Complaint Review: Best Buy - Houston Texas

I purchased a Compaq 1516US Laptop from BestBuy at location Sharpstown TX (Store 213)8225 S Gessner Road. The only reason for choosing Best Buy was because of the computer offered features that I required. The salesperson (a young woman) had a terrible attitute toward me and my purchase. She AGRESSIVELY inisted that I also purchase a new $110 plus an extra mouse and a power surge along with their famous Product Service Plan, when all her attempts to sell me all those things failed she started throwing the paperwork at me as if I were some sort of beggar or lepper, I did not mind it because I was exited about finally purchasing my new equipment.

Ten days after I bought the computer bad pixels started to show up all over the computer screen, so I took it back to the store. Needless to say their service department tried to refute the facts and treated me as if I had just killed their first born. My surprise was that this particular product was no longer in stock at this store so they gave me a voucher and sent me on my way to a location 30 miles away from the original store where I had purchased the equipment.

Store #216 where they informed me that they did not have the coputer in stock anymore so then they sent me to the infamous store #291. I was amzed that the sales representatives here where a little more helpful than at the previous 2 stores. I got a new boxed computer and as soon as I was out to the cashier to use the voucher I was pushed into getting their service plan. After experiencing the bad pixels on the computer I thought it to be a good idea to "insure" my $1500 purchase (I am a strugling student) the $300 something dollars hit me hard but I figured it was worth it because of the peace of mind (after all it is for 3 years of the product, and their famous we will replace it promise). The computer worked flawessly for the next six months after which it literary DIED. I took the computer back to the store (as long as my "paperwork") and was treated rudely, they told me that since the computer failed within the manufacturer warranty that the product had to be sent to their hub and THEN to the manufacturer. I was also told that they will TRY "do their best" to have my computer ready in 15 DAYS!!! they NEVER mentioned it was going to take 15 days for them to fix my equipment when they pushed their PSP plan down my throat nor did they mention that the manufacturer offers the same protection plan with a lower time response for a fraction of their price. My computer was on their possesion for over 20 DAYS!!! and not a single one of the employees that was at their counter did EVER say that he was sorry or that he was doing what he could to help me out. All I heard was it is at the service center.

When I got the computer back the promised cosmetic damage fixes dued to wear and tear was not completed AND my computer performed at half the speed it used to (from 2.99 Ghz down to 736MHZ!!!). They had no explanation they only offered to take it back. Apparently they do not understand that my entire life depended on this machine. Again not even ONE single we are sorry for the delay or any type of apology from any of the employees. I took the equipment back home and after ONE!!! day it failed again the battery never charged, so again back to their famous PSP promise "I WILL GIVE YOU A BATTERY IF THE ONE YOU HAVE FAILS" I took it to store # 213 and to my surprise I was not going to get a battery as promised they wanted to take the computer in again (for another 20 days!!!) it is totally ridiculous. So needless to say I brough it back home with me. Then after on painful week of having to look for an outlet each time I wanted to use my "portable" computer I decided to take it back for service again.

Same store rudeness from the moment I walked in, agressive skepticism from the employee and the worse he did not even care for hearing about what was wrong with the computer just threw the "paperwork" on the counter and called the "may I help the next person" and I was out. Unfortunately the story does not end there, my order was process on the 10th I went back to the store because their service lookup engine is offline (and has been for the past 2 weeks http://service.bestbuy.com).

The same old story treated like garbage since I walked in. Person at the counter gives me a number to call for my order status (long distance, waiting up to 30 minutes) and decides to walk away without further comments. I called their customer service and was informed that the computer had been recived by them on the 15th FIVE!! days after I brought it in for repair, and that was shipped to compaq on the (you are going to laugh at this) 19th and that was all she could tell me (after making me wait for another 30 minutes on long distance) right now is the 25th and still have not heard a single work from them.

I hate to extend things for too long but I also feel the need to include one more thing, I overheard some employees of best buy, not at best buy of course instead at my place of studies, tell stories about how they DO get to exchange their equipment faster making use of their PSP plan (for their family members and girlfriends), it sounds as if though they are takign advantage of MY MONEY (insurnace) and using it to their own disposal.

One last thing, I also called the computer manufacturer (COMPAQ now HP) and I have to say that I was never treated so nicely, was hear so patiently, did NOT have to pay long distance, and was informed that they could have taken care of MY business in 14 days at most (not even once did I hear the "we will try our best" crap) and that hey would even pay for the shiping and handling of my computer along with all the required packaging NOW THAT IS SERVICE best buy.

Alexis

Houston, Texas
U.S.A.

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