Best Buy's Policy Snares Customer With New TV

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I bought a TV from Best Buy appx. 110 pm Saturday 26 Feb and went home when I did my stuff I had to do I return home happy to open my TV box my wife notice it has a crack I took it back and the salesperson says one second she gets the manager and he says I dropped it and he is not taking it back I said no I did not you show me that it looks dropped no dings or cracks or anything then he says well you dropped it face first then I say its in possible the plastic is in tact and the screen has only two lines.

I then told him your employee help me put it in my car and said Im good to go so he then calls the employee and the employee says yea I helped him the TV box was fine then the manager says well you broke it putting it in your car I saw you when you was doing it I ask him REALLY what color is my car he then said I dont remember but Im not taking it. I said please help me here I am a Veteran and why would even question my integrity I would never damage this TV I need help!

He then said call coporate but I'm done talking to you So I left call coporate they call the manager the guy on the phone tells me sorry but the manager says it is your fault the I speak to the people that makes the TV and says that he cant help.

So then I call consumer relation they say that the mangaer said no that I have to deal with the store I said why am I going through this this is not right. She said the thing is how do Best buy know you didnt damage it and I said okay how do I know best buy didnt drop it.

I explain to her there is no reason to do this I never did anything to the TV the manager had to her that the TV looked like I was trying to put the screws on the back to mount it I told her negative I have the TV and you can send someone here to check it its still intact. This is not fair So if I buy a TV and didnt open the box then I'm done. Best Buy never told me hey open the box here check it because we are not taking it back or anything like that this is wrong

brokentv of CT 1:32PM February 28, 2011

My wife just bought a 40 in flat screen Samsung-- brought it home- took it out of the box-- and it had a crack at the bottom, above the Samsung label with spider veins that ran up the screen. Of course it did not work. She called best buy, and they baid to bring it in. When she brought it in-they REFUSED TO TAKE IT BACK OR CREDIT OUR ACCOUNT. They said that the box was not damaged and we needed to contact Samsung. After several calls with rude inept managers at the best buy in Niles Illinois-they still refused to take this back- I have called customer service and have heard nothing from thme. I finally called Visa and they are issuing a full credit. I will continue to let the Northshore area of Chicago know of this and to not buy from best buy as they will not provide any hint of customer service when it comes to returning a damaged TV. ALso there are many comments online describing the same rude, inept behavior. This must be a new tacitic for them to rid themselves of damaged merchadise--that probably got damaged in house. I wonder if they train their staff to react this way as the story seems to be the same across the board. We will only go to ABT from now on.

peteGOSCHY of IL 9:24PM April 27, 2010

I personaly dealt with a situation about a customer who's screen was purchased about an hour ago and was found damaged once opening the box. Box was intact but screen was smashed, I was asked, and I sugested that if we take it back the Manufacter would reinburse us the full price of the product and if we dont we loose the customer and 10 of his friends/family members.

That department supervisor then spoke to someone else and both Supervisor and Associate blamed customer for damaging the Screen.

I personaly felt SOOO bad that I sent my resume the following day Wends, was called Thurs, and began working else where Sun. And must say "I am SOO happy now that I dont need to feel responsible for other peoples bad decisions"

Jose Miguel Cruz of NY 1:13PM March 03, 2009

That is why I have decided to buy my television only through online financing shopping sites. It eliminates the hassles that Jennifer mentioned completely. Sorry Best Buy service did that to you. I can't believe it.

http://www.venue.com/

Luv to Shop Online of AZ 6:46PM October 23, 2008

I too have had extremely poor results with BEST BUY!! I purchased a SONY MP3 player (NWZ-A816) with help from salesperson from Best Buy sometime in June 2008. We (salesperson I)discussed the positive and negative apsects of Sony vs. Ipod and the salesperson agreed that Sony was good product, had good sound, few problems etc. I talked about accessories (docking, speakers, in-car music etc) and was told there was anything I needed at Best Buy. When I returned to get a docking/speaker station, the new sales person was short and rude stating "oh there aren't any docking stations, never were and you should have bought an Ipod, all accessories are basically theirs and only fit Ipod". I thought it was WRONG that they would sell me a product that HAD no accessories and told him so. Then I discussed it with the dept manager who was also short and didn't bother to really listen so I asked to speak to store manager. He turned out to be a knowledegable young man but couldnt do anything to help. Best Buy's attitude was "too bad for you" and sure we will sell something that we cannot support. I was angry and wished I had gone ANYWHERE but Best Buy to purchase a MP3. Worse possible experience there: poor customer service, does not support the products they sell, rude, short, and that wonderful "oh well, too bad for you" attitude. Sounds similar to this situation with TV, only MUCH more expensive. I wouldnt' go back to buy ANYTHING from Best Buy - bad experience, bad store, bad ethics in general!

Dee Stacey

D. Stacey of NJ 8:30PM September 01, 2008

Yeh1 Best Advice- Do Not Trust - Look 1st!

Wm of IA 12:49PM August 30, 2008

If you have American Express they will reimburse you the expense you were out, they don't fight the store about it. I had a Toshiba Laptop for just under two years, the manufactuers warrenty had run out when the screen went out on it. The cost to get it fixed was going to be $668.00. I remembered that I had put it on my AmEx card, Called them and sent them the paperwork they suggested and they paid for getting me a new screen.

I think a lot of folks are turning against Best Buy as a result of their lack of concern about customers after the sale. I used to think they were the greatest, but not anymore, I buy all my big ticket items at Costco, they will back up what they sell.

Goebel Bartley of MI 11:20AM August 30, 2008

I purchased a Hannspree monitor from Best Buy, got it home, hooked up all the cables before I even pulled it out of the box, and it was also smashed. Unhooked everything and took it all back, and told them it was broken when I got it out of the box. They swapped without a hassle. Of course it was only like $300 bucks too....

treehugger22 of TX 11:13AM August 30, 2008

Common sense will tell you, everyone wants to save money these days. Nobody wants to pay a dollar more for anything if they can help it; not just consumers, but retailers, distributors and manufacturers, too. Once you decide to take delivery of an item, it belongs to you; unless there's some sort of defect.

It's pretty simple, really. Are you the type of consumer who will purchase a dented can of beans to save money? How about a TV with a busted corner or torn box? For most of us, the answer is no. We want to have the best, and have it at a lower price if at all possible. So, some of us will decide to cut cost by cutting corners. In this case, the customer decided they wanted to transport a TV themselves rather than paying a little extra for a delivery and set-up service that would have guaranteed satisfactory, hastle free results.

If you've purchased a flat screen TV lately, you know how these things are packaged. The box they come in is designed to take the stress and weight of several TVs, shipping and handling, and still keep it's shape and protect it's contents from harm...unless it's handled improperly. If it is, the outside of the box will show it. There's no way to destroy what's inside without seeing the effect on the outside of the carton.

A 40" flat screen TV is not designed to be crammed into the back seat of a Camry, tumbled end-over-end up a flight of stairs, or layed down flat in the back of a pick-up bed, because you were too cheap or lazy to buy a piece of rope allowing you to transport it properly.

I'm not saying you can't do it yourself; just use your head.

Tom Pilcher of FL 9:34AM August 28, 2008

they will. But they will not open it till you purchase it. The double edge to this is that if the item is verified before it is taken from the store you could have a hard time claiming issues with it.

Joe of PA 11:41PM August 27, 2008

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Alpha Consumer

Kimberly Palmer, senior editor for U.S. News & World Report, writes about making smarter financial decisions. She’s the author of Generation Earn: The Young Professional's Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back.

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