Wal-Mart Warning on Laptops

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

This is just a heads up on Wal-Mart and their electronics policy. I purchased my child a laptop on BF Santa brought it on Thursday. Well it does not work, I called the store they asked if I bought the extended warranty. Well I did not buy the extended warranty. They will only exchange or refund the item up until 15 days after you purchase it unless you have the extended warranty. I do not want a refund I just want it to work.

 

[Green Tea]

The manufacturer will take care of the problem.

 

[bigbabyblues]

That stinks. Didn't they tell you when you bought it? DH picked on up for his aunt to give to her dd, and they told him when he was checking out.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

It was mass chaos in there on BF and they did not say anything.

 

[sherry7]

This is just a heads up on Wal-Mart and their electronics policy. I purchased my child a laptop on BF Santa brought it on Thursday. Well it does not work, I called the store they asked if I bought the extended warranty. Well I did not buy the extended warranty. They will only exchange or refund the item up until 15 days after you purchase it unless you have the extended warranty. I do not want a refund I just want it to work.

I understand you're upset, but really...what do you want them to do? This is a very typical policy of all stores for computers/electronics. Walmart associates aren't exactly computer technicians who can fix it for you.

You should have a manufacturer's warranty...typically 1 year. Call the customer service number, and arrange to get it fixed. Sometimes it's something simple that you can do over the phone.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

I'm not really that upset. I am going to call the manufacturer. It is that they know that most items bought on that day are for Christmas and most people will not open and try to use them until after Christmas. (So they want to get extra money from you and say if you give me extra $$$$$ for the warranty you can get a new one, but if you dont give me extra $$$$$ you are out of luck.) How many people do you think opened up their electronics before they gave them to their children as a gift or from Santa? For those type of items the policy should be like 2 or 3 days after Christmas.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

The box on our desktop that we bought states in bold letter that return is available only within 15 days of purchase not sure if it is marked on the laptop box. I know it is a pain but I am sure the manufacturer will fix or replace it for you. Not a happy thing to open something Christmas and not be ab le to use it. Still haven't opened ours -long story but we can't set it up until end of Jan.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

I purchased a laptop for my dd at Staples about 1 1/2 weeks prior to xmas. They offered the extended warranty, but I didn't want it b/c my brother in law is a computer wiz. They also told me I had 2 weeks to purchase the extended warranty (almost 1/2 the price of the laptop) - but it covers EVERYTHING. Spill drink on it, drop it, screen breaks, anything - no questions asked they fix it or replace the laptop for free. Being she is only 13 my dh and I discussed it with my bro in law and I went back Christmas Eve and added the warranty. Sometimes it's worth it to get it. Maybe you can still purchase the warranty? They might extend the option to purchase it since it was a gift.

 

[msmayor]

I'm not really that upset. I am going to call the manufacturer. It is that they know that most items bought on that day are for Christmas and most people will not open and try to use them until after Christmas. (So they want to get extra money from you and say if you give me extra $$$$$ for the warranty you can get a new one, but if you dont give me extra $$$$$ you are out of luck.) How many people do you think opened up their electronics before they gave them to their children as a gift or from Santa? For those type of items the policy should be like 2 or 3 days after Christmas.

Not necessarily. Its wrong to assume that everything purchased on that day are for Christmas, and they shouldn't have to ask everyone who's buying on that day what the purpose of their purchase is and change their return policy on that basis.

Once an electronic item is open, it can no longer be simply re-boxed and sold as new...even if it works perfectly. Most 'problems' are easy to rectify and often involve just a phone call to tech/customer support, making it better for the consumer (who doesn't have to deal with the hassle of a return) and the manufacturer (who doesn't have to take a loss on a computer they can no longer sell as new).

And if they allowed those types of returns 2 or 3 days after Christmas, how upset do you think people will be if they are now returning a $300 laptop they bought on Black Friday and want an exchange, but there are no more $300 laptops to be had? Now the only one you can get is $500...then folks would scream "Bait and Switch! They sold bad ones on Black Friday so they could sell more expensive ones after Christmas!!"

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[msmayor]

I would call Walmart before the day gets too busy and speak directly to a store manager (make sure you get his or her name) before going down there. I always find it interesting how much more accommodating managers are when you have spoken with them beforehand.

Maybe, but in all honesty...the 'fix' may be very simple. The OP hasn't indicated why it won't work (is it not turning on at all? Is it not booting up? Is it not connecting to the internet?) and a phone call to tech support could reveal a cure with little hassle.

After all, if it IS indeed something with the settings, getting an exchange may be no guarantee that the next one will 'work' either...all it will do is result in a second laptop that can no longer be sold as "new".

This type of return policy is pretty standard throughout the electronics field. You need to deal with the manufacturer...not the merchant.

 

[summerrluvv]

Well I'm sympathetic to you OP. I don't understand why retailers don't back up the products they sell. To me that's crap. It's one thing if you "changed your mind", but if the computer was DOA... Especially during the holiday season, when like you said, most people aren't giving the gift until after the 15 day window has passed. Hopefully you get the issue resolved!!

 

[kbkids]

I had a similar thing happen two years ago at Christmas. I purchased two TVs from Best Buy online. They were for my kids for our new house. They unwrapped them on Christmas, but it was July before we opened the box because we waited until we moved into the house to set them up. The surrounding case on BOTH TVs was damaged, as in cracked and broken. Both TVs worked, but they looked awful. Best Buy wouldn't do a thing about it. What ticked me off were the boxes were in perfect shape, not crushed in anywhere, TVs were sitting in their protective styrofoam sleeves - so they had to have been damaged WHEN THEY PACKED THEM!! I was so mad that someone knowingly did that. Anyway, we let the kids "decorate" them with stickers, but it still makes me mad whenever I think about it!

And I never purchased so much as a stick of gum from Best Buy since and won't!

 

[shelby101301]

I don't understand why retailers don't back up the products they sell. To me that's crap. It's one thing if you "changed your mind", but if the computer was DOA...

AGREED! Thanks for the warning. I will steer clear of buying electronics frrom Walmart if they can't be honorable.

 

[LisaR]

My advice to anyone buying electronics is to try them out immediately. All stores have strict return policies on electronics.

I bought my DD the BF laptop from Walmart three years ago and played around with it for hours that night making sure it functioned properly. I took off all the unnecessary crap they put on and put some programs on that I wanted her to have. It gave me a good feel for how the computer worked. It is still working great after 3 years.

This year I bought her a digital camera and digital picture frame from Target. I tried them both the very first day. Good thing. The picture frame wouldn't even turn on.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

Maybe, but in all honesty...the 'fix' may be very simple. The OP hasn't indicated why it won't work (is it not turning on at all? Is it not booting up? Is it not connecting to the internet?) and a phone call to tech support could reveal a cure with little hassle.

After all, if it IS indeed something with the settings, getting an exchange may be no guarantee that the next one will 'work' either...all it will do is result in a second laptop that can no longer be sold as "new".

This type of return policy is pretty standard throughout the electronics field. You need to deal with the manufacturer...not the merchant.

I pluged it in, it started it came to the screen where you name your laptop. I typed my daughters name in and pressed enter. The screen went black.

 

[Edna "E" Mode]

I won't even buy toys at Wal mart anymore because (at least the store by me) is know for re-shelving returned stuff even it's it broken.

They just take back whatever comes in (so they don't have to deal with the customers) and without looking at it they just put it back on the shelf.

If I have to buy anything that's in a box over there I open it before I buy it to make sure that nothing is broken.

I have found so many things in boxes totally broken on the shelves it's ridiculous. You give them to an employee and if you watch they just put it back on the shelf.

I don't trust Walm mart for anything especially high ticket items. Buyer beware takes on a whole new meaning from them.

 

[rflorek]

The electronics return policy is not unique to Wal Mart - it is almost a standard for any store. I bought my DS & her DH a camera for Christmas and I purposely waited to buy it due to the 15 day return policy. I also bought it through J&R Music through their website because they offer 30 days for many electronics if purchased online vs 15 days in-store. They also advised me right on the site that any problems after that timefame must go through the manufacturer unless I purchase an extended warranty.

I also agree with the OP who stated that WM puts broken returned items back on the shelves for resale. There have been MANY times that we found retaped, returned items on the shelf. Most recently, my BF's nephew wanted an Air Hogs Zero Gravity RC car - we couldn't find them anywhere. Then we miraculously found one at WM. Of course, upon closer inspection, we saw that the box was bulging, and had been retaped after return. We brought it to customer service to bring it to their attention. They reopened, saw that the item had been used and was missing a couple of pieces, and they kept it at the desk. We went back to the same store the next day for the new sale items, and saw that they had put the same item back on the shelf after retaping it.

 

[PrincessMama605]

Thanks for the heads up, I didn't know Walmart had such a limited return policy for electronics (my local Walmart will take back pretty much anything). After reading this thread I am going to open up her new dvd player right now and make sure it works.

 

[sherry7]

I pluged it in, it started it came to the screen where you name your laptop. I typed my daughters name in and pressed enter. The screen went black.

Trying unplugging it, and take the battery out. Leave it like that for awhile (about 1 hour). Put everything back in, and see if it works. That's happened to me a couple of times. Completely disconnecting the power (and the battery) always fixes it.