Complaint Review: Best Buy

Due to accidental damage, I took my laptop purchased in January 2008 to the Madison Best Buy for repair. The comedy of errors started there:

1) What was supposed to be a 2 week repair period became 3-4. I had to call after 4 weeks to ask status. The laptop happened to be there when I called. They never called me to let me know it came in.

2) When I went to the store, I found that it had not been repaired. It had been "junked". I had to point this out to Geek Squad.

3) I was told to pick any laptop brand with the same specs by Geek Squad, but the compter sales guy said I needed to stay in the same brand (Sony). Sonys were out of stock, so I was told to come back on Sunday when they had restocked.

4) I went back Sunday; they are still out of stock so I ask that it be shipped to the store. I'm sent back to Geek Squad and they treat me like I'm trying to steal something from their mother. I explain what I was told on my previous visit. My paperwork is sent to Customer Service. I wait for 30 minutes while they "research the issue".

5) I am then told by a supervisor-type that Best Buy's warranty only matches to the specs, and as they are only required to meet the spec, they will replace my laptop with the cheapest option. I ask if I get a credit for the difference in what I paid and they say threre will be no credit. There were five people standing on the other side of the counter to watch my reaction to this information: 2-3 supervisors plus the Geek crew. I guess they expected to act like a fool. Now I wish I had.

6) Someone is assigned to show me the laptop they will replace. I had a Sony, they have me an HP. The specs are better but I don't think the quality is the same from HP to Sony. They told me if I wanted something different, I would have to pay the difference between the replacement's price. I go back and forth between what I was told the previous day and what I'm being told on Sunday. This wastes another 45 minutes of my time.

7) I'm tired of arguing and frustrated beyond belief, so I accept their replacement. In checking out, I ask about a warranty. The cashier says it transfers to the new unit and then transfers it in the computer (or says he does).

8) I call Consumer Relations to get a copy of the transferred warranty, and I am told that the warranty was fulfilled and voided when I got the replacement. I explain to them what the cashier said and did in the system. They pretend that they do not have a record of it and tell me I will need to buy another warranty.

When I purchased the PSP, it was my understanding that I would be able to get the same quality laptop that I had purchased. If I knew that Best Buy would be able to give me the lowest price of any brand laptop, I would never have invested the $350 for insurance. I now have a cheaper laptop and a lesser brand than what I originally paid. Best Buy would have never tried to pull this years ago, but now it seems anything goes to protect their bottom line -- who cares about the customer? I have sworn off Best Buy and just hope that none of my other PSP purchases require replacement.

Krhayes
Sunrise, Florida
U.S.A.