Pathetic excuse for a company: Best Buy Good review for Sharp

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Just to continue my issue with Worst Buy EVER...

Sharp Aquos 32" LCD HDTV

Another thread around here has my basic stuff that begins with the TV breaking down first of June and a loving visit from a home repair specialist who makes inappropriate remarks about my wife and a customer disservice person who tells me worst buy has millions of customers and cannot be expected to help/contact every customer with a complaint.

Worst Buy calls me yesterday (three months in, keep this in mind), leaves voice mail, tells me they will exchange the TV, gives a return authorization number, and wishes me a great day.

On to store to exchange TV: Store wants ~$250.00 dollars, cash. They cancel the warranty on my TV. It seems my TV was bought on sale and they are not on sale at this time. Plus I have a 40U and the new model is a 43U and they are not the same thing. Their idea of an even, equitable exchange is to give me any TV currently costing the same as my TV.

My arguement is that if the TV had gone down ~$250.00 in price I would expect that to be my issue not theirs. Store manager agrees that I would NOT receive any credit back. But the increase in price is my issue also. Seems worst buy "cannot afford to lose more than $200.00 on this sale." Yes, their quote!!!

YES, I'm steaming!!! Corporate Complaint line tells me I am out of luck. They refuse to repair my TV, pay someone else to repair my TV, or replace my TV with another Aquos.

Amy, the supervisor at corporate consumer relations is unable to assist me further. I ask for an address to send service, she gives attitude. After insulting me I get an address.

Small claims court for monies I am out....

I called Sharp this AM. The TV was authorized for return and replacement with a new Sharp Aquos!!! After a frustrating hour on the phone with worst buy, Sharp removes their claims and arranges for my TV to be repaired. Three to four business days, which I find acceptable. I just want a working set!!!!!

So summing up, Sharp will honour their warranty and commitment to The Customer!! Yes, we will buy Sharp Products again!

WE WILL NEVER go to worst buy!!!

Friends don't let friends go to worst buy.

I'm left out some other monies, but we shall see what happens...

[MysticLlama]

What a crock.

On a side note, I used to buy 2-3 CDs there per week.

Won't go anymore, I'd rather pay a couple bucks more at the local store and not have to dodge a "free subscription to such and such magazine"

Can't even be a regular purchaser of something like CDs that requires none of their effort but stocking and checkout without an upsell. I understand the business side of it, but sometimes they just need to look at the real world and see how irritating their policies are.

[rammstein]

Local stores, where the manager/owner NEEDS your business, are the place to go. For sure.

Good to hear that Sharp is taking care of you.

I bought my laptop from Worst Buy, mainly because I needed one immediately (and I didn't realize TigerDirect had an outlet here). They tried to upsell me on a $400 service plan. I pictured something breaking on my laptop. I pictured handing it to the yokels there, and not having it. Then I pictured $400 in my pocket, and keeping it to fix it myself if it ever did break.

I win.

[WolfeMacleod]

I just re-read your old thread and have a question. You said you got the 4 year extended warranty. Was it the "warranty" or the "replacement plan?"

When buying something like this, high dollar stuff, we always get the replacement plan. If anything goes wrong with it, they replace it no questions asked, with an equal OR GREATER model.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

It was the warranty with a replacement clause. This replacement was via the original manufacturers warranty and "should" have been for a like TV. worst buy defines "like" as in a dollar value of equal or lessor to the original purchase price not as in features.

[BGCarrera32]

They have some of the slowest checkout lanes on planet earth to boot.

"What is your zipcode sir?"
"None of your business, can you ring it up now please?"

Then the security guy at the exit door who *sees* you standing in line paying for your merchandise stops you on the way and asks to see your receipt...

[HardDrive]

Wife an I bought a stove at Bust Buy many years ago. After they delivered 3 of this god darn things damaged, I went in and got my money back. This was like 8 years ago. I have probably spent $100 in the last 8 years there on desperation buys, but no big ticket items. They are the lowest of the low.

[dtw]

Used to work there years ago for school $$$. Unofficial company policy was to demean and f&ck with customers purely for sport.

[Joeaksa]

Have not shopped there in eons, mainly because of their attitude...

[trekkor]

I, also, have recently had a bad experience with these people.

I will not go into it, as I feel the rage welling up


KT

[Porsche_monkey]

Originally Posted by WolfeMacleod

I just re-read your old thread and have a question. You said you got the 4 year extended warranty. Was it the "warranty" or the "replacement plan?"

When buying something like this, high dollar stuff, we always get the replacement plan. If anything goes wrong with it, they replace it no questions asked, with an equal OR GREATER model.

Why should you pay extra to get a basic warranty? What if it fails a week later?

[onewhippedpuppy]

All new to me, interesting. I'll take this into account for my next electronics purchase.

[TerryBPP]

There in store return is a joke as well. 1 employee and 50 people in line. You will see 2 or 3 other employees standing around with their thumbs up there a$$e$.

It takes a minimum of 45 mins in line no matter what day or time. I've had to return items on 3 different occasions with the same result.

I do not use them anymore.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by WolfeMacleod

...When buying something like this, high dollar stuff, we always get the replacement plan. If anything goes wrong with it, they replace it no questions asked, with an equal OR GREATER model.

I've always used a different approach. I never purchase an extended warranty ever! From my experience, most products, if they are going to have a defect, will have it within the manufactor's warranty period. I'm sure I have saved literally thousands over the years by not falling for the "extended warranty scam". It's a "calculated roll of the dice", but I could pay cash to replace anything that I have, and I'd still be WAY ahead in this game.

[rammstein]

This is one of the best parts of the internet- messing with one customer can really put a gouge in your bottom line. I personally think customer service is at its all time low, and from here hopefully a few companies that do it right will force the hand of everyone else.

I think a key thing to do is mention GOOD experiences too.

Honestly, my list of good-experience retailers (that have a national presence) is short, but here it is:

1) Crutchfield. They cost more, but the humans on the phone are quite in tune with the product, speak english, take returns with no nonsense, and offer lifetime tech support (over the phone).

2) Pelican Parts- I wish I remembered names, but whoever I spoke with on the phone actually went and looked at stuff for me, and I always got my stuff fast and with followups from them. Not just kissing butt for the forums

3) Local Stereo Shops- OK- thats not very specific. I recently started looking into Hi-Fi. After doing my research, I ended up going to nation guys. Frustrated by not only the lack of cool equipment, but also the fact that in 3 hours of research I knew more than the salespeople, I ventured into those dirty little stereo shops behind strip malls. WOW- some really smart guys in there, and I was actually schooled on some things. It was refreshing. When the time comes to make a move, I will be doing it with them.

Thats, sadly, all I can think of.

Support companies with good customer service, even if its 5% more. It will make everything better, and if you DO have a problem, you will be happy as hell that you did.

[azasadny]

Best Buy (Worst buy) and Home Depot (Home Despot) both drive me nuts and I avoid buying anything there if at all possible. Unfortunately, the "big box" stores have out the small stores in my area out of business so I'm stuck...

[Porsche_monkey]

I totally agree, these 'extended warranties' are a complete scam, and the stores use them to say ' oh, you should have bought the added coverage, then I could exchange the product immediately'. Eventually electronic products will be sold 'as is' and even basic warranties will be optional. Radio Shack (The Source), Best Buy, whoever, they all push the extended warranty, why? They make lots of money for no work, and almost no risk.

As for customer service, my local Home Depot sets the gold standard. Almost never have a problem, very few lineups, and no B.S.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by MysticLlama

What a crock.

On a side note, I used to buy 2-3 CDs there per week.

Won't go anymore, I'd rather pay a couple bucks more at the local store and not have to dodge a "free subscription to such and such magazine"

I get most of my books, DVD's, and CD's online at barnsandnoble.com, same price as BB, more selection, and every shipment comes with prepaid shipping lables if you need to return anything. Plus think of the time you save shopping online.

[Porsche virgin]

Just to throw my experience in, my wife refuses to step foot in Worst Buy after they wouldn't take back a universal remote that didn't work. If they had bothered to take back the freakin' $15 item, they would have had a satisfied customer that would have come back for more.

Said to me when I bought a TV at Sears (back in '98 or so) upon my refusal to buy an extended warranty: "Don't come crying to me if you break your remote!" Looking back, I should have just walked out on the sale.

On a positive note, my wife bought me Bose noise-canceling headphones on line. They developed a crack in the plastic. Long story short: they took them back, no questions asked, and returned a brand-new pair to us in about a week, even though she bought them over 1 1/2 years ago.

[Hetmann]

I recently bought a flat panel at Costco after doing the tour of the local big box stores. I did go back to Best Buy to get the wall mount - a $69 dollar item. It is interesting that on both visits the "sales persons" each started pitching the super expensive cables I would need for my new setup. Also they had the hardest time finding the mount I selected, but had several of the more expensive ones available.