Best Buy sold me two Lenovo notebooks without left speakers!

I camped out for 12 hours at the Best Buy in Brighton, MI and ended up purchasing two Lenovo g575-438343u notebooks for $180 each. One of the first things I noticed was that the black seal was broken and there was clear packaging tape over it. A sticker on the box said "This computer has been tested and set up by Geek Squad".
I booted the first notebook up and one of the first things I did was try to watch an HD YouTube video to test the video performance. The video played fine, but I noticed no sound coming out of the left side of the laptop. I spent a while in the Windows sound settings and the SmartAudio program found in the Control Panel. With no success getting left audio output from the internal speakers, I plugged in a pair of headphones and left and right sound worked correctly. I then booted up the second notebook and had the same problems. At this point, I was almost certain it was a hardware issue, but I booted a linux LiveCD just to make sure .. still no left audio output.
Convinced this was a hardware issue, I started disassembling the laptop. My suspicions were confirmed when I found there to be no left speaker at all! The location of where the left speaker should be is empty. The connection on the laptop has four pins - two for each speaker.
You can view the Lenovo G575 datasheet here:
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/ww/pdf/G575_Datasheet_US.pdf
The datasheet lists 2.0 Speakers (2* 1.5W)
I have taken photographs of one of the notebooks that I purchased from Best Buy, showing the missing left speaker.
http://imgur.com/a/IwnV3
I contacted Lenovo technical support about the issue Friday night, before disassembling the notebook. They said my options were to take it back to the Best Buy I purchased it from and ask for a replacement or repair or I could start the warranty depot process with them (Lenovo). I declined the warranty process at the time because I wanted to further investigate the cause of the problem.
I will call the Best Buy today and see what they say.
I will update this thread after I get some support from Best Buy or Lenovo.

I made the 45 minute drive back to the Best Buy with both notebooks. I was helped by a Geek Squad member, but unfortunately he was not able to do much. After messing around with settings for a few minutes, he was convinced there was only one speaker. At that point, he started trying to find specs for the notebook. I told him if he performed a quick google search for "Lenovo G575 datasheet" he would see where it says it has 2.0 Speakers (2* 1.5W). He said that he needed the specs for the specific model number, not the series. Unfortunately, the notebook isn't listed anywhere on Lenovo's website. He looked for about 15 minutes but could not find the specs for the g575-438343u. I was then offered two options.
1. I could return both notebooks for a full refund, no restocking fee. I told him I camped out and waited 12 hours to get a notebook at this price, so I would not be interested in a refund.
2. He said he could queue up the notebooks for service. He said they would first try to find the spec sheet for that specific model to determine whether it was supposed to have 1 or 2 speakers. I'm guessing at that point they would send it back to Lenovo. I asked for a rough ETA on that process and he said with the holidays, 3-4 weeks would not be uncommon. I told him if I wanted to go that route with a Lenovo warranty service, I could just do it myself.
So I left the store with my single-speaker notebooks and no resolution at this time. The geek squad agent took down my name, telephone number, and email address and told me if he found the specs he would send me an email.
He believes Lenovo was trying to cut costs to get the notebook down to that price point and a speaker made the chopping block. I would have to agree with his theory - I found another person online who had the same issue here:
http://www.helpowl.com/q/Lenovo/G575/Technical-Support/lenovo-g575-mono-sound/114738
I don't believe Best Buy is at fault here, it seems like Lenovo was trying to be as cheap as possible. I will have to contact Lenovo again and see what they say.

Similar Messages

Samsung Notebook Laptop at Best Buy

I really like to buy Samsung Netbook and Notebook
but unfortunately best buy doesn't carry samsung notebook and netbook.
all online retail store carry samsung netbook and notebook laptop...
I read some article that best buy will carry samsung notebook Q1 or Q2.
does anyone when best buy will carry samsung notebook laptop ???

Please don't bump two year old posts...
Crystal
Superuser
Forum Guidelines | Terms & Conditions | Community Guidelines | What is a Superuser?
*Remember to mark your questions solved and click the star to give kudos to show your thanks!*
While I used to be a Best Buy Employee, I no longer have any affiliation with Best Buy.
My opinions do not in any way shape or form represent Best Buy's Official decisions.

Best Buy Price Matching Fiasco

I wanted to let you know of the horrendous customer service I have just recently experienced trying to get a video game price matched. It should be a rather simple thing to take care of, and yet Best Buy wasted about two hours of my time today.
Today I drove to your West LA Best Buy location to pick up a copy of NBA 2K15 for Xbox One. Since Walmart is running a sale on this exact item for $29.96, I brought the printout to the store. I show it to the salesperson, they go back and talk to other people, then she comes back and says "I'm sorry, this is out of stock at Walmart so we cannot price match it." I told her I just looked recently and it was in stock, and I asked her if she checked both online and in-store options and she said "yes, it's out of stock both in-store and online." As my phone did not have good reception in the store, I could not verify for myself.
As I was back in the car driving, when I had better service so I pulled up the Walmart site on my phone and navigated to the listing. While their site said you cannot order through Walmart's mobile site, you can through the normal Walmart.com site. As soon as I brought up the regular non-mobile page, there the game was, in stock. The Best Buy representative must have either straight up lied to me, or checked on a phone and didn't really investigate it. In any case she did lie to me regardless, since I asked her if she checked if it was in-stock in-store and she said yes. This is completely unacceptable, and it was a waste of my time, gas, and patience. On a side note, this is not the first issue I have had recently with this Best Buy location.
My issues didn’t stop there. I then had to resort to calling the Best Buy hotline to try and price match. The representative was very nice, checked the item on Walmart’s website, saw it was in stock, and was trying to get the price match to go through, but was having issues. I was on the phone for almost 30 minutes, still waiting for her to put it through, and then it got disconnected. When I called back and got a representative, she too was very nice, and apologized for me getting dropped, saying that other customers have had issues today as well with getting dropped. She said she saw that the last rep was trying to price match the game. She goes and looks up the game on Walmart’s site, and she says she can’t price match because the item is not in stock. I tell her it was when I spoke to the last rep, it was in stock, and I was just calling back to complete it. I’m already 15 minutes into this new call now. I ask to speak to a supervisor. I wait, and wait. About 15 minutes later, she gets a hold of a supervisor who she is speaking with over chat, and the supervisor gives her permission to put the price match through. This ends up taking quite a while longer, supposedly due to new systems being implemented. All in all, that second call ended up taking just under 50 minutes. So on the phone today, Best Buy wasted an hour and 20 minutes of my time. Then you add another 30 minutes or so for the drive to and from the West LA Best Buy store.
This whole situation today is completely unacceptable, and really isn’t a good reflection of the customer service Best Buy gives. This is even more troubling considering I am a loyal Elite member. Best Buy makes it seem like they value their customers, especially their Elite and Elite Plus members, but with the recent customer service issues I have experienced, it seems that isn’t the case.
I would very much like to know what will be done so that the West LA store has representatives who know what they are doing, and also what Best Buy will do for me for the frustration they have caused and the time they have wasted.
Thank you very much for your time and understanding in the matter.

John-BBY wrote:
Hello FlyBri,
Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee is a great way to ensure that you get the best possible price on exciting products and still have the benefits of purchasing through us. I was delighted to read that you were successful at taking advantage of it, though I regret that you had to invest such persistence in achieving your goal.
In truth, our stores will price match their local brick-and-mortar competitors on the condition that our requirements are met (i.e., the competitor must be in stock). Our store representative rightly informed you that we could not match our competitor's price if they had verified that their local store was out of stock. That being said, and as I previously mentioned, I was happy to read that your perseverance was rewarded via BestBuy.com.
I'm very grateful that you wrote to us about your experience and for your feedback.
Sincerely,
Hi John,
I appreciate the response, but I believe you unfortunately misunderstood the situation and what had happened. The Best Buy reps at the store DID NOT correctly verify that the item was out of stock.
A local Walmart store did have it in stock, as did ordering it through Wallmart.com. The representatives checked on a cell phone, which goes to Walmart's "mobile.walmart.com" website. The item was not available for sale through that specific mobile version of the site, but it does say that it is available on their main Walmart.com site. In addition, when on the main site, a check of the stock of a local Walmart store showed that there were copies available. So obviously the Best Buy representatives did not rightly inform me because they did not check the way they should have.
I also believe you are mistaken regarding the Best Buy Price Match Guarantee. Even if a local Walmart store was out of stock, if the Walmart.com website does have stock of the same item I am trying to purchase from Best Buy, Best Buy must price match it. To quote a portion of Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee language from the BestBuy.com website, "At the time of sale, we price match all local retail competitors (including their online prices). It says nothing about the stock having to specifically be in the local stores only. It's a moot point though, as at the time there was stock in a local store.
So the Best Buy reps at the West LA store did not do their job properly as you mistakenly thought they did. And because of this, I had to waste valuable time and energy to get a simple pricematch done. The problem is that this is not the only incident I have had to deal with in the last few months (and the second I have had to deal with in that specific location), and is especially disconcerting for being an Elite member as well. I am hoping the employees at that location can be better trained, in addition to taking care of the software issues plaguing the phone reps, so thtat they can put through a simple price match quickly, without it taking an hour and a half.

I PURCHASED A IPHONE 4 IN SAN FRANCISCO FROM BEST BUY FOR USD 650 WITHOUT CONTRACT. I WANT TO UNLOCK THE PHONE TO USE IN INDIA AS IT IS LOCKED AT THE MOMENT

i purchased a iphone 4 in san francisco from a best buy for 649.99 usd without contract. the phone is however locked and i want it to be unlocked by apple officially. please help

Apple does not unlock iPhones, only the carrier that it is locked to can do that. Contact them. If you were sold a phone that was supposed to be unlocked when you purchased it (which is what it sounds like) you should contact Best Buy.
Best of luck.

Are there people who will buy the exclusive white back cover from Fascinate sold at Best Buy?

are there people who will buy the exclusive white back cover from Fascinate sold at Best Buy?
I'm getting my Fascinate soon... I have two covers, the original white one, and a spare one bought from Verizon's website.
Note: this is not an offer to sell... so please do not contact me.

are there people who will buy the exclusive white back cover from Fascinate sold at Best Buy?
I'm getting my Fascinate soon... I have two covers, the original white one, and a spare one bought from Verizon's website.
Note: this is not an offer to sell... so please do not contact me.

What options do I have if Best Buy doesn't honor what they sold you . . .

This is my first time ever to post, but I am at wits end and hoping for help from the community. I have been trying to resolve this issue for 6 months. Here's my situation.
My daugher is on her grandparents Verizon plan. Let's name her line B. I am autherized to purchase on the account. My daugher's phone was lost and she needed another one for security reasons. I called around to the Best Buys that we'd be near while travling and found one close by with the phone she wanted. The representative was excellent. Very very helpful and went the extra mile. He told me all about the edge program and how we were only going to pay an extra $10 a month for 2 years because we'd receive a $25 monthly credit. Then after 2 years we could surender the phone just pay taxes and upgrade the phone. The Best Buy representive called for apporval to make sure he could use a upgrade from line A for my daughter line B and still receive the edge. So he double checked to make sure everything would be seemless. This occured Oct 24, 2014. After the first bill it was all but seemless!!
So in November I went to Best Buy, they sent me to Verizon, I went to Verizon, they sent me to Best Buy, Best Buy sent me to another Verizon and spoke to a supervisor. I was shown the error in Best Buys transaction. Best Buy upgraded line A to the edge but since there was no smartphone attached to line A, we did not recieve the $25 credit. Verizon sent me back to Best Buy and said Best Buy need to honor what they sold me. I went back to Best Buy close to my home. That Best Buy told me only the Best Buy I bought it from could help me. I had to call them because they are 5 hours and 6 minutes from my home. It took a few more calls before I spoke the mobile manager and he was going to investigate. Then it was the holidays and he didn't get back to me. I completely understood,. I called he and he said he hadn't forgotten me. Finally in December he told me he met with Ashley the Verison's Best Buy representive. According to him a Best Buy mobile supervision they would going to credit the account $50 for Novemeber and December. After that point we'd see the $25 edge credit. He said he'd forward me the email. I never recieved the email. I drove the 5 hours and 6 minutes to the store and he was off that day, but left a message for him to call me and please forward the email. No phone call, no forward email. So I called again, he was on vacation and wouldn't be in until after his vacation mid January. I was hopeful, but no credit on the bill in Jan 2105. I spoke to him again after his vacation and he promised to forward the email from Verison. Now it is Feb, still nothing, no email, no credit, no follow-up. I drive back there and had to speak the a store Manger, because the mobile manager has now been promoted to another area and he is off that day. The manager assures me the promoted moblie manager will contact me. But he doesn't. I call the store manger and he has the promoted mobile manager call finally me. The promoted mobile manager asks me for a copy of the bill. Fine, I get it to him. I'll have to fax it or mail it, but I would get it to him. Then the bill comes in with a $50 credit!!! Yay, I think they have it resolved, nope. April bill comes in no $25 edge credit.
I call the new mobile manager, poor soul, he doesn't know the situation. He took my information and meet with Ashley from Verizon. He calls me back, wow, he calls me back!!! I am so thankful. Then he starts talking about Best Buy in the third person! He doesn't know what "they" told me. When I bought the phone "they" put it on line A, then "they" transferred it to line B. He's referring to his Best Buy representative in the third person. Talking about me buying the phone's contract for $600 plus dollars. I started to see red. So I ended oiur conversation to collect myself and called him back. Poor buy! Next conversation he explains that I need to put a smart phone on line A. I can buy a new one, use an old one, whatever, but line A needs a verison smart phone on it. He doesn't know why the promoted mobile manager didn't tell me this before. But since he didn't I'm out at least $150 that no one is willing to refund me. If I give line A the iPhone from line B, I won't have a phone for line B, unless I have one or buy a new one. He was kind enough to agree this was no fault of my own, but that of the Best Buy representive sold me the first time and the promoted mobile manager for not communicating the situation. So this is Best Buy's solution - grandpa who never wants more than his ancient flip phone has to get my daughers iPhone, my daugher get no phone or I have to buy one, and I'm out at least $150 (or more depending on how long this takes to resolve). I didn't even ask but I am sure the iPhone at some point must be surendered. The store manager is aware of the situation and he will call me tomorrow, or will he????
So, do I just accept that they made a mistake, they can't honor their deal because it is a contract with Verison and I have to pay for it? I feel helpless and frustrated. We're under contract for another 2 years.

Hello nvtrev,
It can be difficult to keep track of all of your belongings while traveling, and it is discouraging to hear your daughter may have lost her phone during travel. While things certainly seemed to have gone awry, I’m glad to hear that your initial experience purchasing a new phone for your daughter was pleasant.
When our customers come to us for phone purchases, they should trust that we are able to communicate with their carrier’s systems to process a phone purchase seamlessly. It certainly seems that we may have missed something during your upgrade, causing you to miss out on the billing credit and that you’ve put forth a valiant effort to try to find a resolution to this issue.
As I am sadly not equipped to personally take a closer look into this issue, could you please share with me the store location and any first names of managers you have been working with regarding these concerns? With the store location and manager names, I would be delighted to reach out to the store’s leadership to better research this experience to see what options we may have for you.
I look forward to your correspondence!
Sincerely,
Tasha|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

Can I use two rewards certificates in one transaction at a Best Buy store?

Since you have to spend at least the value of the My Best Buy reward certificates before tax and shipping, I thought it would be best to issue the certificates in smaller amounts (maybe $5 instead of $15). If I do that, and I have multiple certificates of $5, can I redeem them all toward a single purchase? For example, if I want to buy a video game, can I apply multiple $5 reward certificates toward that purchase?
Also, can My Best Buy reward certificates be used toward a pre-order of a game?
Are there any restrictions on what they can be used for, other than not being able to be used for Best Buy gift cards or e-gift cards?
Thanks for answering my three questions about My Best Buy Rewards

Hello kre1997,
Those are three great questions! Let me see if I can help provide answers.
As long as the certificates are valid, you can apply two to a single purchase.
A certificate can be applied to a pre-order, but only on BestBuy.com.
The main exclusion is the purchase of gift card, but there are a couple others and you can those here.
Thank you for posting to the forum, and please let me know if you have any other questions.
Derek|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

My Macbook is stuck at the loading screen (the apple with the spinning circle beneath it). I went to Best Buy, they told me to call Apple Help and ask them to restore my unit. But Apple help wont help me without charging me. Help please !!

My Macbook Pro is stuck at the loading screen (the apple with the spinning circle underneath). I went to Best Buy to get help, and they told me to call Apple Help and ask them to 'restore my unit', which he said is a matter of only about 4 mouse clicks. If it was so easy, I didn't understand why he couldn't do it for me. But he said that even though I have a 3 year warranty and protection plan with them, they were not responsible for this type of problem. Whatever.
Anyway, so I called Apple Help, and even though he was familiar with my problem, it's been more than 90 days since I purchased the laptop, therefore I'd have to set up a service agreement to get his assistance, meaning I'd have to PAY him. So now i'm stuck, and I'm just hoping somebody knows what to do to help me
I don't have any disc that I apparently need, and I don't remember ever getting one. However, if there is some other way to fix this issue, please let me know. Thanks for your time and assistance
Brenna

HI, have you blown the dust out lately?
Does it boot better/further if allowed to cool?
If you're sure the RAM is good, try the Hair Dryer trick...
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=13240047#13240047
https://discussions.apple.com/message/15223603#15223603
https://discussions.apple.com/message/15499912#15499912
https://discussions.apple.com/message/15613068#15613068
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3270112
https://discussions.apple.com/message/16053892#16053892
No power light at all...
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3692775?tstart=0
It can show on any G5, and even many other computers & electronic devices of the period.
http://www.macintouch.com/reliability/pmg5.html
http://lowendmac.com/ppc/power-macintosh-g5.html
And see this last one in particular...
https://discussions.apple.com/message/16781690#16781690
Heat gun better...
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3916312?tstart=0
If we don't get more help or answers here, feel free to join my site & ask...
http://x704.net/bbs

Can Best Buy back up my files without saving my computer?

Best Buy told me they have to remove my virus to save my computer. I asked them to back up my files of course there is a fee. Is there a way for them to back up my files on a CDR or DVR and not fix the virus. I don't care if they dump my computer and I get a new one. I just need my files.

Find a KNOPPIX or Ubunutu Linux LiveCD, and boot from that. Back up your files to an external hard drive using the LiveCD.
Then virus scan the external HD. DO IT FROM THE LiveCD! A LiveCD can't get infected by a virus (read-only media), and in addition 99%+ of Windows viruses can't infect a Linux distribution.
*disclaimer* I am not now, nor have I ever been, an employee of Best Buy, Geek Squad, nor of any of their affiliate, parent, or subsidiary companies.

Can i JUST buy mountain lion at best buy instead of having to download the other two before?

yeah thats my question.

No.
But, you also don't have to download any others.
If you don't already run 10.6, you'll have to buy that from the Apple Store on DVD.
Then, you only have to download Mountain Lion, if you Mac is compatible: http://www.apple.com/osx/specs/
Actually, I suppose it is possible you might find a copy of Snow Leopard in a Best Buy with really low sales volume.

I purchased elements at best buy, how do i install on my macbook pro without a dvd driver

i purchased elements 12 at best buy. it comes with the dvd to install, but my macbook pro does not have a dvd driver. have the serial number, how do i install elements 12 from the web ?

PSE 10, 11, 12 - http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/photoshop-elements-10-11-downloads.html
PE 10, 11, 12 - http://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/kb/premiere-elements-10-11-downloads.html

When will the ipad 4 and ipad mini begin being sold at Best Buy?

I am going to get my ipad 4 at best buy and I wanted to know.

Hi,
I responded to you earlier, and because I thought everyone knew, I did not tell you that it is tomorrow, Fri., Nov. 2nd. Apologies. And remember, they all open at 8:00 am.
If you can, you should really try to get there when they open in the morning if you really want it fast. I doubt that Best Buy and other resellers will get as many ipad 4's and minis as Apple stores will get. Also, and I'm just guessing, the crowds might more likely want the mini than an ipad 4 simply because it's new and different from Apple's regular ipads, so that might help you.
If you can't get there by 8:00 am, you might check with Best Buy customer service now and see if they will also be available on-line at 8:00 am tomorrow and when it will be delivered if you buy on-line.
Hope this helps.

Delivery date changed 4 times-called to ask what is going on and then best buy cancelled order

I ordered a 55 inch aquos with free ROKU stick for $599.00 on Sept. 22 (removed per forum guidlelines) and got a confirmed delivery of Sept. 26. Unfortunately, I received a call in the morning of the Sept. 26 and was told that delivery was pushed to Tues, Sept. 30.
On Monday, Sept. 29, I received an automated call informing me that the Tv will be delivered on Sept. 30 between 3:30 and 5:30. and I also received an email with the same information. Thirty minutes later I received another email stating that the delivery is again being pushed to Oct. 13. so I called customer service. I was told he can change the delivery date to Oct. 3 but call in the morning to confirm availability with warehouse.I called customer service on Sept. 30 to confirm availability and was assured that the Tv will be delivered on Oct. 3.
On Thursday Oct. 2nd, I received another email stating the order will not be delivered until Oct. 16. I remained calm and called customer service and after a very long hold time I was able to speak with a representative and again after a long hold to check what is going on, she informed me that the order is now cancelled since the item is discontinued. I told the representative that I already lost 3 days of work due to the delivery dates changing and since the TV has to be accepted by somebody 18 years or older I needed to be home. I asked if it is unreasonable to ask for the same exact TV but 1 size bigger since the 60 inch is available and in stock (but without the ROKU stick) but unfortunately I was told it is not possible. I asked to speak with a supervisor but they are all busy but she asked for my phone number so they can call me back in 20 min.. I waited but did not get a back from the supervisor the same day.
I called again today, Friday, Oct. 3 and I was assisted by a nice lady who after explaining my situation was sincere with her apology. She told me that she will call me back so she can speak with a supervisor about my situation. I asked her too if it is unreasonable to ask for the same exact TV but next size bigger since the one I was sold is no longer available and I lost 3 days of work due to the 3 changes in delivery dates. She affirmed that it is fair but have no authority to make decissions but will relay the history of the order to her superior so they can make a proper resolution.
After about 15 minutes I got a call back and was told that since the bigger TV is priced at 799.00 they will give me a 50.00 dsicount for the trouble. I declined the offer since I feel that $50.00 dollars for getting the run around and missing 3 days of work is not proper compensation and is an insult to any customer. I thanked her for trying and informed her that I am aware that it is not her fault and it is management who made this decission.
I sincerely feel that I should have been given the next size TV for the same price of my original purchase and I should have been given a ROKU stick (which I did not ask for) for my unpleasant experience.
We are $150.00 apart from getting a resolution but management feels like it is the right thing to do for cases like these. Being a best buy customer for many years, spending many thousand of dollars, I am puzzled why best buy would treat any customer the way they treated me. Please explain the policy so I can have a better understanding. The $150.00 difference can easily be recopued from my next purchase. In my opinion, it is not a very smart business practice to lose a customer this way. Again, please explain the policy to me so I can understand better.

Hello romcarlos1,
While unforeseen complications can cause unexpected delays, it seems something went wrong at every turn. Misinformation and multiple missed appointments would frustrate me too, and I can only imagine this frustration turned into aggravation with the poor service you describe. After pulling up your account, I noticed that has been two weeks since your TV purchase, and I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. I appreciate you allowing me the opportunity to explain what should have happened.
When your delivery day arrives, you should receive a call from us to narrow down the time frame to a 4-hour window. This is done because our delivery agent’s schedule isn’t fully determined until the day of service as our customer’s needs may change prior to the delivery date. These routes are then best optimized to fit the appointments scheduled for the day. The particular television you wished to purchase is quite popular, however, and due to high demand, it’s currently on backorder in some areas of the country. This may explain why your delivery date was continuously pushed back unexpectedly, and why we needed to reschedule multiple times.
While in backordered status, however, an online order may be cancelled if you don’t wish to wait any longer and a different model may be purchase. Upon review of your order, I noticed that it was canceled upon your request. If you have since changed your mind and wish to wait for one to arrive, you may place a new order here.
It sounds like you wish to purchase a new TV entirely though, so I understand if you don’t wish to attempt a new order. While I cannot guarantee you a different outcome than the resolution already offered, I’d be glad to look into your case to see what other options may be available. Please know I have sent you a private message to collect further information from you. You may view this by logging into the forum and clicking on the envelope in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
Respectfully,
Alex|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

NEVER GET YOUR CELL SERVICE FROM BEST BUY

Never again will I get my cell service through Best Buy, here's why.
In Nov of 2012 I decided to change my cell service to AT&T. I went to the ATT store and to Best Buy in South Nashua, NH to investigate the price plans and cost of the phone. I was going to buy a Samsung Galaxy S3, (top phone at the time) everthing was exactly the same at the two stores except for one thing, the insurance. The insurance from BB had unlimited claims, a lower price and no deductible. The sales agent from BB noted the process worked as follows "You bring your phone in, we ship it out to be fixed and give you a loaner phone. The loaner phone will not necessarily be a S3 but one that is equal to it." This is what other friends of mine had told me too, and that was the reason I went to check out Best Buy. Since everything was equal I decided to go with Best Buy ONLY BECAUSE OF THE INSURANCE OFFERED.
Now, March of 2014 I have a problem with my phone and it needs to go in for repair. I'm still under contract with Best Buy. I wait in line for at least an hour (did you know that you need to call ahead to make an appointment? I do now.), I tell the customer service guy my problem and he prepares the phone to be shipped out. Then he brings out the loaner. It's a Pantech P7040, a ghetto version of a black berry from 5 years ago. Not an Android phone, not a smart phone, not anywhere even close to what my Galaxy S3 is. I made note of this fact to the gentleman and he said it was the best they had for loaners. I then informed him that I USE my phone for work. Numerous apps in there that I really use EVERY day at work. I travel and my phone's apps are super important. We had some discussion about this situation that I would now be in and how the salesman informed me that I would be given a comparable loaner if I ever need to bring my phone in when they were selling me the service plan. This guy told me they used to do that but don't do that any more. I said that this does not weigh very favorably with my choices of whom to use to when renewing my contract. He told me that he didn't care. It's not his rules.
I realize that you don't make the rules you only follow them but still, the salesman told me (and apparently many other people are complaining about this at BB) that I would get a "comparable loaner" to my phone. The customer service guy said that they stopped that policy back in November or December of last year. I told him that I realize policies change to maintain efficiency but I bought a specific service and they need to honor what they sold me. You can't sell a service and then not give the customer what you sold them because you no longer like that policy, you can change the policy with the new contracts you sell if you want. He told me "If you read the entire contract, it doesn't say it anywhere in there that they will give you a loaner phone." Ya that's fine, but the salesman told me they would, that's an oral contract and is binding in a court of law. He then told me that they didn't have to give me a phone at all. (That didn't help this situation) I then informed him that if I had come in here and was told that I would not have a phone for a week "I would #$@% explode!", "Considering the fact that I was told I would get a comparable loaner, and then told that I wouldn't get any". I also asked that since I was traveling when my phone broke, could I call ahead to the store to have them order a replacement that I can pick up when I come home. "No, we have to see the phone first and send it out."
My repaired phone or possibly a replacement might be available by Wednesday. However, I leave for work again on Tuesday so I'm without my smartphone and stuck with this ghetto junker for over a week until I get back. This is not the service that I was sold and this is not the service that I was expecting. This wasn't one rogue salesman lying to customers to get sales, it was the company's policy to inform customers that they would get a comparable loaner phone. BB is liable to honor their oral contract with their customers. I would like my money back for the the service contract. I will NOT be back to BB to renew my cellular service. My intentions are to inform others that Best Buy salesmen will tell you what you want to hear in order to make a sale.

Hello,
I was quite disheartened to read about your experience in seeking repairs for your Galaxy S3. It sounds like your visit was less than ideal with the long wait and a store representative who was less than sympathetic. We strive to provide superior service and I very much regret that we didn't live up to that goa, or to your expectations of us.
The loaner cell phone program and Geek Squad Protection (GSP) are separate things. Any of our customers were permitted to take advantage of a loaner phone if they needed one even if they did not purchase GSP. While some stores still have phones that can be provided as loaners, you were informed correctly that the program was discontinued last year. If you wish, you may obtain a prorated refund for GSP by visiting a Best Buy store with your original GSP purchase receipt.
I'm disappointed to read that this experience may influence your future shopping destination. It is my hope that you will one day give Best Buy another chance to win you over. Please know that I'm grateful that you wrote to us about this.
Sincerely,
John|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

What does it take to get Best Buy to do the right thing?

I brought my laptop in with a hard drive that was beginning to show problems and asked that they transfer all of the media onto a new drive and install it. I further asked that they not install any new software only keep the original software that was on the laptop. This was noted on the receipt. But because the employee charged me $200 for a years technical service including additional virus protection that he wrote on the receipt that I asked not to include. He now says I did not ask for the correct service. Do you think he sold me the wrong one? One that can't be refunded and gets him a kick back? Do you think just maybe he was expecting me to roll over and pay the additional fee to then transfer the data when I picked up the laptop?
I have already contacted two customer service representatives from corporate that have promised same day return phone calls. I have not heard back from either! Tomorrow I forward all information that I have on this case to the news and to the State Attourney's office. It is my belief at this point that Best Buy has no intention of providing customer service only in delaying, frustrating and hopefully causing those they can to give up. I will not give up, you have my computer, my hard drive, my USB back up, my software, my money and continue to deplete my valuable time. Having been a formerly good customer and owning a business that recommends technology to senior citizens it will be my pleasure to post the poor performance of the technical service, customer service and corporate response to local issues in Melbourne Florida.

Greetings TecntEz,
Parting with a computer for any length of time can be difficult, so I can imagine how frustrated you must feel. I'd be disappointed too if I found myself in a similar situation, especially if there was any confusion regarding what fees might be applicable.
Under normal circumstances, customers who request in-store hardware installation, operating system installation, and data transfer services will be quoted separate prices for each of these stand-alone services. Based on what you mentioned though, it sounds as though the staff at our Melbourne store offered to perform all three services under a new Geek Squad Tech Support (GSTS) membership as a courtesy instead -- a significant savings over purchasing them separately. GSTS plans also do not typically include data transfer or backup, and customers must pay an additional fee for these services.
That being said, I was able to locate your work order using the e-mail address you used to reigster for the forum and can confirm that instructions were left for technicians to not install the antivirus program provided with your GSTS membership. Jessica, the rep you spoke with earlier today, has reached out to the store's management team on your behalf to confirm what work was done on your computer, as well as to obtain clarification on the fees you paid earlier this week. While we cannot guarantee an immediate response, rest assured that either Jessica or I will be in touch with you as soon as additional information is available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, as well as for taking the time to post.
Aaron|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

Best Buy sold me two Lenovo notebooks without left speakers!

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for