"Best Buy" Extended Warranty Horror Story (1 Viewer)

[Michael Reuben]

Then edit the first post of your existing thread to include the letter. One thread per topic. Your threads have now been combined.

Also, this thread doesn't belong in Display Devices. I'm moving it to Vendor Feedback.

M.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I had a nightmare over 10 years ago with a TV I bought from Circus City and their extended warranty. When I bought the TV I was hounded into getting the warranty, then after the TV got fried in a power outage long story short was that the repairmen made it worse than it was before, but said it was "within manufactuer's specs" so they didn't have to do anything else for me. I sold the set to my parents who still have it and the picture still looks bad but they don't care, and I will NEVER buy another big-ticket item from Circus City and will NEVER pay for any store's so-called 'extended warranty' as they are a complete lie.

It was only after I bought the first TV did I learn about how stores require their salespeople to sell extended warranties and what a big scam they are. I've never bought anything big from Best Buy, but from what I've read about them I probably never will. The TV I have now which I've had for over 10 years I bought from a smaller "mom n pop" operation (have had no problems with it aside from the power supply dying the first couple weeks, which they quickly fixed at no charge), my next TV will probably be bought from the same type of place.

 

[mech_eng9t7]

Very Interesting Update

Before Going through the media route I sent this message out Saturday evening:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX

Dear Ms. Ross and Distinguished Best Buy Representatives( Best Buy Executives )



Can you please forward my thanks to Param Singh and Don Pameli from your Whitby, Ontario store. Over the past few weeks I've been sharing my warranty experiences with your PSP on some very popular online forums so others don’t waste their money like me. It turns out that the deceitful and callous actions of your 2 managers have generated the most outrage. As an unexpected bonus, a large number of the replies are telling others not to purchase large box items from Best Buy because of them. Unfortunately, I’ve only had time to share my story on half a dozen websites thus far with just over 14 200 views ( number of times my postings have been read ). But since my television is no longer functioning properly, I seem to have a lot more spare time on my hands.. So the above figures should increase considerably. Again, please convey my thanks to Don and Param for providing me with the perfect ending to my story.

For your convenience, I'll send everyone an update each time the total number of views reaches a multiple of one hundred thousand. I'll also provide the new internet links each time I share my story to a new forums website so someone in your accounting division can obtain a more accurate "View" count.


Regards,

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX End Of Letter XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


Got a voicemail Sunday morning from Doug Newstead, the district manager of Best Buy Canada for the Greater Toronto Area. Asked me to call him anytime Monday on his personal cell number because he has arranged a satisfactory resolution on my behalf.

Again with all the BS so far, I don't expect any significant improvement to their current proposal of "XXXXXX Ltd Must Be Permitted to Take My TV". Seems the higher the corporate ladder I climb, that pile of fertilizer grows accordingly. I not going to call him until I plaster this warning on at least 6 more websites so no nobody will suffer the same fate as me.

 

[EricSchulz]

I have worked in the service industry (retail/food service/hotel) for most of the past 25 years. The one thing we are taught OVER AND OVER is that the higher up the ladder a customer goes to get a problem resloved, the more costly is becomes...in dollars and customer loyalty/satisfaction. If I were the district manager, you'd get a brand new replacement set and SOMETHING for compensation (a pretty hefty giftcard is my first thought). There is NO reason that this issue had to go as far as you've taken it without being resolved. Thanks on behalf of consumers everywhere for your tenacity and hard work---I'm sure it has not been easy. Please keep us posted!

Eric

 

[mech_eng9t7]

Thank you to everyone here. Best Buy has offered to replace my DLP with something of equal value. I'll post with the final details later.

 

[Marty M]

I have always been very leery of the extended warranties from BB and CC. I have always looked at them they way an insurance company treats people. The extended warranties are nice until you try to use it, just like your homeowner's insurance.

 

[Radioman970]

Awesome dude.

 

[cosmo7]

Reading a story like this makes me glad I stopped with the extended warranties years ago. Good luck!

 

[Dave Mack]

Congrats, mech!
BB extended warranties are absolutely worthless.

 

[Bob Partovi]

When I worked at a retailer they emphasized warranty sales. A lot of people would lie and say they covered everything just to sell them. A lot of times you have outright psychotics working there, drunks, and people with very low intelligence. You might have run into one of these types and they are trying to cover themselves.

 

[Marty M]

Best Buy extended warranties are like home owners insurance. They are great until you try to actual make a claim. I have purposely avoided buying high ticket items at BB, so I don't have to hear their bullsh*t hard-sell for their extended warranties.

As we all know these things are one of the biggest profit makers for BB. With that said, I may get an extended warranty if I purchase an iPod, since it does cover battery replacement.