- Report: #261055
Complaint Review: Best Buy - Germantown Maryland
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
Best Buy
20914 Frederick Road Germantown, 20876 Maryland, U.S.A.
Phone:
240-686-1221x2021
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
On July 4, 2007, I purchased a 42" Sharp Aquos HD LCD TV. It was a floor model, and had no box. The total cost was $1889. I need to add that I have MS which plays into the time frames in the scenario since I need assistance to lift or carry anything since I have balance problems. The personnel in Best Buy wrapped the TV in one layer of bubble wrap and loaded it into my SUV. I had a family member waiting to unload the TV when I got home. Since I didn't have a stand, he left the TV, still wrapped, on my dining room table.
On July 6, I purchased a TV stand, and once again needed help getting it from the store to my SUV and from the SUV to the house. The stand had to be put together and I was unable to get anyone to put the stand togther until July 10.
On July 10, the TV stand was put togehter and the TV was finally taken out of the bubble wrap and put on the stand. When it was plugged into the surge supressor and the cable, the screen only showed colors. I didn't know what that meant at the time, but tried to take the remote and see if I could clear the screen. I wasn't able to do so, so on July 14, I got someone to help me return the TV to the store. As it turned, the screen was cracked and Best Buy refused t take it back as a return. The store service manager said that all tv's sold out of the box were tested, yet he was unable to provide me any proof that this specific model was tested. No offer of repair, nothing, just we won't take it back. Short of placing the direct blame on me, his company wasn't willing to even consider that the wrapping placed on the set for transporting the set was inadequate. I saved the wrapping as proof since I might need it.
Hindsight tells me that I should have turned the set on immediately,but I never suspected anything could or would be wrong. First and last time I buy an open box item anywhere.
I now have an almost $2000 broken set in my home. I have already contacted my local consumer affairs office and put a dispute in with the credit card company.
Ei
Germantown, Maryland
U.S.A.
On July 6, I purchased a TV stand, and once again needed help getting it from the store to my SUV and from the SUV to the house. The stand had to be put together and I was unable to get anyone to put the stand togther until July 10.
On July 10, the TV stand was put togehter and the TV was finally taken out of the bubble wrap and put on the stand. When it was plugged into the surge supressor and the cable, the screen only showed colors. I didn't know what that meant at the time, but tried to take the remote and see if I could clear the screen. I wasn't able to do so, so on July 14, I got someone to help me return the TV to the store. As it turned, the screen was cracked and Best Buy refused t take it back as a return. The store service manager said that all tv's sold out of the box were tested, yet he was unable to provide me any proof that this specific model was tested. No offer of repair, nothing, just we won't take it back. Short of placing the direct blame on me, his company wasn't willing to even consider that the wrapping placed on the set for transporting the set was inadequate. I saved the wrapping as proof since I might need it.
Hindsight tells me that I should have turned the set on immediately,but I never suspected anything could or would be wrong. First and last time I buy an open box item anywhere.
I now have an almost $2000 broken set in my home. I have already contacted my local consumer affairs office and put a dispute in with the credit card company.
Ei
Germantown, Maryland
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Ei
Germantown,Maryland,
U.S.A.
Thanks but.....
#2Author of original report
Fri, July 20, 2007
TV was laying flat, not in the back seat and I live less than a mile from the store. Additionally, there is no tape of anyone showing me anything or asking about delivery service because it was NEVER offered. I would have accepted and paid for it. The Consumer Affairs Office in my Montgomery County, MD, is very effective and will shut Best Buy down in the county (they can) and they will lose lots of money. This is a very affluent county (check it out) and I am pretty sure Best Buy won't want to lose their business here. The state AG is from this county, so I bet on my state and against BB. Finally, I added the MS to explain why it took so long for the TV to be opened and setup. I have balance problems, documented balance problems, not vision problems. The balance affects me when I have walked a distance, not when I am driving, so won't fly with my doctors or me. And distance, in my case, is after walking a mile.
Kristy
Beverly Hills,California,
U.S.A.
how to get a new TV from best buy
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, July 20, 2007
as an ex-employee .... I feel for you ...... because I've seen cases like this happen all the time.. filing a complaint with the attorney general's office (FTC or whatever government agency) is probably not going to make much differance .. here's why Best buy will state that the item was inspected by thier service center.. if pushed (by a govt agency... not you) will provide documentation to that effect. item was inspected before being placed up for sale.. video tape evidence will be shown of the employee examining the unit /wrapping it up and placing it in your car.. and you looking at the item before you purchased it .. all supporting the fact the item was in perfect condition when it left the store... Best Buy also offers a home delivery service and setup for all TV's for a small fee (I believe like $60) which you refused.. best buy will also get testimony from Sharp Electronics that your SUV isn't an approved Transport for thier TV's and basically the TV must have fallen while in your back seat... you also admit having Multiple Sclerosis (MS) so your reactions are probably not as good as a person without MS. How to get a new TV from Best Buy several methods.. one go to a differn't best buy store.. immediately purchase a 2nd TV of the same model.. then 5 minutes after it's loaded into your car.. come back with the broken one. and say you just noticed the crack and want a refund.. the problem here is you purchased a discounted, open box model.. so probably won't work for you.. contact your local TV station "consumer advocate" to do a report on how you got scammed and you have MS can't hold down a full time job, have several kids to feed etc. you saved for months to buy a TV and now this happened.. a TV crew showing up at a local store.. or calling the corporate PR dept tends to get results.. the attorney general's office in the past Best Buy's position was basically "go ahead sue us" but because of all the bad PR about the Xbox360 launch scandle, to the fake website pricing (instores -vs- on the internet) the issues with people never getting "mail in rebates" to geek squad getting sued for (allegedly) using pirated software by a small in-significant software company.. best buy decided to ignore (the SR VP of Best buy legal refused to even return calls of the attorney of the smaller company to try & resolve the issue before going to court ... according to court motion filed)... until Microsoft announced they were purchasing the other company.. and Best Buy suddenly realized MSFT would now technically be suing them.. so they quickly settled.. the good news is the company is more paranoid about bad PR & Govt action.. so good luck..
Ei
Germantown,Maryland,
U.S.A.
update
#4Author of original report
Thu, July 19, 2007
I received a letter yesterday from my local office of consumer affairs (Montgomery County MD Office of Consumer Affairs) and they are going to investigate. The letter also stated that they will investigate Best Buy for deceptive business practices, so stay tuned.
Ei
Germantown,Maryland,
U.S.A.
update
#5Author of original report
Thu, July 19, 2007
I received a letter yesterday from my local office of consumer affairs (Montgomery County MD Office of Consumer Affairs) and they are going to investigate. The letter also stated that they will investigate Best Buy for deceptive business practices, so stay tuned.
Ei
Germantown,Maryland,
U.S.A.
update
#6Author of original report
Thu, July 19, 2007
I received a letter yesterday from my local office of consumer affairs (Montgomery County MD Office of Consumer Affairs) and they are going to investigate. The letter also stated that they will investigate Best Buy for deceptive business practices, so stay tuned.
Ei
Germantown,Maryland,
U.S.A.
update
#7Author of original report
Thu, July 19, 2007
I received a letter yesterday from my local office of consumer affairs (Montgomery County MD Office of Consumer Affairs) and they are going to investigate. The letter also stated that they will investigate Best Buy for deceptive business practices, so stay tuned.
