Complaint Review: Ritz Camera - Southbury Connecticut

First, please take what Garmin told you with a grain of salt. There are a lot of companies out there who are mad because they are losing money due to all of the companies going bankrupt, so they will trash those companies at the drop of a hat. Also, PLEASE don't associate a company going bankrupt with that company "sucking". In today's economy, there are a lot of very good businesses that aren't making it, and I believe Ritz is one of them. I do think that things could have been handled better on everyone's part. In defense of Ritz, I believe that if they (the associates at the store you returned it to) had known that Garmin had asked for a recall of that particular model, they would have bent over backwards to help you. As a former Ritz store manager, I know that we have been trained to do everything we can to make our customers happy. So I do believe that the associates could have handled it better by at least contacting Garmin themselves (that is, if Garmin will even give them the time of day). I KNOW that their refusal to give you a refund wasn't due to not wanting to give up money due to the bankruptcy. It's attitudes like that that give businesses declaring for chapter 11 the "kiss of death".  Over the past year, there are a lot of people who are simply out to protect their own "backsides". And unfortunately, a lot of customers like yourself have been caught in the middle of this economic battle. My final piece of advise is to not condemn anyone for a single indiscretion, nobody's perfect.

What??? I didn't get that.

Maps cause accidents?  I see, that's why the number of car accidents have declined since the GPS came out on the market.

You tell your story in bits and pieces and then chastise people for misunderstanding you.  I am sure that you cannot read a map, most people today cannot.  The electronic age has created a dependency on it, and when it breaks down business stops.  How many times have you been told "our computers are down at the moment and we will take care of you after they are back up"?

There are so many complaints on here about banks, this is because most of the pissers and moaners are experiencing a problem with their technology and their dependency on it is their biggest problem.  Yet, I have the same problems because I have also incurred a dependency, but I don't fall apart when it happens and most of the time I have some sort of backup.  Especially if it leaves me in the middle of nowhere.  I would have learned the first time to bring a map.  "THE MIDDLE of the highway and making me lost"  The GPS did not make you lost, you were lost from the start.

By the way, you don't have to be an expert to know that half a tank of gas is a bit much for 37 miles.  But I am sure you will come back with more bits and pieces of the story to beat me with.

ritz still has that same glitched item in their stores! i took a picture of the same unit when i started this long journey. i called the vp of ritz who at first unprofessionally and mistakengly stated that they no long carry Garmin and then said oh yes we do my fault we are just not affiliated with them anymore. listen i am just trying to warn people that although this issue is as you guys say and are right with Garmin, Ritz are still selling it and thats not right. not only is Ritz selling the unit, the price was chopped down in half because they want to hurry and get it out of the store! no i believe because they are so bankrupt they would sell just about anything at any cost. before i go, i want to say again I KNOW 'NOW' WHO MY PROBLEM IS WITH AND THATS GARMIN WHO HAVE DECIDED TO REFUND ME. i think people who were rude about this have no idea what they are talking about and dont PAY ATTENTION!! UGH!! truthinme27 aol :)

ROBERT : lol! at first i wasnt offered my money back because they both were debating whos fault and/or problem this entire situation was! i clearly stated that when i bought the unit it was defective and i dont care how long i had it before the defect was found. yes i guess you can say that i used the unit for free for 8 months. however, LET ME IMPLANT THIS IN YOUR HEAD...THE ITEM RITZ PURCHASED FROM GARMIN HAD A DEFECT IN IT AND MYSELF THE CUSTOMER GOT IT FROM RITZ!  oh my gosh are you slow? Garmin sold that unit to Ritz and most retailers have old items in their stores WITH NEW LABELS ON THEM GRABBIN THE ATTENTION OF THE CONSUMER! thats exactly why i said from now on i will buy directly from the company. Garmin explained to me that the very unit i got from ritz had a glitch and the item was just sitting in the stores for consumers to buy. thats not right?? the reason why i yelled at ritz was because AGAIN I WILL SAY ritz was the owner of the product once they bought it from Garmin. by this, i could ONLY be refunded by ritz. in my opinion, ritz should have refunded me and got mad with Garmin for having them sell a faulty device to a customer and losing credibility! so yes, on my original report i was mad at ritz and was seeking a refund by them. HOWEVER YOUR ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO DOESNT READ!!! I CLEARLY SAID THAT RITZ IS BROKE, THEY FILED CHAPTER 11 AND BY DOING THAT I DONT HAVE TO SEEK ACTION FOR THEM BUT NOW BY GARMIN! IF YOU DONT WORK IN RETAIL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WAS A DEBATE ON WHOS FAULT IT WAS THEN PLEASE SHUT YOUR MOUTH BECAUSE YOU SOUND STUPID. BY THE WAY, LEGAL ACTION WAS STATED 'BEFORE' I WAS guaranteed my money!! lol! you have issues

Jafo: stay out of this! troll? you can come up with something better, cant you? besides it seems you dont read either because i wouldnt have been so mean if it wasnt done to me. you know what, listen how about i say this... jafo have a good day and God Bless!!

We tried to be reasonable, understand your issues and explain your options.  You choose to attack people instead.  So.....

It's time to quit feeding the troll folks.

if you 'clearly' read what i said i do not need a gps to save my life. lol! i said i spent my hard earned money for a device i cannot use! do you get that? i obviously know how to get to work, activities, etc. however, as mentioned before to robert (your slow friend) i dont have a map of every city or state I'VE NEVER VISITED BEFORE stuck in my head!! i am sure you look directions up before you travel to a place that you have never been. look...read before you write with something stupid :)

i know that i have 1 year through garmin and not ritz!! lol! my point was that Garmin said that once ritz buys a product it is no longer Garmins responsibility!! did you read that?? if so, hopefully you understand that although i passed the 30 day warranty the device was ALREADY DEFECTIVE BEFORE I PURCHASED IT AND DIDNT START ACTING UP TILL 8 MONTHS LATER!!

- So your title of the report stated Ritz not Garmin.  Your right how in the world would anyone misinterpt that as you already knew you were out of warranty with Ritz and your problem is with Garmin.

The way the report was written it appears as if you were talking about Ritz the entire time and when you stated "legal action" it appears as if you were talking to Ritz.  In re-reading this it is still hard to tell exactly who you think you have the problem with.  I also find it interesting how you stated that the problem did not occur until after 8 months. Yet your claim is that it was sold defective?

In the end it is good that Garmin(?) is giving you your money back.  Because you basically got 8 months of use out of a GPS unit for free, not a bad deal.  Especially since you could now probably get an equivalent GPS for a couple hundred dollars less.

I DONT WANT NOTHING FROM ANY COMPANY EXCEPT MY ALREADY GONNA REVIEVE MONEY! DID YOU GET THAT??

- No..Because no where in your original report did you state you were getting your money back.  I mean talking about Legal Action doesn't really scream "They agreed to refund my money".

Here's a suggestion. If it's so life threatening for you to drive without a GPS, get a few spares.  They don't cost much and apparently could save your life. 

Based on your description you obviously don't know how to use a map.  You figure out how to get where your going before you start.

It must be amazing to you that people managed to drive cross country for many years without a GPS device. I still don't own one.  Probably will someday but I haven't found it necessary yet. Just a nice convenience. 

BY THE WAY IF YOU REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS CONTACT ME ON AOL INSTANT MESSENGER AT TRUTHINME27

i know that i have 1 year through garmin and not ritz!! lol! my point was that Garmin said that once ritz buys a product it is no longer Garmins responsibility!! did you read that?? if so, hopefully you understand that although i passed the 30 day warranty the device was ALREADY DEFECTIVE BEFORE I PURCHASED IT AND DIDNT START ACTING UP TILL 8 MONTHS LATER!! understand that too?? well...Garmin admitted that the device was faulty and that they made new versions and requested the old ones back. however, being that this device was my first one i dID NOT WANT IT ANYMORE AND WANTED MY MONEY BACK!! I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT GARMIN IS GIVING MY MONEY BACK. ONLY AND ONLY BECAUSE RITZ IS BANKRUPT WITH THEIR BROKE SELF AND FILED CHAPTER 11!! however, it took me all day to find that out and realize that was why ritz never wanted to refund me for a faulty device they purchased! i found out that by filing chapter 11 Garmin has sole responsibility once more and being that the system is defective and still under warranty I AM GETTING MY MONEY BACK!! NOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY??? THE THING IS...I NEVER GAVE UP AND I KNEW I WAS RIGHT AND FOUGHT FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT! BOTTOM LINE! WHY THE HECK WOULD I WANT AN EXCHANGE WHEN I WAS SOLD A DEFECTIVE DEVICE?? LOL!! I DONT WANT NOTHING FROM ANY COMPANY EXCEPT MY ALREADY GONNA REVIEVE MONEY! DID YOU GET THAT??

first of all i didnt say that i didnt know how to get to my familys home. if you paid attention to what i said you would clearly see that i stated they are from another state! i do not travel there often and unlike the memory (well lack of memory in this case i should say) you have...i DONT remember how to drive to ANOTHER STATE!! i wasnt playing sympathy when i spoke about my mom. i drive my mother around you idiot!! with that said, i simply cannot be caught in the middle of the highway IN ANOTHER STATE WHERE I HAVE NEVER BEEN WITHOUT DIRECTION!! do you really read what i say or do you just type before you understand??

I have a girl friend that pulled out of our street onto a street she travels all the time, but because she went the "other" way down our street she was totaly and completely lost. But I still love her, even though it took me ten minutes to talk her to a spot she recognized. It is a known condition some people have and a map does not help much. I bought her a GPS and I quit getting panicy phone calls. But I think the point her is you are mean and don't understand why the Rondale feels ripped off. I understand both sides and I am usually on the other side of the counter from people like Rondale. I think her retailer probably didn't go the extra mile or even really see the value. Either way the rebutals are out of line, buy a map indeed. Be nice or go away.

You had a 1 Year Warranty with the Manufacturer(Garmin) not Ritz.  Ritz policy was 30 days.  If this unit was sold defective you would have found out within 30 days and returned it to Ritz at that point. 

It appears that you had the unit Serviced by Garmin before this incident.  The fact that it was not fixed is not Ritz's fault.  You need to talk to Garmin about this and get them to fix it again.  This means any "legal action" you have would be with Garmin not Ritz.  Even that is a low chance of success, especially if you do not give them a chance to try and fix it again.  Have you talked to anyone about an exchange?

As to other items in the report, there are several things that do not add any credibility.  First it seems as if you can not even drive to your family(which I would think you visit on a regular basis) without a GPS and a major panic attack.  Do you forget how to get there between trips?

Second, you had to travel 37 miles, yet that cost you 1/2 a tank of gas.  What the heck are you driving?

And while unfortunate, your Mother having Cancer has nothing to do with this situation.  It seems as if you are just trying to play on sympathy.  Worse it makes you appear that you are using your mom's condition as a reason why they must bend the rules for you.

WHO SAID THAT I DIDNT TAKE IT TO GET REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME IT BROKE DOWN?? ARE YOU READING SOMETHING I NEVER WROTE? SEEING THIS ARE YOU?? BY THE WAY...I HAVE A COROLLA AND YES IT TOOK A HALF TANK OF GAS. I DIDNT KNOW YOU WERE A GAS EXPERT! BIMBO? YOU ARE SO RESPECTFUL, ARENT YOU? IN FACT I AM A YOUNG ATTRACTIVE WOMAN, THANKS THOUGH :) JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, TAKING IT TO GARMIN WAS A GOOD IDEA! YOU SAID IT WAS TOO LATE TO RETURN BUT IF YOU CLEARLY READ WHAT I SAID...THE GLITCH WASNT DETECTED IN MY UNIT UNTIL AFTER 8 MONTHS OF THE PURCHASE!! CAN YOU READ?? AS MENTIONED I CONTACTED GARMIN AND THEY ARE GIVING MY MONEY BACK! ONLY BECAUSE AFTER FINDING OUT THE BANKRUPT RITZ STORES ARE CLOSING OUT AND FILED CHAPTER 11. I DROVE 37 MILES WITHOUT A GPS OR PAPER MAP(WHICH BY THE WAY IS DANGEROUS READING WHILE DRIVING YOU RETARD)!! TO THE SECOND INDIVIDUAL WHO COMMENTED, THANKS FOR THE ADVICE. RITZ SUCKS AND GARMIN FINALLY AFTER BEING TOLD THAT RITZ FILED CHAPTER 11 IS GIVING MY MONEY BACK. YES I AM BAD WITH DIRECTIONS BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY INTELLECT! THE FIRST RESPONSE BY THE JERK IN KANSAS NEEDS TO KNOW I AM ON THE DEANS LIST AND ONCE AGAIN READING MAPS WHILE DRIVING WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT!! MAPQUEST DIRECTIONS I HAVE TO ADMIT INVOLVES READING BUT NOT MUCH AND I WILL DEFFINITLY USE THAT.

LOL! I LOVED YOU GUYS RESPONSES. I LATE FOUND OUT IT IS GARMINS FAULT AND I WILL GET MY MONEY BACK. RITZ CAMERA AS BANKRUPT AS THEY ARE CLOSED MANY STORES AND ARE SO BROKE THEY DIDNT WANT TO REFUND ME FROM THE START. RITZ STILL SUCKS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THEY FILED CHAPTER 11 THEY ARENT AFFILIATED WITH GARMIN ANYMORE AND GARMIN HAS TO PAY ME BACK. IF I HAD KNOWN THAT FROM THE START I WOULD HAVE ONLY CONTACTED GARMIN AND NOT THE BROKEN DOWN RETAIL STORE! HOWEVER, I CALLED RITZ AND SPOKE WITH PATTY THE SEC. OF THE VP AT RITZ AND SHE MADE AN INCORRECT STATEMENT. SHE SAID THAT RITZ DOESNT SELL GARMIN PRODUCTS. I TOLD HER THAT THEY DID AND I HAVE EVIDENCE BECAUSE I TOOK A PIC. SHE UNPROFESSIONALLY STATED, "OK MY MISTAKE I DIDNT MEAN TO SAY THAT MY GOSH"! REALLY??? ALL I AM STATING IS...IF I BUY A FAULTY MACHINE THAT HAD THE FAULT IN IT WHEN PURCHASED AND WASNT DETECTED TILL 8 MONTHS I WANT MY MONEY BACK!! WHOEVER TOLD ME THAT RITZ RETURN POLICY IS OVER AFTER 30 DAYS IS ONLY REPEATING INFORMATION I KNOW. I WILL NOT SPEND MY HARD EARNED MONEY ON A FAULTY MACHINE!!! NOW...DO YOU UNDERSTAND???

I don't know about the whole return thing but, My god lady, can't you read a map?  Your GPS unit craps out and you're hopelessly lost?  That's among the craziest things I've ever heard.

If you can't read a map to where you're going and you don't know where you are, you would be a lot better off just staying home.

There was a recent Ripoff Report from some guy (it's not just women) who cancelled his vacation because the GPS unit in his car broke and he was all freaked out.

This is pathetic, what is wrong with you helpless people? This country is in serious trouble!

What did you do befor the time of GPS units.....Rember paper maps.. Then there was MAPQUEST.. and I have to ask wht your driving, if you can use 1/2 tank of gas in 37 miles.. This report would would get a lot more respect if you didn't sound like some bimbo driving a Hummer down the highway at 90 miles an hour.

First.. when the unit acted up the first time.. you should have returned it right then.. they would have taken it back with no problems...But you sent it to the MFG. to have it repaired. that takes Ritz out of the problem, by the time it was returned it was to late to return it for a diffrent unit.. You need to right a rebuttle to this report and state the problem as it is...... Your problem is with Garman... Not Ritz..

Unfortunately, you have apparently exceeded Ritz's return policy which you state is 30 days.  They are not responsible for the unit after that, no matter what Garmin told you.  The warranty is through Garmin and not Ritz so it is up to Garmin to make you whole.  It sounds to me like Garmin is the one that should be helping you if they are aware of a known defect in the unit/software, not Ritz.  Ritz probably would not take the unit back at all, even during the return period, once you sent it to be serviced by Garmin.  They would have no idea if something Garmin did to fix it ultimately caused the problems.
As for being able to get places such as your family in Philly,  I'm sure you are familiar enough with the route to make it okay.  You just won't be able to make use of any detour re-routing the Garmin might have been able to do to avoid accidents, etc...  The same goes for any places you routinely visit.  For new places, Mapquest it and print out the directions.  I know Mapquest isn't always 100% but they should be able to get you close.  Or buy a map. I own a GPS and still carry a map...just in case.

Good luck although I doubt Ritz will do anything for you.