- Report: #332227
Complaint Review: Best Buy - Grand Island Nebraska
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
Best Buy
3404 West 13th Street Grand Island, 68803 Nebraska, U.S.A.
Phone:
308-382 - 0182
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
Best Buy #1034 Best Buy hires uninformed personel. Best Buy lies to consumers for company profit. Best Buy insurance fraud. Grand Island Nebraska
On 'Black Friday', 2005, I purchased a Toshiba laptop and a Gateway laptop from Best Buy, in Grand Island, Nebraska, 68803. 'Black Friday', the day after Thanksgiving, is known as the busiest shopping day of the year. Most stores hire extra help until after Christmas. I spent more the two-thousand dollars on merchandise that day from Best Buy. The employee that helped me was a blonde haired, high-school student. He did not give his name. After he got the two computers down for me, he was trying to sell me insurance. I told him I did not need insurance. My daughter's boyfriend had just graduated from the University of Nebraska, as an electrical engineer. Computers and programing were his specialty. I also informed him the only insurance I would need would be accidental. The employee told me the insurance, should I purchase, would cover accidents. Accidents such as, getting run-over, falling off a building, getting knocked-off a table or liquid getting spilled on them. That was the only reason I decided to purchase separate accident insurance for both laptops. Naturally, adding to the cost of the computers. The only merchandise, I was allowed to carry with me, before paying, were the smaller, less expensive items. When it came time for me to pay for my merchandise, I had to go to the south-west corner of the store. I was trying to pay for my merchandise but Best Buy's computers were not working. Three different employees were trying to get me rung-up. Finally their computers started working. I asked again about the insurance I was buying; if it covered accidents. The sales-person was a young high-school girl with shoulder length brown curly hair. She confirmed the insurance I was purchasing did cover accidents.
In May, 2007, I was in Ogallala, Nebraska, at Lake McConaughy. My family has had a summer place there for more then thirty years. The Ford, Explorer was getting loaded to go to the lake. In my computer bag was my Gateway laptop and my daughter's Toshiba laptop. The bag was placed on the front of the family's new boat.
When I got the the lake with my family, the boat was being loaded with what had been put in the back of the Explorer. The computer bag was not in the back of the Explorer. My husband went back to the trailer to get the case. On his way he noticed something in the road. It was my computer bag. The bag had been run-over.
I took the laptops in the bag back to Best Buy, in Grand Island, Nebraska, where I purchased them. Best Buy proceeded to tell me I did not purchase accident insurance. I had the folder that was given to me with all the information and the receipt. The receipt showed the insurance for each laptop.
The person at the customer service desk, Carolyn, told me I did not have accident insurance. Therefore they were not going to take care of either laptop. After speaking to a technician and a manager, one laptop was replaced. My duaghter's laptop was not replaced. It had been in the same case as mine and ruined too. Best Buy told me they were doing me a favor. (Best Buy uses any tactics immaginable to make a sell.) I went through too different employees telling me I was paying for accident insurance. I was not shown any paperwork. After my purchases I was handed a folder with my receipts.
Best Buy should have replaced both laptops. The company did not have any problem taking my extra money for the insurance (fraud). Best Buy did however follow through on not taking care of their customer.
I was not going to except what Best Buy, in Grand Island, Nebraska, had to say. I called Best Buy, Corporate Office, P.O. Box 949, in Minneapolis, MN. 55440. Phone number 888-237-8289. I was again told they did not have to do anything at all, even though I had insurance. Still mad I went to a Best Buy store in Lincoln, Nebraska, 400 N. 48th Street. Phone number, 402-464-1820. That store also told me they did not have to replace the laptop.
Yes, I do believe if Best Buy replaced one laptop, the Gateway, the Toshiba laptop should be replace too. Best Buy's business ethics is not at all customer savvy. To me, Best Buy ethics is more like take the customer's money and shut the door in their face. I am extremely disgusted with Best Buy.
If anyone asks me about purchasing from Best Buy, I would tell them no matter the price, go to a store that takes care of thier customers. Satified consumers will return many times to do business with a company that realizes the consumers keep them in business. That type of company goes out of their way to help their customers. Especially if the consumers purchases are honored.
I have pictures of laptops and receipts if you want me to send them. I am having trouble trying to figure out how to attch them. Please let me know by e-mail.
Disgusted
Grand Island, Nebraska
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Best Buy
In May, 2007, I was in Ogallala, Nebraska, at Lake McConaughy. My family has had a summer place there for more then thirty years. The Ford, Explorer was getting loaded to go to the lake. In my computer bag was my Gateway laptop and my daughter's Toshiba laptop. The bag was placed on the front of the family's new boat.
When I got the the lake with my family, the boat was being loaded with what had been put in the back of the Explorer. The computer bag was not in the back of the Explorer. My husband went back to the trailer to get the case. On his way he noticed something in the road. It was my computer bag. The bag had been run-over.
I took the laptops in the bag back to Best Buy, in Grand Island, Nebraska, where I purchased them. Best Buy proceeded to tell me I did not purchase accident insurance. I had the folder that was given to me with all the information and the receipt. The receipt showed the insurance for each laptop.
The person at the customer service desk, Carolyn, told me I did not have accident insurance. Therefore they were not going to take care of either laptop. After speaking to a technician and a manager, one laptop was replaced. My duaghter's laptop was not replaced. It had been in the same case as mine and ruined too. Best Buy told me they were doing me a favor. (Best Buy uses any tactics immaginable to make a sell.) I went through too different employees telling me I was paying for accident insurance. I was not shown any paperwork. After my purchases I was handed a folder with my receipts.
Best Buy should have replaced both laptops. The company did not have any problem taking my extra money for the insurance (fraud). Best Buy did however follow through on not taking care of their customer.
I was not going to except what Best Buy, in Grand Island, Nebraska, had to say. I called Best Buy, Corporate Office, P.O. Box 949, in Minneapolis, MN. 55440. Phone number 888-237-8289. I was again told they did not have to do anything at all, even though I had insurance. Still mad I went to a Best Buy store in Lincoln, Nebraska, 400 N. 48th Street. Phone number, 402-464-1820. That store also told me they did not have to replace the laptop.
Yes, I do believe if Best Buy replaced one laptop, the Gateway, the Toshiba laptop should be replace too. Best Buy's business ethics is not at all customer savvy. To me, Best Buy ethics is more like take the customer's money and shut the door in their face. I am extremely disgusted with Best Buy.
If anyone asks me about purchasing from Best Buy, I would tell them no matter the price, go to a store that takes care of thier customers. Satified consumers will return many times to do business with a company that realizes the consumers keep them in business. That type of company goes out of their way to help their customers. Especially if the consumers purchases are honored.
I have pictures of laptops and receipts if you want me to send them. I am having trouble trying to figure out how to attch them. Please let me know by e-mail.
Disgusted
Grand Island, Nebraska
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Best Buy
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Blahsblah2001
Copley,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Had a similar experience
#2UPDATE Employee
Fri, August 15, 2008
I left my laptop on the roof of my car and it was 2 days before traffic on I-77 cleared enough for me to retrieve the pieces, which I brought in in a plastic bag. Best Buy did not replace my laptop, they refunded the service plan and gave me a gift card for maybe 1/2 of the cost of my laptop. Because of the time difference, I went home with a laptop BETTER than the one I had in the first place, complete with service plan, for perhaps 200-300$. What the service plan does not cover is 'negligence.' If you bump a soda and spill it, or if you slip and drop it, that is an accident. If you put it in a place any thinking person can tell it should not be (like the roof of the car) that is carelessness, and it is not what the service plan is designed to cover. Consider yourself lucky you got a new computer for free (which is probably better than the one you bought in the first place, they always are) and simply be more careful with this new one. I was angry at first, too, but in the end it was the way they handled my situation (treating me with respect and doing what they could even though I was an idiot) that made me apply for a job there. And when selling service plans, I tell every single customer about the complete destruction clause. We also don't cover complete submersion in water or dousing with an organic substance, such as milk, vomit, or urine. One supposes there must be some precedent.
Former Best Buy Guy
Minneapolis,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
Get real!
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Tue, July 08, 2008
Fraud?! Are you serious? I can understand your frusteration, but it's your husband you souldbe filing your report against! He's the one who ran your computers over! The frist guy is right; you got what you paid for and they did go above and beyond to take care of you. You had a full 14 days to read your reciept and the service plan brochure to check for any errors. Just because you were told one thing and paid for another does not constitue fraud...it's unfortunate, but just as much your fault as theirs really.
Rancho Cucamonga
Santa Ana,California,
U.S.A.
Did you read the Service Plan Brochure?
#4UPDATE Employee
Tue, June 24, 2008
Dear Disgusted, I have never purchased anything in my life that was several hundred dollars and not know what I bought. Having worked for Best Buy for over 5 years, I can tell you that many people who buy these plans never read the fine print. I always make it a point to tell people to read the inclusions and exclusions, but they never do. They belive what they want to believe, and understand that if they yell loud enough at the Customer Service area that some sort of concession will be made. While I believe situations like this happen because of ill-trained employees, some of the responsibility lies on you. You made it a point to mention that the people that helped you were high school aged, and because you have children of your own you probably have better experience with teenagers than I. That being said, why did you blindly trust a teenager at their word. You had ample opportunity after that day to call or visit a store to confirm the details of your Service Plan. Having worked five "Black Fridays" now, I can tell you that many times customers re-visit the store the week after to confirm what they purchased and ask for more information because there is simply no time to have a 15 minute conversation during the hectic morning. On behalf of Best Buy I apologize, but please don't make it sound as if we were 100% in the wrong... what other retailer would replace a computer after driving over it?
Bbyfrank
Los Angeles,California,
U.S.A.
I hear this story ten times a day
#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, May 17, 2008
First of all, you bought your laptop on Black Friday, meaning you willingly subjected yourself to the busiest shopping day of the year in order to buy something from Best Buy that was very likely far below cost. Furthermore, it's the worst, most confusing day for employees, who are scrambling to help the throngs of customers, usually also disgruntled at the chaos they themselves created, and the 100-yard line at the checkout. So you're buying something from a company that makes little or no profit off the product, and from an employee that, yes, might have been hired last week, and wants to offer you a service plan, either give it to you or not, and get you out the door. There is usually just one kind service plan per product - 2 years replacement for iPods, 4 years service for TVs, etc. Digital cameras have four (2+4 years, with accident protection and without) while laptops have a baffling five. One year accident only, two and three years basic service only, 3 years service plus accident, and another I can't even remember. These are, unfortunately, virtually impossible to decipher onscreen if the employee is not trained. She probably gave you the wrong one. Best Buy implants in its employees and managers a somewhat personal stake in the success of the company. If they give you a new laptop despite not having the proper plan they will take a loss and they will take heat from someone up the chain. They replaced one laptop meaning they were willing to go out on a limb at least to meet you halfway. But did you buy one plan, or two? If you had two separate plans, they could and maybe should have honored them both, and replaced both laptops (replacing due to damage terminates the plan, anyway) but they were definitely not obligated to. Literature for the service plans is available and the plans are returnable or exchangeable within 30 or 14 days, and during the holidays it's even extended until January! You bought them from someone you yourself identified as a new employee and never bothered to read a single word about what you purhcased. I would say 70% of the blame rests on your poor decisions and 30% or less on the employees who made the mistake.
