Complaint Review: Best Buy - Minneapolis Minnesota

RESOLVED! Best Buy's executive resolution team really came through. Also, the local store here in Tallahassee, FL (esp supervisor Eric Espinosa) who did a great job helping me pick out my brand new LCD Samsung. Although it's 6" smaller, the LCD HDTV is 1080p capable & is a much better TV. Looking at all the reviews, Samsung has the best HDTVs & is total step up from what I had. It's a been a long road but Best Buy is coming next week to drop off the new TV & pick up the broken Sony. Once I figured out 'the game' I was able to play my hand into getting an exchange done quickly. Those of you who are in similar situations, do not lose faith! Here's what you need to do; 1. File complaints with BBB. 2. File complaints with your State's Consumer Affairs Office. 3. Make sure you keep good notes! 4. Keep all your receipts, make copies! 5. Note your service repair number, & the date the part was ordered. 6. Wait 45 days from the date the part was ordered. 7. Do not argure with the PSP warranty group, they are not Best Buy! They are a third party contractor. 8. Once you're getting close to 45 days, contact the Best Buy Customer Care group, 612-292-0100. 9. Lastly, write the COO Mr Dunn. This should bring things to a close.

Again called the executive resolution specialist and was able to speak personally with her. She and I discussed my situation and agreed on a final time limit of September 21, 2007. She also stated that if my current replacement application, entered on 9/4/07, was denied she would personally expedite a new one. She seemed confident that a resolution should be handled by the end of this week, 9/14. Stay tuned!

On September 8, 2007 I got a letter from someone at the BB 'Executive Resolution Team'. I have no idea what that could be. Anyways, she claimed that my service request had not fallen into their 'internal policy' of 45 day delay. She then stated she could approve a replacement at this time. She did offer to send me a $100 gift card & offered to expedite my replacement application if the part had not arrived by 9/10/07. Well, the part did not arrive is now scheduled to ship on Wednesday, 9/12/07. I then called the 'Executive Resolution Specialist' and got her voicemail twice. I asked her to call me back immediately & gave her both my cell & work numbers. No call back. I've pretty much resolved myself to filing in small claims court unless a resolution is completed by the end of the week, 9/14/07. Stay tuned!

I really don't care about Best Buy's stock, just a figure of speech. However, I have valued smaller shops or shops like Crutchfield, where you just can't beat the service. That's prob where I'll buy my next large TV. So, what happens with BB now? I'll call Sept 1 & apply for a replacement & wait 3-5 days as their policy states. If they approve it then, we'll see about the replacement. If they deny or don't give me an answer, I'll go ahead & file in small claims court. I've already got all the paper work & 2007 rules. I've also already filed a complaint with the FL State's Attorney's Office & the FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Affairs. Both have notified Best Buy of my complaint & asked for a response. At this point, I'm not sweating it. Whenever I call them to check on the part & claim, I simply write down the date, rep I've spoken with, & their response. There's really nothing more to do, you have to be patient & eventually things with go your way. I do believe in Karma.

I no longer work for Best Buy. I originally took it as a summer job and stayed longer then I should have. The company is very much top-down management style with strict policies, and managers bonuses based on reaching certain financial goals -vs-customer satisfattion, thier is also a high turn over rate with store management generally every 12months they get transfered to new store, change position or leave the company.. store sales are track hourly and are very high (sometimes $100-200k a day depending on location etc). if a manager doesn't perform he is replaced.. this is why when you try to return something one day outside the return policy, 2) try to price match an internet site -or local reseller under the price matching policy 3) buy a brand new factory sealed item open it and find it's half missing parts and attempt to return it the very next day (within the return policy) your told to contact the MFG, they won't exchange it.. or 4) you have a item in repair for over 2 months or the geek squad service center screws up your PC.. the store will do nothing for you.. and store managers tend to be very unforgiving to customers and it's only going to get worse as we move towards the after-thanksgiving /christmas.. season.. it will be hello.. I need your credit card# before I can even show you the TV's we have avail for sale.. I'm not sure if Executive Management is just clueless or honestly doesn't care: but with all the scandals going on (xbox360 forced bundles on release.. , geek squad customer privacy invasion.. geek squad using pirated software.. mail-in rebates for several hundred dollars never being honored, differn't website prices instore -vs- internet etc. to internal things like massive labor cuts before earnings are released.. resulting in shortages of store staff.. in order to make a wallstreet estimate.. to an attorney representing the company caught creating false documents to assist the company in a legal case) the culture needs to change to more customer focused, how to do this.. I think by changing rules for bonuses and managers are rated to where profitablity of stores ranks lower then customer satisfaction.. the rules are 45days from the date parts were ordered (not left in for service) you can then apply to have a replacement approved that should take about 5 business days.. if it ever gets approved.. the store should be able to lookup the approval then it's a question of the exchange being "a new TV for exactly the original amount I paid.." or "a TV with similar features /specs which of course will cost less.") or the store telling you what TV you are getting as a replacement .. without your input in the decision.... that's your next battle Best Buy is a great place to buy a DVD, or maybe a TV based on price but you shouldn't expect service after the sale.. when an Item breaks my personal advise is go out and buy a brand new one... send into the MFG directly for repair.. (not a 3rd party repair place like best buy) and once repaired.. sell it online I personally don't shop their anymore. regarding your stock price comment.. where else are you going to shop? CompUSA just closed most of it's stores.. circuit city is having financial issues.. Fry's tends to sell used/refurb stuff as new hence the lower prices. my advise would be to go with smaller companies.... where if they don't serve thier customers.. the owners don't eat.. I actually paid more for an item at a local home appliance store & had them install it.. -vs- paying less at best buy because I knew best buy installers were low ball contracted out and made thier $$ on saying everything was a custom install) it's your decision really.. a flooded kitchen arguing with thier insurance company or paying a bit more to have it done correctly the first time.

and they finally told me to wait until Sept 1 & apply for a replacement. "Apply"? What? I do have an email from a customer service department employee stating 45 day policy; Thank you for contacting Best Buy about repairs. I'm Katie with CustomerCare. We appreciate your concern about your television repair. If parts have been ordered and they have not arrived within 45 days, you are entitled to apply for a product replacement. As long as you apply for this replacement before the Performance Service Plan (PSP) expires, Best Buy must honor the replacement if approved. If parts are no longer available, or we are unable to repair your product, under the terms of the PSP, Best Buy is required to replace the product with a comparable product. If you have reached the 45 days, please contact the In-Home repair department to apply for a product replacement. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for sharing your comments with Best Buy. Please do not hesitate to contact us with additional questions or concerns. Best Wishes from Best Buy, Katie and the Customer Care Team Original Message Excluded:------------------------- O and Kristy, you work or worked for crappy company with even worse customer service. As you can tell, others are experiencing this & eventually your stock will fall.

What will happen is this....they will continue to have your part on "backorder" until your warranty expires. Then your original claim will magically disappear in thin air....that is, when you call them after the day your warranty expires, they will tell you they have no record of your claim in their computer....hopefully they have given you some sort of paperwork stating your claim and the date you made it.

What will happen is this....they will continue to have your part on "backorder" until your warranty expires. Then your original claim will magically disappear in thin air....that is, when you call them after the day your warranty expires, they will tell you they have no record of your claim in their computer....hopefully they have given you some sort of paperwork stating your claim and the date you made it.

What will happen is this....they will continue to have your part on "backorder" until your warranty expires. Then your original claim will magically disappear in thin air....that is, when you call them after the day your warranty expires, they will tell you they have no record of your claim in their computer....hopefully they have given you some sort of paperwork stating your claim and the date you made it.

What will happen is this....they will continue to have your part on "backorder" until your warranty expires. Then your original claim will magically disappear in thin air....that is, when you call them after the day your warranty expires, they will tell you they have no record of your claim in their computer....hopefully they have given you some sort of paperwork stating your claim and the date you made it.

I completely understand how frustrating it can be not having a TV. but we need to look at the facts of this case.. the parts were ordered on july 24th - 2days later your calling the company asking have they arrived yet. (a little optimistic) Best Buy Policy is generally that if it's taking an excessive amount of time to get parts.. they will issue a "psp junkout" and authorize the store to give you a new unit at a local store.. The store manager is correct he can't just give you a new unit without his store taking the financial hit (which is something he isn't prepared to do, unless your a VIP Customer (VIP Status is differn't according to the average income in your Zip code (but at my old store if a customer had spent about $50k in a 10yr timeframe at the store (aver $5k a year) or you are the type to buy $100 a week in new DVD releases what is considered an excessive delay? I was never able to pin this down in any written policy while working at Best Buy.. but generally ... "if after xx days from the date parts were ordered they don't arrive.. (not when the problem was reported) the service center will authorize a new unit as an exchange.. there is no way a refund will happen.. They only generally this number was 45 (or 60) days .. that means September 10th or 22nd.. if you read the notes Best Buy they say the parts should be in on aug 21st, meaning Best buy still considers this an acceptable timeframe can I sue them for excessive repair delays? Best Buy will successfully argue that TV's they have had to send directly to Toshiba & Phillips have literally taken 3-5 months to be repaired. so making customers wait up to 45days is not really excessive.. your attorney may write a letter to BBY Corporate which could put some political pressure on the issue, but by the time that happens the parts will already be in & your TV repaired. My Suggestion is to hold off calling them again .. until Aug 22nd ( 1 day after the Parts ETA) and ask them again.. or better yet.. ask a Geek Squad Supervisor /Service Manager to call them on your behalf.. simply to check status or make the request... I was shocked to learn that the Service repair center uses some type of CallerID /Employee lookup.. because when my Manager called them and simply gave his name, they immediately knew what store he was from and his position.. and approved the exchange.. unfortunately, there is really nothing else you can do..