Anyone experience Microcenter return/refund policy?

[hx009]

I went to Microcenter today to buy a set of speakers and ended up impulse buying a 28" LCD to go with the speakers. Unfortunately, the thing has a BRIGHT green pixel stuck smack in the middle of the screen. If it was off to the side or not so intense I probably wouldn't mind... but even playing CoD it stood out the whole time. Also, I should've not made such a foolish impulse purchase. I got completely jacked on the price as it seems this monitor is pretty much $200 cheaper ANYWHERE.

Does anyone know if Microcenter will either 1) just let me return this (without the restocking fee) or 2) price match anyone else? I've read up on this monitor and it seems like it's almost impossible to get one of this model without stuck/dead pixels. Microcenter's website also avoids talking about pricematching which leads me to believe they don't do it. I also feel really stupid for overpaying so badly, so please save the "that'll teach you / hard lesson learned" comments. So am I destined to have overpaid for a monitor with an obnoxious stuck pixel?

 

[Kaervak]

They'll let you return it without a hassle. MicroCenter lets you return pretty much anything actually.

 

[hx009]

Originally posted by: Kaervak
They'll let you return it without a hassle. MicroCenter lets you return pretty much anything actually.

Wow you're from the area too so I assume you're referring to the Mayfield location. Have you actually returned stuff there and not been charged a restocking fee?

 

[Baked]

A 15% Open Box Fee will be charged on all returns and exchanges unless the product is defective and is exchanged for the identical product.

Your best bet is to call ahead and ask to talk to the store manager and see if you can return the product for a full refund using the stuck pixel as your leverage for getting a defective item. Price matching to a competitor after the sale is out of the question, no retailer does this.

 

[hx009]

Originally posted by: Baked
A 15% Open Box Fee will be charged on all returns and exchanges unless the product is defective and is exchanged for the identical product.

Your best bet is to call ahead and ask to talk to the store manager and see if you can return the product for a full refund using the stuck pixel as your leverage for getting a defective item. Price matching to a competitor after the sale is out of the question, no retailer does this.

Yeah the problem is what you just posted... "unless the product is defective and is exchanged for the identical product". I don't really want another one just because of how much they're overcharging. I have no idea why this model is marked up so much either; other make/model prices are pretty much inline with everyone else plus a somewhat retail markup.

 

[hx009]

Bump for morning crowd.

 

[rh71]

I've returned a couple things there that were perfectly fine (I just didn't want it anymore) and they gave me a full refund without any real hassle. They just ask you the customary "what's wrong with it" and "did not want" was perfectly acceptable. I'm sure you have a much better case since you've got a problem with it.

 

[Wheezer]

If you are able to get it that much cheaper somewhere else, your still might be better off to return it even of they charge the restocking fee.

If they decide to be a PITA and do the restocking fee BS you might be able to sweet talk the manger into converting that restocking fee into a store credit....I have seen it happen before.

the worst that can happen is that they say no...at which point you sternly inform them (when other customer are within earshot) that due to their inflexible policies you will no longer be a customer and you will be sure to inform everyone you know about their business practices.

 

[hx009]

Originally posted by: Wheezer
If you are able to get it that much cheaper somewhere else, your still might be better off to return it even of they charge the restocking fee.

I thought about this. The going price on the net seems to be ~$450 which is the only reason people seem to love it (not so much at what I paid).

Originally posted by: Wheezer
If they decide to be a PITA and do the restocking fee BS you might be able to sweet talk the manger into converting that restocking fee into a store credit....I have seen it happen before.

They probably would go for that... but all I need for that kind of coin is a monitor right now. The only other 28"+ monitor they have is a Viewsonic that looks horrible or other models that jump up to $1200(!).

 

[Gigantopithecus]

As an aside, I just ordered that monitor from Amazon for my parents. They love it. No dead/stuck pixels, nothing, just a sweet, inexpensive monitor!

 

[Kaervak]

Originally posted by: hx009

Originally posted by: Kaervak
They'll let you return it without a hassle. MicroCenter lets you return pretty much anything actually.

Wow you're from the area too so I assume you're referring to the Mayfield location. Have you actually returned stuff there and not been charged a restocking fee?

Yep, Mayfield Hts. location. I've returned a few things there before without a restocking fee, however it wasn't a large item like an LCD. If you do return it, repackage everything as close to out of the box as you can. If you mention to them the stuck pixel and the lower price as the reason for the return they might work with you. I don't recall if they do pricematching though.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I actually find Microcenter has pretty reasonable prices on their monitors.

edit - just comparison shopped, you did get jacked on the price. Note, I have price-matched at Microcenter with online stores.

A long time ago, I bought an Antec case there. I soon discovered that it was cheaper online. I went back to return it and they price matched it for me.

 

[hx009]

Well, I ended up going in this morning and explained the situation. They grabbed another one off the shelf, took it into the service area, and put red, green, and black backgrounds up and let me play with it before taking it home. I did get jacked on the price, but at least I got a no dead/stuck pixels replacement without a hassle. I consider the extra cost worth the service I got and will gladly shop there again.

 

[waffleironhead]

1)If you are within the day/next day of purchasing the thing and a pixel is stuck the thing is defective on arrival and should be exchanged easily. Its not a warranty issue, its a defect.
2) ITS YOUR OWN FAULT YOU OVERPAID! So dont be an asshole about that point when you go to exchange the defective unit.

Treat these two issues as separate instances and you should be fine.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: hx009
Well, I ended up going in this morning and explained the situation. They grabbed another one off the shelf, took it into the service area, and put red, green, and black backgrounds up and let me play with it before taking it home. I did get jacked on the price, but at least I got a no dead/stuck pixels replacement without a hassle. I consider the extra cost worth the service I got and will gladly shop there again.

Glad, they hooked you up with a new one that worked. Did you ask about price matching?

 

[hx009]

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
2) ITS YOUR OWN FAULT YOU OVERPAID! So dont be an asshole about that point when you go to exchange the defective unit.

Wow. Overract much? I didn't even mention the price the entire 45min I was there. Yeah.

 

[spacejamz]

Originally posted by: Baked
Price matching to a competitor after the sale is out of the question, no retailer does this.

from Best Buy:

Already bought? If an item you purchased at Best Buy is advertised at a lower price at another Best Buy store in your local area or on BestBuy.com, we'll refund you the price difference from our own sale price, or 110% of the difference from our competitor's sale price, up to 30 days after your purchase (14 days on select categories*, 60 days on HDTVs purchased from 7/27/08 through 10/04/08).

from Circuit City:

Find a lower advertised price from another local store with the same item in stock, and we'll gladly beat their price by 10% of the difference. Plus, if you see a lower advertised price within 30 days of your purchase with us, we'll refund 100% of the difference

from Fry's:

If within 30 days of purchasing an item from Fry's you see a lower in-stock price at a local competitor with a low price guarantee, Fry's will cheerfully refund 110% of the amount of the competitor's low price guarantee. Or, if within 30 days of purchase, a local Fry's, or a local competitor without a low price guarantee has a lower price, Fry's will refund 100% of the difference.

 

[hx009]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: hx009
Well, I ended up going in this morning and explained the situation. They grabbed another one off the shelf, took it into the service area, and put red, green, and black backgrounds up and let me play with it before taking it home. I did get jacked on the price, but at least I got a no dead/stuck pixels replacement without a hassle. I consider the extra cost worth the service I got and will gladly shop there again.

Glad, they hooked you up with a new one that worked. Did you ask about price matching?

Nope. Like I said I consider the extra cost the cost of having great customer service. Sure I could've gotten it cheaper online... however, if I wound up with another bad one I would've been without a monitor for a week or more due to shipping and could've ended up with another busted one as a replacement.

 

[hx009]

Originally posted by: spacejamz

Originally posted by: Baked
Price matching to a competitor after the sale is out of the question, no retailer does this.

from Best Buy:

Already bought? If an item you purchased at Best Buy is advertised at a lower price at another Best Buy store in your local area or on BestBuy.com, we'll refund you the price difference from our own sale price, or 110% of the difference from our competitor's sale price, up to 30 days after your purchase (14 days on select categories*, 60 days on HDTVs purchased from 7/27/08 through 10/04/08).

from Circuit City:

Find a lower advertised price from another local store with the same item in stock, and we'll gladly beat their price by 10% of the difference. Plus, if you see a lower advertised price within 30 days of your purchase with us, we'll refund 100% of the difference

from Fry's:

If within 30 days of purchasing an item from Fry's you see a lower in-stock price at a local competitor with a low price guarantee, Fry's will cheerfully refund 110% of the amount of the competitor's low price guarantee. Or, if within 30 days of purchase, a local Fry's, or a local competitor without a low price guarantee has a lower price, Fry's will refund 100% of the difference.

I thought I had heard of other retailers doing that.....

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: hx009

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: hx009
Well, I ended up going in this morning and explained the situation. They grabbed another one off the shelf, took it into the service area, and put red, green, and black backgrounds up and let me play with it before taking it home. I did get jacked on the price, but at least I got a no dead/stuck pixels replacement without a hassle. I consider the extra cost worth the service I got and will gladly shop there again.

Glad, they hooked you up with a new one that worked. Did you ask about price matching?

Nope. Like I said I consider the extra cost the cost of having great customer service. Sure I could've gotten it cheaper online... however, if I wound up with another bad one I would've been without a monitor for a week or more due to shipping and could've ended up with another busted one as a replacement.

What I mean is you should have asked them to price match newegg? I planned to return something to them b/c of a price cheaper online and they price matched them instead of accepting my return.

 

[heretic360]

Pardon me if I don't do this right, but this is my first post/reply on ANY site.

Bought a refurbished ThinkPad T410 today, and I wound up paying $50 more than expected (but it's an emergency). I haven't opened it: friend had too many warnings for me (lenovo malware crisis, losing Win7 if I install GNU/linux, etc.). I checked their return policy on line, but it stated NEW items could be returned by such and such a method, but no mention of refurbished items. I'm afraid to open the box, for fear there will be a $15 charge (something I found here - they never gave me anything about that, and I didn't find it on-line*). They say I need the packing slip, but no register receipt. Well, I got the receipt, but never saw a packing slip. Is it inside the box? [Shoulda ordered from that Canadian outfit.]

* blinding headaches using mouse

 

[DesiPower]

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Pardon me if I don't do this right, but this is my first post/reply on ANY site.

Bought a refurbished ThinkPad T410 today, and I wound up paying $50 more than expected (but it's an emergency). I haven't opened it: friend had too many warnings for me (lenovo malware crisis, losing Win7 if I install GNU/linux, etc.). I checked their return policy on line, but it stated NEW items could be returned by such and such a method, but no mention of refurbished items. I'm afraid to open the box, for fear there will be a $15 charge (something I found here - they never gave me anything about that, and I didn't find it on-line*). They say I need the packing slip, but no register receipt. Well, I got the receipt, but never saw a packing slip. Is it inside the box? [Shoulda ordered from that Canadian outfit.]

* blinding headaches using mouse

The T410 is old. That malware crap isn't relevant. You can reinstall Win7 with the key on the sticker. It's not a bad laptop, even if you did overpay $50.

Call the store, explain that you have the refurbished product and a register receipt, and ask if they'll accept the return.

 

[RossMAN]