Complaint Review: Tigerdirect.ca

I ordered a USB hard drive on Nov. 5, 2007. The unit arrived on Nov. 11, 2007 and it was dead on arrival. I called them several times and talked to several CSRs. I obtained a RA number and on Nov. 19, 2007 I returned the unit. Then after several phone calls I learned (they do not talk to you unless you call them) that, according to their assessment, the unit was operational and they only refund the purchase price but not their shipping expense and the taxes. I was told previously if the unit is faulty they refund the bottom line I paid including shipping and taxes. Now, I am a long time electrical engineer, I have several USB hard drives, I know how to register a USB hard drive with Windows XP. The unit plain did not work, period.

After several phone calls and an email to US TigerDirect complaining about the discrepancy between my and their assessments, finally they refunded the bottom line money including their shipping and taxes. This itself was suspicious that at first they said the unit was fully operational, later they refunded all the money, implying that unit was NOT operational. It was a bumpy road, some their CSRs does not listen and can get into nasty arguments. They handled me, the customer, like an inferior being (I talked to one guy, he was great but he did not know all the details and he referred me to another department).

Then I submitted my shipping expenses by a letter first (later they claimed they did not receive it) then later by fax. I have not heard from them for a week or two. Then I called them to learn that they received my fax and they will refund the money. I expected that they will deposit it into my Visa as they handled the previous transaction, but the money did not show up. Then I called them again in early December and I was told that I will receive a cheque in the mail before year end 2007. I would not have know this if I had not been persistent calling them. They generally provide only minimal information rather than the whole picture. On December 20, 2007 finally I received the cheque for MY shipping expenses.

Bottom line: The right hand does not seem to know what the left hand is doing, they seem to be rather disorganized and some of the CSRs need to be trained how to handle customers in a customer-centric manner as well as what good communication is.

I will never do business again with TigerDirect.ca. They are out to lunch instead of taking care of business.

Kuassa
Newcastle, Ontario
Canada