Circuit City Rip-Off Re: Extended Service Warranty for Laptop
I purchased my Compaq 1930 laptop from Circuit City, Daly City, CA on February 7,2000 for $2000. I received a hefty reduction in price because it was a floor model. An extended warranty was purchased at the same time for $429 with the understanding that Circuit City did its own repairs. This was an important factor for me becauswe I live in Washington State as well as California and I was assured I could have it repaired at any Circuit City.
Shortly after September 11, 2001 I downloaded an American Flag for my desktop and a patriotic screensaver. Within a few days I noticed a horizontal line across the screen. This occurred while I was in WA and because I would be leaving for CA in November, I opted to wait and have it repaired at the Circuit City in Daly City, CA.
Upon my return to CA I immediately took the computer to CC to be repaired. I was told they no longer did in-house repairs for laptops and was given a telephone number to call for service. I placed the call for service. The technician ran the computer through some tests and determined it was most likely a software problem/and or VIRUS. My thoughts raced....could this possibly be a virus picked up by my patriotic screensaver? The technician advised running a virus program. I told him I would take the computer to my neighbor, a computer technician, and we would both get on the telephone with him. He ran us through more tests. The virus program verified that there were no viruses to be found on the computer. This technician also advised me that before I could send the computer in for service, he would have to walk me through a total erasure of my hard drive and that I would be responsible for saving any data I didn't want to lose in the process. He also told me that 95% of the time, this horizontal line across the screen is caused by software problems.
My neighbor advised me to buy a zip drive to save my data, costing me $265, plus I paid Skydesk/backup another $50 to back up my genealogy files.
Alas, on January 22, 2002 I placed another call to the service technician to tell him I was ready to go through the steps to erase my hard drive. This technician began telling me once again that I needed a "bootable virus program" to test the computer. What, I said....we've been through this already...let me write this down...what did you say I needed?" HE HUNG UP ON ME.
I placed a second call and got another technician. This new technician advised me they no longer run the virus test, nor do they erase the hard drive. He put the computer through another test lasting almost 1 hour and again determined it was not a software problem. He would order a shipping box be sent to me.
My shipping box arrived and on January 30, 2002 I photographed the computer on all sides and sent it via UPS to them for repair.
I returned from Utah on February 9, 2002 to find a message on my answering machine from Katie at Computer Parts Unlimited telline me "Unfortunately GE has denied service because of tap separation". She went on to say "that's when you hold the screen a certain way and over time it flexes the screen....if you have any questions call 800-555-4615".
On February 10, I placed a call to that number. Tony #4659 answered my call and calmed me down and told me his version of tap separation. He said that tap separation meant that the computer was ABUSED. I informed him that I'm a 58 year old female, that I took extremely good care of this computer and in no way did I abuse this laptop.
Several technicians told me that 95% of the time the line was caused by software or virus problems. Not one mentioned tap separation. COULD IT BE THAT EVERY COMPUTER RECEIVED WITH A HORIZONTAL LINE THAT ISN'T CAUSED BY SOFTWARE/VIRUS ENDS UP IN THAT CATEGORY SO THE SERVICE PROVIDER CAN DENY REPAIR? HOW DO I KNOW THAT THE TECHNICIAN WHO TOOK IT APART TO EXAMINE IT DIDN'T CAUS THIS TAP SEPARATION?
I was not given a service agreement when I purchased the extended warranty service spelling out exactly what is or what is not covered. I took the word of the CC salesman, Mr. Dung Hoang that I needed this contract because as he put it, "screens on laptops always break and any defects would be covered".
The above is the exact letter I wrote to Computer Parts Unlimited, P. O. Box 551756, Dallas, TX 75355. I was also given a FAX number, so I tried to fax the letter. I had been given the wrong fax number so I placed another call. This time I got technician Jessica #4131. She put me on hold and went over my case. When she finally came back on the line here's what she told me...."tap separation happens when you try to open the lid without unlatching it".
I now have 3 different versions of what causes tap separation.
The laptop was returned to me on February 12, 2002. I removed it from its box, plugged it in and turned it on. The lid was wobbly. It was not wobbly when I sent it in to be repaired. This computer was damaged by someone, either by taking it apart, or deliberate.
By February 15, I still had not received a response to my letter or fax, so I placed a call. I was told that Daryl was handling my case and he had my letter. On February 16 I received a call from Daryl asking "how can I help you"? He had my 5-page letter. I told him I wanted my computer fixed. I had thought my fax letter had gone to Circuit City Corporate Office, but instead, Daryl turned out to be a representative of GE Computer Support Plus (the warranty company). He refused to hear my words and again denied my request to fix my laptop. Abuse, he said, was not covered under the warranty.
So, I packed up the laptop and headed to Circuit City, Daly City. My lucky day, the store manager was in. He looked at my documentation and within 15 minutes, he issued a store credit. Happy ending for me. I left with a new laptop, after nearly 4 months of hell dealing with those idiots from Computer Parts Unlimited, aka GE Zurich, aka GE Computer Support Plus.
Sharon
Moss Beach, California
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5 Updates & Rebuttals
Ken
Lake in the Hills,Illinois,
Don't buy extended warranties
#6Consumer Suggestion
Mon, July 01, 2002
I have read many of the responses from the GE-Zurich employees who like to blame the customer rather than accept responsibility for the problems.
My suggestion is that everyone stop purchasing these programs. We'll see how arrogant these employees are when they are filing for unemployment.
If you consider how much time and money that you have put into getting your repair, you will find that you could have saved money by taking your product to the local "Certified" technician to get the job done right.
Sharon, you are in the right. GE Zurich forgot, or never knew, how to satisfy customer needs. They hide behind contracts that you never receive, which by the way is both their problem and Circuit City's. In a free market we have the ability to stop giving them our money. Get to know your local electronics repair person and give him/her your hard earned money.
William
Dallas,Texas,
Who told you what?
#6UPDATE Employee
Wed, March 13, 2002
If Circuit City Told ypu that the screen is covered and on are contract it is not then that means that your issue is with C.C.
If the the agent at C.C. made a verbal agreement and he represents C.C. then when the screen went bad you were suppose to go to C.C. in the first place. You should have done 2 things.
1)Read your contract. If C.C. agent did not provide a readable copy it is your right to ask for one. Dont blame others for your not knowing to ask and read your contract.
2)C.C. Is the ones who made the agreement that if you get the contract they would service you laptop for screen issues. We never told you we would. If the first C.C. made a mistake and did not replace the laptop for some reason and then another person will then taht tells me that the ffirst agent made a mistake in what he/she told you.
The moral. Read your contracts. And if one person in a company, eg:C.C., tells you one thing ask for a manager or talk to another agent to get a second decision. You problem was not that We told you we cover a partical part and we dont; you problem is that C.C. promised you something and you Called us about it.
If your mom promises Icecream you don't go to you freinds and tell their mom she promised Ice cream. and then get made when she says she doesn't have icesream for you.
always go back to the person/company who makes the verbal promise
BLAME WHERE BLAME IS DUE
William
Dallas,Texas,
Who told you what?
#6UPDATE Employee
Wed, March 13, 2002
If Circuit City Told ypu that the screen is covered and on are contract it is not then that means that your issue is with C.C.
If the the agent at C.C. made a verbal agreement and he represents C.C. then when the screen went bad you were suppose to go to C.C. in the first place. You should have done 2 things.
1)Read your contract. If C.C. agent did not provide a readable copy it is your right to ask for one. Dont blame others for your not knowing to ask and read your contract.
2)C.C. Is the ones who made the agreement that if you get the contract they would service you laptop for screen issues. We never told you we would. If the first C.C. made a mistake and did not replace the laptop for some reason and then another person will then taht tells me that the ffirst agent made a mistake in what he/she told you.
The moral. Read your contracts. And if one person in a company, eg:C.C., tells you one thing ask for a manager or talk to another agent to get a second decision. You problem was not that We told you we cover a partical part and we dont; you problem is that C.C. promised you something and you Called us about it.
If your mom promises Icecream you don't go to you freinds and tell their mom she promised Ice cream. and then get made when she says she doesn't have icesream for you.
always go back to the person/company who makes the verbal promise
BLAME WHERE BLAME IS DUE
William
Dallas,Texas,
Who told you what?
#6UPDATE Employee
Wed, March 13, 2002
If Circuit City Told ypu that the screen is covered and on are contract it is not then that means that your issue is with C.C.
If the the agent at C.C. made a verbal agreement and he represents C.C. then when the screen went bad you were suppose to go to C.C. in the first place. You should have done 2 things.
1)Read your contract. If C.C. agent did not provide a readable copy it is your right to ask for one. Dont blame others for your not knowing to ask and read your contract.
2)C.C. Is the ones who made the agreement that if you get the contract they would service you laptop for screen issues. We never told you we would. If the first C.C. made a mistake and did not replace the laptop for some reason and then another person will then taht tells me that the ffirst agent made a mistake in what he/she told you.
The moral. Read your contracts. And if one person in a company, eg:C.C., tells you one thing ask for a manager or talk to another agent to get a second decision. You problem was not that We told you we cover a partical part and we dont; you problem is that C.C. promised you something and you Called us about it.
If your mom promises Icecream you don't go to you freinds and tell their mom she promised Ice cream. and then get made when she says she doesn't have icesream for you.
always go back to the person/company who makes the verbal promise
BLAME WHERE BLAME IS DUE
William
Dallas,Texas,
Who told you what?
#6UPDATE Employee
Wed, March 13, 2002
If Circuit City Told ypu that the screen is covered and on are contract it is not then that means that your issue is with C.C.
If the the agent at C.C. made a verbal agreement and he represents C.C. then when the screen went bad you were suppose to go to C.C. in the first place. You should have done 2 things.
1)Read your contract. If C.C. agent did not provide a readable copy it is your right to ask for one. Dont blame others for your not knowing to ask and read your contract.
2)C.C. Is the ones who made the agreement that if you get the contract they would service you laptop for screen issues. We never told you we would. If the first C.C. made a mistake and did not replace the laptop for some reason and then another person will then taht tells me that the ffirst agent made a mistake in what he/she told you.
The moral. Read your contracts. And if one person in a company, eg:C.C., tells you one thing ask for a manager or talk to another agent to get a second decision. You problem was not that We told you we cover a partical part and we dont; you problem is that C.C. promised you something and you Called us about it.
If your mom promises Icecream you don't go to you freinds and tell their mom she promised Ice cream. and then get made when she says she doesn't have icesream for you.
always go back to the person/company who makes the verbal promise
BLAME WHERE BLAME IS DUE