All right, we've all dealt with them, now let's spread the word around so they don't vicimize others. I've got two:
Best Buy - Do NOT buy electronics from these people. My husband bought a laptop from them 2.5 years ago and got their three year "warranty". The thing has been crashing every six to twelve weeks for the last year and a half. I've brought it in to their Geek Squad somewhere between five and seven times (I've lost count). Each time they keep it for two weeks.
Now, they claim that if you bring it in four times with hardware problems, they'll give you a new computer under their "No Lemon" policy. In fact, they fixed hardware problems on three separate occasions, then took the position that everything else wrong with this computer was software. Believe me, I tried everything I could with software, short of using a really basic version of Linux (not a viable option for an attorney who needs to email documents). This last time I brought it in, their Geek Squad agent found not one but two hardware problems. But they won't replace the computer because it's not "economical" for them. They also didn't fix the hardware problems, which were both on the motherboard. Instead they replaced the hard drive and told me to come pick it up.
I've already reported them to the Better Business Bureau, and I've made it clear to them that I'm not picking up my computer in its current condition. They'll have to honor their warranty or I'll take them to small claims court. I can't really see another option at this point.
Cruise.com They overcharged my parents $150.00, and they admit it. They've got the bills they sent and then the amount they charged my parents' credit card, and there is a $150.00 discrepancy. They say they cannot return their money until they determine where the error was made internally. Furthermore, if they can't find where the error was made, then they will not return the money.
This is the latest chapter in what has become a second career for my mother. She spent literally (and I do mean literally) hours a day for two months calling their rep because names weren't entered right in the reservations, reservations weren't made, or they were made then lost, a name that was entered right once was then changed so that it was wrong, and although my mother booked the trip six months in advance, the tickets did not arrive until four days before the ship left port.
So for those of you that can afford cruises right now... stay away from this company.
Hatrackers, whom have you had trouble with? Post it here!
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
This isn't a particular business, but . . . if you're in a hotel room or at a pay phone, and they have your usual calling-card deal 800 number blocked, don't take the credit card option. They charged me $29.50 per call. I disputed it, so I didn't have to pay it, but they did try.
Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
That's why I don't do extended warranties. They always offer them at Best Buy and Circuit City, with various levels of insistance. Once I went to Best Buy and bought a CD deck for my car. The guy I bought it from was explaining their selling policies, and just mentioned, without explaining that it was even an option, that they were going to add $40 to the tab for the warranty. Then, without taking a breath to allow me to retort, he walked me up to the front counter, handed the invoice to the checker, and slyly told her to sign me up for the extended warranty while she was ringing me up. He then left, at which point I told the checker to do no such thing.
They say that their salespeople don't get commission, but they must get something. They're really jacked up on those warranties.
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
Okay, more Best Buy stories (and you're right Speed, retailer warranties often aren't worth it anyway, nor is buying a computer from a retailer, which I don't do, but some people like the guy I married have done once in their lifetimes... but that's another topic.)
A writer friend of mine had her computer taken by the Geek Squad for 9 weeks, total, and the last time they returned it to her they dropped it on its corner, right in front of her, shattering the casing.
A law student friend had her laptop sent in for service and they kept it for over a month. Whenever she asked them where it was and what the status was, they'd make a half-hearted attempt to look, shrug, and tell her to come back later.
Another writer friend said that she bought a computer from Best Buy in the '80s, and that it was such a piece of junk that she still hasn't forgiven them. As she puts it, she's forgiven both of her ex-husbands by now, but not Best Buy. I don't have details, but she did ask if I would go and sue them so that she could know they were getting grief.
In case anyone reading this thinks my experience is uniquely bad. I've dealt with three different store locations, and the stories above deal with at least one more out of state.
[/rant]
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Oddly, I've bought three machines from Best Buy, and never had a problem.
Posted by citadel (Member # 8367) on :
Lypha.com - web hosting propvider About year ago there was a problem with my account. I couldn't get a warm body on the phone. I left numerous messages and sent several emails. My account was finally fixed (it took ~10 days) but they never returned my calls or replied to my emails!
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
Verizon We decided to try their internet plan as an alternative to dial-up, because we live out in the country where cable or dsl is not an option. They had a 30 day return policy. We were unable to connect, and we spent several hours on the phone with tech support. It never worked, so we returned the equipment. Not only have they not refunded our money, they insist that we pay them for the service (which we had cancelled as soon as it was clear it didn't work). We have sent them documentation proving that we sent the equipment back in time and that they received it, but still have not gotten closure.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
Just so you know, Geek Squad techs have as much technical knowledge as your average high-schooler. It's the absolute bottom edge of the technical support industry, even lower than phone tech support. No really. The application to work there specifically states (in paraphrase, of course) that they don't really care how much experience or training you've had, just whether or not you've fixed computers before. Yeah, don't ever go there if you want it fixed. Take it to a shop, or find someone who has some actual work experience.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Rental Furniture/Electronics/Appliances: These are always a bad deal. They tell you not to worry if you have no credit or bad credit; that's because they will come and take their stuff back AND extort the money from everyone that you had to list on your rental application (references for friends, family, co-workers who don't live with you) And if you saved up the money that you were spending on monthly rental, you'd surely have enough to own the stuff anyway. But miss one payment, and all your furnture (or whatever) is gone. I see clients at home, often in poor neighborhoods, and I've seen slum apartments furnished with all new furniture, big screen TV, enormous stereo system, air conditioner, washer-dryer, yadda yadda ya. And then the next time I come by, they are sitting on boxes, sleeping on the floor, and wondering what went wrong.
Bottom line -- if you can't afford to buy it, you can't afford to have it.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Also, try to avoid Loan Sharks. Their lending rates tend to be higher than is typical at banks, and their collections departments are notoriously difficult to negotiate with.
Posted by scottneb (Member # 676) on :
quote:The application to work there specifically states (in paraphrase, of course) that they don't really care how much experience or training you've had, just whether or not you've fixed computers before.
First off this is a bunch of crap, and I think you're just jumping on the bandwagon. I've seen the application process for the Geek Squad first hand, they offered me a Manager Position but the pay was too low. There is no such phrasing as "we don't care how much experience you have," and I think you need to show me some proof on this one before I discredit everything you say.
As far as Best Buy in general, I've never had a problem with them. In fact, Best Buy has an employment requirement for most of their stores. That policy requires the store to pay their employees $10 an hour or more. Now, I don't really care how many bad rumors I can hear here, this one fact will always trump them.
Posted by scottneb (Member # 676) on :
quote:Just so you know, Geek Squad techs have as much technical knowledge as your average high-schooler.
I've seen my share of high-schoolers tear into a computer and fix a very difficult computer.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:
quote:Just so you know, Geek Squad techs have as much technical knowledge as your average high-schooler.
I've seen my share of high-schoolers tear into a computer and fix a very difficult computer.
Maybe they were above average.
Posted by scottneb (Member # 676) on :
Yeah, I missed the "average" part. My bad.
...but still.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote: They say that their salespeople don't get commission, but they must get something. They're really jacked up on those warranties.
I can't speak for Best Buy, but I did work for Staples. We didn't get commision, but selling warranties was a huge deal. They kept a chart of how much money in warrantees each sales associate had sold that month. They didn't directly pay you any more if you sold more warrantees, but that was the way to get hours (we were all part time). Don't sell a warrantee in a week? They drop your hours down to almost nothing, essentially firing you.
So yeah, it does matter, commision or no.
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
Well, my story about the Geek Squad is no rumor. I can attest to it first hand, but the problem goes deeper than that. I've spoken to three store managers and two people at the corporate office, and everyone's put me off, saying I have to work it out with the local store.
Paying people good wages is a very positive thing, and Best Buy should be commended for it. But I stand by what I say. And hey, here's more:
- the first time I brought the computer into a store for service, they sent if offsite, then the offsite service center mailed it back to a different store location fifty miles from the first one and a hundred miles from where I live. They said, at the time, "Oh, are you sure? That Never Happens. That's Very Serious. Are you sure?" I asked them to check their log, and they had to admit, that which Never Happens, had happened.
- once, when I went to pick up my computer from the Geek Squad, I turned it on in front of them and found that it would not boot up (which is is its recurring problem). They wanted me to bring my install disks and leave it with them for another two days so they could reinstall my OS. They stated it Could Not be a hardware problem (turns out the video card is shot, but they didn't catch that for another eight months). I took the computer and reinstalled the OS myself.
- once when I went to pick up my computer from the Geek Squad, the hard drive was formatted. I asked why, and what repair or test had necessitated that. They said that according to their log, no one had touched the software. I gave the computer back to the guy and said, "does it look like someone formatted the hard drive?" He checked and said, "Yes, this hard drive was formatted within the last week." So I asked again, why? I just wanted to know what had been done with my computer. He said they had no record of why and according to their log, it had not.
- the last time I brought the computer in, there was a very competent Geek Squad tech there. He pulled out a CD did a diagnostic, and found the hardware problems. He also found record that the hardware problems had been occuring even before I had brought it in for service the last time. When I asked him why no one else caught it, he said he had "reservations" about the offsite service center. He didn't go on and elaborate. He didn't say anything else negative about his company.
To their credit, they're now saying they will honor their warranty. But this is the second time they've said such a thing. The first time the manager stopped calling me back and would not come to the phone to update me when I called to see what was going on and what their position was on all this.
But I am seriously glad to know they're good employers. I do know how much that matters in this modern workforce. So, people who read this, do what you will.
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
quote:They say that their salespeople don't get commission, but they must get something. They're really jacked up on those warranties.
Yeah, they get to keep their jobs.
You don't have to like the offer. Just understand what your options are.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
The Mafia. I sent my laptop off with my uncle Paolo last week, and when I got it back, it had a cryptic blood-spattered note taped to the back. Also, I once had dinner with the mob bosses, and even though SweetCheeks Puccinelli has a Grandma straight from Sicily who can cook a cannoli you'd die for doesn't mean she keeps her kitchen up to health department standards. Dang Italian botulism.
. . .
re: this thread: I'll see your anecdote and raise you two.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
Jet Shaft er... I mean... Jet Star. Australian airline. Extremely rude and unhelpful Sydney customer 'satisfaction' manager that caused me to have to leave my bike in Sydney for three weeks because their bikes on flights policy is entirely different to: 1) every other airline in Australia 2) their own parent company's policy. Also, got lied to by their sales staff regarding bike policy. They were just not interested in helping me.
When I got on the flight, I took my 'usual' seat (if I can get it), halfway down the plane in the emergency exit aisle by the window. My window-arm was getting scratched by something. I looked down to notice that where airlines normal remove entirely the armrest against the emergency exit, Jet Shaft had merely sawed it off and covered the end with alfoil.
Stella job.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
I had a problem with a Best Buy's warrantee as well OlavMah.
My Dad bought me a laptop for my 18th birthday (I'm now 23). He bought a three year warrantee with it, which cost him almost a thousand dollars extra.
So a year and a half after purchase, my brother Zach accidently knocked it off my desk, causing the casing to crack when it hit the floor. I called Best Buy, and they told me that the case isn't covered. I wasn't happy, but I wasn't that angry either. If it wasn't covered, it wasn't covered. Plus, it was only a crack, and it didn't seem to be affecting anything with the running of the laptop.
About 2 months later, the computer would no longer hold a charge. It wasn't the battery, because I had two batteries and they both started doing this at the same time.
I brought it in to Best Buy, and asked them to look at it. I specifically told them that if they needed to replace the case to fix the charging problem, to give it back to me. I saw the man write this down word for word.
So I call the next day, and they hadn't gotten around to looking at it.
I call the day after and they had sent it off-site (hundreds of miles away) to some central repair center. I was annoyed they didn't ask, but thrilled that it was being looked at. They tell me that within the week it will be back.
Then I call the next week, and they assure me it will be back within a couple days, and that they will call me when it gets back.
I call the next week, and they say it will be in very soon.
Another week goes by, and I demand my computer back. They say its still at the central repair center, and they have no way of knowing what's happening to it. It takes about five calls that day, but I finally get the phone number to the central repair center. I got a strong impression that the associates are told not to give out that number. I had to speek to a manager.
I call them, and after much phone tag, they call me back. They say that they can't even diagnose the problem without replacing the case. Oh and that will cost $350 plus tax. I barely manage to keep conversing in a civil manner, but demanded that I get my laptop back. Another two weeks later, the local store calls me to say its back.
So after almost two months of being without my only computer, I don't even get the problem diagnosed. Not a happy customer.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
No, no, no! Shop at Best Buy!
I have no ulterior motive, really!
*hides husband's Best Buy supervisor tag*
Seriously, though you may have a problem with one department, that's no reason to write the whole chain off (or even the whole store).
They are actually very good employers, and regardless of what you may have seen in the Geek Squad, they do tons and tons and tons and tons of training, for all departments.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Xavier:
I had a problem with a Best Buy's warrantee as well OlavMah.
I can understand your problems with Best Buy, but what in the world did OlavMah ever do to you? Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :
Actually, the two times we've ever had to deal with Best Buy's warranty department, it's been quite satisfactory.
Their repair departments, however, blow major chunks; both times we've needed to have something fixed, rather than actually replaced, they've been unable to resolve it. I think there's a margin issue here, frankly; it is considerably cheaper for Best Buy to just replace most appliances and computers than to actually spend the labor diagnosing and fixing them.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I've had problems with so-called techies with less knowledge than me, which is pretty darn pathetic since I only know what I know from internet research and a few computer crises, so I can attest to occaisional total brainlessness among "techies".
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
quote:occaisional total brainlessness among "techies".
Couldn't this be said of any field?
quote:I think there's a margin issue here, frankly; it is considerably cheaper for Best Buy to just replace most appliances and computers than to actually spend the labor diagnosing and fixing them.
Christy, IIRC, this is actually completely true.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
I wouldn't shop at Best Buy, just because their prices don't seem that great. But maybe that's just me.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Where do you think has better prices for electronics? (no rancor; I'm really curious)
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
http://newegg.com , frequently. Or just shopping around online a bit.
The Best Buy in town is pretty much within 5 cents on anything except stuff they've been having trouble moving of the nearby staples.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Ah, online, of course. Silly me, I was thinking only of actual physical stores.
Yes...but...if you buy there, fugu, you're supporting my doggies! Please! Think of the puppies! Posted by HRE (Member # 6263) on :
I have a VPR Matrix desktop PC (the Best Buy brand) that I bought close to three years ago.
With some very basic maintanence, it runs faster and smoother than the new HPs and Compaqs I've used. I wouldn't trade this PC brand for the world, but unfortunately they've stopped making them and I will need to upgrade soon...
I also bought the three-year extended warranty and it has saved my ass multiple times when I need a replacement (like when my video card died) and under the terms of the warranty, they had to replace it with a part that was equal in value to the original part at the time of the purchase. So I got a high-end video card, FREE.
I brought it in one time over Christmas because I had a problem, and the guy informed me it might take 4-6 weeks due to the Christmas load. So he gave me a temporary fix right there for free (and it wasn't included under the warranty) and told me to come back in four weeks, when he would move my repair to the top of the queue.
No complaints here whatsoever about Best Buy.
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
I hate Best Buy. A few anecdotes.
1) My mother purchased a copy of World of Warcraft for me for Christmas from Best Buy. When I tried to install it, the discs were corrupted and would not work - you could even see the distortion in the reflective sides of the discs. I went to Best Buy to exchange, and they had no more in stock - Neither did any of the six locations within 20 miles of my house, and they didn't expect any for a few weeks.
I called Electronics Boutique, and they had one copy that I put on reserve. I called Best Buy, asked if I could return the damaged discs and have money credited to my mother's card. She said yes, that I only needed her card number and the receipt, and that would be fine.
I raced over to EB to buy a copy, then went to Best Buy to return mine. I was told that they couldn't give me any money because they don't do that for opened software, even though I was told on the phone that they could. They said I could only exchange it for a copy of the exact same product.
After I got very angry with them, demanded to talk to a manager, showed them the disc distortion, and told them that no Best Buy within any sort of driving distance had a copy, they relented and gave me STORE CREDIT on a gift card. I left angry, and it was seven months before I went back.
2) I still had that damn store credit gift card, and a student of mine gave me another gift card at the end of the school year, totally $70 together. So I decide to go back and get a CD player installed in my car (I only had AM/FM at this point).
Turns out the $50 store credit had depreciated over those 7 months time to $10!!! I had no way to argue this, because I didn't have my receipt from December or any proof what the card was originally. Very angry.
3) The salesman sold me a bunch of other gear for the "free" "same day" installation - totalling about $40 - and told me I had to return the following night at 8 pm if I wanted them to put it in my car!!
When I read the fine print on their sign, it said that it was "free" - except for any additional parts needed for installation. It also said that the same day guarantee was only for purchases up to 6 pm - it was 6:10 (and it took me almost 15 minutes to get the damn attendant to get the product and all the additional parts).
4) When I came back the next day, I was told the installation would take an hour and a half - which would take me until 9:30, which was technically 30 min after their install shop was supposed to close. When I finally got it done, it turns out the salesman had sold me all the wrong parts, that the tech had to sell me all the right parts, and I had to go back inside to return all the wrong parts.
I hate that store, and I will never set foot in one again.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
quote:Originally posted by Megan: Where do you think has better prices for electronics? (no rancor; I'm really curious)
I usually go to CompUSA or buy online at Newegg.com. Honestly, I haven't really shopped for electronics at Best Buy, so I don't have the best idea of their prices. But their music prices seem high, and I've already got other stores where I buy electronics and computer stuff, so I don't really bother to look at Best Buy. It's just that the couple of times I've gone into a Best Buy, I haven't been impressed with their prices.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by theCrowsWife: Verizon We decided to try their internet plan as an alternative to dial-up, because we live out in the country where cable or dsl is not an option. They had a 30 day return policy. We were unable to connect, and we spent several hours on the phone with tech support. It never worked, so we returned the equipment. Not only have they not refunded our money, they insist that we pay them for the service (which we had cancelled as soon as it was clear it didn't work). We have sent them documentation proving that we sent the equipment back in time and that they received it, but still have not gotten closure.
We never used Verizon for internet service, but everyone in my family uses Verizon for cell phone service and we have been very satisfied with the service.
Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
I absolutely despise Sears after the endless hassles they gave us for having the nerve to set up a wedding registry there. What a mistake. They screwed the registry up, resulting in us getting duplicates of gifts, and when we tried to return said gifts to the store, they said they don't take returns from the internet. Even though they had the items in stock. They said we'd have to mail the items to their headquarters, at our expense. So we grudgingly took store credit, and used it to buy some camping equipment for a trip the next week. Worst. Products. Ever. I've never seen such crappy sleeping bags, tents, folding chairs... the sleeping bag now belongs to the dog, who enjoys tearing it apart. We cheer her on.
Plus the customer service was unbelievably snotty and frustrating every step of the way, constantly transferring our calls to the wrong department, hanging up on us, or just flat-out refusing to be helpful.
I think we still have some store credit, but I'll burn $20 dollar bills before I set foot in that store again. Oi.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Best Buy tends to have excellent prices on appliances and whole computers, but CompUSA and NewEgg are much cheaper for components. I do all my actual component shopping at the latter two stores, as well, and it's been my experience that the CompUSA techs are slightly better at actual repairs and/or technical consultations (which, sadly, isn't saying much). That said, if you know what you want and aren't building it from the ground up, you can save a LOT of money by waiting until Best Buy uses the item you need as a loss leader and showing up before it goes out of stock (which it will, since they do bait and switch a lot).
Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :
I like Best Buy. I got my computer there and have never had a problem. My mom got a digital camera with a warranty there about two years ago. It broke a few months ago and she took it in. They said it wasn't fixable and gave her a brand new model- far better than the original. From now on, I'm always getting a warranty.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by adam613: Verizon is a conglomerate. Verizon Wireless and the division of Verizon that provides DSL are essentially two different companies.
I've been a satisfied Verizon Wireless customer for four years, but I had my local service provided by Verizon for six months before I left in disgust.
Thanks for the clarification, Adam. Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I'm exactly the opposite. I've always been treated like crap by Verizon Wireless, but I have nothing but good things to say about Verizon DSL. That said, the fact that I need to have Verizon local service to have DSL really annoys me, because Verizon local is ridiculously overpriced.
And the company has been very slow to bundle its services in any meaningful way, which costs me money every single day.
Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
Time Warner's telephone "support" has twice made me cry.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I've been very happy with my Verizon DSL, except for one puzzling little thing. When I signed on to Hatrack, the email with my password never got through to my Verizon email account. And I tried and tried again, emailing the moderators for help. If they responded, I never got the answer. I even disabled my spam filter, in case that was the problem. No help. I tried again, using my work email account, and got the password right away. I have no idea why.
There are a bunch of dormant email accounts with my name on them, though.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by Zeugma: I absolutely despise Sears after the endless hassles they gave us for having the nerve to set up a wedding registry there. What a mistake. They screwed the registry up, resulting in us getting duplicates of gifts, and when we tried to return said gifts to the store, they said they don't take returns from the internet. Even though they had the items in stock. They said we'd have to mail the items to their headquarters, at our expense. So we grudgingly took store credit, and used it to buy some camping equipment for a trip the next week. Worst. Products. Ever. I've never seen such crappy sleeping bags, tents, folding chairs... the sleeping bag now belongs to the dog, who enjoys tearing it apart. We cheer her on.
Plus the customer service was unbelievably snotty and frustrating every step of the way, constantly transferring our calls to the wrong department, hanging up on us, or just flat-out refusing to be helpful.
I think we still have some store credit, but I'll burn $20 dollar bills before I set foot in that store again. Oi.
I have to say I hate shopping in my local Sears, as the sales help is either impossible to find or unhelpful. The main things we have bought at Sears in recent years are car batteries and a washing machine.
We also refuse to have either a Sears credit card or a Discover Card, ever since they messed up our account and it took months and multiple letters to clear it up.
I still deal with Lands' End, but I have been dealing with them for almost 20 years, before they were a part of Sears.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote:Couldn't this be said of any field?
This I wouldn't know. Quite possibly. The only thing I've ever had to fix is my computer though, so I have no experience with Cars, Appliances etc.
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
So it's good to hear that some Best Buy stores do honor the warranties.
Some other advice. When dropping your computer off with the Geek Squad, it rarely pays to give them a detailed explanation. The service order only allows them to put in a few lines of what they think is wrong. READ WHAT THEY TYPE THERE AND ASK QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT. Twice I've brought it in, told them the problem, gotten the computer back with no fix, and found out that they typed the wrong thing. For example, the mouse buttons are not the same thing as the touchpad. If you've got problems with a hard-drive controller, realize this could be one of two devices. One is on the drive, the other on the mother board, etc. etc. If the offsite service center reads that you have a touchpad problem, they'll look only at the touchpad, not the buttons right next to the touchpad.
Also, don't bother to tell them that your hard drive is partitioned and that they don't need to wipe the whole thing to reinstall the OS. I don't think the Geek Squad guys I spoke to about this even understood what I was saying.
And yes, some other departments of Best Buy are most helpful. Some of the techs I've spoken to are quite competent. Truth of the matter is, though, they've cost me over a thousand dollars in a worthless computer and who knows how much in lost income as I fight with this thing. I run my own home business, and at the time and place I am in my life, I've got to watch money very closely. If I didn't have a husband capable of putting together a computer for me from spare parts, I'd be... I don't know. Borrowing money from the parents as a small business loan, I guess.
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
A side note:
As I understand it, in most states (and perhaps nationwide) retailers are no longer allowed to do the 'depreciating gift card' thing. I believe there was a court case about this.
I bet the retailers are bummed -- that was free money for them.
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
Ah, looks like it isn't a nationwide thing. California, where I live, has had a law on the books since 1996.
According to this 2004 Poynter article several other states are (were?) considering similar legislation.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
The only reason I go to Sears is if they're having a clearance sale on top of clearance. Last time we did that, Jeff got a pair of Land's End khakis for $12.50 and two ties for $2.50 each.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Zal, New Hampshire and California are the only two I know of that have that law; however, several national chains have stopped doing it.
For instance, I bought my copy of HP 6 with a 2 1/2 year old Borders gift card. Now, they say on the back that they expire after 2 years except in CA, NH, and where forbidden by law, but the full amount was still available to me in TX, where there are no laws against depreciation, "maintainance fees", or expiration of gift cards/certificates. Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
That's weird. I love Best Buy.
I've purchased two PC's and a laptop from them and not had a problem so far. I didn't get the extended warantee on the PC's but did on the laptop. So far I haven't needed to use it.
We bought our 42" LCD rear projection TV from them two years ago. The lamp went out on it and though it did take longer than I wanted (a little over a week), they sent a tech out and fixed it. The extended warrantee paid for itself with that one service call.
When I've had troubles figuring out how to properly wire our entertainment system, their people have been unfailingly helpful and accurate, which I really appreciate.
Not long ago, I bought a two line phone from them that started to have some very weird problems after about 3 weeks. I had the receipt, but not the original packaging, so I took it back and exchanged it. The new phone (same model) exhibited similar problems, so I took it back and they gave me a refund. No hassle at all. If they'd had a different model in the same price range, I would have exchanged, but since they didn't, they refunded my money. Even though it wasn't really within their policy to do so. I only warranted an exchange, not a refund.
All in all, my Best Buy experiences have made a really loyal customer.
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
I did some very basic Sears customer service for two summers, and I can tell you that I was not impressed with the company's definition of customer service. However, now that the chain has been bought by K-Mart, I have no idea if their customer service is any better. It might be.
Posted by fiazko (Member # 5812) on :
UPS. A friend sent a package through them and somehow the zip code got screwed up. The first time I called, the package wasn't at a place where it could redirected, so I had to call back the next day, so I did. When I finally got it straightened out to get the package delivered the right city, I specifically asked if it could be taken to one of the distribution centers for me to pick up because there was no way I'd be home to sign for it. Even though arranging for pick-up is appaarently an option according to their website, I was informed that they had to attempt to deliver the package before I could arrange to pick it up. Fine. So they attempt to deliver and, of course, I'm not there. So I call the number on the slip. I'm thinking I can just drop by and pick up the package. Oh no, "it will be available" between 7pm and 9pm--while I'm at work. ??? The guy on the phone was smart enough to cooperate with me and let my friend pick it up for me even though we didn't live at the same address (and that was a whole other ordeal for her.) I'm sure "Brown" has done plenty of good things for plenty of people, but I will stick with the USPS from now on.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
quote:All in all, my Best Buy experiences have made a really loyal customer.
On behalf of my puppies, I thank you.
Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :
The law about gift cards not being subject to all of those imaginary fees is also in CT, I believe.
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
quote:Originally posted by MidnightBlue: The law about gift cards not being subject to all of those imaginary fees is also in CT, I believe.
All things are in me.
*magnanimous
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
This is why I have problems with angry business badmouthing - you get one or two individual anecdotes turned into a huge mean snowball against an entire company.
I think it's much smarter to look into Consumer Reports or some other situation where you get large number sampling and fair comparisons.
Every business is going to have a small number of mess-ups. This is not a good excuse, in my opinion, to be spreading your stories and giving them a bad name when, in reality, they may have a very low occurance of the type of problem that affected you.
When I get repeated problems over a long period of time at several different locations of a chain store, like I have with Kinko's, then I'll start making judgements. But I don't think one screw up is enough to totally prevent my future business.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:July 18, 2000 was a Tuesday. Tuesday was my day off. At the particular time when this package was delivered, I was in Atlanta, 117 miles away.
Wow, adam, how did they explain that?
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
Though I hesitate to say it, I would avoid America West Airlines. I do not say this because of any bad flight experience I've had, but because of experience with them at their maintenance hanger at the airport in my area. My job is to make sure that certain machinery in the aerospace industry functions properly and meets certain government, military, or commercial specifications. I was concerned at the condition in which I found one of their pieces of equipment. My concerns multiplied when I learned that the equipment appears to still be in use despite not meeting specifications. The operators are clueless and surly and the managers are equally clueless when it comes to the specifications and when it comes to Quality Control. Frankly, it's a wee bit appalling and makes me seriously consider making an anonymous phone call to the FAA recomending that they audit the site. I don't think I'll be flying America West any time soon.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
To follow up on what Annie was saying, it's inevitable that a company as large as Best Buy will have some employees who are incompetent, ill-mannered, and/or just mean. It's just as inevitable that some middle management will be just punching the clock. So I take these claims with a grain of salt.
That said, there are some companies that've pissed me off repeatedly, and on separate occasions and that I refuse to deal with ever again. Dell, I'm talking you. Bellsouth, you too. But in both of those cases I had several people argue with me even though I was unassailably in the right, and had the documentation to prove it.
Bellsouth still contends that I owe them 171 dollars, even though I have the cancelled check for that amount, paid to them over 4 years ago. They eventually strung me along to the point that I just gave up, even though several of the people I spoke with admitted it was a clerical error on their part.
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
Like I've said, I've dealt with three locations of Best Buy, and as a business owner myself, I am all for word of mouth.
I've brought my computer in between five and seven times, dealing with different techs and different managers each time. I've lost count, and this last time it's been out and back from the service center and still has the problems, so does this count as once or twice? I'm not sure.
Besides, if I do good work for my clients but make a mistake, do I deserve to have the whole community know about this mistake? Yes. I do. That's business. People who know about my mistakes can judge for themselves whether or not they want to risk retaining me.
So I'm not at all sorry for spreading the word about what's happened to me. People can determine for themselves whether or not they want to risk it.
Right now the local store is offering us a display model computer. We called back and asked why we didn't merit a new computer, as the warranty states, and after some back and forth, the manager admitted that he's not sure, so he's going to start calling Best Buy corporate. I plan to write a letter to corporate praising the people who have worked so hard for us in their company, for what it's worth.
In Dell's defense, I'll say that they went through a real bad time several years ago, then turned it around. I had a computer that died (probably some simple hardware problem) and they were first useless about it, then they "replaced" it with a refurbished computer that made loud griding noises whenever you turned it on and was dirty and clearly used. Only when I called back a zillion times did I get a positive response. Thing is, their positive response was to give me full trade in value for the old computer, PLUS an additional three year warranty on the new computer I got. So, they more than made me whole, and that new computer was fine. No hardware problems. Moreover, I have an old 486 laptop from them that still runs. It runs Windows 95 and takes about six minutes to boot up. I owned it during a period of time when I traveled a lot, and I even dropped it once, fully expecting to have broken it. No discernable damage. I'll buy from Dell again, despite the hiccups I've experienced.
[ July 18, 2005, 05:59 PM: Message edited by: OlavMah ]
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Small business owner != Large Corpotation
This is a fairly simple concept.
You rely on word of mouth, as well you should. You know all your employees by name, and probably most of their spouses names as well, right? It's unrealistic to expect a huge chain to work the way you do. They don't need word of mouth, because they have a building that's visible from 2 miles away, good prices, and a national ad budget.
I'm not saying it's right, just that's how it is. I buy from small local businesses whenever I can.
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
True... but not really relevant. I'm saying that anyone who has a problem with any business should feel comfortable sharing it. It's not "unfair" to the business; it's just the way business goes.
Do I think I'll pull down Best Buy's corporate empire? Er... no. Do I think I'll make a discernable impact on their customer base. Probably not. But even if I could, that would be no reason to keep my mouth shut.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
There's a difference between being treated poorly by one employee, and then there's being the victim of poor company policy.
In my Best Buy example, the primary issue was that my computer was being ignored at the repair center, while I was being given the run-around by the tech support center. It wasn't one employee either, every time I called they would all say the same thing, that it would be there soon. None of these employees knew such a thing, and were saying that to placate me. It turned out that none of them had any more idea what was happening to my computer than I did. I don't blame the employee's, as it was obviously Best Buy policy to placate impatient customers in this manner. Then it was Best Buy's policy not to give customers the number of the repair center. I needed to pressure a manager to give it out. And it wasn't one solitary employee at the repair center who was ignoring my computer. I'm guessing Best Buy policy is to give low priority to computers they can't fix because a non-covered part needed to be replaced first. It must not have been Best Buy policy to alert the customer to the fact that they can't fix their computer. If it happened to me, it happened to other people. Keeping my mouth shut because I am just one person is crap. Those warrantees are probably always a bad idea anyway. When I worked at Staples, the managers made it clear that they considered them pure profit. We were supposed to try and sell one year plans on shredders which came with a one year manufacturers warrantee (almost exactly the same terms as what we offered). That's just plain wrong. I can't imagine how difficult it is to get Staples to actually fix anything.
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
I haven't made any major purchases from Best Buy, so I'm not going to add to what's said about them. I have had an identical issue with CompUSA which was never resolved satisfactorily (so I have no qualms about detailing the issues here). Short version:
Bought a CTX computer from CompUSA, and opted for the extended warranty since I've had a problem here or there with computers that could have benefited from such coverage. The computer worked as well as could be expected from a Windows PC for about 12 months, then started going downhill. It would periodically lock up. No warning, no noises, it would simply cease operation and display the screen as it was at the time of death. Computer would have to go through a hard reset to come back. After about a month of this I approached CompUSA with the problem. In the end, I believe the computer was visited once at my dorm, and four other visits to CompUSA's (two different locations). The original diagnosis made during the field visit was a faulty CPU fan, so that was replaced and I was happy for all of about two days. Computer locks up, so it's time for visit number 1. I was told it was a software issue, and that it wouldn't be covered under warranty. So I formatted it (low-level) and started again from scratch. Problem not solved, and it froze repeatedly while I was trying to get it set back up. So visit number two a few weeks later. Told I wasn't proficient enough to format a computer, and it continued to be a software issue. After threatening managers and BBB, they conceded to format it for me for no cost. Retrieve computer, and next day locks up repeatedly. Shortly after this, I move to a different city, and the tale resumes. Take the computer to a new CompUSA for visit number 3, and highlight the history. They say they will evaluate. Report comes back that they could not replicate the problem, and the computer is fine. I take it home, hoping for a faith heal, and it locks up. Computer returns to CompUSA for visit number 4. The problem occurs once, and they label it a software issue, possibly cause by a driver or IRQ conflict (which has been checked several times over). I press the issue, and they claim if it is hardware, it's an overheating issue and not covered by warranty, so I'll have to install an additional fan myself. After letting them know in no uncertain terms that is not acceptable, they say that even if they claimed the computer a lemon, they do not have a comparable machine to replace it with (this is about two months before the warranty expires). I leave the store after delivering thinly veiled insults regarding them, their families, and possibly their pets. Computer freezes two days later, and case winds up with an inch deep dent in the side. So much for the warranty, plus I was retuning to college and in need of a working and reliable computer. CTX visits the great parts bin in the sky, Feyd gets a Dell.
9 months after Feyd gets a Dell, HD starts making grinding noises. I call Dell, and at the end of the phone call a new HD is being sent to me. I get a warm fuzzy feeling that maybe customer service can be more functional than my previous computer.
Oh, and regarding Kinkos. They work splendidly, when you tower over and corner them like a terrified dog. Give all the implications that a kicking may ensue if they offend you further, and they're most industrious. I learned this when I dropped my thesis program off to be printed, and ready for pick-up in about 28 hours. The document was due in 39 hours. I was called the morning the document was due that they could not print the document due to size constraints. I packed my large and intimidating duffle-bag full of books and work, and went to Kinko's looking very tired, haggard, and perhaps a bit short-fused. I explained my situation, their error, and pretty much implied the document would be ready at 4 that afternoon regardless. I then set up a nice work desk at the table closest the cash register, and didn't move until I was told the program was ready (at 3:45), and was asked if there any options I'd like added like laminating, binding, dividers, and so on. The breakdown there was one lazy tech tried to open a 200 mb document file, and gave up when it didn't process immediately. At least the management admitted this, and remedied the mistake.
Those are the only two incidents I've had that warranted commenting on. All the others were just miscommunication and very slight.
Feyd Baron, DoC
EDIT: And I'll applogize in advance for the severe lack of paragraph breaks.
Posted by sky_pager (Member # 7796) on :
There are many cases in which I'll pay a few extra bucks and buy from more personable companies than Best Buy, Home Depot, or Sears. I've found I get better customer service and am able to build a more personal buiseness relation.
For Example: If I buy a new TV from "Bob" then have a problem, I want to talk to "Bob" before I speak to anyone else. Chances are if I purchase from a store that is not a mass marketer, TV sales is "Bob's" career, he knows what he's doing, and won't be in sofa sales next week. There is nothing that urks me more than trying to resolve a problem and getting another person (if I can get a person at all) every time I call only to have to explain the situation over and over.
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
Small companies often don't move enough volume to be able to write a lot of things off, though, so that can be a disadvantage. Bob may not be able to afford to give you a new computer if yours is defective and the manufacturer's warranty has expired.
A Best Buy location near us has come through and are going to replace the computer even though Best Buy corporate will not let them claim the loss on insurance. So, I will restrict all of my Best Buy purchases to this one location and will not buy any more warranties from the Geek Squad. (I hadn't ever planned to, anyway.)
I'm not a fan of Best Buy corporate, but since this store is taking a hit for us, I will buy products from them. It's been a year and a half struggle, so I hope this new computer can limp along for about a year while I set money aside so that I could buy a new one, if necessary.
Posted by ambyr (Member # 7616) on :
I'll reiterate the anti-Verizon sentiments. Over the five months that I was their customer, I spent, I think, upwards of 50 hours on the phone with their customer disservice department. Problems included but were not limited to: them not turning my phone line on; them refusing to activate my DSL after they had turned my phone line on, because they had no records of turning it on; them turning my phone line off, rather than recording it as on, when I asked them to rectify the situation; them not providing me with paper bills even when I specifically requested them to do so over the phone; them refusing to transfer my phone number when I moved; them claiming that I could not get DSL in my second apartment even though the previous tennant in that exact room had had Verizon DSL; them attempting to bill me for transfering my phone number and activating DSL in the second apartment despite having done neither; and, finally, after my account was closed, them allowing me to view the account details of the next person to have my phone number by logging into their website with my old account name and password. Of course, they denied every problem the first two times I called in it. . . .
Did I mention that when I ordered their DSL the first time, the representative claimed it wasn't Mac-compatible and tried to refuse to sell to me when I mentioned I used a Mac? It took me less than ten minutes to set it up on my computer once they finally got it turned on. It's a good thing I never needed any sort of technical assistance, I guess.
I know they're a conglomerate; I know their wireless department is separate from their phone and DSL departments; you still couldn't pay me to engage in any sort of transaction with any Verizon subsidary.
I had complaints about other companies, but I think I'd better let my blood pressure drop a bit first :-).
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Angry Parent said the best explanation she got was that my story was inaccurate.
Well, that would be pretty easy to disprove if anyone saw you in Atlanta. I guess they were banking on her not suing in small claims court or anything.
I hope she reported them to the BBB.
Posted by Mrs.M (Member # 2943) on :
We got our laptop from Best Buy and couldn't be happier with them. We did get the warranty and it only took the Geek Squad 2 days to correctly diagnose our problem and another 3 days to replace the hard drive.
My former company bought a server from Dell and it was the worst decision we ever made. Customer service was astonishingly unhelpful and they refused to take it back, even though we had a warranty. We ate the cost and were in the process of taking them to court when I left. On the other hand, I've had 3 Dell desktops that never had any problems.
I also won't deal with UPS, because 2 of the companies I worked for were outrageously cheated by them. Of course, I once had FedEx deliver the wrong packages to the wrong 2 students (each got the other's math book) 5 times!
Posted by sky_pager (Member # 7796) on :
quote: Small companies often don't move enough volume to be able to write a lot of things off, though, so that can be a disadvantage. Bob may not be able to afford to give you a new computer if yours is defective and the manufacturer's warranty has expired.
Never said anything about small companies. There are many companies that have a smaller location, but often have a larger companies behind them. And if you provide high quality merchandise there won't be much to right off and the manufacturer are typically more responsive anyway. I work for a fireplace and grill company, we have never written anything off. Our merchandise cost a little more than a mass merchant, but it works. If it has a problem, it gets fixed within 2 weeks because our employees are trained, consistant, and care.
Most American corporations and American consumers don't remember what customer service is. American's assume they will recieve poor treatment and are estatic when they actually get what they deserve.
I don't know, maybe because I live in a populated and fairly high income area (Metro Philadelphia)I have more choice and local companies compete in the consumers intrest?
All I can say is that from my experience small, yet successfull, shops are more flexible because they want your return buisness and your referall. Most mass merchants don't need that. (imagines cows being hearded) Most owners that are involved in there buisness would never want to have a customer bad mouthing them. Whereas, mass merchants just don't care. I bet a million complaints about Best Buy could be found on the web. I'm sure the only to fix some problems with most mass merchant's merchandise is to be very persistant.
Uh Oh. Starting to rant and ramble. Must go before I sound crazy. Vacation begins ... 3..2..1..now.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Adobe Systems, makers of Photoshop -- and, in this particular case, GoLive CS2.
Not only are they staffed by drooling incompetents, and not only do they require a credit card number from callers EVEN IF the caller's support call is on an installation issue (and therefore free), they hobble those incompetents by doing the following:
1) Not allowing them to send individual E-mails to support callers; 2) Not allowing them to receive E-mail from support callers; 3) Not allowing them to divulge alternative contact methods to support callers; 4) Not allowing them to forward callers to other techs; 5) Not allowing them to divulge higher-level support techs to callers; 6) Not providing them access to the call resolution database used by the second-level support techs
What this means: You call in through the main 800 number. They can't answer your question, but there might be an article on their website that does. They can't E-mail you the link, but they can read you the full address over the phone; they CAN E-mail you the entire article, using a remailer form that permits them to mail knowledgebase articles. (Note that they can attach personalized comments to these articles, so I've frequently had techs get around their E-mail restriction by including their real instructions in "comments" attached to an unrelated article.
If that article doesn't help, they'll type up the problem as best they can and bump it up to second-tier support. You will never get to speak to second-tier support. If they type your problem incorrectly, or don't include a piece of vital information, you will find out about it weeks later when you're finally contacted with a potential fix for the wrong problem.
Once the call goes to second-tier support, they have no way of checking whether second-tier support is working on it or how far they've progressed on the issue. You will, I repeat, never get to speak to second-tier support; they may be mystical elves with whom the support managers -- never the first-tier techs, who speak of them with reverence -- commune weekly, perhaps using sundials.
So let's say second-tier support miraculously gets wind of your problem and actually works on it. They submit a fix to the website, but do not note it on the original case. It's up to the first-tier tech to remember to keep checking your open case to see if a tech article has been posted that would fix your problem. (Alternately, you can keep calling back on that same 800 number, going through the constant "type your case number or customer ID into the phone keypad, then get transferred, then tell someone your case number, then get transferred again, then tell someone ELSE the case number you've now inputted twice" routine. Sometimes you'll get lucky and get in touch with a tech who'll read your case history and then check for updates. Sometimes you'll have to explain your whole problem from the beginning, often being interrupted by a "wow" when the first-tier support tech realizes the awesome potential of, say, silent installers for the first time, and wishes he knew how to help you.)
And every now and then you'll research a fix for your own problem out of sheer frustration and call in to the techs to thank them for their time and give them the fix. And then, because you can't actually E-mail them any documents, they'll ask you to type up the fix and post it to a webpage or FTP site so they can cut and paste it into their internal E-mail to send to second-tier support.
This is one of those companies whose reputation is completely sustained by cult inertia.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Revival Begins Here
Best buy took some hits in this thread, and I just wanted to add a positive experience to this thread. I bought an open-box HDMI upconversion DVD player from them 32 days ago. Yesterday, or 1 day after the 30 return policy expired, it completely stopped playing DVDs. I was exasperated but not quite pissed off. I knew when I first hooked it up that I'd probably have to return it, because it was being generally sluggish. But I was hoping it would miraculously heal itself. Alas, 'twas not to be. I said last rites last night and today, on my lunch break, I headed across town to make my case before the return gods (in this case, a cute 20 something blonde).
"Look, I bought this open box from you guys 32 days ago, here's the receipt. Last night it crapped out."
She didn't even hesitate, just said, "I'll take care of it. Go pick out a new one."
The one I picked out (brand new) was actually cheaper than the one I bought open-box (which didn't even have a remote!). So that was awesome. And, just to throw Best Buy some love I bought an xbox game and a CD while I was there.
It's nice when the system works the way it should.
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Wow, adam, how did they explain that?