My saga starts on Friday, February 9. I took a Gateway Media Center PC in for a hard drive replacement. I was previously advised that on a machine like that, the "regular" installation fee of $15.00 might not apply and that it could cost $40.00 to install. I brought the PC in, paid for the hard drive and $15 to install it.
About 30 minutes later, I received a call and was advised that their tech would have to install it and it would cost me $40. I would just need to pay the difference of $25. I had to purchase another part, so I went back and paid the additional $25. I was told that the computer should be ready Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, the 13th, I stopped in to check on it and they hadn't started working on it yet. I was then advised it would be done that afternoon or Wednesday morning. On Wednesday evening, I received a call from the technician. He stated that they finally found information on how to open the case and that they would have to charge me the hourly rate ($60) on top of what I'd already paid and that the job would probably take two hours.
The hard drive I purchased was $69 plus tax, so naturally, this was unacceptable and I advised the tech of that. I informed him that I expected a full refund. He said that would require a manager's approval. I advised him that since it was already late I would come in the next day to handle it.
Thursday, February 15th, I went in to the store and immediately asked to speak with a manager. I did not get his name, although I have seen him there many times. He offered to refund the $25 that I paid above the "regular" installation fee and to give me store credit on the hard drive. He would not refund the whole installation fee because he said they had put at least that much work in to it. Since when does a Google search count as "work"? I told him that this was unacceptable.
The hard drive had not been removed from their store at that time. I purchased the drive in good faith that they could install it for the price agreed upon. The manager accused me of trying to claim ignorance of the store policy. Up until this experience, I had purchased quite a few items from that store and I'm quite familiar with the policy which is why I was speaking to a manager in the first place. When I asked who I could speak to above him, he said "the owner" and said the only way I could get in touch with him would be to send an e-mail to the store which he would forward on to the owner.
I then decided to take the hard drive and the $25 refund for the time being, as store credit will be useless to me. I will never shop there again, and I will discourage everyone I know (and many I don't) from ever spending money there.
My issue is this: I paid for a service which I did not receive. The hard drive was purchased so that their staff could install it, which they were unwilling to do unless I forked over more money. To me, this is a bait-and-switch, and it's very bad business. The hard drive had not left the store. There is no reason why the manager could not have refunded my money. If the store owner reads this, hopefully he has at least some sense of what is decent and honest, because his management staff certainly does not.
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