These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Best Buy???

Do you shop at Best Buy? I do/have. I may be rethinking that practice. I just got the following in an email, and I thought it is something everyone should know. I'm emailing it to non-blog friends, too. This is stunning!

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After reading this and looking up all the info, I will now read selling disclosures a little closer

BEST BUY, MY FOOT


Best Buy has some bad policies....

Normally, I would not share this with others, however, since this could happen to you or your friends , I decided to share it. If you purchase something from, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, JC Penny, Sears etc. and you return the item with the receipt they will give you your money back if you paid cash, or credit your account if paid by plastic.

Well, I purchased a GPS for my car, a Tom Tom XL.S from 'Best Buy'. They have a policy that it must be returned within 14 days for a refund!

So after 4 days I returned it in the original box with all the items in the box, with paper work and cords all wrapped in the plastic. Just as I received it, including the receipt.

I explained to the lady at the return desk I did not like the way it could not find store names. The lady at the refund desk said, there is a 15% restoc k fee, for items returned. I said no one told me that. I said how much would that be. She said it goes by the price of the item. It will be $45.00 Dollars for you. I said, all your going to do is walk over and place it back on the shelf then charge me $45.00 of my money for restocking? She said that's the store policy. I said if more people were aware of it they would not buy anything here! If I bought a $2000.00 computer or TV and returned it I would be charged $300.00 dollars restock fee? She said yes, 15%.

I said OK, just give me my money minus the restock fee.

She said, since the item is over $200.00 dollars, she can't give me my money back!!!

Corporate has to and they will mail you a check in 7 to ten days.!! I said 'WHAT?!'

It's my money!! I paid in cash! I want to buy a different brand..Now I have to wait 7 to 10 days. She said well, our policy is on the back of your receipt.

I said, do you read the front or back of your receipt? She s aid well, the front! I said so do I, I want to talk to the Manager!.

So the manager comes over, I explained everything to him, and he said, well, sir they should of told you about the policy when you got the item. I said, No one, has ever told me about the check refund or restock fee, whenever I bought items from computers to TVs from Best Buy. The only thing they ever discussed was the worthless extended warranty program. He said Well, I can give you corporate phone number.

I called corporate. The guy said, well, I'm not supposed to do this but I can give you a 45.00 dollar gift card and you can use it at Best Buy. I told him if I bought something and returned it, you would charge me a restock fee on the item and then send me a check for the remaining 3 dollars. You can keep your gift card, I'm never shopping in Best Buy ever again, and if I would of been smart, I would of charged the whole thing on my credit card! Then I would of canceled the transaction.

I would of gotten all my money back including your stupid fees! He didn't say a word!

I informed him that I was going to e-mail my friends and give them a heads up on this stores policy, as they don't tell you about all the little caveats.

So please pass this on. It may save your friends from having a bad experience of shopping at Best Buy


17 comments:

  1. I have never shopped at Best Buy, and if this is true I don't plan on it. How rude!!!!

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  2. Hmm . . .we shop at Best Buy a lot. Well, I should say we did, but now we have no money . . .

    This is disturbing and I agree, that it makes little sense except to suck more money out of unsuspecting people.

    Thanks for sharing it.

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  3. Ewww...thanks for that heads up. I'm not a fan of Best Buy at all...I have purchased a few things there because they were cheaper but oh my they are like hounds when they "have you". I took out a Best Buy card to buy oldest son's laptop -- fine. But now HSBC which is their parent finance company calls me repeatedly to offer me this, that and the other thing. I finally took on a very condescending/sarcastic tone with the last call and told them in no uncertain terms to take my name OFF the list and I've cut up the credit card...talk about a pain in the ^&*

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  4. I have heard of that restocking fee at Best Buy. What a crock of crap!!!!

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  5. WOW, that's not cool!! We usually buy our big ticket items (tv's, printers, monitors, etc.) from Best Buy. Fortunately, we've never had to return anything. But being the "gadget" person that Mister M. is, I'm gonna have to share this with him, as well as other friends.

    Thanks so much for the heads up.

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  6. Cheryl, not exactly "customer friendly," is it?

    Beans, it's a ridiculous standard! If I'd known this, I wouldn't have bought some of the things I did! I've been lucky.

    Sherry, I've liked BB, because their floor staff seem to be pretty knowledgeable, but I'd think twice about buying a high dollar item there now. Thank goodness I didn't get on their harassment list, er, contact list.

    Daisy, you heard and didn't tell me? Gee thanks! :D Seriously, yes it IS a load of crap.

    Dawn, me, too. Most of my larger items have been purchased there, and I guess, like you, I just been lucky. You're welcome!

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  7. Though there are few reasonable alternatives for certain electronic products (I'm not a Circuit City fan either and don't get me started on ABC Warehouse), I'm not a Best Buy fan either.

    What bugged me about them is that at one time when you paid by credit card, they would ask you if you wanted a free magazine for a certain period of weeks. What they DIDN'T tell you is that your credit card number would be given to the magazine publisher and you would be billed for a subscription once the free-magazine period expired. I just think practices like that are underhanded.

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  8. I ask when I purchase big items or electronics or I look for signs stating the restocking fee. I try and avoid them.

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  9. Big Dave, yes, do you feel as if we are really over the barrel in, not just this, but many shopping possibilities. I surely do.

    Several years ago I began declining almost all "free gifts" for reasons like that. Yeah, "underhanded" is a nice way to put it.

    Manblogger, I never thought of it because the only time I've had to pay a "restocking" fee, it was $2 or $3. I'll certainly be on the alert now!

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  10. I appreciate this post and reposted it myself. Thank you.

    Reach

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  11. I appreciate this post and reposted it myself- thank you.

    Reach

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  12. WOW. Thank you for sharing!! I'm reading this one to hubby later!! Like, when he wakes up!

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  13. Reach, good and you're welcome!

    BTW, I have some hearing loss, and I sometimes have to ask for things to be repeated, but that doesn't translate into having to have written words repeated. Just FYI. LOL!! I couldn't resist that!

    Catherine, good, and he'll probably appreciate it more if you wait till he wakes!! :D

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  14. Thanks for this warning. The store always gave me the creeps, and the only reason I was in there was because somebody at work gave The Child a gift certificate from there.

    I'll steer clear from now on!

    Hugs,
    Betty

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  15. Betty, I actually like the stores, for the most part, but this makes me very wary about buying anything with a significant price tag!

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  16. my dad had a really bad experience at Best Buy back in the 1990's. he didn't shop there for years but finally went back. i think that is why they can get away with it! BB doesn't have enough competition.

    i once had a bad experience with Kmart. i had a gift certificate and i had to use it for the exact amount or more. so i couldn't buy $10 worth of stuff one day and come back to buy another $10 worth of stuff. this was a long time ago. the policy has changed but i still think of it everytime i go to Kmart.

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  17. M, I agree there isn't enough competition, and that applies to many kinds of businesses. You either get it or you don't!

    As for gift cards, there were lots of warnings on them around Christmas time. Geez, to get what I represented, you have to be a big time contract reader!!

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!