Complain about a product or service

Best Buy - Computers

Robert of Morton, PA June 22, 2009

I would like to bring to your attention a serious matter concerning Best Buy, and it's product backing that it claims to have. Beware of purchasing anything at Best Buys for they do not back their merchandise, and may keep it for extended periods of time if they cannot fix it while you are without.

In February of 2009, I purchased 5 computers from Best Buy in Springfield, Penna. Since that point, three of the computers had to be returned for repair, all of which had to be returned to the manufacturer. This means an extra two weeks for mailing. At this time, the one laptop was returned to me, but had to be brought back to Best Buys three days later for the 2nd time for repair for the same thing on June 11, 2009. As of today, June 19, 2009, I have no idea what the status of it is.

We trusted Best Buy to buy our computers there, but will never purchase another item from Best Buy and will make the general public aware of the terrible service, as well as customer service they offer. I have written a letter to The Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General, Best Buy Corp, the Daily News, Daily Times, as well as several Internet postings and chat sites.

On June 16, 2009 I spoke to Augie from the corporate center, as well as Robert in Customer Relations, and Kevin the store manager at the Springfield Best Buys. After a heated debate, Augie said to call him by Friday if this computer was not fixed.

Today is Friday, and I have heard nothing. I am contacting the Best Buy Credit Department and letting them know that this purchase is in dispute. If they don't care, I will not pay another dime on my credit card account until this case goes to court. If you purchase a computer from Best Buy, you will have to return it for repair, at which time you are at their mercy. The geek squad has no clue how to fix computers, and they are normally sent out to the manufacturer.

UPDATE: On 6/19/09 they called and said my computer was done and working good. I went there and made the geek squad agent show me. SAME PROBLEM. He scratched his head and had no clue what to say to me. I left the computer and WILL NOT accept it back

Kim of NEW YORK, NY June 21, 2009

I purchased a Mac Computor in late March. I've been doing a lot of downloading with the research that I've been doing however; I put a blank dvd into the Disk Drive to Burn all of those downloads because my computor began to get too slow. When I returned the computor to have the disk removed he told me that it was too late to exchange or return my computor which it is not even 3three months yet and this is supposed to be a brand new computor I feel that something must have been wrong with the computor and therefore I am being forced to pay for a damaged computor.

Thomas of Tucker, GA June 19, 2009

I purchased a windows anytime upgrade from Best Buy on 7/3/07 for windows vista ultimate from windows home. The upgrade downloaded properly but I never received a product key. Now, since about 2 months ago, when I sign into windows on my computer, I am asked to reactivate windows vista ultimate. But, I can't do this because I never received a product key.

I have been on the phone with Best Buy, Microsoft and Digital River reps for over 10 hours. No one is able to give me a product key. My orginal purchase was from 7/3/07. It was billed to my Visa credit card on 7/4/07. This telephone number was also listed as the support number for my purchase, but it has been disconnected. Microsoft has money back guarantee which lists on condition as failure to provide a product key, but they will only refund within 45 days of the original purchase.

mary of las vegas, NV June 16, 2009

I bought a brand new Toshiba computer. I was told I needed to pay an extra 90.00 to the geek squad to make it usable immediately. This was my first computer. I had no idea he was lying. I called Toshiba and they confirmed that it was usable without the 90.00 fee. I was told later they installed a virus protection and removed programs I did not want. I was not asked if I wanted the programs - maybe I did! I have no idea what programs were removed. He told me it took him 4 hours to fix his new computer to make it usable. Never havong used a computer I believed him. A LIAR!!! I want a refund!!!

Kevin of Atlanta, GA June 14, 2009

I went into best buy to purchase a home computer on 5-18-09. I found the computer I was interested in, and when the salesman came over to help me, and informed me of the price. I asked him about the price of the monitors, and he told me they were 139.00. I told him that I really needed a new monitor too, but couldnt afford one at this time, and that I could barely afford the computer. He then proceeds to tell me that if I purchase this computer, I need to have some Microsoft office product for it work, and that costs 150.00.

I asked him if I dont buy this extra product will I have access to email or media player, and he tells me that I would not, because microsoft doesnt download any of that on there computers anymore, and you need this product to be able to do anything. I live on a fixed income, so I couldnt afford the extra 150.00, so I did not buy the computer and left the store. Later that same day, coworkers of mine informed me that I did NOT need this extra product to have access to those things, so I went back to the store and bought the computer. My coworkers were right, I did not need that extra 150.00 product, I have had access to those things without it. The sales person was just trying to get me to purchase things I did not need. Three weeks later the computer stops working...

I call Best Buy, and tell them about it, and that I have a receipt, and they refuse to help me. They tell me it is over 14 days and there is nothing that they can do, and then they tell me it is under manufactures warrenty, and I can take it to Geek Squad and they can send it away to fix it. I go into the store, and while I am there I find out there was a promotion running when I bought my computer that I could have also gotten the monitor for an additional 26.00, and no one told me, not even after I asked about the monitor prices and said I couldnt afford the extra 139.00. Then Geek Squad tells me that they can send my computer away, and it will take about a month for me to get it back.

The guy also tells me that they will probably replace my hard drive, and I will lose everything on my computer. I told him the problem was with the DVD/CD Writer and not with the hard drive, so why would they replace it, and he said they almost always do.. He wanted me to sign some part of the form saying I refused hard drive back up, and when I asked him what it meant that I refused hard drive back up, he said, "Just sign the form". I was so upset about not having a computer for a month, and the way I was treated, that I told him to just give me my computer back. I then called corporate customer service, and they treated me just as rudely. They basically said, there is nothing we can do to help you.

It is over 14 days, and you need to just send it away to get fixed. It was three weeks, not three months since I bought this computer, and the service was HORRIBLE. I will never buy another piece of merchandise from this company. My family also said they are going to stop shopping at Best Buy too after this, because they have had some problems in the past..

Jesse of Sacramento, CA April 9, 2009

Jesse of Sacramento CA (04/09/09)
I bouhgt an apple mac book on 12/11 2008 at the ARDEN best buy store in sacramento.On the 23rd of the same month I returned it to the BEST BUY store in Elk grove.By the start of 2009 I went back to ask them why the computer never took the bill off my account.They said it would come off by end month, it did not. Now I have gone there three time even with the sku and serial no. and they still can trace the computer. The should have video tape of what happens at the store but they just lost my computer and are asking me to pay for a computer they already have.They have been very unhelpful.

This is very stressing and its going to ruin my credit.i am very emotionally drained.

Be of Cottonwood Heights, UT March 19, 2009

Be of Cottonwood Heights UT (03/19/09)
Best Buy was recently advertising a HP netbook that I wanted to purchase, and because they often have the best price, I have purchased electronics in the past, and it always is the same. They really work hard to make you hate them. The sales person was a young, rude, and disrespectful individual. I asked him if he could see if they this one particular netbook in stock. They had it, so I told him I want to buy this netbook, it really was not a difficult request, but he proceeds to go down his list of all the ad ons that he can get me for, in the middle of his sales pitch, I tell him nicely that I only want the computer, no spyware, no external cd's, no set up fees at home,(its a netbook) no extended warranties, He walks me to the cashier and then leaves with out so much of a thank you or have a nice day.

This has happened to me at Best Buy on several occasions, the salespeople are trained to almost force you into buying their extra crap and when you dont, they treat you like you don't deserve their time. The netbook works great even without all their extra fees and services.

No economic hardship with me, I know when ever I buy anything at Best Buy that they are going to try and add on their lame services. If I was a little meaner, I would have called the manager and made the salesperson apologize, but I really dont think the manager would have done anything, they are all trained by the same system, which is selling fear to the customer, extended warranties that cost 35% of the cost of the electronic item, etc. I dont think that Best Buy will be around much longer as Circuit City practiced much of the same pressure add on services to their merchandise

Kris of Maple, ON February 22, 2009

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