Why I Hate Best Buy
“We’re Best Buy, a global family of brands, an industry leader with more than 40 years of history…but that’s not REALLY what we’re about. We’re about people. People just like you. And, yeah, we know every company says they’re about people, but we really mean it. Really!”
- Best Buy’s Website
Bullshit.
Here’s my rant. I’ll make it as short as possible but I can’t make any promises. I’m really freakin’ pissed off!
We bought a computer and an extended warranty from Best Buy in October. A few days ago, it wouldn’t power up. I took it to the Geek Squad who said it needed a new power supply and would be ready that night or the next morning at the latest.
I called at 10am the next morning and was told the power supply had been replaced but they had just started running the diagnostics to verify that nothing else was wrong with it. I was told that would take about three hours. I did point out that I was told it would be finished that morning and that they weren’t delivering as promised. He didn’t really seem to care, and I was honestly more annoyed than mad anyway so I let it go. He said he would personally call me when it was done.
Four hours later, and no phone call, I just went to the store. They were done with the diagnostics. My computer was just sitting there. No one explained why I didn’t receive a phone call but I was happy to hear there was nothing else wrong with it and took my baby home.
The main reason I refer to it as my baby is because it connects me to the internet, and therefore, this blog, among many others. Unfortunately, when I hooked everything back up at home, I couldn’t connect to the internet!
I called a computer savvy friend of ours who had me check a bunch of stuff. The conclusion? The network driver that allows the computer to connect to the internet was gone. It simply wasn’t there.
I called Best Buy. They claimed there is no way they deleted anything and their diagnostics said everything was just perfect. Since I was insistent that the driver had disappeared, they asked me to bring it back in. I’m sure they thought I just didn’t know what I was doing.
In fact, I don’t know what I’m doing. Unfortunately though, my friend does, and he was right. It was just…gone. Two very nice and helpful guys tried for almost two hours to figure out what happened and to re-install the driver, with no luck. The solution? They had to ship it to some other location for further review. How long would that take? TWO-FOUR WEEKS!!!
At this point, I can barely speak because I’m so frustrated, pissed off, and very close to panic at the thought of being without my baby for that long. I held it together though and pointed out that it appears that this computer (no longer my baby now that it has betrayed me) is a lemon and they should just replace it. After all, it is only two months old and I did purchase the extended warranty. Sound reasonable?
Apparently, not to Best Buy. The useless liar of a store manager flat out refused to even consider it, claiming he did not have the authority to return it for a new one. Ummm….WHAT??!!
The kicker? Even if the off-site Geek Squad mecca determines that I am correct and that it is a lemon, they will charge us $99.00 to recover all of our files!
“We’re about people”?!! I think not. Just for fun, here’s another quote from their website…
“It might surprise some of you that so far we haven’t mentioned consumer electronics (although, we just did) because Best Buy is associated so strongly with technology. And don’t get us wrong; we love the stuff. It’s just that we think technology should serve people, and not the other way around. You might say that we love technology, but we’re not in love with technology. Technology makes a lot of promises, and we’re here to make it live it up to those promises. For people.”
Bullshit.
Thanks for stopping by!
Sounds like you had a terrible experiences. I hate when stores pull that kind of crap.
But I think blogging about it is a good move. I know people have twittered bad customer service experiences, and the store actually takes action because they realize the power of the Web.
Good luck with your computer.
They say that a satisfied customer will tell one or two people about their experience and an unsatisfied one will tell about 27. You should post specifics about the store location so that it will show up in the Google search box. You should also forward your post to the Customer Service site. But,…with so many of their stores going under….
I too have anxiety attacks when I’m disconnected from the internet. The only worse thing I could think of is NO BOOKS.
Good luck with the resolution to the comp. problem!
Was this the one in Bolingbrook? Cuz they are right out ASS HOLES! I went at it with them this last weekend. They freaking SUCK! I bought Alyssa XM Radio and they lied about the charges to install the thing and it would have ended up costing me 150.00 MORE! WTH?
I returned the whole thing and told them to shove it!
Wow. That sucks. I hate warranties and rarely buy extended warranties since they’re only as good as the store itself. After only two months though? They should definitely replace the thing!
Unfortunately your experience is pretty common and really stinks. And it’s not just Best Buy. I have a Dell and bought an extended warranty where I could talk directly with a tech if there was an issue. Last year the computer totally froze up and I was on the phone for hours with Dell (clearly in India). He had me taking the cover off and checking things and after a few hours on the phone with the idiot he kept insisting I unscrew and take something out and it was not physically possible to do what he was telling me, so the idiot said “isn’t there a husband or a father that I can talk to” — I screamed bloody hell at the asshole and will never buy another Dell computer.
OMG! Lisa that is hysterical! I always loose it whenever I get “out-sourced”! I just keep saying (honestly) “I can’t understand you!” I hate that!
i do agree with you
i’ve just bumped you from alphainventions
thanks
http://www.daishz.blogspot.com
http://www.cinta-motor.blogspot.com
I have an Apple, that’s all I’ve been on for twenty years. No problems, no Geek Patrol. Consumer complaints are a luxury most companies can’t afford … I love writing letters when I get pissed off!
Send yours here! http://consumerist.com
Just your post…bought appliances last year and had issues from the beginning with our fridge. My husband says NEVER AGAIN from Best Buy.
i just recently had a similar experience with Best Buy over a laptop that i purchase for someone (my husband) as a gift. i checked and re-checked about the holiday return policy, which they swore in three locations from the mouths of six different people was extended until january 8th. then the price went down A LOT, and i went to return it (so i could re-buy it), and they flat out refused to honor the policy they had told me. i was ready to bust a gasket. called corporate, and the guy there told me the stores all have authority to do ANYTHING they want outside of policy in the interest of customer service. it was the moronic young piercing covered kid who could not even make eye contact (and who said “yeah, i-i-i-i-i’m the um manager”) who just refused to do it. corporate sent me a gift card for half the difference in price. and thankfully my husband was thrilled with the gift (he is usually horrible about getting presents and almost always returns them). but i did file a complaint with the BBB.
can’t tell you how high my blood pressure was for days afterwards
What a bunch of geektards and what a scam. There goes your hard-earned money. A-holes.
I’d blame Best Buy because they continue their relationship with the Geek Squad. I haven’t met a more careless, clueless bunch ever before in my life. Their only solution to most problems is to reinstall the operating system, and they charge you an arm and a leg.
If you want a reliable computer you should switch to Mac. They’re great for techies and non-techies alike and for the most part are workhorses. Oh yeah, and forget those geeks, use your local guy if you should require a technician, independent shops are more likely to stand by their solutions.
I agree…no books…intolerable!
I feel so horrible that I haven’t been able to check out your blog or anyone else’s since I have limited access to a computer. I’ll get there as soon as I can!!
God, I wish I could have witnessed your tirade. I miss them!