Steamed at Best Buy

The BBQ Pit
1

Ok…so, some of you are probably going to be shaking their heads at me on this one. It just pissed me off so I figured I’m come here to vent.

I got a new iPod Nano for my birthday from my sister. I had asked her for an iPod Touch but she didn’t realize there was a difference. It was REALLY sweet of her to get it for me, and I really did appreciate it…but I really wanted that iPod Touch. Anyway, she bought it at Best Buy. I didn’t have the heart to ask her for the receipt…I figured, what the hell, they will just exchange the thing (and the case and all the other peripherals she bought for it for me). The thing is unopened after all.

Nope. They won’t take back any item unless you have a receipt for it. Even though it’s got a (partially obscured, to be sure) Best Buy tag on it (and on all the other stuff), they won’t take it back even for an exchange.

I guess I’m getting old. The last time I took back electronics (yeah…years ago), the store took it back with no fuss, no muss…as long as I exchanged it for in store credit. I figured this was still the case…but I guess times, they have a changed. This is the second thing that has pissed me off about Best Buy in the last month though.

A friend of mine purchased some software from them a few weeks ago…but it turned out he didn’t need the software after all. So, last week we went to take it back. Now…he DID have his receipt. And the software box was unopened. However, the lady at Customer Service (snort) refused to take it back, saying that Best Buy does not take back software once purchased, regardless of if it’s opened or not.

Not that I usually shop at Best Buy, and not that I have any idea if this policy is the same there as at other electronic stores these days…but I’ll be damned if I EVER shop at one again. It wasn’t just that that their corporate policies are so stupid…it was the indifferent sort of ‘fuck you, move along’ attitude of the customer service at both stores (in two different cities)…hell, the chick at the store here could have been a clone of the one (attitude wise) as the one where my friend lives.

Anyway, just wanted to vent. I’m guessing that some 'doper will be along shortly to tell me that I’m just OLD, and that this sort of thing has been going on for a while now…I just haven’t been paying attention! :stuck_out_tongue:

-XT

2

I had a friend who ordered a computer from BB recently. It was defective, so he brought it back and they told him they’d ship a replacement to his house. Sure enough the computer arrived on time, but several weeks later a second, identical computer showed up as well.

He’s been trying to return the second computer for weeks now, but BB refuses to take it back, and everytime he calls, he spends hours getting shuffled around from one call center to another. He says if he can’t get rid of it by Xmas, hes sticking it under the tree with a tag saying its to himself from Best Buy.

They apparently really hate taking stuff back.

3

Hell, I need a computer, tell him I’ll pay the shipping even:)

I use the chains to physically examine the things I want to buy, then go online. Sucks for them but it saves me a ton.

4

I was having computer problems last week, which I thought might be due to a faulty hard drive. So I bought a new one at Best Buy, installed it, and found I was still having the same problems. Boxed it back up, took it back to the store (with the receipt) and they refunded me the full price of the drive on my credit card. So it might not be a corporate policy you’re dealing with, so much as a store policy. Maybe try your luck at a different Best Buy?

5

Well, this was two different stores in two different cities…but there is another Best Buy across town I could try. If not I’ll just keep the thing…I’d rather do that than ask my Sis for the receipt and let her know she got the wrong thing.

-XT

6

Best Buy posts their return policies online and the backs of their receipts, iirc. This isn’t rocket science.

Your friend was probably outside the 14day return policy for software and you trying to return an ipod without a receipt was just plain dumb. I can’t believe you’re going to just let your sister waste her money like that.

7

Best Buy’s returns are beyond silly. I once got a DVD from there, started watching it, only to have it completely degrade then stop at the climax of the movie (it was Serenity, and they were about to land on Miranda). I tried it on three other DVD players, including my laptop, to ensure that it was in fact the DVD, not my player, before I decided to try to exchange it.

I read the return policy completely before even trying, and it said that opened DVDs could be exchanged for the same item, in store. Great, that’s what I wanted, and it is even still the same price as when I got it, so there should be no worries. I head in with movie and receipt in hand.

I walk into the store, head over to the return desk, which has a HUGE wall mounted version of the return policy behind it, and it says the exact same thing. However, when I walk up to the desk, the clerk hems and haws about how she’s not sure they can do that. I somehow manage to not scream at her to look right above her freaking head and READ for once in her life, as she is currently calling the manager over. The manager hems and haws some more, but instead allows me the opportunity to PROVE to them that the DVD is faulty, and asks me where it skips. I tell them, and they go play it on their old busted DVD player, and to my everlasting pleasure, the DVD fails even faster on their player than it did on mine.

They finally allow me to go pick up another copy of the DVD, but I then have to wait through about 15 minutes of the girl trying to figure out how to ring up the new copy, and convince her that, no, I do not have to pay the difference between what I paid the first time around and the current price, particularly as there is no current difference in price.

My feelings on Best Buy: Go in, get what you want, pay, and get out. Hope you don’t have to actually talk to any of the employees beyond general pleasantries and direct answers to questions, and for Og’s sake, don’t ask questions or expect help.

8

Yes, I’m always sure to check the return policy on the receipt before someone buys something for me. …wait…

As for his sister wasting her money, please. Brand-new iPod Nanos are selling for what appears to be near-retail on eBay right now. xtisme hocks the Nano on eBay, uses the proceeds towards a nice new Ipod Touch, and sis is none the wiser.

9

Blame everyone who has ever gamed the system. Most retail stores have gotten downright draconian with their return policies due to people scamming the system for years. Target recently did an across-the-board “no receipt, no exchange, no exceptions” change, which will bite a lot of people in the ass after Christmas.

10

I saw the receipt…he bought it 3 days before. The woman at the desk told him flat out their policy was that you could return no software whether it was opened or not (it wasn’t…again, I saw the seal). Whether this is their supposed policy or not I couldn’t say…I simply know that my friend argued with this lady AND her manager for about 20 minutes before storming out of the store and vowing never to shop there again (I’m with him on this one…I certainly won’t be going in there again).

Sorry I’m ‘dumb’ enough to want to return an unopened item as an exchange…I’m sure it’s a hardship in these trying times. As I said, the last time I needed to return something like this it was no problem…obviously things have changed.

As to your lack of belief over the situation with my sister, since you know nothing about the situation you should probably keep that to yourself. It’s not relevant to my rant.

-XT

11

Are there any major retail chains that do not require a receipt for returns or exchanges?

I want to know in case I ever want to try returning merchandise to a place that I didn’t actually buy it from. (Just kidding. I do not condone this practice.)

12

To be fair, they’re usually very good about printing ‘gift’ receipts, which work just fine for returns but don’t have the prices on them.

13

Welcome to the 21st century. We’ve also invented fire recently, give that a try too (don’t forget to keep your receipt).

And don’t get pissy with me just because your sister made a mistake and there’s some sort of Intense Family Drama involved over saying so. You put a rant about your own stupity and family issues online. Tough shit if you don’t like the responses.

If it was 3 days, your friend sounds like he was screwed. I was just running off your comments about it being ‘weeks’ for that one.

14

Well, thanks bunches for the heart felt welcome! :stuck_out_tongue:

No, you are just a clueless asshole who decided to shoot off your mouth about something you have no idea about. No worries 'mano…it’s expected! Wouldn’t be a pit thread without someone being contrary after all. :stuck_out_tongue:

You are quite correct…I mis-spoke there. You were quite correct that as I stated it things would have been beyond their supposed 14 day policy.

-XT

15

FACTS ARE FOR THE WEAK!!!

But I understand. You have issues and you badly want to let the world know that you have issues and these issues are super secret and while we must know you have issues we must not mention the existance of these issues in whatever form they manifest because there are issues involved, and Best Buy is full of jerks. I am fully on board with that.

But you still don’t have an ipod touch, so nyah.

16

You are reading WAY more into all this than I wrote there 'mano. But I do understand the need to take out your own issues by blowing up mine. As I said, it wouldn’t be a pit thread unless some contrarian type wandered in spouting off on a tangent.

Nope…nor am I likely too at this point. Still…nothing wrong with an iPod Nano. And I do have a rather nice Zune 120, so all is not lost.

-XT

17

Nah, now I’m just poking fun at you. You did seem to be getting mighty upset there.

Nothing wrong with nanos, in fact I’m even willing to trade you my old one for your new one. :stuck_out_tongue:

18

Asking for help in almost any national chain store is pointless. I can’t count the number of times I’ve asked where something is, only to have the employee start wandering up and down the aisles to look for it. HEY MORON! I CAN WANDER ABOUT AIMLESSLY ALL BY MYSELF!!

19

I kind of figured that after your last post. I also admit, I was kind of pulling your chain too. :wink:

-XT

20

An anti-Xmas carol Pit rant, a slam at ignorant shoppers, and now a stomping of Best Buy.

Yes, the holiday season is truly upon us.

Let us not in our joy overlook the eternal War on Christmas and the unsubtle commercial pitches of jewelry store chains (“Buy your girl an expensive bauble, and you’ll Git Some!”).