-=PCTechTalk=- Best Buys Return Policy - Customer Service...long winded
- From: "Tech Rose - LoveBytes" <TechRose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 13:02:09 -0700
I have not seen these in working displays with manuals available to even
look at!
I went to Best Buy to purchase a Nintendo DS system. No, there was no
sample working model.
I asked the clerk about the DS and asked if my old Nintendo games would
work. The first time I asked he said no..then I asked again.
I told him the ad says the Game Boy Advance games would work... He said no.
I showed him the ad...and then he said..oh yes they will work....
I had actually called the store before I left home to be sure they had the
DS. The young lady I spoke to said she would put one at the customer
service desk for me and I could come get it.
I told her which color I wanted and she assured me it would be there waiting
for me. There was a deal with the Brain Age Games that I wanted and she got
that package put together for me. I feel those Brain Age games could be
helpful in keeping the brain from getting older than me!
I went to the store... went to the display and looked at the accessories. I
was then told by the clerk mentioned above about my existing GBA games not
working and then after I showed him the ad he decided..oh yes they will
work. He was very involved in talking to another employee and about some
game they were playing and their strategy to win. I gathered from their
in-depth conversation that they were on some team playing this game on line.
Without further possibility of help, I picked a couple of accessories and
then went to the customer service desk to pick up what I had called in
earlier. I had to wait for 3 people to return things before I could get my
order. Getting it off the shelf would had been easier..especially since
there were plenty on the shelf. It might not have taken so long if the
other 2 staff that also worked in customer service were not sitting at desks
nearby talking and laughing with one another.
The gal working the counter had a brace on her leg and had to sort of hop
around to do things. I finally asked..please..I just came to pick up
something that was put on hold for me.
The two girls looked at me... (the person who turned out to be their
supervisor looked at them and at me..and did nothing). I then said
again..in a louder voice, "Please, can I get some help here..I just need to
pick up a purchase that was left her for me. Finally one of the two
girls... looked at her supervisor, who shrugged his shoulders... and
asked..from 10-15 feet away... still sitting.. what was it I wanted.
I said..in as calm a voice as I could muster....."Service would be nice."
She actually said..."So, what do you want?"
Now, here I am sitting in a scooter, a six foot American Flag on a pole at
the back of my scooter... I am not invisible... and I said... "As just
mentioned, I would like some service please/" I have to admit, my voice was
a tad bit louder. This seemed to get the supervisor's undivided attention.
He came over and asked what I needed. I said, I guess first, what I need to
understand is how things work in Best Buy/ When a customer has been on line
for 15+ minutes listening to two girls sitting near by giggling and pointing
at people and talking up a storm..and their supervisor (whom he had said he
was) just standing around..looking around... definitely within earshot and
does nothing and the one person working is physically having a hard time...
what is the store policy? What is the Best Buy customer service policy. I
do not think I have ever gotten such a blank look in my life. His response
was.... finally... How can I help you?
I responded that it would be very helpful for future customers if the people
working there...actually worked and especially at the customer service
desk...where I was a customer looking for some service.
Now, I was not rude..I chose my words carefully and I did not raise my voice
or show any sarcastic attitude. (It was hard..but I think it is important
to get the message across and not vent. I can do that here...ha ha!) All
this was evidently over his head. He said we are working. When I pointed
out the girls still sitting and laughing and asked about them, he said they
were working.
I said well tell Sally that John's girlfriend is really cute and she is
wrong about Mary's hair..it does look very nice. (Mary was the one person
working..with the brace on her leg) I had this info as while sitting
there..all these girls did was point out employees who walked by and talk
about them!
After a half hearted attempt at am apology, he got what they were holding
for me..and it was the wrong thing! So, he handed it to me..told me to take
it back to the dept that sold the DS system and get the one I wanted! That
was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back. I said... in a calm, but
firm voice..."No, YOU take it back and get the one I wanted."
He had this incredulous look on his face and sort of stormed off to get what
I had ordered. (He looked like a 4 yr old marching off to his room after
being punished. Each step was deliberate and it was all he could do to not
scream at me. Lucky for him, he did not.
Then I get to the cash register to pay for my choices. 4 registers, all
manned. Only one working. The rest laughing and throwing things between
one another. The clerk asks if I want to purchase a warranty on this
device. I ask how much it is and he says he does not know until he puts it
in the register. I ask how long the warranty is and he says he is not sure.
I ask what the warranty is on the item I am buying. And, if I buy a
warranty, does it start at the end of the manufacturer's warranty or is it
duplicative? He says...he does not know. I look at him..he looks at
me..and then says, "Do you want to buy a warranty?"
I said I do not have enough information to make a decision. I need answers
to my questions. He says..."So you do not want the warranty?"
I repeat what I previously said and ask him to please find the answers. He
yells over to a clerk and asks what the warranty is on the DS and the guy
yells back..there is a 14 day return period.
I ask the clerk where I am standing "What is the manufacturer's warranty?"
He yells that question and the other guy yells back that there is no
warranty.
I find that difficult to believe, and buy the item thinking when I get it
home, I will read the enclosed material and if there is no warranty, return
the item. I was just too angry at that point and had to get away before
someone was going to have to restrain me from choking these kids!
By the way..it came with a one year warranty.
I followed up with both a phone call and written letter to Best Buy. I
never received a response.
Rose
Las Vegas
Oh... P.S... I have not been back to that store again,, and am very unlikely
to go there ever!
I have had exactly the opposite experience at Circuit City, which is in the
same shopping center. Those two stores are typically near one another.
I bought a projection TV at Circuit City about 12-13 yrs ago after going
back and forth between the two stores getting better offers on the same
model (with an extended warranty)
I got a good deal and sold that TV for $500 about 4 yrs ago!
Original Message -----
From: "Lilian" <lilian.oswaldocruz@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 10:51 AM - Rose
Don´t these stores have display items where you can see them working and
check the details and/or manuals?
Lil
----- Original Message -----
From: Don101
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 11:02 AM
That is indeed a problem. However, at Wal-Mart we lose money on every TV we
sell. The small margins (or even negative margins) are such that any
"profit" is not enough to cover the cost of getting the TV to the store.
We make more money when they buy the TV somewhere else and buy the
accessories from us.
Which retailers provide their employees the sort of training you describe?
I want to shop there. And work there.
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Southerland" <larrysoutherland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 8:49 AM
I agree. However, the brick and mortar stores have a "problem:" assume that
they hire competent salespeople who read the manuals and play with the
products, attend training classes, etc. They have to pay these people
more than the people who aren't competent. That means that the prices have
to be higher to reflect the seller's higher costs (e.g., commissions).
Customers then come into the store, pump the salespeople for information and
then purchase from some internet company which has a lower price, free
shipping
and no sales tax. While this may not be true in a particular case (like
you), this happens a whole lot in retail. There are no free lunches.
They internet, which has lead to more-readily available information, better
competitive prices, etc. has also lead to greater pressures (e.g., lost
sales, lower margins, etc.) on brick and mortar stores.
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