The Ulitimate Best Buy Extended Warranty Nightmare

DEredita

Senior member
Dec 24, 2004
349
0
76
The Ulitimate Best Buy Extended Warranty Nightmare (videos and pics attached )
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=393838
Saw this posted on another forum:


Chronological Sequence of Events. 61" samsung DLP.



November, 2005 , bought HLR6168 61" DLP and 5 yr PSP from Whitby, ON Best Buy store.

November, 2006 : Bulb Exploded with 1400 hrs usage , Samsung sends
Service rep and replaces lamp. Task is completed within 10 minutes. Excellent service under Samsung factory warranty.

December 6th, 2006 : Light Engine Failure, Samsung Factory Warranty Expired, PSP kicks in.

see Left Shadow jpeg:

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o122/mech_eng9t7/

December 7th: Best Buy Extended Warranty dispatches discount repair service. XXXXX Ltd sends Dodge Caravan to transport DLP unit to service facility. XXXXX places DLP face-down. Both XXXXX and BB Customer Service insist that TV must be taken in for diagnostics despite my protest that this type of service can be performed in home

December 8th: Contact Mr. Troy at Samsung Tech support and he confirms that service does not require diagnostics and can be performed in house. States that service people are totally incompetent for transporting DLP face down in minivan. It can result in damage to screen and projection optics. Told me to contact BB Corporate Office to ensure that such methods are not repeated.

Spoke to Mr. Steve, BB Customer Service supervisor and informed him of the mis-handling of my DLP. Tried to educate him on the detrimental effects of face down transport . Admits he lacks technical background on HDTV?s but assures me that XXXXX is fully qualified. Refuses to take further action despite my concerns and the potential damage that Samsung mentioned. As a result, I insisted that he enters my warnings in the log file of my claim and BB?s subsequent refusal to take corrective action.

December 11th: Spoke to the night sales manager Mr. Don Pameli and informed him of XXXXX's methods. Explained to him the consequences of transporting a DLP face down and the incompetence of XXXXX Ltd... Told me to wait and see what happens. Upon my insistence he did agree to call XXXXX on Dec. 13th ( he had the 12th off ) to convey my concerns and to ensure any negative effects of improper handling are rectified. He NEVER called XXXXX or myself.

December 21st 2006: After all my efforts are in vain, TV returned via mini-van with damage.

See Blemish Video and Blemish Jpeg

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o122/mech_eng9t7/

December 22nd 2006: Contact BB Customer Service and inform them that their failure to address my concerns has ruined my DLP unit. No apology, they just said XXXXX will come and take away my TV again for another 2 weeks. I insist they use someone else that doesn?t use a mini-van. Reply, IT MUST BE XXXXX !!!!!!!!!!

IMPORTANT NOTE: the previous lamp replacement and the current blemishes
don't count in Best Buys Lemon Warranty Policy. So all this BS counts as a single claim ( 4 claims needed for free product replacement )


Jan. 3rd, 2007: Visit the store where purchase was made and finally speak with the general manager Param Singh. Present him with the first 2 pages of this report. Informs me that everything I have experienced over the past several weeks with my DLP unit is totally unacceptable. Assures me that I will receive a replacement or at the very minimum,
competent service and will contact me within 24 to 48 hrs.

Jan.5th, 2007: After waiting 48 hrs without any word, I visit the store once again. Ask the clerk at the service desk to get the store manager. The clerk calls GM on his private line. Before emerging from the safety of his office, the clerk is directed by the GM on the phone to ask my name and reason for my visit. I provide my name and reply that my visit is regarding a 61 inch HDTV. As soon as the GM hears this, he immediately dispatches Don Pameli to speak with me, the very same person who promised to contact XXXXX on my behalf to ensure any negative effects of improper handling were corrected. But Don never called XXXXXX or myself.

Mr. Pameli comes down and immediately informs me that my problem is no longer the stores responsibility. Then he has the nerve to lie directly in my face. Claims he tried to contact me after our original conversation, but he said I had no voice mail service. However, he is unaware that both my home and office have voice mail and call display. There is no record of his call on either system!!! As for the GM, what a despicable and cowardly course of action. Hiding in his office and forcing his subordinate to break pledged he made with me.

Before leaving the store, I ask at least 6 BB employees for contact information of regional or district manager. Every reply is "call 1-866-best-buy"

I realize now I won't be able to resolve this through Best Buy Canada.


Jan 11th 2007: I write a detailed letter to BB CEO Brad Anderson and c.c 20 of his big wigs in the USA. ( See Below for copy of Letter )


Jan 12th, 2007: I guess someone in the U.S. actually read my mail because I got this reply:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Re: Insignificant Canadian BestBuy Customer Pleading For Intervention

Dear <esoxlee>

Thank you for taking the time to document your concerns with the recent
repair of your television.

Please be advised that I am currently investigating this issue for you
and will have an update for you on Tuesday as I am out of the office on
Monday. Your case is priority for me, thank you for your patients.

Sincerely,

Sheryl Ross
Senior Customer Support Consultant
Best Buy Canada CHQ
604-XXX-XXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jan 14th, 2007: TV IS TOTALLY SCREWED !!!! Every 2 to 3 hrs TV flashes, freezes and eventually only small parts of the screen is visible

See "New Problem Video"

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o...nt=WTF_DLP.flv

Jan 15th, 2007: Another problem with TV. Entire screen freezes, turns Black and White, and then powers off by itself. Sorry no video. Whole thing happens in 3 seconds, can't react fast enough.

My greatest fear now is that the pricks at Best Buy will think I'm deliberately causing damage to the TV.
 

DEredita

Senior member
Dec 24, 2004
349
0
76
oh wow - he's on this forum, yet the post I found of his was posted on another lol
 

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
If he would have purchased it with his AMEX they would have simply taken the TV and given him a full refund.
 

PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,714
164
106
I worked at a Best Buy in High School many moons ago and would never buy the extended warranty plan. The goons they have doing warranty service are sub par at best. Sure, they might have a bright spot now and again...but it really is a tremendous disaster.
 

dirtylimey

Senior member
Nov 22, 2006
296
0
0
I bought my Toshiba 50" DLP from BB, with extended warranty. I guess it was worth it since it pretty much covers the cost of one replacement bulb. Just hope I dont have to go through crap like this if I ever have any problems.

Oh and the guys at the BB i was at couldnt stress enough to me how important it was to keep the unit upright and not lay it down flat when transporting it home.

I would also mention that this is a very similar story to a couple of other people I know that own Samsung DLPs...
 

thraashman

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
11,072
1,476
126
I don't think I'd ever buy a Best Buy PSP after I worked there for over a year. A PRP however is something that is almost necessary on some things. I won't buy a game system without a PRP if I get one early because of the extraordinarily high failure rate of game systems. Also iPods had a huge failure rate when I sold them, this was during the mini generation though, the nano's seem to have less trouble.
 

anxi80

Lifer
Jul 7, 2002
12,295
2
0
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
If he would have purchased it with his AMEX they would have simply taken the TV and given him a full refund.
exactly. a big purchase like that is going on my amex and if theres an issue ill sic the junkyard dog on it.
 

Antisocial Virge

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 1999
6,578
0
0
Thats why I didn't buy my TV from BB. Circuit City around here has IN-HOUSE techs. They show up wearing Circuit City shirts and they know what they are doing. Even gave me his nextel # so I could call him direct. I heard stories about BB subbing out the repair work to the lowest bidder before and then saying the problems that come with it have nothing to do with them. Yea right.