Wal-Mart Warning on Laptops

[sherry7]

OP- here. There is a happy ending to my computer story . We tried everything unplugging it, taking out the batterie, etc. to no avail. Went to Wal-Mart spoke to a Manager, explained everything to them. They left me return it and get a new one. Thank you to that manager As soon as I got the new one I went home tried it out. It works .

Moral of my story: From now on if I purchase something electronic no matter where it came from or who it is for (myself or present) I will try it out as soon as I get home.

I'm glad your story had a happy ending.

 

[Tiger926]

You have even less of a claim against the retailer than the OP. Best Buy did not pack the television sets. YOUR claim is - or was, it's way too late now - most definitely against the manufacturer.

No retailer is responsible for the condition of the roads over which delivery vehicles travel, whether the vehicle is owned by them or by the manufacturer or by an outside contractor; and to the best of my knowledge, the smooth concrete flooring in retail warehouses and stockrooms, and the smooth tile floors on the selling floor, minimize or eliminate any assumed "bouncing around".

Not according to Consumer Reports. It may be less convenient to deal with the manufacturer than with the retailer, but given the low opinion many consumers have of many retailers combined with the relatively high cost of such plans and that the item generally should last long enough and any repairs after the basic warranty expires should cost little enough - extended warranties are not a good expenditure.

Best Buy packaged nothing - the manufacturer (the company that made the item) did the packaging. Stop buying products made by that company (and its subsidiaries, and its parent company, and any other retailers for which it may do private label packaging). Place the blame where it belongs. Why in the world do you think Best Buy packaged ANY product?

I guess you've never worked in retail, huh? I won't tell you what the boys used to do with products in the back warehouse then. Suffice it to say, lots of damaged goods happen right in the store's own warehouse or as clerks are stocking shelves, and said items are placed right back on shelves for customers to buy.

Tiger

 

[crisi]

Actually... Best Buy does have a responsibility by law as the seller. The law provides for a "warranty of merchantability" which essentially means that a store has the responsibility to ensure that a purchased item will work substantially as intended. So if something is broken right out of the box the onus is on the seller to replace it and not shift the blame immediately to the manufacturer.

This is not a concept understood by most store managers, but if you complain high enough up the chain you will eventually get to someone who knows the law and they should rectify the matter.

But that is extraordinarily limited - i.e. you have days to say something didn't work, not six months.

Most of the electronics vendors will not refund WalMart/Target/Best Buy/etc's. money for product that was sold six months ago - and they know which unit sold when by serial number. If you bring it back and the retailer refunds you money, the retailer is simply out that money.

 

[sk!mom]

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!

Seriously- Give me a break- How in the world could you expect them to issue a refund or accept an exchange six months after purchase? That's ridiculous! How do you or they know for sure that they weren't damaged in your move?

That being said, I avoid stores that do not extend there return policy around Christmas. Best Buy did this year. I bought two TV's around Thanksgiving and had until January to return or exchange both due to the extended policy.

OP, sorry about your problem. Live and learn- know the return policy and either shop late enough that things can be returned, make sure the policy is generous, or open things and try them out as others have suggested.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Actually... Best Buy does have a responsibility by law as the seller. The law provides for a "warranty of merchantability" which essentially means that a store has the responsibility to ensure that a purchased item will work substantially as intended. So if something is broken right out of the box the onus is on the seller to replace it and not shift the blame immediately to the manufacturer.

Well, first, the poster who had the issue with Best Buy keeps stating that Best Buy packaged the items. They did not - even if (and I've never this at BB) the televisions were private label. They were still made, packaged, sealed and shipped by an electronics manufacturer - so the PP is assigning blame incorrectly.

In addition, the items were purchased before Christmas, but first opened in May. Even under the shortest possible time span (e.g. purchased 5:59 PM on 12/24, opened at one second after midnight on May 1 of the following year), the items were in the possession of the customer for a minimum of 127 days. That's likely longer than the items were in the possession of the manufacturer, the shipper, and the retailer combined.

I guess you've never worked in retail, huh?

I would guess you would be wrong... but of course, that was back when people - including retail employees - took pride and personal responsibility in their work.

 

[sk!mom]

My point was that I refuse to ever again buy merchandise from a store who knowingly packaged not 1, but 2 damaged items to sell to a consumer as new. There was no way these TVs were damaged after they were packaged. There would have been some sort of damage on the box - it was that bad. And no, they weren't returns from somewhere because the box was factory sealed, staples and all. It was quite obvious these TVs had never been used - the cords still had the factory wrap on them, books still sealed, remotes still factory sealed, plastic sticker still across the screen. Yes, I should have checked them sooner, but I am still appalled that a store knowingly sent them out that way.

Do you really think that Best Buy packages their own merchandise? Your complaint should be with whomever manufactured the TV's.