I bought a 19" Westinghouse TV from this store on 12/10/05. Purchased the service plan, because the salesclerks always say "even if it's still under manufacturer's warranty, you don't have to deal with them, bring it in and we'll take care of it." "If we can't fix it, we'll replace it right away."
The TV died 9/16/06. I took it to the store, they agreed it was an electrical problem and would send it out for service. Estimated completion date of 10/11/06. I got a call on 9/19 from the Seattle Service Center telling me my TV was ready and being sent back to the store for pickup. I complimented them on how quickly the repair was done, but the tech stopped me and said, "it won't work until you get the parts."
Also, it was up to ME to call and order the parts, not the service department that had my TV. I spent 45 minutes trying to explain what I needed to BestBuy parts service. They thought it strange that the customer was making the call. I was told I'd receive the parts in 8-10 days (a power cord and adapter).
I went into the store to pickup the TV. The clerk started giving me instructions on how to order the parts, and I told him I'd already done it, but it should have been done by their service department.
9/24 I received an email that the parts were backordered and estimated to ship on 9/30. On 10/5, another e-mail... Still backordered and estimated to ship 10/13 and 10/30. I called the store and was referred to 1-888-BESTBUY Consumer Relations.
Customer care (that's an oxymoron) told me they couldn't help a delay in parts, but that if it was delayed again, I should call back.
You guessed it! 10/11 brings another e-mail, parts delayed. Estimated ship date is 11/12/06. I called Customer Care again. The same rep pulled up my case number, agreed this delay was excessive, and put me on hold while she called the local store. When she came back to me, she told me to go into the store and ask to speak to Rick (Gen Mgr) or the Floor Mgr for TVs, and they'd take care of me. She told me to take the TV with me, as they'd want it back.
20 minutes later I went into the store, TV in hand, told Rick who I was and he handed my paperwork off to an assistant to "check this out." I stood at the counter for 45 minutes while she tried to get an authorization number to exchange the TV. She was still on the phone when I took the TV and left the store.
My husband called Customer Care, then the store. Rick, the Gen Mgr, said there was nothing he could do except try to expedite the parts. There is NO limit on how long you have to wait for them. He'd never heard of a customer having to order their own parts, yet, his store clerk was going to have me do just that, until I told him I'd already done so.
This morning I got another e-mail. One of the parts has shipped! I'm guessing we got bumped to the top of the list, so some other poor soul will probably miss the SuperBowl if they're waiting for BestBuy to take care of them.
BestBuy has jacked me around for the last time. NO ONE has explained why I was told to go into the store yesterday. I thought they were expecting me and I just had to pop in, exchange the TV, and be on my way. I've wasted hours on the phone, trips to the store, and yesterday was the topper.
They can sell you a defective product, and a service plan to "take the worry out of your purchase", and you can kiss their * if you have a problem.
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