ILLINOIS MICRO CENTER: Motherboard scams Again!

al_khud

Junior Member
May 1, 2011
3
0
0
A couple months ago a poster here shared his story with Westmont Illinois' Micro center breaking motherboards.


Heres what happend to me:

im really sorry to bring this forum post up, but this SAME EXACT thing happend to me about a week or so ago! AT WESTMONT IL

I bought a motherboard and used the pc for two days, i went to exchagne it as that one didnt have SLI compatibily (125 bucks and no sli?) so i did exchange it. The next motherboard from them, took it home, and realized the guy that was helping me had pushed me into paying more, through 120 bucks for a power supply that id need to handle it. Had to turn around and get a that powersupply. Both were gigabytes.

So after two days of playing with that computer and motherboard very succesfully, i took it out and went to return it. I asked for my money back as at that time, Frys across the street had the Asus brand which had a better bios, and was quite a bit cheaper.

So im there, returning my stuff. And they take the motherboard to the back. 10 minutes later "sorry broken pins". I asked the associate to show me where, in shock, as im INSANLEY careful with this stuff. After all, i had just exchanged my last motherboard for this one.

They bring out an insanley rude technician, and he points out a bent pin and says see, right there. I ask him how pins break, and he shows me sarcastically by violently putting the socket cover on, and ripping it off. I told him i had read a forums post about this same micro center being suspicious with broken pin accusations. He wouldnt make eye contact with me and shrugged me off rudley, and told the associate (very nice young guy) to get the manager. She comes out, states her name, pretty much yells at us. I was very polite, apologized for being a little of kilter and slightly upset. I explain to her that i did not break that one single pin, that im simply asking for my money back, and have had great experiences with their store.

That was the reason i was buying a second computer from them, one-thousand dollars, and five hundred earler the month prior. She said Sorry, we cant do anything about bent pins, gigabyte wont take it, we wont either. I said mam please work with me here, its two hundred dollars i need to replace, i wouldnt try to walk in here with broken pins knowing im going to have a headache.

I then pulled up this forum post, it was the SAME EXACT STORE after all, Westmont Il. She said ummm we dont go off forums posts. I said well this is a pretty good cooincidence, it the same store, and same issue.

she said it was rude i was accusing them of breaking the motherboard.
Why did the motherboard go into the back room??? Why cant they inspect it infront of me?

I thanked her and left the store, and have been without the money to get a new motherboard and use the computer since.

Really disheartening, and the worst part is, i JUST read the OP's post about getting a refund. Hes a lucky guy. I wish i could get some help here :(. what do i do?
 

dakotadp

Junior Member
Nov 17, 2006
9
0
61
For your first motherboard you sounded that you were surprised it wasn't SLI compatible. Do research on parts prior to buying. It will save you from having to return all of your purchases..
 

Skott

Diamond Member
Oct 4, 2005
5,730
1
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I'm reading this and something doesn't make sense to me. The OP returned the first mobo because he realizes it didn't have SLI. Okay, got that part although he should have known what model to get from the git go.

Its the next two parts that confuses me:

"I bought a motherboard and used the pc for two days, i went to exchagne it as that one didnt have SLI compatibily (125 bucks and no sli?) so i did exchange it. The next motherboard from them, took it home, and realized the guy that was helping me had pushed me into paying more, through 120 bucks for a power supply that id need to handle it. Had to turn around and get a that powersupply. Both were gigabytes."

Okay, you got convinced to buy something you didn't really need sounds like. Thats sales for you. Buyer beware. More the Ops fault than a store's fault IMO. Now its this next part that has me wondering...

"So after two days of playing with that computer and motherboard very succesfully, i took it out and went to return it. I asked for my money back as at that time, Frys across the street had the Asus brand which had a better bios, and was quite a bit cheaper."

So, if I read this right the OP takes the second mobo back? Why? Because he sees that a Frys across the street had a better mobo (in his mind) for sale at a cheaper price? Okay, so now he's mad because he once again wants to return something that was not broken (according to him) and MC says, 'Wait, we cant because this thing has a bent/broken CPU pin.'

Do I have this correct? I just want to make sure I understand this right before commenting.
 

Termie

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
7,949
48
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www.techbuyersguru.com
I realize the OP is frustrated, but honestly, this doesn't sound like a "scam" to me. Sounds like MicroCenter was legitimately worried about the condition of the board, so that they don't scam others with a busted board. Remember, when you return a product that is not defective, the store will need to resell it.

OP, I think you are taking too much advantage of the returns policy. I could see it with a hard drive or even a PSU, but with something like a motherboard, the store really has to be careful about damage, because it's extremely hard to test.
 

Gigantopithecus

Diamond Member
Dec 14, 2004
7,664
0
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OP is one reason why b & m retailers are more expensive than online retailers. Do yourself and the rest of us a favor and don't treat Microcenter like an equipment rental store.
 
Nov 26, 2005
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The ONLY chance you have is to prove that it worked or the pins weren't broke when you brought it in. That is going to be a problem because you would have to have something like a screen shot or complete picture of the machine working without any suspicious looking photo. Even then that would be hard cause you would have to have a closeup of the motherboard working, a visual OS desktop running that is connected to that machine, etc. all in one shot.. or better if you had a video to complete a thorough observation. Even then, that doesn't prove that you didn't bend or break a pin upon dis-assemble...

It would take something like that
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
10,202
126
Hmm. Why would the OP need to return TWO motherboards? And why is Microcenter taking back motherboards anyways? My receipts say that they will only exchange mobos and CPUs if defective, no returns on them.
 

Obsy

Senior member
Apr 28, 2009
389
0
0
Sucks for you, OP. About two and a half years ago, I bought a motherboard with a three-year, one-time replacement protection plan from Fry's. When it went on the fritz, I took it back, asking for a replacement, but they refused because there was a bent pin. It had been working for two years before, but they still wouldn't take it back. Thing is, it had gone through TWO different guys that tested my motherboard by plugging it into their test rig and trying out different CPUs and whatnot. Then, when it got to the third guy, he said "Hey, I found a bent pin. Sorry, we can't take it back."

Either the two guys before were blind, or they bent a pin. I didn't check the socket before giving it to them, though, so it could've been me that bent it. If you think they're out there to scam you by bending pins, I suggest holding the motherboard up to their face, and asking them if they see any bent pins, before handing it over to them. Get their word for it that there aren't any bent pins, then let them do their testing or whatever.
 

Obsy

Senior member
Apr 28, 2009
389
0
0
Hmm. Why would the OP need to return TWO motherboards? And why is Microcenter taking back motherboards anyways? My receipts say that they will only exchange mobos and CPUs if defective, no returns on them.
Yeah, this is what I thought, too. It's nice of them to consider taking his motherboards back even though it says right on the receipt that they'll only do exchanges once it's been opened.
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
2
81
Strange. My experience at the same store (Micro Center, Westmont, IL) was completely different. I exchanged my motherboard for an exact replacement. The guy examined the socket right in front of me at the service counter (he opened socket, took black cap off, held it up to the light). Then he packed it back up, put it on the table labeled RTV (Return To Vendor) that was right behind him and went into the back to get me a new motherboard. This was about a week and a half ago (I think Thursday 4/21).
 

Obsy

Senior member
Apr 28, 2009
389
0
0
Strange. My experience at the same store (Micro Center, Westmont, IL) was completely different. I exchanged my motherboard for an exact replacement. The guy examined the socket right in front of me at the service counter (he opened socket, took black cap off, held it up to the light). Then he packed it back up, put it on the table labeled RTV (Return To Vendor) that was right behind him and went into the back to get me a new motherboard. This was about a week and a half ago (I think Thursday 4/21).
They didn't run it through tests or anything? Never had to do an exchange with Micro Center, but they always POST motherboards at the Fry's I go to. It's understandable, but I hate it when I get someone that doesn't seem to know what they're doing. I had one that couldn't get an Intel CPU into the socket because he didn't know about lining up the notches.
 

BladeVenom

Lifer
Jun 2, 2005
13,365
16
0
I thanked her and left the store, and have been without the money to get a new motherboard and use the computer since.

Really disheartening, and the worst part is, i JUST read the OP's post about getting a refund. Hes a lucky guy. I wish i could get some help here :(. what do i do?

Straighten the bent pin, or see if it works as is.
 

compman25

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2006
3,767
2
81
So after two days of playing with that computer and motherboard very succesfully, i took it out and went to return it. I asked for my money back as at that time, Frys across the street had the Asus brand which had a better bios, and was quite a bit cheaper.

So im there, returning my stuff. And they take the motherboard to the back. 10 minutes later "sorry broken pins". I asked the associate to show me where, in shock, as im INSANLEY careful with this stuff. After all, i had just exchanged my last motherboard for this one.

So you say it did work when you got it, right? For 2 days, right? And then when you brought it to Micro Center the pin was bent? But it worked when you got it? And after you removed everything THEN the pin was bent? And how is this a scam on Micro Center's part? Seems the scam in Westmont is by you.
 

Obsy

Senior member
Apr 28, 2009
389
0
0
Straighten the bent pin, or see if it works as is.

I thought it worked. His reasoning for returning the 2nd board is:
Frys across the street had the Asus brand which had a better bios, and was quite a bit cheaper.

Though he does make it seem like its malfunctioning:
I thanked her and left the store, and have been without the money to get a new motherboard and use the computer since.
 

Diogenes2

Platinum Member
Jul 26, 2001
2,151
0
0
....
Really disheartening, and the worst part is, i JUST read the OP's post about getting a refund. Hes a lucky guy. I wish i could get some help here :(. what do i do?
The OP jumped through a lot of hoops, including contacting the corporate office.. Took several weeks..

Your mistake was letting them take the board out of sight while you still owned it...
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
2
81
They didn't run it through tests or anything? Never had to do an exchange with Micro Center, but they always POST motherboards at the Fry's I go to.

Nope, no tests. They check the socket to make sure you haven't abused it since bent pins are user error. Also, why would they try to POST test it if you are bringing it back for an exchange because it doesn't work?
 

Dangerer

Golden Member
Mar 15, 2005
1,128
0
0
I've shopped at the Westmont, IL MC several times and will continue to give them my repeat business. I'm glad they're sticking up for themselves and not accepting bent pin motherboard returns.
 

Eddie313

Senior member
Oct 15, 2006
634
0
71
So basically you keep buying things over and over without doing any kind of research and expect them to keep returning the parts. This is why Anandtech.com is here to help others and to guide people on there purchases of tech products.

In the future I would post here for help.
 

Obsy

Senior member
Apr 28, 2009
389
0
0
Nope, no tests. They check the socket to make sure you haven't abused it since bent pins are user error. Also, why would they try to POST test it if you are bringing it back for an exchange because it doesn't work?
What if it was the memory that didn't work? Etc.

I can't believe the guy you had just looked at it and RTV'ed it.
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
2
81
That's what happened. The guy probably saw my purchase history as soon as he scanned the receipt, so he would have seen a number of motherboards on there and known that this was my only return for exchange (other than the P67 recall).
 

Diogenes2

Platinum Member
Jul 26, 2001
2,151
0
0
What if it was the memory that didn't work? Etc.

I can't believe the guy you had just looked at it and RTV'ed it.

I have returned boards to MC where they did no more than open the box to see what was inside.

I suppose it depends on local policy ...