# Why buy from Best Buy when you can get ripped off in Chinatown? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 14, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659 "2008-02-14T21:30:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/1 "2008-02-14T21:30:49Z")
Without getting into too much detail, the Best Buy on 23rd in Manhattan has attempted to rip me off because they won’t accept an exchange for an item that is clearly defective. Some heated words were exchanged and yadda yadda yadda, I’m not allowed to shop there anymore. Next time I’ll go to Canal Street so at least I’ll only be out a fraction of the money and the product would have FUCKING WORKED. Well, I called their corporate headquarters (where I also filed a formal complaint about the store) and they promised me a refund in a few weeks. In the meantime, I’m also filing complaints with Consumer Protection in every relevant state, claiming fraud with my credit card company AND I’m going to go to every fucking Best Buy in New York City until I get sweat satisfaction. So fuck you Best Buy, Chelsea on 23rd and 6th Ave (Store #482). ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/2 "2008-02-14T21:36:26Z")
Did you throw a big fit or something? You say you don’t want to go into much detail, but this is the BBQ Pit, we’re gonna need the details. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/3 "2008-02-14T21:37:15Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] Without getting into too much detail, the Best Buy on 23rd in Manhattan has attempted to rip me off because they won’t accept an exchange for an item that is clearly defective. Some heated words were exchanged and yadda yadda yadda, I’m not allowed to shop there anymore. [/QUOTE] I think if it resulted in getting you banned from the store, I’d kinda like to hear the details… ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/4 "2008-02-14T21:54:11Z")
I hate that store as well. It was laid out by people who hate people who want to buy electronics. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/5 "2008-02-14T21:59:42Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] …I’m going to go to every fucking Best Buy in New York City until I get sweat satisfaction… [/QUOTE] If it’s sweat satisfaction you want, you’re in the wrong place anyway. Maybe Chinatown isn’t such a bad idea after all; they gots them some nice massage parlors down there… ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/6 "2008-02-14T22:01:21Z")
Need more details before can share in righteous outrage. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/7 "2008-02-14T22:11:27Z")
“And stay out of the Woolworths!” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/8 "2008-02-14T22:14:32Z")
[QUOTE=Astroboy14] “And stay out of the Woolworths!” [/QUOTE] “Just that one or all of 'em?” ---
**Author:** ![Dumbguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dumbguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumbguy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/9 "2008-02-14T22:14:47Z")
I heard he threw a security guard through a display of _Ratatouille_ DVDs. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/10 "2008-02-14T22:36:08Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] I hate that store as well. It was laid out by people who hate people who want to buy electronics. [/QUOTE] AKA: A 1 floor escalator ride down to Hell. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/11 "2008-02-14T22:38:56Z")
I’ve never had any real problem with that Best Buy except their checkout aisle is counter-intuitive. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/12 "2008-02-14T22:43:27Z")
That would suck getting banned from Bestbuy. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/13 "2008-02-14T23:03:17Z")
Yeah, the only thing more humiliating would be getting banned from some loser-filled _message board_… ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/14 "2008-02-14T23:12:05Z")
**msmith537** , are you this [woman](http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/)? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/15 "2008-02-14T23:24:02Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Yeah, the only thing more humiliating would be getting banned from some loser-filled _message board_… [/QUOTE] It’s not so bad. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/16 "2008-02-14T23:35:55Z")
Ok, the item in question is an XBox360 game. Unfortunately it appeared to have been shipped with [this](http://www.peoplepc.com/). Apparently, since it was shipped to Best Buy like that, it’s not their problem and I need to call the manufacturer. Unfortunately the manufacturer doesn’t give a shit. > [@Omegaman](#): > > That would suck getting banned from Bestbuy. Meh…I like PC Richards better anyway. **Amp** , that woman kicks ass. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/17 "2008-02-14T23:40:11Z")
It was shipped with a link to [peoplepc.com](http://peoplepc.com)? Does that cause the X-Box to not work, somehow? Or is it just a really lame game, like ISP Tycoon? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/18 "2008-02-14T23:41:02Z")
You might want to visit this web site —\> [http://consumerist.com/](http://consumerist.com/) and run a seach on “Best Buy.” That should make you think twice about every doing business again with Best Buy. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/19 "2008-02-15T00:05:01Z")
What was the item? Was it a parrot? ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659/20 "2008-02-15T00:08:20Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] Ok, the item in question is an XBox360 game. Unfortunately it appeared to have been shipped with [this](http://www.peoplepc.com/). Apparently, since it was shipped to Best Buy like that, it’s not their problem and I need to call the manufacturer. Unfortunately the manufacturer doesn’t give a shit. Meh…I like PC Richards better anyway. **Amp** , that woman kicks ass. [/QUOTE] My guess is someone got the game, went to return, but ripped Best Buy off by putting in that other software, and Best Buy didn’t even look at it - just resealed the game, wrapping and all, and put it back as new. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buy-from-best-buy-when-you-can-get-ripped-off-in-chinatown/437659.md?page=2)