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Sales pitch: \"Would you like to buy a Best Buy extended warranty with this item?\"
Response: \"Sure, so long as you and I and the manager can go over every line of fine print of this warranty contract before I pay for it.\"
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@rpm773:
It's tempting to walk into a Best Buy with my OWN extended warranty plan, agreeing, of course, to pay a fair price for it.
Then, when they finish up their sales pitch say, \"Would you care to...negotiate?\"
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Someone needs to put together an annotated version of these promotional contracts that consumers can bring with them to Best Buy.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1027077-100x100.png\")
The only time I'd buy a Best Buy service plan is to get a better deal on whatever product and then return the service plan the next day. A d*ck move, but still playing within their rules.
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@TD0gg: Sounds smart to me. You know their contracts are way slanted in their favor. Any advantage you can get is well earned.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-890779-100x100.png\")
@TD0gg: Yeah I did that a year ago when they had that \"get K amount off tv when you buy x or y or z!\" - So I bought x,y, and z, and then returned x,y, and z. Hello $400 42\" LCD HDTV!!
@Radi0logy: this doesnt work anymore. now they put a clause stating that you are responsible for the diffrence
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-609917-100x100.png\")
Why would I be surprised? Exactly what I expect from Best Buy.
Even if they tried to fix things like they say they will, the Geek Squad is usually useless. I do a lot of repair work as a side job, and about half of it is fixing things the Geek Squad has either failed to fix or tried to work on and made worse.
Back in 2006 I bought a 32\" Samsung TV from Futureshop (Canadian store owned by bestbuy) We took the extended warranty, this was around $400 for 4 years of coverage not including the 1 year warranty from Samsung.
About 1.5 years in, when playing on the Wii or watching movies, occasionally the blacks would turn bright green. So I called the warranty line and they sent an engineer out to look, we couldn't replicate the issue so he took it back with him for tests.
A few days later, they called and informed me that the TV was not repairable and to go into the store and pick up a new tv.
I then picked up a new top of the range 32\" from Samsung, they initially offered me the lower end model which I refused as I wanted 1080p (trust me, pointless on a 32\") So I paid the $100 difference and after a little negotation they included another 4 years warranty in the price.
So, in total it cost me $500 for a new $800 tv, however when this new one dies and it will ;) I'll get a new tv for free.
As far as I'm aware, the FS warranty is the same as the Bestbuy one, at least here in Canada and I have nothing but good things to say about it.
@Danghoul:
This has been my experience as well. Anytime I have purchased an extended warranty from Best Buy it has been positive.
Laptop - Tried to fix it twice, couldn't. Second time, told me to go pick out a new one, I paid XXXX dollars for my laptop a year ago, that is the amount I can spend. Have to purchase a new warranty also. I picked one out, paid a little difference and bought a new warranty. That laptop was also fixed once.
TV - Got it home, it started showing colors of a rainbow. TV repair people came out next day (it was to heavy to bring in) said it needs a new picture tube. This one was fine to watch, just not ideal so we gave it a week. Week later the picture tube arrived, they came over, by picture tube they meant \"everything inside the case\" was replaced brand new.
TomTom - I have two of them, three times I have had my Tomtom's fail. Won't boot, just show a big X. Take it to best buy, they turn it on, see it's happening again, tell me I spent $400 on this tomtom go get a new one, I find an upgraded model for $400 and buy another service plan.
PS3 - After one year it stopped working, won't load CDs. I am sure it's just the drive, but take it to best buy, they recreate the problem, say yup it's bad, put $400 on a Best Buy gift card and say have at it. I go get a new PS3 (with a bigger hard drive) and when finished the cashier hands me a $50 gift card since new PS3 came with $50 gift cards at that time.
The extended warranty have been nothing but great for me. I know some people have issues with them, they feel they are a scam, but anytime I buy something I don't want to buy if it breaks, I get a warranty just in case. It has done it's job and protected me just fine. I have bought a lot more from Best Buy and never used the PSP but, for what I have used it for, it has saved me a lot of money.
Now it's only because Best Buy is on top of their game, they can look up you PSP info by your phone number, they can look up your old receipts. NEVER buy electronics or a warranty from Wal-Mart, they cannot do ANY of these things and do not offer in store replacement. It's a mail in service only and a big joke.
Guess were I didn't buy my Mp3 that failed after only a year and a half. :(
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-660502-100x100.png\")
@pragakhan: Its funny every once and a while there is a person electronics do not agree with. I have a friend that can just lightly touch electronics and they will die. I swear is some kind of electrical charge her body is holding or some kind of electronics death aura.
@Munchie:
Either I am just to picky about turning something on and having it.. you know, turn on... or I am cursed.
Maybe I am the one who needs a PSP plan! LOL
I really do use the stuff I buy though, my tomtom goes with me when I travel at least once a month, my laptop really is a laptop 24/7. Either way, they break and best buy has always been easy as far as getting a replacement or fixing them.
Now that I think about it though, there was ONE time like 5 years ago they sent in my laptop and got a note back, the one I mention that I had to replace. They wouldn't send my hard drive back. I lost a lot of data, my fault I didn't back it up, oh well.
When ever I took my laptop to them after, I kept the hard drive.
I made the mistake of buying an extended warranty from Best Buy once, so I have first hand experience with this subject. Mine was on a CD changer which was a display model, so I figured it was probably a good idea since I had no idea how long it had been on display.
Long story short, it gave me nothing but problems, and every time I brought it back to Best Buy they would send it off to be repaired only to return it to me in the same condition. They refused to allow me to show them the issue and everyone claimed they \"weren't technical and therefore could not diagnose the issue\".
The thing was, I am technical and I am a certified electronics technician, but in this case nobody at Best Buy cared, so time after time it was sent off to their repair center.
When I finally brought it in for the fourth time I explained to the manager that there is a clause in the warranty that states I should receive a new replacement since it was required more than three repairs. He argued and argued with me and claimed they needed to send it in for repair again, and IF they found something wrong with it then they could exchange it.
Now I'm no math wizard, but last I checked four is more than three, and my warranty clearly stated if I had to send it in more than three times I would get a new one. Since he was agreeing that it needed to be sent in again, in my mind that means I should get the exchange now rather than having to wait two weeks.
On top of it all, Best Buy had no record of any of my previous repairs, and had I not had copies of all the documentation they would have denied my claim. They even went so far as to say the print on one of my receipts was faded and therefore they couldn't verify the repair - but I explained that it was there printer which was faded and if that was an issue they need to fix their printer instead of blaming me.
I bet I argued with them for an hour before they finally relented and exchanged it for a new CD changer. I still had a couple years left on my warranty so do you think I was refunded for the unused portion? Not a chance.
Frankly after all of this I realized dealing with inept Best Buy customer service employees on at least four occasions just isn't worth the hassle and I would be better off taking my chances. I haven't bought an extended warranty since. In fact I'm not sure I have bought anything at Best Buy since - and that was at least a decade ago.
@Costner:
This was my experience too. I had so many issues with my laptop that it was clearly a lemon to any rational person, but of course Best Buy tried to play me for a fool. My computer was for school, not for leisure and it was exam period when I finally got fed up. The CD drive that the Geek Squad had repaired for me two weeks prior FELL OUT of my laptop. It just fell out. I was so livid, I didn't even give them a chance to repair it before I straight up demanded another laptop right there in the store. At first, the manager was reluctant, but then when I reminded him that Best Buy, NOT HP had botched the last repair, he saw it my way. Too much hassle.
@Costner: Why is it that it seems today all cash registers print with disappearing ink. Its like they want your receipt to fade away after a while.
@Costner: I had a very similar experience. Not only that, I was an employee. Customer service treats employees that badly too.
The salespeople are told different things than customer service. The best liar is the one who doesn't realize he's lying, after all.
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My friend used to buy all the extended warrenties on products buy open box, then if there was even one little thing wrong with it he'd bring it in for service enough times that they'd give him money for a new product. Wash rinse repeat. He never paid full value for a product it was always subsidized by whatever gift card they gave him.
@MitchEvious: You can try this in the future; if the item is still being sold, purchase a new identical replacement item and return the old defective item for a refund with your \"new\" receipt. I do this when electronics crap out on me after the return period expires--especially at BestBuy.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-4784-100x100.png\")
@dblumgart: Ignoring the fact that it's probably illegal, I'm pretty sure that they started printing the item's serial number on the receipts recently.
So good luck with that...
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@pete: Not even recently, they've been doing it for years.
Not that it means anything. If folks can return boxes of tile to them without getting caught, chances are that as long as the item looks similar enough to the picture on the box, you'd likely get away with it.
It's unethical though, for sure.
A long time ago I bought an insignia tv(It only cost me about 100 bucks, but was 700 retail...long story). Anyhow, I didn't get the extended warranty...Sure enough a month after the manufacturer's warranty the TV died. You would think the moral of the story is that you should buy extended warranties- It's not. The moral of the story is if you're stupid enough to buy Best Buy's in house brand, you better get a warranty, because those things are absolutely horrific.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-22777-100x100.png\")
A TV that retailed for as much as $1000 when it was purchased three years ago? So the purchaser received around $500 in gift cards today?
After three years, I'm betting that a similar model costs about $500. This is not unreasonable.
The other points can be argued with management, particularly the first point.
People don't seem to understand this. The Samsung LCD tv my parents bought a few years ago was like 1200 bucks. You can pick up a new Samsung with equal specs for 500 bucks or so today. As long as the replacement is comparable I see no reason that is has to cost the same.
Same goes for things like computers.
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@cosby: It's a whole nother matter when \"comparable\" is in the eyes of Best Buy and them alone. When I was young my parents bought me a computer called a Velo which was made by the Phillips company. They made sure to get me the Best Buy extended warantee because things like this would break easily, especially in school/kid land.
Anyway.. It ended up that the computer broke, the screen wouldn't come on any more.. A connection in the hinge got busted some how and that was it.
So I took it to their people and they said that the Velo was discontinued, but they could replace it with something \"compareable\". They ended up giving me a Palm eIII, which in my mind was not compareable at all.
What made the Velo so great in its time was that it had a keyboard, and Windows CE, so I could do word files and things for school. It also had an intergrated 56k modem, with the internet and email, and a back light.
The Palm eIII didn't come with any of these features, and didn't even cost the $500.00 my parents paid for the Velo.
To me, they replaced my computer with a glorified day planner. I never got the hang of Graffiti, and it negated the purpose of using it for school.
I've never bought a warantee from Best Buy since.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-762676-100x100.png\")
Check your credit card for automatic extended warranties. One of my cards does that...so when I recently bought a new TV and reciever, I bought them with that card in order to get the extended warranty for free.
@YouDidWhatNow?: Exactly. My dad just bought a new HDTV from Best Buy and when I reminded him \"Your card will double that one year manufacturer warranty\" he said \"Hmm, that's a bonus. I would never buy a crap warranty from Best Buy.\"
Cheers to him.
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When I worked there, one of the first things I did was read the packet inside and out. I realized that a lot of the sales pitches we were told mis-representated what was actually in print.
Well, being that I'm a person who doesn't like being screwed, I'd be completely honest with my customers. Yes, we can pro-rate the value of the device, yes we might give you a refurbish (annecdotally, every time I had a \"4 repairs\" junkout replacement, I pulled a new PC off the shelf for the person, we didn't have refurbs at my store).
I've mentioned before that I lost sales due to my honesty tactic, and got bitched at by management/lifers quite often for it, but I had the happiest customers out of everyone.
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@JustinSane07: Absolutely. I worked there for a summer. There's nothing like repeating what your boss has told you about the plans, then having someone come back and freak out at you a month later because the information you repeated was negated in fine print somewhere.
I was just a lowly cashier, and after so much BS regarding the service plans, I pretty much stopped pushing them altogether. I'd just ask \"did you want the service plan on that?\" accept whatever answer was given. I'm sorry, but the plans are crap, we all know they're crap, and I am not going to deliberately mislead people about them.
The best time was when a $2 calculator someone was buying was eligible for a service plan. My boss actually chewed me out for not bothering to ask the customer if they wanted it.
I demanded a refund of the ESP after I tried to get my computer fixed by Best Buys Geek Squad. It was a simple fan issue, something that anyone on the Geek Squad could have taken care of in about 10 minutes. I ended up taking it home and having a friend look at my computer for me. It cost all of four bucks and just about 10 minutes to replace one the busted fan.
Having seen a lot of best buy repairs what i have gathered is:
1: refurbished usually only refers to the parts, its exceedingly rare if ever for them to replace an entire TV with a refurb.
2: when you get a replacement, you get EQUAL TECHNOLOGY up to the original purchase price. Find a unique feature on the unit thats being replaced. if no new model has it, you can get full purchase price.
I use to work at a BB and those service plans are 100% profit for the company. They use to pound us to death to sell those. I told the customers about it if they say yes ok cool if they said no then ok I would leave it alone. Some people were going crazy trying to sell those. Honestly if something is going to break it will happen under the Manuf warrenty
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BB will find a reason not to allow the claim by using many of the exclusions in the \"contract\" not limited to: drop (if there is any sign of scratch or dent), water, serial number fading, etc. The point is they have so many ways out of the contract, it is totally worthless to a consumer. Avoid the extended warranty, buy a lottery ticket instead.
Sounds like they really are scummying those up now that circuit city is gone. I remember like 6 years ago taking a 3 year old crt monitor in when the screen started getting fuzzy just months before the warranty ended and getting a brand new one off the shelf a week later after they confirmed it was broke.
The fine print of the actual contract. Man why does this sort of sound like a liar loan lender and their sucker .
' But nobody told me ' - did YOU READ the actual contract ?
I'm sure any warranty or service plan is loaded with these exceptions . It's pretty bad though that Best Buy actually put falsehoods in writing .
What all of these companies should do is either offer stronger built in warranties with the product or lower the price and cut out the lies .
@I Love New Jersey: My guess is it would be pretty hard to prove. It's one thing to go into a court and say \"the contract says X but they will only do Y,\" and another to try to prove that random blue shirt guy was just blowing smoke up your ass to get you to buy the plan. And that sort of thing happens lot... not just out of deliberate deception, but employees who genuinely don't know what's covered and make up on the spot to cover their ignorance, or don't fact check what their bosses tell them.
Best Buy never, ever honors extended warranties. I learned this the hard way from an ex who would buy stuff at Best Buy, spring for the extended warranty, and then stomp around fuming when they wouldn't honor it. Finally I told him he couldn't go to Best Buy anymore--had to switch to Circuit City (this was before the store was gutted, back when their customer service was still really decent)--because I couldn't stand the fuming anymore.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-388919-100x100.png\")
I bought a 50\" DLP from Best Buy about 4 years ago for $1500 with a $299 extended warranty. About 1.5 years in, the upper left corner of the screen looked like it was starting to peel back on itself (the image, not the actual screen) -- a warranty call had someone in my home, replacing the entire light engine, two weeks later.
A few months ago, the HDMI port (only one) started refusing to handshake with any of my devices. I didn't think anything of it since I'd recently upgraded to a new LCD, but when I got a notice in the mail from Best Buy that my extended warranty was about to expire, I called in to get it fixed. Within two days, someone was in my house inspecting the TV; after a new logic board got ordered, the same guy was in my house a week later fixing my TV.
Yes, I spent $300, but I got two repairs that were worth more than twice that each.
For the record, I did not get an extended warranty on my LCD. I just knew that with all the moving parts in a DLP, there was something more likely to go wrong.
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This is why people get them, peace of mind. The problem is when the \"peace of mind\" turns into a stressful event. In many cases, one repair equals about the cost of the warranty. A replacement costs much more, that is how you can look at it. If you do get one of those things, read it yourself, ignore the sales pitch.
I would never base a TV purchasing decision on warranties and repair, but I would like to share a quick story about 'specialty shop' vs. big box.
I was TV shopping with my dad (who is woefully underprepared to make any electronics purchasing decision) and we went to the local shop where he bought his home theater setup last time around (see:TVs in 1995).
I was asking questions about the TV options, and when he was trying to push internet connected TVs for the sake of streaming pictures to it I said, \"Yeah, or you could just plug a USB into it and pull the pictures from there.\"
He got me with this line: \"You gotta be careful, USBs aren't universal you know.\"
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-107016-100x100.png\")
They will also sell you the warranty by saying it comes \"free\" with a purchase.
This happened with my parents looking to buy a DTV antenna. The antenna was 39 bucks, but the salesperson said the price could be reduced to 29 bucks, and the warranty would come with it.
What my parents couldnt understand (and I tried explaining it to them for several minutes) was that the warrant was 10 dollars, and thus the total price was 39 dollars. I told them, in front of the sales person, that Best Buy warranties were meaningless for these kinds of products.
They didnt listen till they drove back home and saw the receipt.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-63807-100x100.png\")
@Mecharine: The practice of discounting the product to include the replacement plan is against Best Buy policy (since it's cheating to raise your attach rates without doing anything for BB's bottom line). If you wanted to have some fun, I'd have gotten the salesperson's name and called the store manager or corporate.
@Raziya: I really hate it when folks who've drunk too much of the company Kool-Aid get all pissy just because the business that bothered to hire them is being portrayed in a less than favorable light. You are not your job. Just because the company sucks doesn't mean folks are going to flame you for working there. Especially not in this economic climate, where taking a position with a less morally bankrupt company aint always an option.
Basically I'm suggesting that you calm down and stop taking this shit personally. Learn to look at your employers with an analytical eye. They're not God just 'cause they give you a paycheck.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-124285-100x100.png\")
The language for the terms and conditions just changed recently, so this person most likely has old information. We do give a loaner TV, that is a feature with the premium plans. The pamphlets (which is why we updated the information) were old so they didn't reflect a lot of things that changed when the plans went from the old PSP/PRP to Geek Squad Black Tie Protection.
Just FYI, while your slamming things you're assuming BB won't cover...we still will fix your Xbox 360, even if it's RROD, which the pamphlet says specifically we don't.
I dislike all the BB bashing that goes on here, I've worked there for over a year, it's a great place to work for and they've treated everyone well, I get paid more than I did at my last job I was with for over 3 years, and there is a lot of room for growth. I can't remember the last time (I work at BB customer service) that I turned someone away for a service plan. Most likely if it's happened it's because the item was obviously abused and there was no accidentally coverage.
Just giving some info. Feel free to flame me for being a BB employee, or not saying something negative.
@Raziya: It's awesome that you like your job there. But like futuresuperbowlMVPJayCutler said, each store is very different. I worked for Best Buy for a while during college and it was awful. There is a large Hispanic immigrant population in my area and I regularly got customers who spoke virtually no English. My supervisor suggested that we just add the PRPs to these customers' bills. Yes, I told the store manager about it, but no, that supervisor was not fired.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-237394-100x100.png\")
@Raziya: I worked there for 2-3 years during college and you need to understand a very important point. The experience at a Best Buy varies widely from store to store and management change to management change, so you can't expect someone to make a purchase decision based on your short personal anecdote.
People will get in trouble if they assume anything will be covered that they don't have in writing. They are paying for the contract and should evaluate only the contract.
@futuresuperbowlMVPJayCutler: You are absolutely correct - management of a particular store can influence a lot of how customers are treated at that store - including service plans. In our store we've been lucky to have great management, but as evidenced by the multiple Best Buy stories on this site, that is not true across the board.
@Raziya: I'm not going to flame you . I've actually haven't had any problems at Best Buy or with the product . I don't buy extended warranties . The sales staff was courtesous and has tried to answer questions in a timely and honest manner . They don't always know but they admit that .
Though I have heard Geek Squad Techs give a hard sell to customers unlike the actual sales staff .
The problem here is you have to be very carefull as to what is the local practice is and what is in writing in the contract . Local policy is NOT what the company is obligated to do or can do . I've done service work before and I have seen techs that try to avoid billing customers and others that will nickel and dime you death .
Most of the problems come from the lack of training including the importance of treating all customers and bills the same . AND as part of training most companies fail to do one thing and that is force their employees to READ the contracts they are selling . They simply don't know since they rely on word of mouth and summerized/shortend company training materials and classes .
I live in Maine. A friend of mine bought a stereo system for his car from Best Buy, including the extended warranty. After about a year and a half, it died. When he took it up with the store, the manager actually said that because we're so close to the ocean, the sea air caused it to corrode faster and they wouldn't honor the warranty. My friend lives in Gray, Maine, well inland and nowhere near the ocean.
I bought a refurbished Toshiba laptop from Best Buy. Since it was refurbished, I thought the extended warranty would be a good idea.
When the laptop started displaying a CMOS battery error 1 year after purchase, I took it in for service. After 3 'repairs' (where it always came back with the same issue), I inquired about having the computer replaced, as per the terms of the extended warranty. I was told that it had to go back one more time for evaluation.
In the end, it took 7 repairs over 8 months, and lots and lots of time and effort on my part, but I got the laptop replaced. I don't feel that it was worth it in the end, as I really had to fight and argue to get the computer replaced - I would have been happy to have just bought a new computer, but felt Best Buy should have repaired my computer as per the terms of the Extended Warranty.
After the fact, Best Buy had no interest in discussing a partial refund of the warranty, as they viewed it as having been fulfilled. I feel strongly that it was misrepresented to me when I purchased it.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-291961-100x100.png\")
BEST service contract ever is to spend $50 on a COSTCO membership and buy it there.
Here's my story:
I bought a Dell 32\" LCD 4 years ago. At the time, the current going price for this type/quality was about $1300-$1500. I paid $1300, including shipping....
Well, 2 1/2 years later, the TV started having problems.... Lots of dark (not black) spots on various parts of the screen. I called Dell - they won't do anything because it's out of warranty.
I call Costco. They offer to send someone to my house to repair it. \"If they can't repair it on the spot, they will take it back and leave you with a loaner\"
Well, the guy came (with a 17\" loaner) but he determined that the TV was not repairable (Based on the cost to repair would be more than the cost of the set) and he reported this back to Costco. They called me the next day, and said to bring the TV with the remote to my local costco.
They gave me a FULL refund via Gift Card for the FULL price including shipping. So I had a $1300 gift card, and now I was able to buy (from Costco of course!!!) a 32\" Sharp Aquos which was SO much better quality, and only $650 -- I still had another $650 on my card to spend!!!!
You can't beat that for a \"extended warranty\"
I would have been happy with a simple repair, or just a replacement. Instead I got a better set and $650 to spend.
All for the cost of a membership at Costco which I use anyway!
Ye Olde Best Buy bashing...
1. We do use refurbished PARTS to repair certain items like televisions and computers, as new parts may no longer be available for certain items. For example, a ballast for a DLP TV, or a motherboard for a three year old laptop. The only times I've seen items replaced with refurbished items is with our Rapid Exchange program where the customer is told that they will be sent a refurb XBOX or iPod, the only items this applies to.
2. The loaner TV offer applies to *Premium* Black Tie plans on televisions only, not the regular service plan. Loaner TV is also given if you buy the new Insignia HDTV models, which have a two-year factory warranty, regardless of whether a service plan was purchased or not.
3. Depreciation on electronics, especially HDTVs and computers, works the same as it does on cars, and it blows my mind that Consumerist readers don't understand that. Five years ago, a large-size LCD or Plasma cost 4-5 thousand dollars, and it had 60Hz technology and 720p. You can purchase a top-of-the-line Samsung or Sony for half of that. You get the replacement value, just like a car warranty. The laptop you purchased four years ago can be replaced for half its original price. I explain it like this: when I took my dad's 2 year old Land Rover for a joy ride and totaled it, my dad did not get his full purchase price back from the insurance company.
And lastly, Consumer Reports rates several Insignia models as a \"Best Buy\". Maybe we're doing something right...
@wellfleet: Dude, RTFA. The issue isn't necessarily that you're not getting a TV that costs the same as the one you bought two or three years ago, it's that it's entirely up to whoever you're dealing with at Best Buy to determine the value of the replacement. If I buy a 1080p HDTV with all the bells and whistles, then I want to leave with a set that has comparable specs, regardless of the price. That's what SHOULD happen, and doesn't always...
@wellfleet: No offense to the Consumerist, but Consumer Reports doesn't know squat about TVs, and most personal electronics. They've gotten better recently, but you'd be a fool to if use them as your sole source of information.
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1. The \"after 4 repairs\" replacement TV comes directly from the sales floor. If it's refurbished or rebuilt, it's because the customer would have sprung for something clearly marked as such sitting on the floor (just like you can buy an Open Box item or something of that like). This accusation that they'll just provide you with a refurb is bullshit. They're just providing you with options, so you're \"legally\" allowed to purchase something other than a brand new one if you'd want to put the replacement \"money\" towards a \"better\" deal. Go-go consumerist Best Buy hate-bandwagon.
I don't believe I've ever heard the line that a loaner would be provided. Ever.
Oh no! \"Fair Market\" goes DOWN rapidly on NEW TECHNOLOGY? I am truly shocked and appalled! Are you guys for real? \"Fair Market\" is decided like this:
-TV with the specs \"X, Y, Z\" is broken.
-TV would cost $800 to fix
-A replacement TV with the same specs \"X, Y, Z\" is $700
-You get $700 towards a new TV.
...They do this with computers all the time. People usually come in with a 3 year old PoS that's on it's last legs, and the end up getting it junked out and replaced with a brand new computer. The cute part is that the new computer, despite being one of the cheapest on the shelves, is WAY better than theirs.
Stop being whiny babies. Best Buy is providing a rather good deal with most of their service plans if you know how to use them.
@r0bVious: Despite evertyhing you are saying, in the aggregate buying service plans are NEVER a financial benefit to the customer.
I have a better suggestion. Instead of buying a \"plan\", purchase a more expensive, better quality product. This way, you get the benefit of the money saved.
In fact, to save more don't let the employees talk you into those rip-off Monster cables, in fact NEVER buy a cable at Best buy. Walk next door to Target (It seems every Best Buy around here has a Target next door.) and buy the cables there. You will find significant savings.
Also, never buy anything from BOSE, what you are buying is marketing and sales, not product.
@merist: Despite evertyhing you are saying, in the aggregate buying service plans are NEVER a financial benefit to the customer.
Neither is any other form of insurance. More money must go into the system than comes out.
Answer the question \"How much is piece-of-mind worth to me?\" is a personal value judgement. 20% of the purchase price? Probably not. 10%? Maybe.
And it is piece of mind: I'd rather deal with Best Buy than with the patchwork of manufacturer warranty policies.
NEVER buy a cable at Best buy. Walk next door to Target...
Why is Target any better? Because they have GE cables? I could just as easily buy the cheapest cable at Best Buy.
Also, never buy anything from BOSE, what you are buying is marketing and sales, not product.
Oh, you're one of those people.
NEVER BUY cables locally. Best Buy's cables are a blatant ripoff; but then again so are cables at Target and MIcroCenter. A $60 insignia HDMI cable is INFERIOR to the $3.50 cables from monoprice.com. This is a fact and has been proven with numerous tests on gizmodo and engadget. The main reason for selling the cables for that price is profit margin. And ridiculous margins. $55 of margin on a $60 cable. The cheapest HDMI cable in the store at Best Buy is the Dynex cables. Now bestbuyforbusiness.com has reasonable prices; you can get an HDMI cable for $8 on that site from cablestogo.
I know because as a vendor in Best Buy I have helped many customers buy cables on BBFB when they complained about high cable prices. Hey at least they bought it from best buy; they bought the blu-ray player or TV or whatever in the store on sale and bought the cable online. A large majority of customers do this now. Very few customers buy accessories in the store and they are very smart for doing that.
BOSE sucks. They're a marketing machine. People who buy their products don't do research. They overemphesize the midrange to overpower the listener. The frequency response is NOT flat. No dome tweeters, inferior materials, shoddy workmanship, grosely overpriced. Bose sucks more than Pryamid and Pyle. NO HIGHS, NO LOWS BOSE BLOWS.
Read and reflect: [www.intellexual.net]
I don't have experience with warranties on really expensive items through Best Buy but I'm a huge fan of their replacement plans. I've had an xbox 360 and an iPod both crap out on me over a year after having purchased them.
Best buy sent me a prepaid return label and then within a few weeks a giftcard with the amount I originally paid plus tax! I basically ended up getting an upgrade for free!
As far as a replacement it should be worded as to wether you will be given something close to what you paid for it or will you be given something with similar features . Yeah technology costs change and the very same features might be cheaper a year or two down the road .
But how is the contract itself worded -features or your cost/price paid ?
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I've used the BB Extended Warrenty three times, and never had a problem.
1. Cordless phone that stopped working, no longer made. BB issued me a Gift Card for the original retail price.
2. 360 RRODed before MS did their own replacement, replaced no problems with BB. They even let me keep my original hard drive so all I swapped was the console
3. I paid $400 for the 20GB 360. When the 120GBs dropped to $450, I took my 20GB 360 back and said the hard drive was dead. They issued me a gift card for the $400 for the 20GB, instead of just making me swap it. I then went to get a 120GB 360, and combined with a $50 in reward zone bucks I had, no out of pocket extra cost.
YMMV, but I've had nothing but good experiences with my extended warranties. This will be put to the test in the next few months as I'm near the end of my warrenty on a HP plasma that's acting flaky.
The only way I would buy any of these store warranties (lets not rag on BB too much all the stores do the same thing here) is by getting a video of the employee when he is pitching the warranty pitch to me. This way I would have proof that they said what they did and I could hold them to that if need be. If I am not allowed to take a video then no warranty and possibly no sale because then the company is basically telling me oh this product will definitely break in 3 years in which case I don't need to be buying an unreliable product in the first place. If a company or store cannot stand behind the products it sells without me having to pay extra for one of these so called \"warranties\" then that is a company or store that I don't want to do business with.
@Outrun1986: A video of a sales pitch does not a contract make. In other words, I don't believe that is legally binding to Best Buy, but then IANAL YMMV AOAs.
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@Raziya: I won't buy extended warranties anymore. I've been burned one too many times when I needed to use them, and have been refused service because the salesperson lied to get me to buy it (specifically stating that if anything at all happened to the machine, that it would be fixed or replaced free of charge).
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Credit Unions for the win. I will never go back to a bank ever again.
Ok a few housecleaning items consumerist.
Point 1: On the 4th qualifying (notice I said qualifying) repair the unit will be placed into a status by the service center called 'Junk Out'. This status means that the customer can come in and get a gift card in the value of a comparable (in specifications) product. Qualified repairs need to include hardware replacement and do not include 'consumables' like a laptop battery or power cord. An item need to be sent out the 4th time to hit junk out, the stores cannot do it. It needs to be in 'Junk out' so that BBY can get their money from AIG who is the warranty insurer. Replacements under the warranty are pulled right from normal shelf stock at the store... not refurbished.
Point 2: A loaner is provided and TVs over a specific size are even designated as in home repairs. This is in the new T&C booklets. As others have noted this recently changed and it is possible the T&C booklet was an old one.
Point 3: They give you a gift card in the amount a similar spec'd unit would cost. In the example HD Guru uses they failed to mention that a comparable TV was now significantly less than the original purchase price so they got the value of what a comparable TV would now cost. I don't see the problem with this... you bought a 40\" LCD you'll get a new 40\" LCD.
what great timing for this article! My plasma just went out last night and I have a four year extended warranty. Supposedly the local repair people are going to contact me within 24 hours. I can't wait to see how this goes.
I honestly hope most everybody knew about this scam by now. Even Best Buy's sales are off. Being a BB hater, this is great news to me. The way they treat/talk/respond to customers is unbelievable (Am I a Jack or a Jill or whatever, I forgot?). I am shocked this company still exists in its current form. Most of their tactics are deplorable even in THIS day and age. Save yourself a nightmare and buy elsewhere.
I sold computers 4-5 years ago. We just got a brand new 20.1\" Samsung LCD monitor in, and it cost $999! Nowadays you could find a 20\" on sale for maybe $100 or even less. Technology changes, and people who think they would get $999 back are absolutely foolish.
What I find funny is all the advice given by consumerist-type publications saying to never, ever buy extended warranties, and there are many people who will never ever buy them. Being in sales, I don't really care. But it is rather humorous seeing those very same people complain and moan and asking if you stand behind a product when it breaks 8 months later. \"What do you mean I have to contact the mfg, why can't you just do that for me!\"
This is why when ever you buy something from best buy, take a hidden camera and record everything the pitchman says. That way you can sue because he metioned the wrong things
I purchased an extended warranty on my Playstation 3 back in August of 2007, and this past February it stopped reading discs. I took it to Best Buy (Wilton, NY) to use my extended warranty/replacement plan and things went better than I could have hoped.
When I purchased my ps3 it was $499.99, so I was given the option of getting the 120GB $499.99 version OR the 80GB one at $399.99 with the difference given to me on a gift card. At the time there was a promotion going on that gave you a $50 Best Buy gift card and either Guitar Hero Aerosmith or Guitar Hero III with a guitar controller if you bought a PS3 that week.
Basically, because my PS3 broke, i got $150 in gift cards, a game, and a controller, plus a brand spanking new Playstation 3, so these extended warranties can't be that bad. It must just depend on what location you shop at.
The term \"Geek\" is a insulting and derogatory term for a skilled technician. In fact, no competent skilled technician would be happy being refereed to as a \"Geek\". The fact that BB's technicians are refereed to as the \"Geek Squad\" tells me everything I need to know about their technicians.
That being said, I have never really had a problem at Best Buy. I never buy extended warranties, and I generally know what I want and how much I am willing to pay before I walk in the doors. Sometimes they will make my price, other times I have to just go buy it elsewhere or online. Not a problem. Each retailer knows the price it can not sell below.
I've read alot of comments about poor technicians at a lot of stores. Most the guys that I work with at GS are pretty damn smart when it comes to fixing things. The main problem is when we have to ship things off to service centers. We end up fixing things that come back sometimes, but not too often. One of the main problems we have is the fact that some things we simply cannot fix in the store. Sometimes we have to ship to service by store or manufacturer policy. We know we can fix it and wish we could and get just as frustrated as customers that we have to ship so much stuff off. Just because some stores have crappy service doesn't mean all do, some of us know what we are doing.
@mbd: I suggest you send a memo to the founder of the Geek Squad,† detailing your complaints about the deleterious effects that the name has on oppressed geeks from all walks of life. While you're at it, also send memos to the United Negro College Fund and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. I've been wanting to inform them that their names are offensive for some time now.‡
† The fact that the Geek Squad tries to have a sense of humor may be lost on you.
‡ Note: sarcasm.
As much as I'm perpetually disappointed with Best Buy, i must say that when i got their replacement plan on an Xbox360 and later got the red ring of death, the pudgy blue shirts gave me a brand new system. HOWEVER, i then found out that if you are in the second year of a two-year warranty, and you have the item replaced, the plan is OVER. They then of course push with all their might to sell you another plan, even if you have 11 months left on the old one.
Replacement of the product with a new one always fulfills the plan. The only exception to this are rapid exchanges.
Claims of false advertising aside, here is a surefire way to get things improved:
Have the sales associates deal with warranty repair issues when customers come in instead of the Customer Service Reps.
Then the sales staff are directly accountable to the customers and are made well aware of how the system works behind the warranties that they're peddling.
As it stands right now, as soon as you walk out the door, sales staff are counting down to the day that you can't return the item, and can't return the warranty. Once that's up and your gear goes kaput? Expect a belligerent \"Hey buddy...\" when you go to see them again, and then to be told to go work things out with the customer service counter instead.
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The whole 4 repair thing, I've never seen it where on the 4th repair BBY doesn't just flat out buy you a new system. Never. Sucks that the info is in the contract, but that's mainly just to cover the ass. Usually when BBY has done 4 \"qualified\" repairs, the item gets replaced (that means something was actually repaired 4 times). I've never seen it handled any other way.
Of course there are those who just keep sending in a unit over and over even though there's nothing wrong with the unit and think they are entitled to a new camera or whatever.
I sent in a bluray player twice (first gen, ran like crap on new bluray discs), technically nothing was wrong with it, but at the second repair they replaced the unit. I paid an extra $100 to get a PS3, and it was worth every penny, I got about a year out of the first player, extended plan is a good idea for \"new tech\"
Obivously my XBox has a warranty on it, dua, you'd have to be an idiot not to buy it for that. Problem is Microsoft no longer credits BBY for red ring xboxes, so you have to go the refurbished route. PS3 though you get a new one, but you have to buy another warranty.
comes down to, do you think it's worth it. If you had to replace that new tv in the first 3 years of service, would you want to fix it or just get a new one?
I recently purchased a Toshiba 52\" HDTV plus the 4 year BestBuy extended warranty for an additional $229 I think. Plus 3 year interest free financing.
My old 46\" Sony HDTV had a 5 year warranty and it died after 4 years so it was fixed at no charge to me (this was not a BB purchase though).
Even with those limitations I still think it's a pretty good deal.
The \"oops, I dropped it in a puddle and BEST BUY must fix it\" level warranty has paid off on my laptop. $$$ for warranty < $$$ for paying for the parts that needed replacing after I accidentally dropped it VERY hard (though not in a puddle.)
I've personally had Best Buy salespeople say get the extended warranty, and if you ever want a new version of the product just intentionally break it, and return it for a brand new model or exchange. \"When you want a new cell phone, just throw this one on the ground really hard, and bring it in for an exchange!\" This has happened on several different purchases and every time I'd turned them down.
However, the one time long long ago I fell for the scam was when DVD players first came out. I bought a Sony player and the warranty, and had no problems with the DVD player for about a year. Over time, the player would stop reading some DVDs. The DVDs would play perfectly fine in other players. They were not scratched at all, still in mint condition. Also most of my collection played fine still, it was like 4 or 5 movies.
Best Buy refused to replace the player, and wouldn't even take it for repairs claiming it must be my discs. When I brought in a DVD THAT I PURCHASED IN THE SAME STORE to show them it didn't work, the manager said the disc looked like a bootleg and that's why it wasn't working...yet I walked over to their display players and it played fine in all of them. They refused to work with me at all and I eventually left totally angry.
Needless to say, I buy my electronics and videos elsewhere ever since.
To be fair to Best Buy, we had one of these extended service warranties on my household TV when I was a teenager. It did indeed break 4 times, and they did indeed replace it with a brand new one that is still around and kicking.
This is off there website \"No oral advice or written information given by Best Buy or its Associates shall create a warranty.\" Most people at best buy that sale shit are under 30 and done care about there job.
Also I bought a xbox 360 2 years back with a warranty because they were breaking. So about 1yr and a half it starts to mess up here or there. I call best buy to replace but they will not just give me a new one like the sale rep told me when I bought the warranty but they have to see the problem first. Problem with that is that is only happens on and off. So finally after warranty is out the xbox dies. I bought a new xbox and they tried to sell me there \"new\" warranty which I could just bring it back. F you is I told the sales rep. I told him to go get the damn warranty paper highlight that part in it then I want manager to approve it and their customer service. The guy was like well I can not do that. F you best buy. I buy most things online now any way.
Honestly, the Best Buy Service Plans are absolutely amazing. I have a 42\" LED TV and I bought the Black Tie Protection. I had the Geek Squad come out to my house, and the guys are absolutely fantastic. When my TV started to get lines going across, I called up the store and spoke with the geek squad and they told me to bring it in. They gave me a loner TV and in a week and a half, I got my TV back! I was so happy! Best Buy is a great consumer electronics store!
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So it sounds like they are engaging in false advertising, which in most places is illegal. Why aren't they brought up on charges?
@I Love New Jersey: I agree, I thought the law was that once something leaves the store it cannot be resold as new that's were we get refurbished from. If you're being sold the warranty under the guise of it being replaced with a \"new\" item when it's actually refurbished, that seems like a clear cut case of false advertising to me. Regardless of what the fine print says hows is this not a bait and switch?