Bestbuy BlackTie Plan for Cameras

I ot the EOS 5D Mark II through bestbuy a year ago because I have almost 1K worth of gift certificates.

I got into the Black Tie Program because they offered repair/replacement (if not fixable) , and free cleaning twice a year for four years under $400. I asked them who cleans the camera, the guy said its a Canon "authorized" Facility. Being a CPS member, never got through me that Canon Facility and Canon "authorized" facility kind of NOT the same. It sounded the same to me at that moment. I thought, well I can use those two free cleanings without touching my CPS voucher.

Finally, its time to use the Black Tie for cleaning. Living near the Irvine facility, I thought bestbuy will just send it to Canon and maybe wait for a week or less. Wrong, they will send it to Connecticut and asked me to wait for THREE weeks. Now it sounded to me that this is a wise scheme. Who would have there camera out of service for 6 weeks in a year for two cleaning request?

Anybody had any experience, I would like to know otherwise.

Yet another Best Buy scam exposed. I will not shop there - ever.

+1 with what rick_reno said.

Not only do they set outrageous prices, but they're scamming how they can. Just look at their sales: walking in the store and realizing everything in the Sunday's paper is out of stock. But they have other products for $200 more
I just laugh when I walk into bestbuy these days....I don't really expect anything I see to be in stock. And their warranties are just useless.

I could have not bought it there had I not have some gift certificates. Now, most of the gift certificate values are gone to waste.

At that time it was great, because they indeed price matched the 5D Mark II kit, which supposedly saved me about another $400 from the outrageous store price they have.

aboss3 wrote in post #12677597
Not only do they set outrageous prices, but they're scamming how they can. Just look at their sales: walking in the store and realizing everything in the Sunday's paper is out of stock. But they have other products for $200 more
I just laugh when I walk into bestbuy these days....I don't really expect anything I see to be in stock. And their warranties are just useless.

aboss3 wrote in post #12677597
And their warranties are just useless.

+1!

Fooled me once on an iPod "Extended Warranty" that "covered everything". After 4 trips for repeated service for the same issue and the Manager's repeated refusals to honor the replacement clause of the warranty, they lost me as a customer for life.

Sorry to hear that your lesson cost you $400.

Crap, I bought the warranty from BB a while back when I got my 60D. Sounded good at the moment with the cleaning as well as protection plan. I'm 2nd guessing it now but it;s too late for me to do anything about it. I spent $190 on the warranty plan.

I bought my 5dii from BB because they honored my generic 10% off coupon I printed from another member on here. No salex tax either so it was just over $2000.00 out the door. didn't bother with their "protection program" because I didn't believe it. I did buy Windows 7 and my Wacom tablet from them though at 0% interest for 6 motnhs so I'm not regretting that!

I haven't really heard about no sales tax from BB. But it doesn't matter you got a good deal.

My concern is more of how bad there "black tie" program is, which you have figured out up front is not something for you.

I just hate the words the guy used in selling me the plan, Canon "authorized" facility. Sometimes, behind the back of your mind, specially when you hear the words canon and facility in the same sentence, rings the same. It's bordering misrepresentation.

ni$mo350 wrote in post #12677957
I bought my 5dii from BB because they honored my generic 10% off coupon I printed from another member on here. No salex tax either so it was just over $2000.00 out the door. didn't bother with their "protection program" because I didn't believe it. I did buy Windows 7 and my Wacom tablet from them though at 0% interest for 6 motnhs so I'm not regretting that!

He must have went to a Portland store. No sales tax in Oregon.

I got my 5D Mark II at Best Buy last year when Bing had a great cash back deal going on. (one of my local stores had the body in stock) when I went to pick it up I was also able to use the 12% off coupon they send to premier silver rewards zone members. Ended up with a really great deal that I purchased their Black Tie protection plan. A week later after doing research into it I went back for a full refund of the protection plan. I found an overwhelming amount of negative feedback on their Black Tie program.

This is where Bestbuy sends the camera for fixing/cleaning:

http://www.precisionca​mera.com

So its a Canon authorized repair facility indeed. Now how about the three weeks wait to have your camera clean?

I would think what explains the three weeks is ground shipping back and forth + 1 week in facility.

If I live near Connecticut, it might have been a good deal.

Good for you sir...I don't know if I can do that now that i am just over a year on my four year deal with them.

vitacura wrote in post #12678345
I got my 5D Mark II at Best Buy last year when Bing had a great cash back deal going on. (one of my local stores had the body in stock) when I went to pick it up I was also able to use the 12% off coupon they send to premier silver rewards zone members. Ended up with a really great deal that I purchased their Black Tie protection plan. A week later after doing research into it I went back for a full refund of the protection plan. I found an overwhelming amount of negative feedback on their Black Tie program.

jclaveria wrote in post #12678294
I haven't really heard about no sales tax from BB. But it doesn't matter you got a good deal.

My concern is more of how bad there "black tie" program is, which you have figured out up front is not something for you.

I just hate the words the guy used in selling me the plan, Canon "authorized" facility. Sometimes, behind the back of your mind, specially when you hear the words canon and facility in the same sentence, rings the same. It's bordering misrepresentation.

I deifnitely agree that their practices are beyond sketch. I was looking at the memory there for the 5dii and it was like $230+ for a 16gb CF. She tried to upsell it to me and I was like ummm no. haha

liupublic wrote in post #12678338
He must have went to a Portland store. No sales tax in Oregon.

Yea, I went to two different stores but it did save me salex tax. I use my parent's address when I order now to avoid taxes even though I live in Vancouver.