Adam says:
On February 3, 2009 for 264.79 I purchased an open box Sony Blu-Ray S550 and have been more than satisfied with the player for over 10 months now. This past weekend I was making some adjustments to the sound settings and went to resync the player my TV when I noticed that the front of the player says S350. I checked the original box from the purchase and it says S550, I then checked the manual for the item and it too said S550. I was unable to check the original receipt since I could not locate it, but am willing to bet that it said S550 as well.
I went to the store to speak with them about the issue and see if there was anything that could be done, I fully realize it has been 10 months but figured it was worth a shot. The manager of the home electronics department told me that there is nothing he can or will do about this since so much time has passed. I explained to him that I have no problem with returning the item and using the money towards towards the player I thought I was buying originally and paying the difference along with any discount he would be willing to give me.
He again stated that there is no way for him to look into the matter because of the amount of time.I then asked him since he is unwilling to do anything about it, how something like this could have happened. He told me that although it is possible for the mistake to have occurred each open box sale is inspected by the Geek Squad and things like this do not occur very often and he is not going to be able to check what happened. I stated to him that this is somewhat of a common occurrence from the Geek Squad and that in the consumer world they do not have a very high confidence rating from people. He disagreed with me and said that the Geek Squad is in fact well regarded and has the highest marks in the industry for the work they perform.
Realizing this was not going to go anywhere I asked him once more if there is anything that he can do, he once again said no. I finally told him there is something he can do, he can believe his customer and use some rational thought that since it was this long after I obviously did not become aware of the situation till now and I also did not take the player out and bring it with me, I only wanted to talk with them about what might be possible and that this is why Best Buy is losing customers to other stores because whether it is 1 day, 1 month, or 1 year after the fact, Best Buy should try to work with their customers to be sure they are fully satisfied with any purchase.
His final words to me were "if we believed every person that came into the store with stories like this we would be out of business, because I have no way of looking into it and am not going to do anything about it."
With that I left the store vowing to never purchase anything other than a DVD from Best Buy or a low cost item.
Should I have checked the purchase at the time, absolutely, but I had never run in to an issue like this before and had purchased many items open box. I also refuse to believe that Best Buy could not scan the barcode on the box and see its history of original purchase and then return dates to check if it was done in a matter of days before I purchased it but he refused to investigate the issue at all.
I ended up paying more for a used Blu-Ray than it was selling for new at the time.
The lesson as always, check what you buy from them open box or anytime it says it was inspected by Geek Squad. Just to make myself feel better I sent off an EECB to Best Buy because if nothing else I wanted them to be aware that the store was having problems with its inspection of open box items.
In all fairness, there's probably a limit to what they can do for you, but the idea that nothing can be done is a little silly. Our readers have gotten $50 gift certificates because someone at Best Buy was rude to them — so we're certain that they could have offered you something in order to keep your business.
At this point, however, so many months down the road, your best bet might be to discuss this with your credit card company. We're not sure what they'll tell you, but it's worth a shot.
Adam is absolutely right of course, that the moral of this story is to always carefully check your packages when shopping at Best Buy. Here's a post that will help keep this from happening to you.
(Photo:epicharmus)
]]>The bottom line is that Adam had every right to go to BB to see if the situation could be adjusted (maybe having the receipt would have helped, BTW), but BB did nothing wrong by refusing to do anything. I know it's hard to believe, but there are people who try to rip off retailers by doing things like this, and it's OK for a retailer to protect themselves.
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Maybe ti's just me, but, anytime I buy ANYTHING, I make sure it's what I paid for. Not some lower model.
Sorry, I have a hard time feeling any sympathy towards the poster here, especially when he said he's been happy with it. The first thing you should do when you unbox ANY electronic purchase is check the model of the device, especially if it's an open-box purchase.
Sorry, I don't say this often, but I agree with Best Buy on this one.
]]>Is it too bad that you ended up with a slightly lower-end blu-ray than you initially thought you were buying? Yes. Should the model you received have matched the model number on the box? Absolutely. But in not noticing the error for such an extended period of time, you've rendered yourself completely unable to pursue this. I'd say at this point, the most important thing you could take away is that when buying anything used, be it at Best Buy or elsewhere, you should double-check the actual item to make sure it's what you're paying for. Do this while in the store to avoid getting burned in the future. And really, in the worst case scenario here, you ended up with a blu-ray player that was previously just fine for you, and based on some of the other comments, you may still have gotten it at a price lower than what it usually sold for.
To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed in the Consumerist for putting this up here at all, in that I don't think Best Buy was the least bit unreasonable in declining to compensate this person, and even he doesn't indicate that the employees he saw were rude or anything. They just explained that given the time frame and complete lack of any receipt, there's nothing they could do for him. And I have to say, if I were his credit card company and he called me, I'd probably laugh at the idea that I would be refunding any money based on the evidence he has available this point. Ten months out is just too long for something like this.
]]>I once bought something at Best Buy, found that it was defective, returned it...and saw it on the shelf two hours later, marked As Is, for just 10% off. Whoever bought it found it was *still* defective, and had no recourse.
]]>I agree totally. 10 months? What can you really expect 10 months later, plus he doesn't have his receipt. How is BB expected to help someone who can't even verify he bought the player there.
I know there is not a lot of love for BB, but I think I have to side with them on this.
]]>Purchased an iPod touch. Realized when I brought it home, it had a defect in that when it heated up, the screen stopped recognizing some of the input in some parts of the screen.
Brought it back to the store, took it to the desk, and she told me to go see the "Connect Pro" guy. I tried to show him but because the iPod had cooled down again, I couldn't replicate the issue. We played around with it but it wouldn't do it. He's like "well I can't see the problem but if you want to exchange it you have the right to".
So they exchanged it for me, with a new one, with the original open box price.
]]>@eaglearcher: Except for overpriced DVDs or other overpriced low cost merchandise.
]]>There's not much difference between the 350 and 550, they both have the same picture quality.
10 Months?
Oh grow up. I don't care if it is BB or not, whining after 10 months is behaving like a little baby.
]]>"I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. Go away before I taunt you again."
]]>Where I live, Best Buy just moved into the old Circuit City location. No surprise here. The only thing that changed is the name.
Oh, the head line should simply be "Don't Trust Best Buy". period.
]]>10 months too late, unfortunately.
]]>It's been 10 months, if I was the manager I wouldn't do anything either.
Best Buy only has a 30 day return policy(not 10 months).
He should stop complaining and live with his mistake.
]]>10 months though dude? Best Buy will take ANYTHING back for the first month (unless it's a camera, notebook or gps), why not double check your purchase?
You said you're happy with the player, sucks to be you, but these are the open box risks, next time find a sealed box.
]]>@pecan 3.14159265: he didn't have the receipt. he did have the amount... probably from the credit card statement, but that doesn't really prove anything either. it's easy to spend $300ish at best buy.
]]>Ten months? No receipt?
Why is this even on Consumerist?
]]>Always inspect open box items. The box has been opened already, half the work is done.
]]>Better title:
Never trust anything that was Geek Squad Inspected
]]>Now I always check inside the box!
]]>It's one thing to ask for your money's worth, it's another to feel you are entitled to a discount.
]]>Way to stick by your guns OP.
You get screwed but are willing to go back for more if the price is right.
A pox on your viewing machines whatever format they take.
I give you the evil eye and hope you get suckered into a monster cable, extended warranty, geek squad install hell of your own making.
]]>@WowWashington: That's not the point of the story. The OP bought one model of blu-ray player (according to the box) only to discover 10 months later that he had actually purchased a different model than what was described on the box. It has nothing to do with warranties or support. The player isn't broken; he wanted to return it to get the model he meant to buy originally.
]]>They only scan the UPC and this is not unique from the other of the same SKU. They can see what else was returned but that does little to nothing to help the scenario.
"vowing to never purchase anything other than a DVD from Best Buy or a low cost item."
This is what they count on... You will always go there.
Keep in mind call corporate and get a token gift card but that's about all you will get. After 10 months there is little to expect. To me geek squad inspected means it works not it is the same item as the one in the box.
]]>Now the OP hates Best Buy and is dissatisfied with his DVD player.
Innocence lost.
]]>I think it's the OP's tactics that got him shut down by BB management.
"I explained to him that I have no problem with returning the item and using the money towards towards the player I thought I was buying originally and paying the difference along with any discount he would be willing to give me."
He's not doing BB a favor by telling them he wants to return a 10 month old open box blu-ray player. And then he hints that he wants a discount. Yes, BB made a huge mistake. But the OP didn't notice for 10 months, and he seemed to be perfectly satisfied with what he bought. It sucks he paid for a higher model than what he got, and BB should have refunded the difference as a good faith gesture, but I don't think the OP was helping the situation.
Even though BB would have earned the goodwill of a customer by allowing him to return his open box item, BB would have either sent the blu-ray player right back onto the floor (for someone to pay too much for an open box item that's been in use for 10 months) or would have had to call it damaged.
]]>They would not even do anything if it were 10 minutes ago. Heck, they don't seem to support open box items let alone unopened boxed items.
Heck, they don't support open boxed items sold with a extended support contract!
I guess he can atleast be happy that it wasn't a box of rocks.
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