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Best Buy Consumer Reviews - Page 5

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Best Buy's iPod (Semi) Replacement Plan
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA -- A year a half ago I bought my iPod at a Best Buy. I also purchased a 2-yr replacement plan through them. Just a week ago my iPod was seriously failing. I brought it in to my local (Mission Hills - San Diego) Best Buy and their Geek Squad deemed it bad which entitled me to a new iPod. All good until this point.

I went to make the exchange and was told that I would have to forfeit my new iPod's USB cable b/c I wasn't returning the one from my old one (admittedly, I forgot it at home). Anyway, they opened the package and took the USB out. I went home and discovered that I didn't have a USB cable for the iPod (my earlier iPod only had Firewire cables). So, I couldn't update my iPod.

The next day I called them and informed them of such and they told me to come in and they'd get me a new cable provided I brought in my old (Firewire) cable. They also informed me that my old iPod and all that I returned with it (and the forfeited USB cable) was shipped out to Apple the same day I brought it in (as all returns are). At the Customer Service desk I dealt with the same employee who served me the day before (you know, the one who had no idea my iPod wouldn't work without the USB cable she couldn't give me).

They were about to give me a new USB cable when it was determined that I couldn't trade a Firewire cable in for a USB cable despite me repeatedly telling them it was all I had. I'm not hoarding USB cables at my house. I'm just trying to get a complete iPod. And I gave them all I ever got in any iPod package. Kept my end of the deal. So, they tell me I'd have to buy a USB cable, but they'd cut me a discount.

What else am I going to do? I have an iPod that doesn't work. They give me a Griffin PowerBlock (AC Charger plus USB cord) for $20 (that's $10 off). I want to make sure it's as good as the USB cable that was ripped from my box the day before. An employee in the mp3 player dept assures me it's USB 2.0.

Before buying the PowerBlock, I figure I'd check with their manager to see if this is the best they could do. The manager, JoAnn, obliged. She told me I was the one in error here. I told her I returned everything I ever received in an iPod box. She said that nothing could be done, not even reducing the price further on the PowerBlock. I thought it's a sad day when the head of Customer Service can't provide any. I'm asking for a $10 part here and I paid $40 for the replacement plan for it. Pathetic.

I buy the PowerBlock and walk dejectedly out of there. Well, of course, the PowerBlock isn't 2.0. (Doesn't anybody at Best Buy know anything about their products or Customer Service?) The PowerBlock is USB 1.1. Now my high-tech, brand spanking new iPod is limited to 2001 bandwidth. So I got an accessory I can't use and an iPod that's super slow in loading. Thanks, Best Buy for a couple of Mediocre Buys.

I'd like Best Buy to just give what this customer paid for -- full replacement of the product. So, I'd like an Apple USB 2.0 cord. I'd also like for them to refund me for the useless PowerBlock. Lastly, empower your Customer Service managers to deal. I'm only asking for a $10 part. And if they don't, I hope just a few of you think twice about buying from Best Buy, especially any replacement plan. A giant rip-off.

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Best Buy Return Policy
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FAIRLESS HILLS PA, PENNSYLVANIA -- I'm sorry to say that Best Buy, a company I considered an excellent place to get affordable quality electronics, will no longer be getting my business. I have read some interesting reviews about disgruntled customers and their frustrations relating to returns over the 30-day limit. So I would like to share my experience also.

I had received a car stereo head unit as a gift valued at $100, and unfortunately it wasn't able be installed because my car was totaled in an accident before I had the install done. Obviously time has passed since I had to wait to find a new car. Fortunately, my new car was a great upgrade over my first car and I figured I would go to the store, return the head unit, and do a MAJOR upgrade to accommodate the newer better car.

I was absolutely shocked when I found out that they refused to return my unopened head unit, which was about ten days past the 30-day return period. I did not want any cash, nor store credit as a gift card. I merely just wanted to apply the cost of the returned 100 dollar head unit towards the newer purchase. After spending about an hour putting together a top of the line system with a car audio rep totaling ~$600 dollars, I walked up to customer service to do the exchange.

Not only were the customer service reps extremely rude about my complaint, but after asking to speak to a manager, a person saying he was an acting member of management did not even look me in the eye, and brashly shunned me away saying, policy is policy and returned to helping other customers. And that was that. Stuck with a 100 dollar head unit. And they lost a $600 sale. Now is this STRONG unwillingness to try to keep a loyal customer satisfied who is willing to spend hundreds of dollars more on a majorly higher priced purchase a great managerial decision? I think not.

Furthermore, when I have a question or complaint about a policy at a store, I politely ask for reasons why their policies are the way they are. I don't want to hear "it's because it's company policy". I AM SO SICK OF HEARING THAT AS AN ANSWER!!! It literally makes me sick to my stomach. I consider it a lame response and completely dodging the question. What I'd rather hear is WHY it is company policy, you know, the actual REASONS they implement this policy.

I figured the reasons why is that a person using the item over 30 days significantly depreciates the value of the item and therefore they will lose a small portion of the already high-profit margins they get on their products. I also figured it was because new products come out all the time, and for a company to take back an item past thirty days is a risk because they would have to sell the item as a discount price since there are newer models being introduced into the market. In my case, the model head unit I had was clearly still on the shelves and it was completely unopened. It could have easily been returned to the shelves and sold again.

So in conclusion here is what Best Buy accomplished with my situation. They refused to take back a $100 unopened perfect 100% percent condition head unit, in order to stick to their "policy". What they turned down in result of that was a significantly larger sale ($600 more) because of their unwillingness to try to make some exceptions to keep customers satisfied. When I read fellow customers issues with their return policy, I was appalled to see so many negative responses, such as "policy is policy" and "the loss of you as a customer is nothing to Best Buy" and they will continue to dominate the electronic superstore chain.

Fortunately I was smart enough to take a few economics courses in college, and business management also, even though I work as a music teacher for a living. What I learned is that "the customer is always right" is a dead on concept, and the dollar vote of the customer will always decide the fate of corporations such as Best Buy etc. no matter how large they are. I've read many people on here say that "you are not the powerful consumer you think you are and Best Buy will suffer no effects from your dissatisfaction". I couldn't disagree more, because the dollar vote is always the deciding factor in business.

What Best Buy did by turning me down, rudely and far from customer service the right way, was lose a customer forever. It doesn't seem like much, but my dollar votes will now go to other outlets, increasing the profits of their competitors, and every person I run into looking to buying at Best Buy, I will deter and lead them to other businesses. Word of mouth has extreme power in business. I am a piano teacher and word of mouth is my number one method of gaining new clients. I treat them all with respect and they are happy to pay for my services even when there is a time where they may be dissatisfied with something.

I used to work at Wal-mart when I was paying my dues working through high school. There was a very good manager in my store, and I can remember countless times where a frustrated customer returning a product that technically couldn't be returned, be treated fairly, and with some compromise would ultimately leave the store satisfied.

Best Buy lost me as a customer, and I will speak negatively about them from here on. It's a shame I was a big supporter of the company, and I even own a bit of their stock. I'll be selling that away now of course. And lastly, I feel for all of you who have been through these similar situations. Truly do your part in your dollar vote and don't listen to the idiots who bash you for being ignorant to company policies! When more and more people band together, things can change. Good riddance to Best Buy.

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False Price Matching Advertising
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I'm sure that I speak for many when I complain about Best Buy's so-called "Price Matching". It seems that what their policy says and what they do are 2 very different things. More to the point, once you get to the store, the story always changes.

Here is the text from their online explanation of price-matching: Exclusions: The Best Buy Price Guarantee does not apply to competitors' free offers, limited quantity items, open-box, clearance or closeout products, mail-in incentives, financing or bundle offers. In California, the policy does not apply to mobile phones. The policy does not apply to typographical errors or a competitor's price that results from a price match.

What is considered a local retail competitor? A retail store located in the same market area as your local Best Buy store. Okay: now ANYWHERE in that text, does it EXPLICITLY STATE IN WRITING: "WE DON'T MATCH PRICES FROM ONLINE RETAILERS." NO! It doesn't, yet that's the BS they spewed when I brought in an ad from Target.com (who we all know IS a local retailer!) the other day for the new King Kong movie on Target.com for $19.99. Best Buy wanted $22.99 - yes only 3 dollars more, but when you're on a very tight budget yet still want to entertain your kids, every dollar counts.

So, I presented the ad from Target.com and figured they'd match the price with no problem - WRONG! The nasty so-called "manager" got on his high-horse and in a raised voice started the "we won't match anything online. It's not an ad from a "local retail store" mumbo-jumbo.

But wait - it gets even better! They had a circular from Target in one of the registers and showed it to me - yet still wouldn't match the price! Granted the Target ad had it for 20.99 instead of 19.99, but still, it was 2 dollars less - so I said "Okay, so there's the ad right in front of you, may please I have it for 20.99 then?" "NO! YOU have to bring in the ad yourself!"

Being calm about it, I gave him the rationale I presented in points A and B to no avail, but he wouldn't budge! Over a lousy stinking 2 dollars which is a molecule in an ocean for a big company like Best Buy! So I left in a huff, and let the other customers nearby see I was angry on purpose! I later on Bought it at J&R Musicworld for 20.99 (who by the way, actually wanted 22.99 as well, but MATCHED THEIR WEB PRICE!).

Honestly, would I die if I paid 22.99? Of course not! But it's the principle - and it's a principle that really would in the long run benefit the store as well! Think about the scenario I present below: If you owned a store, and someone found a lower price on Amazon, Overstock, (or Target.com as I did, who just opened a so-called "Local retail store" not far from the Best Buy store in Staten Island) would you rather:

A) Sacrifice a few dollars, make the sale and still make a decent return on what's an already marked-up item and keep a happy customer who'll keep coming back in the future... or; B) Totally lose the entire amount of what would have been a guaranteed sale, frustrate a would-be loyal customer and likely lose many future other sales to that customer had you made a relatively small sacrifice and showed just a little good customer service.

The no-brainer correct answer is A, but Best Buy foolishly chose B, and so has lost a once VERY loyal customer to Circuit City (who to be fair, pulls similar crap, but at least typically charges less for DVDs) and anyone else, as long as they're not Best Buy. I'm not a business genius, but you don't have to be one to figure out they're going to lose millions if they don't start realizing their biggest competition is not the so-called 'Local retailer', but it's the internet. As long as they refuse to match internet ads they're only hurting themselves by being petty over a lousy 2 dollars! I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK!

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Tip for customers
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Dear Best Buy customers; Just a few things you may want to think about before entering any store: Any retailer needs to make some sort of a profit to stay in business. We are not trying to scam you. We are simply trying to pay our electric bills. Employees are not robots. Have you ever tried to work knowing that your best friend just died? Or tried working with one of the worst head colds of the year? To continue that, perhaps these reasons mean that you have to call out of work (death, sickness, injury). What happens if there's no one available to call in? Long lanes, not as much help?

Line-level employees do not make the rules, we simply enforce them. Yes, we can bend the rules, to a certain extent. No we cannot give you a $3k laptop for free. Have you ever heard the term "you win more flies with honey"? If you call me a **, tell me it's my fault you lost your receipt, or decide to scream at me for no reason, NO I WILL NOT feel like helping you. However, if you remain calm, and don't call me names, I will most likely give you anything you ask for.

I am NOT Mr/Mrs Best Buy. I am not here to take your abuse. If you would like someone to vent to or to take your frustration out on, I suggest seeing a therapist. We all get paid the same amount whether you're happy or not. Now, for those of you who still do not have a clue as what I'm talking about, here is an example: (a customer is angry about a $200 video card being over the return policy and asks the customer service rep for a manager).

Manager:"What can I help you"
Customer:"This is complete **, you're going to refund my money!"
Manager:"Sir if you would just cal"
Customer:"I'm not going to calm down 'till you return my money!"
Mager:"If you would give me a moment"
Customer:"Give me my money"

Now we all know how this ends up, the manager is sick of getting screamed at, tells the customer to call 1888bestbuy, and goes back to his job. Now if that customer had simply explained what had happened, the manager would have most likely been able to do something for the customer. No Best Buy employee is paid enough to take the kind of abuse we have to put up with from customers. What's the best part about working for Best Buy? The customers, the ones that understand there might be lines because it's November, or the ones that actually say "thank you" when I bend Best Buy's rules for them.

The worst part of the job? The customers. Despite what many may think, line-level employees did not make the rules, did not make the return policy, did not lose your receipt, we are not there because we like telling you "no", we don't like to be called names or cursed at, we do not make the products ourselves, and it is DEFINITELY not our fault that you do not read.

Yes, any Best Buy employee will agree that many things about Best Buy sucks, however we understand the reasons behind it, and will gladly explain it to you so that you understand why we are saying "no". A good majority of Best Buy employees have had the same "bad experiences" as you. I myself have had a psp on a computer, and what happened to the computer was not covered. However I already knew that and could only be pissed at myself for spilling a cup of coffee on it =(.

So, for future reference, please give us all a break, and stop harassing us. I for one am sick of it. If you get an attitude back from me oh well. I'm sick of taking abuse from complete strangers, when in all actuality I'm probably one of the nicest people you may ever come into contact with. =D

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Problems at Best Buy
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ANTIOCH/NASHVILLE AREA, TENNESSEE -- I have recently had some problems that I would like to vent about at a Best Buy store in Antioch, Tennessee. I went to the Best Buy store to purchase a new car stereo for my Chevrolet Camaro. The car was originally purchased with a Bose sound system and I knew this would cause some problems with the purchase - but not as many problems as I encountered. The actual purchase of the speakers and CD player at the store was without incident. The sales clerk was extremely helpful and very nice. The four speakers and the CD player cost just a little over $600, including tax.

The problems with this store all happened on the day of installation. When I arrived for my appointment I parked the car in the pickup zone in the front of the building. The store was not open yet, so I patiently waited out front. At this time I was approached by a Best Buy employee that crudely asked me if "Camaros have special parking places." I calmly told the rude employee that they had to order some of the speakers that I ordered and I was there to pick them up and have them installed. He just gave me a little "yeah right" smirk and walked away.

My next problem came when I went around back to have the unit installed. I had an appointment at 10:00am. When I gave the installer all the paperwork, he told me that he might be done with my car around 4:00. 6 hours for an installation!! I calmly told the man that I couldn't possibly believe that it would take that long to install a car stereo and he said it most likely would, telling me that he would have to deal with other customers also. Well, why did I even bother making an appointment if he has to do things for other customers while working on my car? If I am not mistaken, appointments should give a person priority over others.

Before I walked out the door to the installation area to call a friend to pick me up, the man called me back to the counter. He then informed me that I would have to buy an amp installation kit because it was required for my car. I then told the man when I purchased all the stuff the other day that the man helping me said that I had purchased everything that I would need. He then told me that the man helping me must have missed this and insisted on me buying it. The installer told me the price of the amp installation kit was $80 dollars but he would knock $20 dollars off the price.

I asked him if I could look at the item and he handed it to me. When I looked at the diagram on the back of the item I noticed that the wires were going from the speakers to the amp. I then asked the man why would I have to purchase an amp installation kit if I wasn't having an amp installed. His face was instantly red and he said that he must have been mistaken, he thought that I was going to purchase an amp now or possible sometime in the future. Go figure.

The installation of the stereo lasted for the whole 6 hours promised (LOL) and when called I returned to pick up my car. I paid for some speaker wire that wasn't included in the original purchase (Although I was assured on the original purchase date that I had purchased everything) and took all the paperwork the installer gave me out to the car.

When I was sifting through the paperwork when I got home I noticed that the man wrote that my boost and fuel gauges did not work. This is not true. Both gauges were installed aftermarket on the car by a professional (b/c of the supercharger) and I watch them work everyday when I drive the car. I have no idea why the man wrote this but I believe he feared that he might mess the gauges up so he went ahead and sited them as inoperable (Note: they still work.).

Overall my experience at Best Buy was definitely not one of the best experiences I have ever had. Please beware if you have an appointment at Best Buy that it will take longer than you think and also ALWAYS ask questions about additional things you are told that you have to purchase.

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Overcharge by Best Buy
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HEMET, CALIFORNIA -- I'm writing to bring your attention to a problem I've had with an overcharge on a purchase from Best Buy. I hope Best Buy will address this problem to my satisfaction because this incident has consumed much of my time and left me extremely frustrated. Here's my problem: I've always admired Best Buy for its low prices, a wealth of merchandise available, and helpful sales personnel. However, I have been trying to resolve a problem with Best Buy where I was overcharged $50 for a Compaq Personal Computer I purchased on October 28, 2003. Here are the details of my complaint:

I attempted to order my PC online from the Best Buy website on October 27 at an advertised special price of $499.99. I proceeded all the way through the process. Best Buy's ordering system calculated my total cost correctly, but when I tried to proceed to "Check Out" Best Buy's online system failed. I tried twice to place the online order, to no avail. I then called Best Buy's 800 number to inquire about the problem. The person I talked to indicated he would be happy to take care of my order right there. He then attempted to place my order, but finally ended up telling me he was unable to do it.

Best Buy's computer ordering system had "gone down" and wouldn't accept my order from his workstation either. He apologized for this problem and said "if I called the next day to place my order and identified the specific item number" I'd be able to complete my transaction. That is exactly what I did, on the morning of October 28. It was not until I received my credit card statement that I noticed I'd been charged $549.99 instead of the $499.99 advertised, a $50 overcharge.

I have been trying to get this overcharge corrected through Best Buy's "customer care" (which I'm beginning to think is a misnomer) and the basic reply boils down to, "Tough luck." All I've gotten is boilerplate answers like the following, and links to a Best Buy pricing policy about online prices vs. store prices that doesn't pertain to my problem:

Customer Care replies failed completely to address the pertinent points of my complaint, i.e.: Point #1 - Retail store prices are not an issue here. This computer was offered online and was advertised on the Best Buy website as "not available in Best Buy retail stores." Point #2 - On October 27, I placed specific reliance upon the statement from a Best Buy employee that I would be able to place my order for this item by telephone the next day, as advertised, with no problem.

Point #3 - There is no valid reason for me to be penalized $50.00 because of Best Buy's failures, i.e., failures in YOUR computerized ordering systems on October 27, when both I and a Best Buy employee tried initially to place my order.

I have tried to resolve this issue several times, exchanging e-mails with "customer care." Customer Care employees appear to lack the authority to resolve problems. Finally in late November I requested my complaint be called to the attention of someone at a higher level. I have inquired since then but it appears now that I'm being completely ignored. If one of Best Buy's primary objectives is Customer Satisfaction that policy has failed miserably in my case.

If Best Buy remains intransigent on this issue I will never make another purchase at Best Buy, and I will caution my friends and acquaintances to avoid Best Buy, because to Best Buy "customer service" and "customer satisfaction" are two separate concepts.

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Best Buy Store Manager With an Attitude
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MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA -- This is to bring to your notice a particularly humiliating experience I faced today at the hands of one of your Store Managers at your store located at the McCarthy Ranch, Milpitas, CA. I felt so helpless and confused at "Bye it Now" or I am calling police stance taken by your store manager Mr Adam **, for so little apparent cause, that it is absolutely bewildering to me.

To put the facts, I reached your store around 8:00 PM March 22, 2005 to purchase a USB GPS locator (Delorme's Earthmate to be precise). After three rounds and several false starts, finally a kind sales associate of yours showed me where exactly it is stored in your store.

I found the GPS and its connecting cable comes packed in a sealed plastic case visible through a Paper Box. To better get a feel of the cable, I opened the paper box to look at the sealed plastic case that it contains. I found the product promising and brought it to Mr Adam ** to find out about its return policy. When Mr Adam found the paper flap open, he got upset. He said that since the product is displayed in their software section and the paper cover has been opened it must now be purchased by me.

I was very surprised. Firstly it is very counter-intuitive even to a layman to treat a GPS receiver as a software product. Secondly what Mr Adam is calling as opened was just a very small piece of tape on the paper cover, and for all purposes, the product was still completely sealed inside its sturdy plastic case.

Even after I repeatedly pointed to Mr Adam about the fact, he adamantly kept insisting that I must purchase it or alternatively he has to call police. I felt as if I am being treated as a criminal for something that I could not even have been reasonably aware of. Finally after all, just to get over with it, when I elected for him to go ahead and call the police, Mr Store Manager made me stand there for five minutes. Interestingly as the time elapsed, Mr Store Manager then advised his own subordinates, not to call the police for such a small issue.

Maybe, Sir, in the schemes of Mr Adam, this kind of customer treatment is really not a big thing to him, but to me it seems to be really very disconcerting and unreasonable by any stretch of imagination. Even more so was the refusal by Mr Adam to just give his business card so that at least I can take my grievance to a pertinent person.

I wonder what was it that I should have done differently as a reasonable responsible shopper, who used to feel so comfortable before at the Best Buy Stores. Maybe next time when I need to go to the Best Buy I better take my lawyer with me to avoid the criminal assessment that may be threatened to me. A Truly Aggrieved Best Buy Shopper.

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Response to Posting and Email to Several Head People
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FAIRLAWN, OHIO -- After posting my review here I decided to email it to as many head guys at Best Buy at the following email addresses: **. All but a couple went through. This is the response I received: "Thank you for contacting the Best Buy corporate office. Your email was received by our office, and forwarded to my desk for review and response. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns. I was deeply troubled when reading your email about the service, or lack thereof, you received regarding the servicing of your camera. It is certainly not our intent to have our consumers feel inconvenienced when having products serviced at our store location.

A consumer's convenience is of great importance to us. Obviously, we failed to achieve this goal in this particular matter. The fact you noticed this on the servicing of both your computer and the camera is very troubling. I can assure you that this is definitely something I will have investigated immediately. We realize that the competitiveness of the industry in which we operate does not allow such service lapses to occur. I thank you again for bringing the matter to our attention, as it does give us the opportunity to take the steps needed to ensure these lapses do not occur.

We do not wish to alienate our consumers, and we stress the importance of providing great pre- and post-sale customer service to all of our employees, and trust that our management leads by example. As a company involved in retail, we realize that service is ultimately what drives consumers to purchase from a certain location. I would certainly understand your reluctance to visit our stores again, but trust that if given another opportunity to become your electronics retailer of choice, we will not fail you again.

Please know that we do strive to provide the best service possible, and appreciate hearing about these types of situations so that we may take the appropriate actions needed to ensure they do not happen again. While we do not like to have these situations occur, we do value the opportunity to rectify them. I was happy to read that the store was able to sell you a camera to use while yours was fixed, and that they would waive the restocking fee if there was no damage.

Currently, we do not have a loaner policy in place and this is the process the store can follow if the situation warrants this. I encourage you to return the new camera to the store to obtain your refund under the conditions the store relayed to you at the time of sale. At this time, we cannot compensate you for the price of the camera since your repair was successfully completed.

For your inconvenience, I will send you a $50 Best Buy gift card. I will send this to **. Please allow 2-3 weeks for this to arrive. I hope that this will cover the expense of your getting memory for your camera. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any other questions or concerns."

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Customer No Service
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NORWALK, CONNECTICUT -- In December of 2003, at the Best Buy in Norwalk, CT., we purchased an LG refrigerator with icemaker, model#LRBN-20510, and specified that the door handle be on the right side of the fridge. At the time of the order, we also paid for plumbing to be done to accommodate the icemaker which was to be installed by the plumbers when they came out to run the water to the fridge the day after the fridge was delivered. The fridge was delivered on the day promised. The door opening was not on the right side as ordered.

The two delivery guys spent hours, with the owner's manual in hand, and tools borrowed from my husband's garage, switching the door to the right side. Along with the fridge, they brought an icemaker in a box - a Hotpoint icemaker. We checked. It would not fit the LG fridge. The delivery guys took the wrong icemaker back with them, promising to return with the correct one. We called the store. "No problem, we'll get the correct one out there and have someone install it."

The next day the folks came out to run the water to the fridge. Of course they could not install the icemaker since we did not have one. We called the store again. No one was available (there doesn't seem to be a manager at that store. We have subsequently called them over 10 times to no avail, and phone calls are never returned).

We finally got in touch with someone in the appliance department about a week later, and they sent out another icemaker (this time it was a G.E.), and the same delivery guy that came out with the fridge originally. He said that they sent him out to install it, since no one else in the store knew how to do it, and although he had never done it himself, he would "give it a try". Needless to say, there wasn't much he could try since it was a G.E. icemaker, and it did not fit.

After multiple calls (unreturned) to the store, we began calling their corporate headquarters, receiving no more help there, just more promises of calls back which were never received. We contact American Express to get the payment credited. They processed the initial credit, and subsequently sent us the "documentation" that Best Buy had provided to them supporting the charge... It detailed the return refund policy on their boom boxes and CD players! HUH?? We explained the problem again to Amex, again it was credited, then BB sent them the same unrelated documentation. We gave up going that route.

We finally walked into the store, asked for the manager (of course he/she wasn't there). Told the asst. mgr that was available, that we either wanted an icemaker as ordered and paid for 6 months earlier, or a credit. He didn't even check to see if they had one, but we got the credit. Whoopdido! And now we can't get an icemaker for the fridge. We cannot buy it from LG directly (tried that). I have called other Best Buys (since we refuse to walk into the local store ever again) and they will not take phone orders. So we would have to drive 40+ miles to order a part that they MAY OR MAY NOT be able to get.

So frustrated at this point. It had been close to 20 years before we were able to buy a new refrigerator, and the one little "splurge" for me was getting an automatic icemaker. We NEVER would have bought this fridge if we knew we would not be able to get an icemaker with it. But one thing we did learn is to never buy anything from WorstBuy again. They do not even make an attempt to keep their customers happy. I relay the icemaker customer no-service saga to all my friends.

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15% Restocking Fee
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DEPTFORD, NEW JERSEY -- I went into Best Buy on Friday to buy a computer. I was only planning on spending $500 - $600. Then the salesman joined me. That is when all my troubles began. Finally, two hours later, I walked out of there with a laptop and a ton of accessories, my total coming to roughly $1825.00. Oh, and I was a sucker who took the $250 fee for a warranty. They talked me into it.

The salesman went into the back and got me my laptop. He then came to the Tech counter and handed the tech my laptop (my hands have not even touch it). She then takes it out, plugs it in and turns it on. Apparently this is a common practice of theirs, because they were doing it with everyone brand new computer. She then turned it off, unplugged it and put it back into the box. She rang me up, bagged all the accessories and handed me the box with the laptop in it. The tech informed me that I had 14 days to return everything.

Anyway, before I even reached my home I realized that I couldn't afford all of this and I was taking everything back. I got home and took everything out of the car and sat in on my kitchen table. I never took anything out of the box. I went back on Sat (not even 24 hours later) to return everything. They refunded all the accessories and the laptop, but then told me they were going to charge me $180.00 for a restocking fee. I had no idea that a thing even existed. They have a big sign about their return policies but this 15% restocking fee wording is in little tiny, bitty letters at the bottom. I never even saw it at all.

I asked to see a manager who abruptly told me that this was their policy and there was nothing he could do about it. He said that once it left the building it was consider "used property and now Best Buy will have to mark it down and sell it for less." I said "I never even took it out of the stinking box." It didn't matter. He said it was opened and that was considered used. Again I said "How could it be used if I NEVER TOOK IT OUT OF THE STINKING box!!!" The CSR behind the counter got really cocky with me. I asked her to show me on the back of the receipt where it said this about the restocking fee (by the way, as you know they give you about 17 receipts).

She then circled where it said this and in a real cocky, downgrading voice asked me "would you like me to circle it on every receipts?" I said "Just me back my ** receipts, you **" and grabbed them out of her hand. I thought I was going to jail that day. I can't remember being that mad in my life. I simply walked out of the store, of course cursing and ranting and raving. I sat in my car on my cell phone for about 30 minutes trying to talk to the managers of The Best Buy Corp office and so forth. They said that this is their policy, and they can't change it. **!!!

Here is the kicker, this is how they get the consumer. It reads that a 15% restocking fee will be charged on any opened: notebook computer, camcorder, digital camera or radar detector. Okay, you tell the sales clerk what you want. They get it for you and give it to a tech who opens it, plugs it in, looks at it, then puts in back in the box and hands it to you. So technically, even if you (the consumer) had never even taken it out of the box, the tech had already had it opened and turned it on so they consider this NOW AN OPEN Package.

So buyers be aware, even if you don't take it out of the box yourself, the techs have already done it for you. I was going to spend another $5 or $6 hundred dollars that day at Best Buy, but I swear I will never buy another thing from them again. I then went to Circuit City and spent my money there. By the way, Circuit City no longer practices this policy since it pissed off too many people. I was furious all day Saturday, Sunday and was up at 5:00am on Monday still bugging about this. Finally around 11:00 am on Monday I couldn't take it anymore. I called the store and asked for a manager.

A woman manager got on the phone. I asked about the sign and where it was located etc. Finally, I mentioned this whole open policy they have. She said "Yes that is the policy." I said "I technically I did not open the box nor the laptop." She asked "Didn't she give it back to you with a seal on it?" I said "If it had a seal on it, they would have seen that I never took the thing out of the box." She said "Okay, I'll make an exception this time and credit the $180.00 back to your account." I still cannot believe that it went through all the BS just to return something that I did not want. This is my story and I'm sticking to it.

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