WTF Best Buy??
 

So I accidentally bought the wrong battery for my GoPro at Best Buy. I got the battery backpack ($50) when I really just needed the single battery ($20). When I got home I realized my mistake and figured no big deal I'll just take it back. I live about 40 minutes from the nearest Best Buy, so it took me a couple of weeks to get back down there.

When I went to return it, he said they only have a 15-day return policy. Wow, that seems short. No big deal, I'll just exchange it. Nope, only 15-days on exchanges too. It was day 16. No remedy. I now own a battery backpack that I don't want.

In their defense, it was right there on the receipt that I never read. But I still can't believe a big company like that has such a weak return policy. Maybe it's because all the other big electronics retailers have gone out of business and they're the only game in town. I guess the policy started a year ago. I was stunned. I assured that clerk that I would never buy anything from Best Buy again.

Just wanted to vent...oh, and if anybody in the San Diego area wants to buy a battery backpack, I've got a very sweet deal for you! :)

ill buy the battery backpack. i lost mine somewhere.
buying yours will probably turn up the one i havent found in a year though LOL

Dave,
That is why I avoid the big box stores like a virus. Most all my purchases come from Amazon. Super easy. Don't like it the product, simply fill out the online form and they send ups,fedex, or usps to your door to pick it up. Super easy and 99% of the time it's a better price. Something to think about being that you are not close to any stores. Now, if you have to go pick up your mail and packages, Amazon may not be a great outlet for ya.

Same thing happened to me! I haven't bought a single thing from them since!

Did you try asking for manager. I would think a store credit would not be a problem even at 30 days. I think the minimum wage worker at the CS counter only knows to follow the book and can not even start to think outside the box. I truly believe if larger companies would give more power to employees to make good customer service choices there business would grow exponentially.

No, I didn't ask for a manager. I probably should have. I have to say I was a little stunned. I was trying to think of a way that I would not have to keep this product I didn't want, but I couldn't come up with anything. It was kind of weird to have a store just tell me I was out of luck!

$40? Are you in the San Diego area? Not sure it's worth shipping.

bummer. not in the san diego area.
its fine though, ill keep looking for the one i have :banghead:

Dave,
Squeaky wheel, gets the cheese? just call tomorrow, and ask for a manager. explain the situation, and Im sure they will help you out. Most cashiers will only deal by the book, and will only get a manager if asked. I am sure a manager will help you out to your satisfaction. its not like its a clearance item, or something that they wont be able to sell.

A lot of stores have at least 2 return windows, most is 30 days, but for some stuff such as computers or digital photography equipment it is only a 2 week window.
That being said, I used to work at Best Buy when I was younger. I was one of the supervisors there for the Geek Squad department for a while.
I had to deal a lot with technical questions or problems of someone buying the wrong thing. There is so much stuff always changing and new stuff coming out, it is easy to grab the wrong thing.
If someone came in with something like you said, one day late, especially if it was unopened and you had a reciept, we would have no problem getting the return made.
Anything that tried to be returned outside of the return policy is not automatically approved and gives a denial message. This is easily overridden by a supervisor or manager, but the cashiers can't process it themselves and are trained to enforce the return policy windows. However if you ask nicely and are persistent, and particularly ask to talk to a supervisor, they will be glad to do it most of the time. If you are a dbag to them though, you pretty much get the finger and they won't make the exception for you. HOWEVER, if you are a big enough dbag and make a huge fuss and scene, they will most likely give in just to shut you up.

I would go back and ask for a supervisor, but do it soon before it's ridiculously out of the return window. If it's something too far out you tend to get a wtf look and told to go home.

EDIT: If you have a costco, buy it from there, they have a bend over backwards return policy. I used to be an outside sales rep for Sprint and frequently worked in Costco selling their phones and plans to Costco customers. I would have customers come in with a cell phone that was 2-3 years old and return it to customer service saying something as simple as the battery didn't last as long. They would give them full price credit for how much they bought it for and they would come buy a brand new top of the line phone right after. Costco wants their members to be happy and will do just about anything to make it happen.

Yeah, Costco rules!! Fry's will be getting a lot more of my business now as well (after I verify their return policy). And these companies wonder why they're losing money to online companies! Not sure when I'll be in the area of the store again. Making a special trip won't be worth it, so we'll see if the manager can help me out whenever that is.

Best Buy is the last brick and mortar electronics store in most markets. They aren't in the best financial position right now. If they go out of business, on-line will be the only place left besides Walmart and Target to buy electronics (two places I don't go to for anything ESPECIALLY electronics) and aren't any better than Best Buy either with a more limited selection to boot. I buy most things on-line now too but sometimes you want to actually see a product in person and sometimes you need to buy a product on the spot as opposed to waiting a week for it to be delivered. Blockbuster was another company that drove out all of its competition and then lost out to the on-line market. I still like to rent DVD's but Redbox is useless if you want an older movie and I don't like streaming. I'm out of luck.

We allow these companies to get so big with weak anti-trust laws and then when they are crushed under their own immense weight we get upset when we end up with even fewer options. Now go back to worshipping unchecked capitalism and trading one tyrant (Best Buy) for another equally tyrannical company (Amazon). What do you think Amazon will do when they no longer have to compete with Best Buy? I'm sure that Amazon is different and run by nice people with case by case common sense and will always have a strong return policy.

I had a similar issue not too long ago, they will give you store credit with out any hassle and if you talk to a manager like suggested above they will give you a refund. I would prefer not to use them in the future but have a bunch of gift cards accumulated from Xmases i need to use. Oh well...

Look for more stores to follow BestBuy's return policy. Sounds like you learned the hard way. I know upfront when I buy anything from BestBuy that you figure out weather you like it or not ASAP so that you need to return it you don't get the jack around like Dave did.

Amazon Prime is the only way to shop!

Same problem with a battery. Stuck with a battery I don't need.
I asked for the store manager.

He checked my purchases for the last year and determined that they were under $2.5 K. Therefore i wasnt a good enough customer to qualify for a credit.

He said it was Best Buy Policy and the register wouldn't let him do it. No over-riding the computer.

I told him I will never shop at BB again and he said goodbye.

While I was leaving, he quipped if you want to drop off the battery, I will throw the unopened box and battery in the recycle for you.

When there are no more electronics stores like Best Buy I wonder what people are going to do. You will have to rely on online videos for everything. Pretty crazy, but it's happening.

I'm with Eric about missing video stores. I loved going to the video store and browsing. Or if I had something in mind I could just go and get it. A month ago I really wanted to watch the Indiana Jones series, but its not on netflix, hulu, on demand, or on itunes. I ended up having to buy the dvds used in order to watch them.

We are giving up our choices for convenience, but once the choice is gone it might become less convenience.

thats what I hate most about Netflix! half their stuff is through the DVD channel, and I dont like that. I used to work at a blockbuster video in the early 90's, and browsing each individual section was half the fun of movie night. you go in thinking you want to see Terminator, and you walk out renting like nightmare on elm street, or weird science instead. I guess Im just getting old.

+1 for Costco's return policy. I just returned something yesterday that was 3 years old. No receipt and got cash back. I am surprised best buy has lasted this long. I still have an old circuit city building by me that is vacant. Come to think about it they should put a costco in there.

They failed to honor an extended warranty on a computer and lost my business years ago.