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[Best Buy] Guy buys $1200 Brick taped to wood.....

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Uprising, Dec 8, 2004.

  1. Uprising

    Uprising Member

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    Check out what Best Buy did to this guy! :eek:
    Details:
    On August 4th, after a haircut, at about 7:15 I went to the Best Buy store in the city of West Covina, CA—in the Lakes Avenue--mainly to buy a Wireless PrinterServer. After picking up the Wireless PrintServer, my interest in purchasing a big flat screen monitor awakened.
    I had seen the 21.3" LCD Samsung monitor previously and had always got my attention. Before I couldn't buy it because it was a big spending… so after working hard and staying up long nights I felt safe to finally buy it. I talked briefly to one of the sales representatives and decided to take the monitor. I was eventually asked if I needed to buy it with cash or credit card. Given that I am one of those who get point on credit cards for each dollar spent; I decided to pay with my credit card. The cashier by the laptop section apparently doesn't take credit cards, so I was redirected to another cashier. I was also offered to buy a three year warranty once I was in the line. I didn't take the warranty because that would be about $250.00 more. All this time I was carrying the box of the monitor. When I was up next to the line, I asked the cashier to put each item my reward zones membership.

    She first scanned in the PrintServer, and then she scanned in the monitor. To scan the monitor, she "pulled" it towards the scanner. This transaction was completed at 7:49pm as noted in the receipt.

    I got home at about 8:10pm…and decided to open the box and install the monitor. I was very anxious see what had cost me so much money. When I opened the box up, to my surprise, I found that the box contained instead of containing the expensive 21.3" flat monitor, it contained a brick taped to a piece of wood. (see picture: http://www.eguate.com/misc/Monitor2.jpg) I was of course shocked and immediately started to panic; thus, I put the item back into the box. I went back to Best Buy as fast as I could and got there at about 8:30 and told the person at the entrance of what had happened. At this point, Best Buy also looked confused. I asked some of Best Buy's employees who were around if this had happened before; some of them confirmed that they had seen it happened before—with VCRs.

    For the next 30 minutes or so, Best Buy store manager was eventually deciding what they would do. During this time I was left standing at the entrance with the brick taped to the wood. Best Buy would open the box and eventually took the item out…and then force it back in the box to the point that the box eventually got damaged (see picture: http://www.eguate.com/misc/Monitor1.jpg). There were at least six staff member that were examining the box. Best Buy said that it would go down to the cashier because she was the only person that lifted the box, aside from me. So the worst thing happened at this point—the cashier claimed that the box she had lifted was heavier than that one I had brought back!!! This was such a humiliation. The store accussed me of having replaced the content of the box. Moreover, this was a box that she didn't even lifted and that she only pulled towards herself with ONE HAND to scan. Eventually Best Buy took the cashier's words and then decided that I must have replaced the real monitor with the brick taped to the wood. At the end, Best Buy decided not to take the monitor back.

    By this time, I was alaredy stressed for the mal-theratment I was getting. I was being accused of having replaced the content of the box.
    Best Buy DOES NOT CARE IF ONE IS A FREQUENT CLIENT. Best Buy for example didn't take into consideration my history as a customer for them. I had bought so many items at this store—each year. I have bought several laptops, even bought a washer and countless electronics and software. I am a software developer—computer hardware and software is something that it is a necessity for me. FURTHERMORE, I spent so much money at Best Buy that I decided it was worth buying membership in their reward zone. But, to Best Buy--all these meant nothing…and they instead went with what the cashier told them—that the box she ‘lifted' was heavier that the one I was returning.

    The store manager gave me the number of the corporate office and said to call them the following day (Thursday). That night, I came back home—so humiliated.

    The following day I called the corporate office and talked with Leanda, the consumer relation. At least it didn't take her almost an hour, as they did in the store, that Best Buy couldn't take the merchandise back. She told me that it was not their problem and that I had to call Samsung for shipping me a defective item. Keep in mind, I bought the monitor in Best Buy and not from Samsung. Eventually event if Best Buy was the direct sales for Samsung, Best Buy didn't want to do anything to help. So, here I am stuck with a $1,244.86 piece of brick taped to a wood.


    http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=319494&page=1&pp=30

    THis is nuts if true.
     
    #1 Uprising, Dec 8, 2004
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2004
  2. Coach AI

    Coach AI Member

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    If true;

    Wow, that really sucks. Particularly since if that happened it would be some employee robbing the place blind.

    By the same token, I can see the company's uncertainty. It's almost too rediculous to be believed, but, at the same time, it's entirely possible someone would try such a stunt to con the place out of merchandise.

    A lose-lose situation. In the end, if the guy had a long buying history from the store, that would have been enough for me. Much less likely a regular customer - who had spent a lot in the store in the past - would pull such a stunt as compared to a guy who walked in there for the first time.
     
  3. rockHEAD

    rockHEAD Member

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    That sucks. Call the State Attorney General. Then stop shopping at Best Buy.

    Read more Best Buy horror stories here.
     
  4. Uprising

    Uprising Member

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    when I read the story, first thing that came to my mind was an employee replaced the monitor with the brick and wood some where down the line. Then the it stocked in that BB for a consumer to buy with out the knowledge of its contents, since the box was there the product was tallied on the inventory etc.
     
  5. hoang17

    hoang17 Member

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    man...that really does suck.

    This almost has to be an inside job because returns by customers are for sure opened up and checked.
     
  6. Houstonrocketss

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    CALL YOUR cc IN STOLEN
    screw best buy and deny the charge.
     
  7. nyquil82

    nyquil82 Member

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    Best buy has always been an interesting company to me because of their long term salesmodel. Those who've done some Business School courses may know of the Home Depot syndrome. When Home Depot started out, they were great, had excellent customer service, the best prices, very knowledgeable salespeople, etc. etc. During those first few years of business, they were losing money, but they were knocking out their competition.

    Similar to other scams, this is known as the "Bait-n-kill". After dominating their market and knocking out all business while establishing a consumer awareness for quality, they let all hell break loose. Jack up prices, fire salespeople and hire those that are less knowledgable, more pushy, and paid less (former experienced salespeople were paid more). This is where they make the most money, all the people that went to home depot when it was a great place keep coming back, meanwhile, they are paying more, getting worse goods, and getting worse service. However, Home Depot is really cashing in, these people have nowhere else to go (until the next big store pops up, like Lowes).

    Circuit city and CompUSA did the same thing, and when Best buy started off with their great service and good prices, I only knew it was a matter of time before they would start screwing the customer (now where is that idea box....?) In Cali, stores like Fry's are kicking Best Buy's butt, and they are doing the same thing, knowledgeable staff and low prices. The moral of the story is, take advantage of the new stores and know when to leave the big ones when they start deciding to cash in at the consumer's expense.
     
  8. Kilgore Trout

    Kilgore Trout Member

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    Ouch that really sucks.

    Lesson from this...use a credit card for buying anything remotely expensive so the credit card company can deal with these kind of problems.
     
  9. surrender

    surrender Member

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    This has never happened to me, but I ALWAYS open all of my major purchases at Best Buy or other stores in front of security.
     
  10. DrLudicrous

    DrLudicrous Member

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    Best Buy sold me an empty CD once. I dind't open it until after they had closed that night and didn't have time to go the next day to return it so I went the morning after that. The lady there told me I didn't have any proof that it was empty when I got it and I must be lying since I waited so long to bring it back. Which really doesn't make any sense because I could have just bought it dropped the CD off in my car and walked back in a minute later if I was trying to rip them off. I talked to a manager who basically said the same thing and told me to call their customer support number. After talking to the lady on the phone she sent me a gift card for the price of the cd, so I ended up getting my money back. But it's pretty bad practice to call your customers theives and liars and I won't be shopping at Best Buy any more after that.
     
  11. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    I have not shopped at best buy in over 5 years. I absolutely hate the way they treat their customers. I have read so many horrible stories over the years that I cannot believe that so many lazy people continue to shop their and risk getting screwed. You can get all that stuff cheaper online anyhow - even with shipping.

    If I was this guy, I would call the BBB, my representative's office, and the police. Under no circumstances can Best Buy do this. All states have a "refund law" of sorts that says all damaged/broken merchandise must be returnable to the store.

    I guess if you shop at best buy you need to open your merchandise at the store before purchase, take a digital picture of it, and then go home.

    Even then, I don't know how you could prove to BB that you did not break it.

    F*** Best Buy.
     
  12. Oski2005

    Oski2005 Member

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    Man, I've been shopping there forever and I've never had a problem. I guess I've never bought a big ticket item there.
     
  13. ArtV

    ArtV Member

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    Thanks for the tip - open the item before leaving the store.
     
  14. VesceySux

    VesceySux World Champion Lurker
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    American Express is your friend:



    Don't leave home without it.
     
  15. ROCKSS

    ROCKSS Member
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    Pathetic. As a repeat customer the CS Mgr should have made this right, no questions asked. A large part of my job is fixing problems and sometimes you have to bite the bullet to make things right to ensure you keep your better customers happy. Since Uprising was a valid repeat customer and was enrolled in their Reward Zone program the CS Mgr should have called the store and had them get another monitor ready and then apolagized for the inconvience. Bad Customer Svc should not be tolerated for any reason
     
  16. Uprising

    Uprising Member

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    heh....it wasn't me, I added the link at the bottom.....but I guess I should have said so at the begining to clear that up.
     
  17. SamCassell

    SamCassell Member

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    There's something fishy about the story, honestly. The weight distribution of a "brick taped to a block of wood" would be different from a monitor, I think, and the packaging as shown would leave the box feeling hollow. And why would an employee, who could just steal the monitor and box together with less thought of employee theft, risk the transfer of the monitor/brick and the certainty of a customer returning the item?

    I can see why management was suspicious.
     
  18. Uprising

    Uprising Member

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    well, they keep track of every box don't they? So somewhere down the line (in the samsung box's life), the insides was switched.

    I gues would be, if true, some employee could have done this. It would have been reported as missing, perhaps, if he just took the box and such. This way it traveled all the way to the Best Buy with out a hint it was missing (the LCD) .
     
  19. rrj_gamz

    rrj_gamz Member

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    This is best buy's responsibility, period...I freakin' hate best buy not only for this, but my personal experience trying to return things that were never even opened...
     
  20. Rocketman95

    Rocketman95 Hangout Boy

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    I think this guy made the whole thing up and he's just using a website to get sympathy for his lie.

    Suckers.
     

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