple. Same with PDAs, computer monitors, printers, camcorders and digital cameras.

They'll want you to think that they have the capability to repair some of those things, but they really don't. If you've got a PSP on something like a laptop (or the 10d), don't even waste your time at the computer service counter...go straight to the store manager and don't let them push you around!

[45R]

Well I've gotten nowere with Best Buys Corporate office. I understand that as of yesturday the AG for the State of Ohio is sueing Best Buy for matters such as this.

I called the store today to find out what is the status of the laptop and if parts need to be ordered. The 3rd party repair company sent the laptop directly to Sony after recieving it for reasons unknown...........................

Is it that hard to replace a fan or did the discover that they may have toasted my motherboard?

[jgbeam]

I don't know how people can even stand shopping in these big boxes. I've been in a Best Buy and a Circuit City once each and was totally offended by the outright sensory assault, both visual and audible. For me, it's one of two local camera shops or online with B&H or 17thSt photo. If the local shop has it in stock I buy it there. If not, I go online. Same thing with computers. My business is dependent on computers and the last thing is need is the Best Buy service department for support.
:(
Jim

[PhotosGuy]

“Worst Buy”: I once reported them to the states attorney general for obvious, repeated false advertising – Weekly ads, for 6 weeks, for memory that was NEVER in stock.
I got a “nice” letter back stating that it wasn’t happening ‘cause they “had no control” over the advertising which was ordered months ahead? Huh?
As I saw it, the ads were just meant to get bodies into the store with the hope that we would buy something anyway.

[theoldmoose]

My daughter-in-law bought a high-end Toshiba laptop last year from the local Best Buy (without my knowledge -- I think she figured I'd try to talk her out of it) to use for her business school coursework, and of course, was talked into paying for the PSP, as well.

A few months later, the CD/DVD combo drive craps out on it.

This seems pretty common -- I have an old Dell Inspiron 7000 that has had the CD/DVD combo drive replaced on it twice since I bought it in 2000, the first time it was out of warranty, and I got the company I was working for at the time to fork out for the repair, since I was carrying my personal system on business travel for them at the time. The replacement drive crapped out in a couple of months, and that one was replaced under warranty. So far, the 2nd replacement has done OK. In all of these cases (my two bad drives, and my daughter-in-law's bad drive on her Toshiba) the drive motor electronics went bad -- no spin up, no nothing, except head movement.

So, again, without talking to me about it, she took her laptop back to Best Buy, even though it was still covered under the original Toshiba one year warranty (?!), because the folks at Best Buy had told her that they would 'take care of it' for her, and she wouldn't have to deal with Toshiba, and all the shipping headaches, etc.

Fast forward now, about 8-10 weeks since she gave them the laptop. So far, they claim that it eventually had to be returned to Toshiba for repair (to replace a removeable bay drive?), and even though the Toshiba repair depot had quoted 48 hour turnaround, they haven't heard back from them in several weeks (why is it that folks like this never follow up on anything, unless you kick-start them? -- never mind, obvious rhetorical question). So, my daughter-in-law attempts to contact Toshiba, but of course, she doesn't have an RMA number so they can find her laptop in the system, and the numbskulls at Best Buy claim to have not have useful paperwork on their end, either.

Score: Best Buy: 1 lost laptop, daughter-in-law: out $2000 for the laptop plus the PSP.

So far, Best Buy has been stalling, not wanting to replace the laptop for her. Of course, it had all her business school work on the hard drive, and she didn't think about removing the drive or backing it up.

What a crock...

[SYS]

After several unpleasant experiences with the Best Buy, I've recently cut up their credit card, swearing to never shop there again. To all: simply boycott this lousy store.

[PhotosGuy]

if they advertise something, and dont have it in stock , you can get a raincheck on it...
ROTFL!!! I wish I still had them to show to you! If they never get the product, what good are they?

Wether it be shopping errors, or simply being sold out, in some cases it's completly uncontrolable.

NOT SOLD OUT! I was there when the store opened. Not once, but over a period of weeks.
Did they offer a substitute? No.
Did they EVER call me on ANY ONE of the rainchecks? No.

So, Mitch, how's the weather in Kansas? :wink:

[Mitchkitter]

Can i click my heels twice and find out what you're talkin about :P?

[DocFrankenstein]

S1IS issue, that's great you wanted to upgrade, but when the return/exchange period is 14 days.... 38 days is INSAIN to ask for, let alone if you opened it.
You should ask yourself, shopping again for a s1is, would you pay 379.99 for a s1is that had been in someone's hands for 38 days?! Honostly.

Simple fact: If your not impressed with the service plan, you can return it at a pro-rated rate, May not turn out so well for laptop man, but si1s guy can certainly return his PSP
What do you mean "return my PSP"?

Hey, I went to best buy because I knew WAS PAYING AN INSANE AMOUNT OF $$ for my camera. 379.99 USD?

I paid 805 canadian for it. :evil: That's 50% higher than the Mom&Dad Camera next door. I bought it to have the freedom to change/return it.

Do you think 300 bucks over the average cost isn't enough for an exchange? Plus I was ready to add 700 more for the rebel, which was overpriced at 1400 CAD also.

Screw them. I'll make sure to check out a printer and "not be completely satisfied within 14 days" This ccorporation deserves to DIE!!!! :twisted:

[DanielM]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: http://www.bestbuysux.org/

[blinking8s]

wow

and i bought a flash card from there today

[RichardtheSane]

When you think about it, 4-6 weeks isnt bad considering you only payed what 299.99? and your getting a $700+ fix for free?<add up the prices and you'll see>


The price of a fan and a hinge/latch (even 2) will not even be close to this
I used to repair laptops for a living and I am qualified to repair sonys, there is no way that repair would cost best buy any more than $75-$100.

In the UK Sony are pretty hot on getting parts out to the authorised service providors, I'm sure the same would be said of the US. Wehter the best buy repair centre is an authorised service providor remains to be seen. 7 days was a bit optimistic, but possible. 14 days for a competant firm would be ample turnaround time. Best Buy are pathetic!

[PhotosGuy]

Can i click my heels twice and find out what you're talkin about Razz?

Yup, a :P
In a perfect world... I'd expect that rain checks would work perfectly.
And, when Worst Buy, Circuit city, CompUSA, & several other retailers are within 1 mile of each other, I expect them to make an extra effort to have the advertised product on the shelf, but it's obvious that they don't.

The last thing I bought there was a Cyber Power battery back up for the computer. I had to return 2 to get one that worked. That was 3 years ago, & I haven't been back since.

[Jmurman]

Thats an awful story, I hope thing work out for you.

I myself have almost in completely stopped shopping at big retailers. I rather spend a little more money at a smaller store that will give me friendly and honest service.

If I were you, I would not settle for anything other then a new laptop. Be a prick, I know it might not be in your personality, but its the only way that works. I'm a nice guy, but I learned from my brother, he knows how to be an ass and it get him places..........Acer once did this to me a very long time ago with one of their products. After calling everyday, asking to speak to the manager of the manger of the supervisors manager in an aggressive borderline blown gasket tone, I ended up getting my part replaced with a new one and for my inconvenience a brand new 17 inch monitor............... which was worth 3 times my part............

Futureshop screwed me once, scary thing being I'm a distant relative of owner the entire damn chain. Big companies like these electronic retailers make me sick.

I agree with you. I had a similar problem with HP and a digital camera...many calls later I got mine replaced out of warranty. I rpomptly went out a bought the 300D, gave the HP to my daughter.

[TonyKInTexas]

Except on flat panel monitors. :X

My wife had two go out in the first year and I've had two go out at work. One completely, the second has a purple line down the verticle on the right side.

Intel based systems I can do my own service on and probably better than any tech at any shop.

These are reason I tell everyone to never buy extended warranties. Companies make very good money from these for the simple fact that most electronics don't have issues. Sure you hear the horror stores from people who do have problems, but the odds are most people don't have a problem and end up spending money on these plans.

Another thing is I would never buy a computer that I don't plan to repair myself from a large chain like BB or CC. When they do most major repairs, that means your lovely component was sent out to a contracted company. Mom and Pop joints are the way to go. Many of them offer the same kind of warranties as your BB and CC. The best thing about the smaller places is that they service your component in house.

I wish you luck.

[forrest64]

I have to wonder if Best Buy gives incentives for clerks that sell extended warranties. I bought a printer there and when I said no to the extended warranty the check out clerk began to argue with me as to my competency to "fix" the printer myself. I finally asked her what part of "no" she didn’t understand and threatened to buy the printer somewhere else if she didn’t stop trying to persuade me.


Mark

[Mitchkitter]

No. Best buy does NOT offer incentives for CSR's that sell service plan's

[tpinchback]

No. Best buy does NOT offer incentives for CSR's that sell service plan's

You are correct BUT, the more you sell the replacement plans and service plans, the more hours they will give you, your raises will be more, and the higher you move in the company.