I still fail to see how any of this is the fault of the local store, or how they are ‘theiving money-grubbing scumbags’. It’s a rebate offer, not a rebate guarantee. All rebates are designed with specific restrictions, I don’t see how your not reading the conditions is the store’s fault.
Since they know the “offer” isn’t valid, the shouldn’t offer it. If i ask about it they should tell me yes, that’s the offer but Insight doesn’t particpate. They would have lost that sale, but I would probably go back to the store. I’m not sure I will no matter the outcome now.
I suppose it all comes down to caveat emptor (sp?), but customer service has taken a back seat in this case.
Ok, I’m not posting anything else till I talk to someone at the store. If they can better the situation, maybe I’ll take back some of my words.
It’s not generally the store’s decision whether or not to offer a rebate, but the manufacturer’s. Stores very rarely offer coupons or rebates directly, it’s usually something offered by the manufacturer of the product itself, and the stores must follow the rules and regs set out by the manufacturer.
You say you haven’t even brought this matter up with your local store yet - why not? Why would they not be the first people you would contact? You’re very quick to call them money-grubbing theives, and yet you won’t even give them the chance to resolve your conflict?
I tried calling the store last night. No one answered the phone. I called for an hour and let the phone ring. I couldn’t get there, so I
'll try tonight or tomorrow. The rebate they are disallowing is a Best Buy rebate. A separate manufacturer’s rebate I assume is still in process. And, XGIRL, am I allowed to vent here, in the Pit? I was livid last night. I’m still surprised at the equanamity with which you all are handling this. Maybe you all are smart enough to notice the exlusions, whatever…
Now, I’ll post no more till after I talk to the store manager, I promise.
You’re quite allowed to vent here, DTT, but seeing as this is a public forum we have just as much a right to criticize or question your rant.
I understand that the situation is aggravating, but I don’t see how you can rightfully blame the store. They should, IMO, be quite understanding and help you either get the money back you spent on the modem in the first place or offer some kind of credit for a portion of what you would have received with the rebate, but in all honesty it’s not the retailer’s job to protect its customers from themselves.
Now, maybe I’m just as much of an idiot as DaddyTimesTwo is, but can’t you just return the modem?
Daddy, I’m with you on this one.
I know I’m living in a fantasy world, but would it have killed someone at the store to say “hey, by the way, you know that the local cable company isn’t participating, right?”
But see, then somebody would probably end up making less money. So they keep their traps shut. Sucks. But I guess that’s the way of the world.
And I’m guessing, adam yax, that he WANTS the modem, just thought it would be cheaper than it really ended up being.
Not too bad today. My boss is gone. We have a disconnect scheduled for Monday so all the deadbeats in Michigan are calling in to beg for more time. Got called a “faggot” by some bitch and I’m considering crank calling her when I get home. Other than that, not bad. Ready to leave for the day though. Got another hour and a half.
I hope the store can work out some accomodation for you. I think if it were me I’d probably stomp around for a while and then calm down and at least give them a chance to do something. Which is, I guess, pretty much what you are doing. There may not be much they can do, though. I don’t know how much autonomy they have.
My other thought is that this is just really poor customer service. As was said, it wouldn’t have killed the sales clerk to mention that the rebate wasn’t good in that area. It probably would have cost them a sale, but it might have kept them a customer. When I worked retail, I always thought that was the bigger point. Maybe when you go talk to the manager, you could point that out. Of course, maybe they don’t care, in which case you can come back here and yell about that, and I’ll agree with you.
Umm… not always. I’m a master rebater, and IMO rebates can save you ton of money, and you can even get some items practically for free. 95% + of my rebate submissions get handled without a hitch.
No stomping, no yelling, no waving of arms was required, I explained briefly the situation and the clerk took off and applied a $60 credit to my card. He said that Insight used to participate, but not any more. He didn’t know why. He made no comments at all, he just took off and, I suppose, talked to the manager, came back and processed the credit. Took just a few minutes and I was off. So, perhaps Insight is the bad guy here. The ease and speed with which I was given the credit makes me think thy’ve done it before.
So, I apologize to Best Buy for calling them thieves and scumbags and to any Dopers (XJETGIRLX 
) with whom I traded sharp words. Since I don’t know where the blame should be laid, I’ll just take it all back and comment on the efficiency and speed of the Best Buy Customer Service clerk who handled my transaction. It was a painless and easy procedure. But from now on, I will certainly eye rebates with a caution I didn’t before.
Best Buy is the best thing since sliced bread and don’t you forget it!!!
That was my mantra once. When I used to work for them. It isn’t now. They made my life a living hell and they made Baby Jesus cry.
BAND NAME!
Sorry.
I’m glad things worked out for you DaddyTimesTwo.
I would’ve been pissed as well. If there’s only one service provider for miles around, it would’ve been painfully obvious that the rebate wouldn’t apply to that product for the vast majority of their customers. So they could’ve either put a sticker on it, mentioning this fact, put a sign by the display stating this fact, or told people that were interested in the product.
But wait, that might actually lose the store some money.
:o !
Why does everyone keep saying “They should have known?”. “They” referring to Best Buy.
Best Buy isn’t some collective. It is individuals working retail. For all we know that was the sale person’s first night on the job and had no clue the rebate wasn’t valid for the local ISP. Just because you put on a Best Buy shirt doesn’t mean you know everything everyone else at Best Buy knows.
cmosdes, that very wellmay have been the case. And, in that case, I’d be pitting the Best Buy employee training, or lack thereof. Anyone who puts on a Best Buy shirt is gonna be speaking for the company while wearing it. and Best Cuy Corporate will be responsible for their conduct, if not what they tell me. And the BB employee handed me the paperwork for the rebate. So, I think it only right that BB gave me the credit. I hold no hard feelings for the company, I’ll just be careful when I shop there.
DTT
I still don’t think you can blame anyone. It would be nearly impossible for Best Buy to reasonably train all employees in all aspects of every product. And then the rebates to boot.
Best Buy refunded your money with no hassle at all. In my opinion, they did what they needed to do. Sure, a more knowledgeable employee might have saved you a trip to the store, but you really aren’t out very much. You said yourself you didn’t bother to comprehend what you were given.
Look at it this way. Because the employee was clueless, you were able to get your modem and the refund. If the employee had been more knowledgeable, you wouldn’t have the modem.
If the employee had been more knowledgable, Best Buy would saved the money it spent paying its employees for handling the sale of the modem (including the part where I asked about the rebate) and subsequent refund, and I would have saved the time I spent venting my frustration and driving back to the store, and Insight (the real culprit, I’ve kind of decided) would have sold me a modem for $60, and I’d have the exact same situation that I have now.
DaddyTimesTwo-customers like you are one of the reason I’m currently unemployed-because I am trying my damndest to avoid another job like Kmart where I had to deal with the idiotic mouthbreathers like yourself!
Guinastasia, you’re calling me names? I think that’s a little uncalled for. I’m over my anger and Best Buy handled the situation to my satisfaction and I will shop there again.
Please note that, unlike the poster in the linked thread above, all my venting and anger was done here, in an anonymous message board. I was very polite and mild-mannered when talking to the clerk. In fact, I was getting rather anxious about talking to the clerk cause I do not enjoy confrontation, and I didn’t know what was going to happen. The clerk did his job quickly and without a fuss.
[digression]
My sister worked at Kmart while she was in college, at the Customer Service desk, in fact. She saw all kinds of people who, without shame, would do things like return used egg-coloring kits, with stains on them! Anyway, while she was working as a cashier one day, a particularly belligerent customer ended up talking with the manager in the checkout lane. The manager resolved the situation, and as the customer was walking off still rather irate, my sister says “Thank you for shopping at Kmart!” Which she swears she said as a matter of reflex not due to any sarcastic intent. Her manager later told he bit his tongue to stop from guffawing.
Just an example of probably the only time at Kmart where my sister didn’t let the customers get to her.
[/digression]
Guin, I know you didn’t like your job at Kmart, but all customers with problems are not out to cause you headaches. There are lots of jerks who like to cause trouble trying to get stuff for free. I am not that type of customer. I suppose Best Buy didn’t have to give me the refund, but, in the interest of customer service, they did. I did not cause a scene, I never raised my voice anywhere in public and I resent your accusations and assumptions and I think you should apologize.