Best Buy frustration

[ktate82]

I bought a laptop at Best Buy in February 2012. When I bought it, I asked about a warranty. The girl who was selling me the laptop told me there was a warranty that would cover "everything". I asked what is "everything"? She told me any breaking, accidents, software, viruses, and I could "chuck it in a lake and as long as I could fish it back out, it was covered". I was thinking wow, this is a good warranty. The catch was that I HAD to buy the recovery disk from Best Buy and I HAD to buy anti virus software so that if something happened to the software, they would have the recovery disk and if I got a virus, I could show that I had bought and installed the antivirus. Well, fast forward and my computer has problems. I took it in, and they think its software, but (shock and awe), the warranty doesn't cover that. Only covers hardware.

I'm upset. They got $130 for the warranty, $100 for the recovery disk, and $50 for the antivirus. Best Buy has sent me in a round and round "its not our fault, call so and so". I have moved so the original store is 5 hours away, my local store says it wasn't their store so not their problem, corporate says its a Geek Squad problem, Geek Squad says they can't fix it, but they tried to call the original store and wouldn't be connected with the manager, they tell her I need to come in, but they won't fix it even if I do. I try to call and they won't connect me with a manager. They say there are none that can talk to me. This is after 2 phone calls to the store, different times, different days. I feel like they lied to me to sell me more stuff that wasn't needed to make a profit and when I complain, no one will listen or do anything. I realize its been awhile, but its still under the warranty and I have never used the warranty. I am so frustrated and needed to vent.

 

[jedijill]

Sounds like it is time to write a letter to Best Buy corporate.

Jill in CO

 

[JediBonas]

First of all, this is a horrible situation and the person never should have told you the warranty covered everything. I would definitely try to speak to management about that. Unfortunately, the warranty is for hardware only (unless they've recently changed it) and doesn't cover software issues. Again, you should never have been told it did and you certainly shouldn't have had to buy all that other nonsense to get a warranty. Good luck, hope they are able to get your laptop fixed.

 

[kymom99]

I'm sorry this happened to you. Those things can be so confusing. Unfortunately this was probably the result of someone working for commission. I bought a kindle from BB a year or so ago and they had a deal where you got a cover, stylus, and screen protector for a set price. It was cheaper than buying each separately so I went for it. The guy said he would send it back to the service area to have the screen protector installed. After I looked at the receipt he charged me $10 to have it put on! I didn't complain because it was my fault for not spotting it sooner, but they make it hard when you sign without seeing the whole screen. I'm sure that is intentional. I have had the same problem at Verizon because they send an electronic receipt now and I ALWAYS end up getting charged for insurance when I never want it. Then I have to call and have them take it off. It is a way for the salesperson to make more off of the sale.

I would complain about the salesperson, and if she is still working there, at least they can have a talk with her about her sales approach.

 

[Darcy03231]

I never buy a warranty from Best Buy anymore. I found out the hard way they aren't worth the paper they're written on. I had the same run around that you're getting after being told essentially the same thing. If you do a google search you'll see its a pretty common theme.

 

[crisi]

I'm sorry this happened to you. Those things can be so confusing. Unfortunately this was probably the result of someone working for commission.

Best Buy reps haven't been on commission in more than 20 years. Straight hourly pay, unless you are management, in which case its salary and bonuses. And the chances of someone still working at BestBuy a year later in the stores is slim - except for management employees store employees have a high turnover - its a college student type job.

 

[ktate82]

Well I finally got ahold of a manager at the original store, and he said he is trying to see if he can get the store closer to me to fix my computer for free (since that would be covered if the warranty I was sold was right). Waiting to hear back from him. He seemed nicer and more helpful than others, so I hope he makes it right.

 

[angierae]

Two years ago I went round and round with Best Buy for a warranty repair. They were supposed to back up my harddrive on my laptop before sending it off out of state for some hardware repair (in case they ended up having to put a new harddrive in) and I said "That laptop has two harddrives, all of my stuff is backed up on the D:/ drive, get that stuff."

I picked up the back up discs and got them home and they'd only backed up what was in "my documents" so 90% of my stuff wasn't on it. In the meantime, it had been shipped to Kentucky.

Best Buy said they'd put an interrupt on the UPS delivery and have it send back to MI (since the repair facility in KY couldn't get at the harddrive to back it up - that's not what they do there) but it was delivered to KY anyway.

Around this time my husband, who uses twitter for work, started tweeting about what a nightmare the whole situation was.

Long story short, Best Buy gave me my data back, and then I got a refund for the full purchase price of my laptop (which was about 18 months old) and was told to go pick out any one I wanted. I walked out of there with a brand new laptop better than the one I had, and I did NOT put a warranty on it. I would never let Best Buy touch another laptop of mine, and we haven't bought one from there since then, either.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I've had a problem with BB too. Not a major one like you but I guess you can say poor customer service. I purchased a camera and at that time the offer was for a free carrying case. Just a small nylon type thing. When I got it home, the camera didn't fit in the case. Too small, way too small. Went back to the store, politely told them the problem and they more or less said,"that's what comes with it, that was the offer." I said in response, "but you're selling these cases (they were all the same) that don't fit!" We went around and around. They offered an exchange, but I would have to pay a restocking charge plus pay the difference for the new case, which of course was more money because it actually fit. I refuse, stood my ground, got a manager and said I wasn't leaving to you honor what you sold, etc. Got the larger case and didn't pay the difference. What racket though. It's really a bunch of high school kids who sell these high priced computers and cameras and really don't know what they're selling.

 

[davedmaine]

I guess you should have actually read the warranty rather than rely on the high school kid behind the counter..

 

[MillauFr]

I stopped buying stuff from Best Buy years ago due to the annoying warranty pitch. Now I just buy laptops and TVs from Costco. The extended warranty is always free and they actually fix the product rather than give you a run around. My son was too rough on a laptop and broke the keyboard. The damage was not due to a product defect but they fixed it for free anyway.

 

[kymom99]

BB employees may not work on straight commission, but I did a little research and it sounds like they get hours scheduled based on their sales. My niece is a hairdresser and she gets commissions but also her rates that she charges for her services are based on her "productivity". I think pay structures like this are fairly common in retail places such as BB. Otherwise they wouldn't push the extras so hard.

 

[Gracie09]

I bought a leap pad for my daughters birthday last year. They offered me the warranty/insurance at check out. Said it would cover everything except water damage. I even asked if it would cover it of my daughter dropped it. I was told of course. Fast forward a couple months, my daughter did drop it. I went to get a repair/replace. Not only was I told it wasn't cover I was told the warranty didn't cover tablets (which the leap pad was considered) at all. I had the receipt with the warranty charge and didn't leave until they got me a new one. It took a while but eventually the manager gave us a new one but said that we couldn't get another if it broke again. It didn't but I would have argued that they need to honor their original agreement with me.

 

[crisi]

BB employees may not work on straight commission, but I did a little research and it sounds like they get hours scheduled based on their sales. My niece is a hairdresser and she gets commissions but also her rates that she charges for her services are based on her "productivity". I think pay structures like this are fairly common in retail places such as BB. Otherwise they wouldn't push the extras so hard.

Honestly, they get hours based on their willingness to work and their commitment to showing up and helping customers. Best Buy is a high turn over employer that has a hard time hiring and keeping people because its a slightly better than minimum wage retail job (appliances are a little different in their structure). I have a LOT of intimate knowledge of Best Buy, my husband was an exec there (and, of course, many of our friends still work there. I have a lot of insider knowledge of Target as well, the Twin City retailer community is incestuous.)

Some salespeople push extras because that is where corporate makes money and they are told to push extras. If they didn't sell those extras, they'd have gone out of business ten years ago - if you like having Best Buy around, be grateful they are pushed and someone buys them - there isn't sufficient margin in the core products to make for a profitable company. Some employees really don't other than with a "would you like fries with that" attitude.

 

[SandrA9810]

Some salespeople push extras because that is where corporate makes money and they are told to push extras. If they didn't sell those extras, they'd have gone out of business ten years ago - if you like having Best Buy around, be grateful they are pushed and someone buys them - there isn't sufficient margin in the core products to make for a profitable company.

Warranties and extras are at the heart of every major retail chain. What store doesn't push out reward points, credit card incentives, or magazine subscriptions these days that are there only for profit margins. I don't see why this is such a shock to people.

 

[mickeyluvr004]

This happened to me at PC Richards, and it was an older gentleman that told me the same thing, it was a tablet and the screen broke about 3 weeks after getting it for my daughter and they did the same to me would not help me but I did get my extra warrenty money back. so its not only teenagers that say those things. I asked many questions and he reassured me that anything happens its covered and when I went back in and approached him he stood there and lied right to me and the manager, I will never shop there again!

 

[gunner2010]

this is on the op to be honest. everyone knows you do not buy coverage like this.. same thing as car insurance from the rental car companies

you are just throwing your money away