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CompUSA

CompUSA • Advertised specials • Financing • Rebates • Returns • Customer service • TAP • Tech support --- News • CompUSA Settles FTC Rebate Charges

Not too long ago, what's left of CompUSA was acquired by Systemax, which also owns Tiger Direct. The company tells us things have changed and customers will be a lot happier. Perhaps. Here are a few of the more recent consumer comments we've received:

deepak of Orlando , FL January 24, 2010

I called in to check the availailibilty and price for the Nintendo Wii Game Console. Its sales price is 199. in every place , however when I went to pick up the machine , i was bluntyly told that its 299 as its unavailable in other store. I colained the fact that its basd practice as Nintendo had announced the 199 price and all the places were selling it. Salesperson told me ...Take it or Leave it. I belive they are trying to jack up the price of teh sytem due to limited availibolity.

Kelsey of gladstone, OR January 5, 2010

My parents purchased a beautiful brand new HP for my graduation in June of 2007. It worked wonderfully for about 8-9 months. After a while it started to malfunction. The computer as a whole worked fine, but every once in a while the button that says the internet connection is on-off[off is red, on is blue] would just stay red, and it would say there was no way to connect to the internet. Now, we had internet, it wasn't that it was out- because the rest of the house computers worked. We soon found out it was just mine.

After countless times of turning it on and off, all the normal stuff you do when a computer doesn't work- we finally realized it was beyond what we could do. The internet connection part went out for good, in the middle of my semester at college.

We first called the place we purchased the computer which was COMP USA- we had heard a rumor they were going out of business, so we quickly called them to try and figure out what to do. They informed us that although we had purchased a 3 year warranty on the computer- that in fact they could not help us at all. They had already fired their tech guy.When we asked what we should do, they said " I don't know, we can send you to best buy- maybe they can help."

Frustrated, we went to best buy, told them what COMP USA had told us, and they said " Well we can't help you. But here's a tech support in Texas you can call, and send your laptop." Even more frustrated, they gave us the information and packaged up the laptop, and we sent it to Texas. Two weeks later, we got it back, and it was working beautifully! I was so happy. Until the next day, when the same problem with the internet connection happened again, and we couldn't fix it. We called the tech people in Texas, and they told us they couldn't help us- so they sent us to radio shack, hoping they could help us.

I shall spare the rest of the details regarding the fact that we sent it to three repair shops over the course of about, 6 months- ALL over the country. Took it to every repair place in town[Radio shack, geek squad, the works] And it was "fixed" four times, and broke within the next day just as before. We were quite irritated at this time, so we called the HP people and complained.

They had literally FORGOTTEN to tell us that the laptop I had purchased was recalled due to the EXACT ISSUE of the internet connection and had been recalled for over a year. I was livid.

To make a long story short, a tech place in Texas [a different place] finally promised to send me a different laptop of "BETTER OR EQUAL" likeness. I was rather excited. All my music and pictures were on my old computer but I had come to terms with the fact that no one could fix it. The day came when my laptop came. It was [bad].

It was a business computer, twice the size of my old laptop and with none of the perks of my old computer. IT was refurbished and ugly, and had the basic programs, nothing fancy like my old computer. IT worked, but there wasn't anything about it that I liked. It wasn't even new, it was just some random computer they sent me.

Unfortunately with COMP USA going out of business and all the other tech places coming up empty, there's no place to call or email or go to to complain about this problem. It's like I'm stuck in limbo with a computer my parents didn't pay for. All I want is my old computer fixed for good, or a new[or refurbished one] of equal or better value.

I would be happy to get the makes and models of my old laptop and the one they sent me if this makes it to anyone who cares about my case. When COMP USA went out of business, so did my computer basically. No one could help me, and basically my computer and everything that comes with it doesn't exist.

Janet of Marietta, SC December 14, 2009

I purchased a refurbished Dell computer which began malfunctioning after 2 months. CompUSA referred me to Dell for warranty repair. Dell states the computer is registered to someone else and Dell cannot send me parts to repair it. I paid 409 for the PC and have invested many hours of work on this problem.

Edward of Reno, NV December 12, 2009

I am currently trying to get a confermation of an extended warranty,they charged me 280.00 for it explaning that the 280.00 came with a 110.00 rebate. and instead sent me a couple of software discs one for computer tune up,the other for security suite 2010,and they had a 110.00 rebate,neather of which I ordered.I still havent gotten a extended warrinty confermation.and the rebate for the dvd's dosnt excist to my knowledge.

B. of Jackaonville, FL, FL November 30, 2009

My problem is with the product that I purchased. I purchased a Garmin Nuvi 255W GPS without the operating instructions. Do I have to copy them from on line or can you mail me a copy in ENGLISH. Would apprcciate a prompt answer to my question.

Hal of New Orleans, LA November 25, 2009

I received an email from Cnet about a special deal from CompUSA. I used the email link and went to the site, placed and tried to order 3 monitors. The price was not corrrect so I had to call. i spoke to David Jay H and he said for me to send him the email and he would honor the price. He stated they had plenty of the monitors. I ordered 3 and he sent me a quote for 3 with 20 shipping. I put it on my credit card and he said it was done. 15 minutes later he called me and said the order was kicked back because I ordered 3. His next statement was perhaps someone bought them all. He could not explain why the system accepted an order for 3 and sent me a confirmation 15 minutes earlier. Clearly CompUSA uses deceptive practices to market thier wares.

Ulises of McAllen, TX September 16, 2009

CompUSA actively engages in misleading advertising. Too often I have gone to purchase items that are "on sale", to later find out at the register that the item is "the same model, but not the same SKU/Product #", or pick up an item from rows and rows of products that have a price in front of them, to later be charged a higher price because the price advertised is not for the product behind it.

Another instance is buying products that have a mail-in rebate (which the store should provide the forms to file the claim) and not receiving them. The staff will not offer them to you unless you ask. Of course, that does not mean you will get all the forms needed. Once at the store, you really need to do some serious investigating work to make sure you get the right product for the price advertised; that is checking that the item is the right model, has the same UPC bar code number, same lot #, etc.

Too bad the majority of customers trust the store and never check if they are charged what is advertised. I have lost money on items that were supposed to have an instant/mail-in rebate, not to mention the mental anguish after realizing the store has ripped me off.

Jun of Valrico, FL August 22, 2009

I was convinced by a CompUSA salesman to purchase CA Internet Security Suite 2009 instead of another product because of the 80 rebate. I submitted all required documentation. Never heard anything until I decided to check the website given in the form after 2 months. I was surprised to see that my submission was invalid. This is not the first time this happened to me with rebates. I think this is a SCAM.

Jason of rochester, NY August 9, 2009

06/2009 Our TV 47 inch LG (purchased in 2007 1699.00 and the 4 year warrenty for 200.00) stopped working. A main board was sent out to us and then we had a tech sent out to replace it. No luck. Well according to the powers that be they wanted to verify the part wasn't bad so they sent another main board out and the same tech and guess what? It still didn't work. So at this point it's been four weeks. Now they want to send a tech out that can tell what is exactly wrong with the TV with special tools....why didn't that tech just get sent out to begin with? So we learned that it is the power board. Since it would be more cost effective to honor the contract and replace the TV instead of the part they offered a buyout.

So now it's been a month and a half. Not one employee has been on the same page and it's been maddening. As of late we were told they would send us a replacement tv (based on specs) that was equal to the TV we have now. Upon researching the TV offered we found that not to be true. It was indeed a substandard replacement. The additude of the staff is horrible and the ability to contact anyone higher up than the call center TAP supervision is difficult to say the least. We were actually told that we should be happy accepting the lesser newer version TV because it would be better than getting a refurbished one. Gee, Thank you so much.

Still trying to get to an even resolution. We don't want more than we are owed but we want what we are owed. That's is a lot of money to us and this is our valuable time and efforts that we now have to put in to fight for something that isn't right. I'm reaching out in this forum because I feel we may need help. And if there are others then gosh something needs to change.

Katrina of Winchester, KY June 11, 2009

My laptop was just over a year old when I began having trouble. It would freeze up, shut down or both. It finally got to the point when it shut down, it no longer attempted to reboot. This was September 2008. I sent it in under my TAP plan and they replaced the motherboard. Same problem happened again in December 2008. I sent it in, they replaced the motherboard again. The same problem happened yet again in February 2009. I sent it in and they replaced the motherboard...YET AGAIN!

In March of 2009, I began having somewhat of a different issue where the images on my screen would go green and then it would freeze up and shut itself down. It usually recovered from this but what a hassle. Finally it dumped all my files (including pictures of my children) and never recovered. I sent it in and they replaced my hard drive. I used it for 2 weeks and it did the same thing again. I called and then requested for a new laptop (since the one I have is obviously a "LEMON"). They instead replaced the harddrive again. Seriously?

I have called and complained to SO MANY PEOPLE! A floor supervisor told me he couldnt do anything about replacing it until the same part is in service to be repaired for the 4th time. THE 4TH TIME? 3 motherboards and 2 hard drives are simply not enough. I recieved this computer back with the sencond hard drive and it booted up and ran for 10 mins...then it dumped my files again and shut off!

They think I need to recover my operations system (even though on the check off sheet they sent back stated they did this). They said that this will fix the problem and if not, then they will replace it. So, now I have to purdchase this CD (that didnt come with my computer when I bought it because it is partitioned into the hard drive). I think HP computers are a joke as well as CompUSA and the support center they offer. I have had use of my laptop for 2 months out of the past 12. Definitely didnt get my money's worth.

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