The sheer number of stories over the years about the crap Best Buy pulls is amazing. As one of the only brick and mortar computer stores left (Fry’s is the only one I can think of and they’re only in a few states), I guess they feel they can do anything because they’re the only game in town for those not savvy or comfortable enough to buy online and need more than WalMart or Target sells. Read the article for this full, ludicrous story.
Sharon’s husband had Best Buy repair a laptop, and when he got it back the Windows 7 operating system was missing. They complained to Best Buy, which refused to reinstall the system, saying it had held up its end of the bargain because it had originally sold them a laptop, not Windows 7.
If there is store near you Micro Center is good competition (particularly when the question about nearest Fry’s comes it is whether one in IL or one in GA is the nearest one…)
If Sharon’s husband wasn’t such a fucktard he would have backed the system up.
#3, I think you missed the point of the story.
I hate being this way, I tried to ignore it. It just grates me though. “Shear” is an entirely different word than “sheer.” You’ve misspelled “shear”, or used the wrong word in the context it was in.
Presuming the Windows 7 install disks included all the drivers necessary for other goodies (i.e., CD/DVD drive, mostly), so the installation would be relatively foolproof (Vista and XP generally are), where’s the beef?
Boot with the CD or DVD in the drive and answer whatever questions are asked. If that doesn’t work, offer to find a way for the counter-guy to wear the thing….
The Service folks should have re-installed the OS and other “free” stuff, but the couple bucks worth of time may have gotten some bean-counter’s attention.
I was once called to install a program on a new client’s machine. Powered up to a “where’s your OS?” prompt…. Turns out that their kid had tried to install a game the prior night, and when asked to format a disket, he’d formatted the HD…
OK – $50 for me to reinstall from the backup….
But there wasn’t one…. The machine had come through with backups of the OS and supplied with instructions on how to get ’em from the HD and onto a dozen or so diskets. (No CD drives in those days.) They’d never done it…. They also didn’t have copies of any of the “free” stuff, some of which was necessary….
The kid may have healed by now….
I was in the other day and was interested in a Toshiba laptop for $379 (as in their flyer). They had about 10 of them (open box/resealed) for $449. So I asked someone if I could find one for $379. He said no the only ones they had where these “upgraded” versions that had been opened and the crapware removed and a 6mo version of some anti-virus was installed. I asked if they had any NOT modified and he said no. I’m guessing this is the old bait and switch. Which is dumb and I’m guessing they still have 10 of them still sitting there.
#5: Fixed
#7: There was an article about that not long ago on The Consumerist. Yes, it’s a scam.
I bought an inexpensive H-P pc from Costco for my son. Right away it was suffering from random reboots. After talking to H-P support and getting nowhere, we brought it back to Costco for a full refund.
Buy from reputable dealers.
I only get warranties from the companies that make a product.
Except years ago, I got a Tosh with a CompUSA warranty. When it needed service, I was bumped to the head of the line. A week later I got it back.
I didn’t read the fine print, though. For a nominal charge, they’d clean the dust out from everywhere and whatever was under the keyboard..
…
…
They wanted extra to do what everyone else does free of charge during servicing.
I never buy a warranty. Reason being: I don’t want the argument 10 months later as to whether or not the warranty applies.
I bought some ram at Circuit City when they had brick stores and they refused to accept return of defective sticks. Now Circuit City on line offers some fantastic deals. I refuse to buy from them and stick with NewEgg and a few others.
But, with Best Buy the only player in town and uneducated consumers available on an inexhaustible conveyor belt – just another example of the “free market” not working, not even workable, and the resultant demonstrated need for good consumer protection laws.
Course, the need for good consumer protection laws ((which are non-existent in every area of commerce I know. Even where “some” laws exist, they are close to worthless.)) has been known from day one. Only liebertardians and repuketards fight common sense in order to feel like free men.
Silly Hoomans.
# 11 bobbo, not a student of the dismal science, but I am on a budget said,
“Only liebertardians and repuketards fight common sense in order to feel like free men.”
Kudos, Dallas! I was wonder how someone could find a way to make a purely non-political story into an attack on those vicious right-wingers.
#12–Lotsa==you are so wrong. What is more relevant to why/how Best Buy gets away with what they do? Why is there not a better developed system of laws to protect consumers?
In Europe, the standard required by law consumer protection provision on hard goods is one year. In the USA it is 30 days or two weeks. Why is that?
Pretty much exactly what I posted.
Calling me Dallas is only a compliment. Suck it up.
The US could just do the right thing and take their
model from Denmark (where I live)
Required 2 year warranty on all electronic goods no extra cost
Required 14 days return right (regret right) on anything purchased on the internet.
Extra service contracts optional.
But then again, there is very little money for corps to buy politicians here.
BB owns Future Shop so us Canucks are just as screwed by BB even where they are not located…
The funny thing is that for all the griping and straw manning from Bobbo, the reality is that competition is alive and well. There is still two major chains in Canada (Counting BB and FS as one and not two) as well as MANY local and regional sellers.
In the city that I live, there is no less than 6 places that I can buy electronics. Some have lower prices than the big boxers, some don’t. For those that don’t, they are well known to have FAR superior after purchase service and support. And where I live, there is only a regional population of about 130,000 people.
Beyond that, there are several major online vendors that ship to all of Canada and not just the US, like Newegg and TigerDirect. So if you find that the locals are not fitting your need for certain kinds of purchases, then go online. I had to replace my stereo BT headset and did just that. All the locals either did not carry what I wanted or wanted FAR too much $$$. I ordered a set off Newegg for well less than half the price of anyone locally.
The SAD part and the only REAL part that demands some kind of law/legislation is the horrible business practices of big box outlets that cross moral and ethical lines. If a store just simply has shattacular service/support, then they will be the instrument of their own demise. There have been several places where I live that have gone out of business due to poor customer service.
Yes the electronics rule #1 has always been and remains today, buy local from the small guy, and stick with him. If he can match the price.
BTW another local practice in Denmark is *price guarantee* This was initiated by the brick and mortar stores and consists of, if you can find it cheaper on the internet AND can pick it up from a location, they will match the price. I’ve used it a number of times.
JMJahn, the sucky thing about Staples and Best Buy/Future Shop in North America is that the price match policy requires that you also have the product shipped from the online vendor using EXPRESS. That is a cheap underhanded way to cause the final price for the online site to have a higher price. If I am a savvy shopper, it is equally likely that I am patient so why would I care if I had the product in 1 day or 4-6 days from order time???
Stupid Big Boxers….
Jason–I’m curious, but what straw man are you thinking of?
Have you gone to your local retailer and asked for a one year or two year warranty?
No?
Pay attention.
Bobbo…
That you claim that the free market has failed and that there is no competition and the activities of Best Buy are proof of this thesis of yours and that it demands legislation….
Is that good enough???
And yes, I CAN get extended warranties from local/regional vendors. What is your point???
I AM paying attention. As usual, you are having some kind of brain fart and are trying to troll the hell out of DU.
And if you don’t feel that it is a straw man, then at the least, it is a disingenuously specious argument on your part…
Either way, it is malarkey.
Buy a machine with an on-site service contract. NEVER turn over you PC with your precious and often confidential data on it to a technician.
Jason and his agonynuts==don’t even know the context into which you are sinking do you?
Too silly.
“Only liebertardians and repuketards fight common sense in order to feel like free men.”
Haha! Made my morning.
sooooooooooooo this must mean that best buy secretly supports linux!
I finally had to replace a Toshiba microwave that had lasted for 23 years (it finally gave up after what sounded like a relay switch problem).
So I bought GE one at B.B. and its fan, light and turntable all failed at the same time after about a year (also with what sounded like a stuttering relay).
Since I had heard that extended warranty packages are mostly just a cash cow for merchants (which is why they push them on you at checkout), I didn’t get one of those. From what I’ve heard about B.B. other than this post, guess I might as well take it to the recycle pile…either that or get out my soldering iron and parts catalog.
Quick trip to Best buy last week for a couple of USB sticks. Also picked up a set of Logitech speakers and a Compact Flash Card. The checker tried to sell me a warranty on every item. It cracked me up. Buy a 3 year warranty on a memory stick?
There’s a Best Buy down the street but after hearing so many complaints about their service and policies we (my wife and I) won’t shop there.
Hell, we wouldn’t let our cat shop there…
Shopping at best buy is like shopping at Sam Goody, or Musicland, or FYE at the mall. For Grandma’s buying presents for their Grandkids and don’t know any better to pay $18.98 for the latest Britney Spears disc.
Never buy serious hardware of any type at BB anymore, too many online options or Costco for the Video stuff.
Luckily I have a Fry’s and a Microcenter less than an hour away from me. Fry’s is usually messy and unorganized though. Microcenter is nice, but their salesmen make a commission so be prepared to be swarmed by salesman upon walking in the door. Still either one is usually a better experience than Best Buy.
The one and only time I went into a Best Buy was to buy my first laptop (~10 years ago). I spotted a great buy for $1,400 and told the salesman I wanted it. He then proceeded to the expected sales pitch for additional in-store services, such as $30 for installing the OS, all of which I turned down.
Still he wouldn’t let go of the warranty pitch. After politely listening to this for 15 minutes, I finally got him to fetch the box to the checkout counter.
I then had to listen to the checkout clerk’s sales pitch for a Best Buy charge card, which I did agreed to. So while I’m filling out the paperwork for the card, the manager walks over and starts pushing the warranty again, again I politely refused. He wouldn’t stop and the clerk wasn’t ringing up my order; this went on for another 20 minutes. (I really wanted that laptop!) Finally I snapped and told him he could keep his warranty, his charge card, AND his laptop.
I’ve never been back since.
Micro Center is a good tech store, but the closest store to where I live is about 7 hours away. That’s a long drive to buy or repair a laptop.