Bought my 12 year old an 80 GB silver Ipod, and being as they are relatively flimsy pieces of machinery, I also got the 3 year Best Buy service plan, which states that it will replace or fix the IPOD free in the case of anything except physical damage. I have bought these before, and have only had one problem where I needed to take advantage of the warranty, and Best Buy honored it, by checking the Ipod, seeing that it didn't work, and replacing it.
Day after Christmas, go into Best Buy with the Ipod that will not reboot. Mind you, I have the above mentioned 12 year old and 15 year old Rainman, a large adolescent with classic autism. Mentally picture a 200 pound two year old having a bad day, and you have Rainman.
Wait in the returns/customer service line for a little over an hour. Finally get up to the desk, and am told I have to go to computers. All right, no problem, let me heft Rainman over to computers. First hour, he is a bit cranky but the promise of a DVD still works. By the second hour, third in the store, he is pinching and kicking me, and starting to yell out such utterances as "Sniff my penis" and "Stick fingers up my butt". After another hour, we are next in line, but wait- a couple with a newborn cuts us! I explain to the computer service person that, hey, I have been here for hours, and my children are getting antsy, and am told- "But, they have a newborn"
Sigh.
Rainman by this time is repeatedly stripping his coat, then shirt, then pulling his pants down to his ankles and screaming "Sniff my butt". My daughter is beet red, I am trying to stay sane, and it is ANOTHER HOUR before anyone waits on us.
We get up to Best Buy's computer repair people, and am told they can't do anything because I didn't buy the warranty. I explained that yes, I did buy the Best Buy three year service plan. Rainman is now kicking me hard in the shins, and I am trying not to strangle him. I explain I have been in the store for hours, that I do have the warranty, and what do I do? I am told to call the 1 888 Best Buy service number. I ask them to do that while I am there, and am told that Best Buy will not do that.
Sigh.
I go home and call the Best Buy service number, and am told that yes, the 3 year service plan is right there in the computer. Back in Saturday, same thing.
Sigh.
Today, call #1 888 Best Buy again, to get the number of the warranty that no one in the store can access. I am on the 1 800 Best Buy number for well over half an hour, and am told to just bring the number they gave me into the store, and if there are any problems, have them call 1 888 Best Buy.
See where this is headed?
I wait in the Computer line, and once again when I get to a Best Buy Rep, am told that they can see I bought the 3 year service plan, but they can't honor it.
*head bang*
I was told they could ship it to somwhere but it would take up to eight weeks, or that I could simply return it, my credit card would be credited, and I could buy the same item again. I explained that this didn't make sense, I have the warranty, and am told I would have to go explain this to customer service. Again, wait in line, and explain this to a Best Buy customer service rep. I am told that although I have the warranty, because I bought it at Best Buy online, Best Buy stores will not honor it. I explain that I have never had that problem before, and I had called the 1 888 Best Buy and was told the store would honor it. I was told by Best Buy Store Customer Service that I could return the item and buy the exact same Ipod, BUT:
I would be charged a 30% restocking fee
Would forfeit the warranty
Since this was not acceptable, I was told there was nothing that Best Buy could do.
I then again called the 1 888 Best Buy customer service number, and was told to take the Ipod to any Best Buy and they would exchange it. Best Buy would "launch an investigation" but that still leaves me with a $335 piece of junk. I explained all the hours I had put in trying to get this fixed, and that my only recourse would be to cancel the charge. I was told again to take it to any Best Buy, and the warranty would be honored.
*Head bang*
I then called the Best Buy store and asked to speak to a manager. I explained what was happening, she asked if I had the warranty, I said yes, and she told me to bring it in and there would be no problems.
I then waited in the line again, and had the customer service rep call the manager. I was indeed in and out :)
And I shop at Best Buy because?
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