Complaint Review: Best Buy Geek Squad - Cleveland Ohio

I do a lot of shooping at Best Buy. if I can buy it there I will not purchase somewhere else regardless of cost. I have never had any issues with using the warranties which I have had to use a few times. one being with my laptop. I purchased the extra coverage for 3 years about 2 years and some months later my computer too would just shut down. after taking it to the store they had to send it out to be checked or repaired (maybe they fix inhouse now but they didnt then)they told me it could take up to 2 weeks. however 4 days later I got a phone call that the laptop was not repairable to come into the store to choose a new laptop (I paid 1700.00 for the one i purchased. I got a new laptop that was priced at 1100.00 and got a store credit for 600.00. I am always pleased with the service I recieve at the best buy in niles ohio. they are always the "best Buy" in my opinion. I find it hard to believe your story. there has to be some facts you are leaving out

Kristy: I am amazed at your knowledge of the inner workings of the Best Buy Policy and Procedures. It is just Criminal what Best Buy is doing to the general public as a whole. From Hell heart I stab at thee Best Buy.

I may not have any specific evidence to support the allegation above. But, I know for a fact that many chain-store companies expect you to rip off the customer. When you're hired, they tell you how to do it. Just like the lady above is explaining. If you don't meet your quota, you are gone. Simple as that. I know for a fact that this happens day in and day out, all across America. Hello, sir! Welcome! How may we cheat you today? Expect it. Be on guard at all times. Trust nothing. This is what our country has become.

alot of people have been asking how in the world could you be charged $500 to fix something like this.? let me explain how we as geek agents were taught to rack up charges to customers.. and how one new Geek Agent was fired for not overcharging the customer. one day a customer came into the store I used to work at complaining that his PC wouldn't start (or shuts off randomly) the 1st thing the tech will suggest is an "advance diagnostic & repair" what this does is tell you exactly what is wrong with the PC (dead power supply bad ram etc) and covers anti-virus /malware scan removal and if software problems (OS Windows related) related a format/reinstall of the OS (it does NOT cover Hardware issues or install) cost for this is $199.99 if the customer complained about the cost and was going to "walk" we would offer just a diagnostic only for $69 the inside of his PC is covered in tons of dust a good cleaning is advised for $29 - customer is like ok $29 extra isn't bad go ahead and approves the total amount.. geeks test and call the customer and say the power supply is bad and needs replaced.. the cost of the new part + install is $100 ($40 install + $60 for the part) we explain that this could resolve everything or more problems may exist but we need to install a power supply to further diag he says $100 more.. sure ok... now PC turns on.. but doesn't boot into windows just beeps.. problem with either CPU/MB so we are going to need to sent to service center.. we call the customer again telling them we would like to sent it to the service center to advance diag the unit for FREE.. we advise a data back is critical as once it hits the service center they could format his HD after replacing any hardware.. since he can't boot his PC.. he agrees to the the full data backup of $159.99 (we tell him we would knock of $60 if under 9.5gb but no backup is ever under 9.5gb unless you specifically state document files only) he approves backup... thinking $99 isn't bad we also explain viruses & spyware are a huge problem on internet the advanced security package that including norton + spysweeper + some agent "tweeks" to make your PC run faster (registry key + cache memory adjustments) he figures his software is like 5yrs old (outdated) and needs updated anyway and approves the $130 the service center gets the PC.. MB/CPU needs replaced that's going to cost an additional $238 customer approves item arrives back at the store.. store calls customer asking him to bring in his original OS restore disks.. he says none were ever shipped with the PC.. (he didn't see the software tool to make them when his pc first arrived) store says no problem we will order them for you from the MFG and only around $40 if you didn't pay for the advanced diag /repair and went the cheaper $69 "diag only".. geek squad will need to charge $129 for OS reinstall. otherwise it's free with advanced diag..Customer comes in to pickup his PC.. asks how much he owes when we say $775 (or $896 for adv diag) he almost has a heart attack. but pays since he did agree to the charges indivually (we didn't give him the total) he get's the PC home turns it on.. where are my programs and all my data I Paid to backup? nothing works it's all gone.. calls geek squad.. your data is on the DVD's we burned for you.. you paid for a data backup.. not data restore.. we could for another $100 in the case above a "new" geek agent was Fired at my store for not pushing the $500 solution to this problem...simply doing a 2min free diag saying the Power supply was shot charging him the $69 diag + $100 to install/new part and 15mins later when that didn't resolve.. then sending it to service when he got the $238 estimate back which the customer refused.. "it would be cheaper to buy a new PC" geek squad managers have heard this alot.. the pushback is although a PC could sell for around $500 that doesn't include buying new copies of programs like office, norton spysweeper or the time to install them this is why I suggest you avoid geek squad at all costs.. I never had time to fix anything while I was an agent.. just install software and run automated tools to check for problems.

For $500.00 you can get a good, new computer. Most of the time it is not worth it to spend more than $200.00 to fix a computer. If the computer is not under warranty, then it is probably too old to be worth fixing. Watch the newspaper ads for good computer deals. You may want to wait until Vista (the new Microsoft OS)is available. Make sure your new computer is "Vista" capable. Make sure that the CPU is 64 bit capable and that you get at least 1GB Ram. If you need service or a new computer,in the future, consider going to a local independant computer shop. They usually know what they're doing. But be careful to find someone competent and qualified. Shop around. It is now common to have work be outsourced overseas. Primarily to India.

You could have bought a brand new one for that amount why spend that much to fix one??

You could have bought a brand new one for that amount why spend that much to fix one??

what did they charge you $500 for exactly? I assume what happened here based on my previous employement with geek squad. More stores have a backlog it's not uncommon for PC's to sit 5-7days "waiting to be worked on" of course for extra $$ you can be moved to the top of the queue.. they probably did a diag. They have a Remote VPN type system that allows agents at "Geek Squad headquaters" to remotely diag your PC. At a best buy store. These people are actually located in the USA. in addition to diag, you probably were sold anti-virus/spyware software install /diag etc. if the unit is still having a problem and you do decide to bring it back it. They will send it directly to "geek squad city" since nobody in Geek Squad actually troubleshoots anything. They will probably replace the motherboard & Re-Format your hard drive /reinstall windows. which is common practice. Most of the time they will mention this to you. If not, well it was in the fine print you signed that you "backed up your data" personally $500 is alot of money to me. I'd require they actually get it fixed rather then dropping the issue or contact your credit card company for a chargeback.