Complaint Review: Best Buy - Alexandria Virginia

I will try to break this down...

The OP wanted the TV fixed. The OP apparently paid extra for 4 year protection plan (which is not actually an extended 'warranty' but is being referred to has that). From what I can make out the customer broke the cable antenna fitting off the TV.

The customer expected the installer to take back the TV. The installer is not a shipper or delivery service. Then it seems (although this is where it gets more confusing), that the customer was demanding a new TV rather then let geek squad repair it, so they stormed out with the TV and are now stuck with a broken TV.

The employee stated what is covered as per the protection plan, but misstated regarding the lightning.

Robert replied the employee was wrong regarding the lightning.

I replied that people claim the plans are a ripoff when they find out the damage is not covered..but they thought it was either due to the employee mistakenly telling the wrong info...the customer heard what they wanted to hear..or most likely they did not read the terms and assumed what was covered.

The employee stated "electrical failure" due to surges and lightning. If lightning caused electrical failure to the power grid and this resulted in a surge which damaged the TV, it would be covered. If lighting itself caused electrical failure to the TV, it would not be covered. If a power surge regardless of what caused it results in damage to the TV, it is covered..whether by lightning or static or whatever..it is irrelevant.

How the employee stated this is not correct. But in the terms brochure it is clear that surges are covered and there are no exclusions regarding what caused the surge. In the exclusions it does state that damage caused by lightning is not covered. As long as the salesperson explains that surges due to lightning are covered, but lightning damage is not covered, then there was no incorrect information given.

Anyhow that is how this report progressed to discussing lightning. Lightning is not however mentioned in the original report.

I read nothing about a lightning strike in the OP.  I did not understand anything the OP said nor do I understand any of the comments.  I'm not sure anything said helped out.

..I may have subjected myself to substantial criticism due to my error. You see many here use the error of others to further leverage their case regardless of how futile, redundant or insignificant.

So..allow me to state this as final word on "my" behalf..

This is what the employee stated.. "Electrical failure" (like from a power surge or lightning strike)"

What comes into question here...is "electrical failure", and "lighting strike".

First, lets get this out of the way...the plan covers surges REGARDLESS of the cause of the surge, but the plan exclusions CLEARLY state it does not cover a lighting strike to a TV.

So, that is established fact...and indisputable.

If the employee was "trying" to imply that "electrical failure" means the power grid...I can excuse the blunder. If the employee really believed that the plan covers "electrical failure" of the TV due to a lightning strike...I need to ask the employee....what made you come to that conclusion? Did anyone at work instruct or wrongly inform you that the plan covers a lightening strike?... or did you intend it to mean a power surge "caused" by a lighting strike would be covered as per the BTP?

The employee actually did state the terms in a way that could be taken the wrong way in this case. Sometimes I do wish this site would allow edits so I would not have to re-post to make corrections. The implication in the way it was stated is that electrical failure of the TV due to a lightning strike is covered.

The employee stated as such and I quote "Electrical failure (like from a power surge or lightning strike)".

A lighting strike directly to the TV certainly would NOT be covered. A lightning strike that caused a power surge which resulted in "electrical failure" of the TV, would however be covered.

The plans do have some merit, but sometimes the employee makes mistakes, sometimes the customers suffer from what is termed "selective hearing", and sometimes the customers assume what is covered without reading the plan. All can lead to problems, and often do. But none of it is the fault of the plan itself. The terms are easy to understand, it is not like reading financial terms and regulations. I can read the entire brochure and understand it in minutes.

The exclusion states in does not cover damage caused by lightening, granted. But if the power surge was caused by lightning and the TV was damaged from the resulting power surge, this would in fact be covered according to the terms of the plan. Whatever caused the power "surge" (lightning, static, whatever), is irrelevant.

However if the lightning itself damaged the TV then yes..I would imagine you would have a hard time getting that TV repaired or replaced under the plan.

If you read again what the employee stated in the reply, it was in actuality a correct statement in this case.

..Why we read complaints that the "plan" is a rip off, when it was usually a case of the customer only going by what the salesperson said, and/or not reading the plan for themselves. Granted this is usually a mistake by the employee and not the employee lying just to sell a service plan as the employees at BestBuy are non commission. Of course they are instructed to offer the plan, but they are also instructed not to lie about what it covers, and not to pressure the customer into the plan..just offer and explain the benefits.

The plan DOES state it covers "power surges", but apparently the newer plans (GSBTP) don't cover it if the surge was due to lightening. The older plans (PSP) did I believe.

Coverage:
This Plan covers parts and labor costs
to repair your product in the event your product
fails to properly operate due to:

a) a defect in materials and workmanship;

b) normal wear and tear;

c) dust, internal overheating, internal
humidity/condensation;

d) a power surge/fluctuation.

e) defective pixels for those products that
have a pixel-based display. Pixel repair
will be based upon three (3) defective
pixels located in a group less than
one half (1/2) square inch or five (5)
defective pixels throughout the entire
display area.

Electrical failure (like from a power surge or lightning strike)

You are mistaken.  The plan does NOT cover lightning or ESD caused damage. Here is the exclusion:

6) Exclusions to Coverage: This Plan does not cover: (i) damage to your product caused by accident (unless you have purchased the optional ADH Coverage), abuse, neglect, intentional physical damage, misuse (including faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than an authorized service rovider), unauthorized modification, viruses, extreme environment (including extreme temperature or humidity), external condensation, lightning, static electricity, fire, flood, insect infestation, rodents, war, terrorism, computer software related failures (unless you have the Vi-Spy Coverage) Acts of God or other  external causes; (ii) products that have been lost or stolen.

Further, damage caused by the consumer (as is the case here) is not covered by the Accidental Damage From Handling Coverage because the ADH Coverage is NOT AVAILABLE for TVs. Here's the explanation:

The Geek Squad 4-year Black Tie protection plan covers the following for TVs...

Normal wear & tear

Dust, heat, and humidity

Bad pixels

Hardware failure

Electrical failure (like from a power surge or lightning strike)

It does not cover physical damage, so they were correct in saying that it wasn't covered by the protection plan.  Best Buy has no reason to "knowingly sell a defective product."

The person who came to hook up your sound system did not take the TV because he legally can't.  He's an installer, not a delivery driver.  You specifically have to have a delivery driver deliver or pick up the TV.  He wasn't trying to piss you off, he was just doing his job.

Again, we have no reason to sell you defective products, or steal from you.  Have you contacted 1-888-Best-Buy (the corporate number) to seek advice on how best to proceed?

Not sure what you are saying.

Did you "break" the coaxial cable jack off?  The jack itself is part of a larger board.  Was the board loose?  If not and they think YOU broke it, neither the mfr nor BBY will do anything for you.  You would have to pay for a repair. 

Try calling the manufacturer with the number in your manual and tell them your story.. Leave BBY out of it.

Your service plan has NO bearing on this - it only extends the 1-year warranty to 4 years; no one covers damage.