Shannon Nutt

A store really has to screw up for me to publically complain about them, but for the BEST BUY store in Monroeville, PA (just outside of Pittsburgh), the gloves are now off!

On November 8th, I purchased a Mitsubishi WS-55513 from their store. I was told at that time the earliest they could deliver it was on Thursday the 13th. I asked them to wait until Saturday, the 15th, so I wouldn't have to miss work.

Saturday comes and my TV is delivered. Only there's a problem with the green convergence in the set - the only one of the three that can't be corrected manually. I notify them about this IMMEDIATELY, but they say they can't get a new TV out to me until today, Tuesday, the 18th.

Not wanting to wait a whole week again, I take today off work to wait for my new set. As soon as they start loading it off the truck, I can see WS-55313 on the box...the WRONG model. After a few minutes explaining to the delivery person that they have NOT sent me the model I have ordered (which is about $700 more than the 313, and has a built-in HDTV tuner), they call up their warehouse.

Yes, the earliest I can get my set is now Saturday, the 22nd, assuming they don't screw this delivery up too!

So, I called Best Buy to complain (they offered to give me $100 off the TV and refund the $35 delivery fee...which seems rather paltry, considering I paid about $3000) - but I also took the extra step of contacting Mitsubishi to complain about Best Buy as a dealer of their product.

Granted, there was no way they could have known the first set was defective...but I would have expected a little more priority and care with my order the second time around. After talking to Best Buy today, I have this strange feeling that when Saturday rolls around, I'll once again be looking at the wrong model number when the thing comes off the back of the truck. Either that, or they'll try and re-deliver the defective model from the first delivery!

I guess this is what I get for expecting a little competence and timeliness from a store like Best Buy! Especially for such a high-end purchase.

Walter Neff

I had similar troubles recently buying a sofa and chair from Macy's (which I would expect would have better service than Best Buy does). The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of retailers just don't care about their customers anymore. They don't expect customer loyalty and don't treat their customers like people they want repeat business from. Maybe we've all brought this on ourselves by caring more about bargains than about customer service. Or maybe retailers have caused it by giving us such poor customer service in the first place that we figure the best we can do is try to get the lowest price and not even expect retailers to treat us right. (I guess it's a chicken-or-egg question.) I don't know the answer. I'd love to hear what people think...

Shannon Nutt

Well, I'm hoping my call to Mitsubishi will help light a fire under Best Buy's you-know-what. I'm guessing a phone call from them will have far more affect than a phone call from a customer. I'll update this thread on Saturday to let you know if Best Buy dropped the ball yet again.

sniper308

I don't think $135 is too bad ... in any case, couldn't you have bought the TV some where else? Why would you go to Best Buy and not a locally owned store that probably would provide better service?

speedy1961

Price at a locally owned store will be higher as it will not be part of a chain. Costs will be higher. Basic economics.

iove

I have a similar story with Bestbuy screwing up a refrigerator delivery. I'm not going to go into any deals but needless to say a great deal was had. But sometimes it's easier to go through warranty repair than those dolts at bestbuy. Mitsubishi should send an authorized repairman to your house, I know Toshiba did when I was having problems with my tv.

Bust

I had issues returning a defective DVD player to this same Best Buy in Monroeville in 2001. That being said, I am still a regular customer of theirs (just there tonight for my TTT:EE). It is too convenient for me to give up. They often have deals that I just cannot beat anywhere else.

MasterofDVD

I've never had a major complaint with the Monroeville store but there service is still very poor. The clerks are never helpful when I need them and when I don't need help I have a herd of them following me.

I haven't been there in ages. Media Play down the road might be a bit more expensive but I have the rewards program with them to even things out.

scarredgod

i also shop at the Monroeville Best Buy, i never had a problem with returns (speakers i decided i didnt want, a defective DVD) but they do suck on new release tuesday, such as today with no Suicide Club, they looked it up for me and they are getting it, it just hasnt arrived. same as the Nick Cave DVD, same as the Don Knotts collection etc etc etc. there really is no reason to go there on new release tuesday unless its a Lord of the Rings type release. i dont mind if they only got one copy and sold it before i got there, but they should at least have one copy available.

Shannon Nutt

Yes, but if your TV wasn't working properly on the day it was delivered, wouldn't you want a replacement? I paid for a new working TV, not a repaired one. Had I had the TV for a few weeks and it conked out, the repairman issue wouldn't be a problem. But I expect any purchase to be in new and working condition when I get it. This would be like paying for a new car and the dealer crashes and repairs it for you before you get it home, and expects you not to have a problem with it.

To answer another above poster, my only other option for this TV in my local area was Sears. So it was an option of going with a store I have had problems with in the past (Sears) or going with a store that I had never had a problem with...I had a dryer delivered from Best Buy about 2 months ago with no problems, and also purchased my current computer from them about two years ago.

The big problem here is that Best Buy's delivery in Monroeville is sub-contracted to a company called SPIRIT. They pick up the TV at the regional warehouse in Cleveland, Ohio and then drive it to Pittsburgh (about a 3 hour drive). So someone in Cleveland (either the subcontractors or BEST BUY) couldn't tell the difference between 55513 and 55313 when loading up the truck.

Someone pointed out to me that Best Buy (at least the ones in my area) charge a 15% restocking fee if you have to return an item. You'd think they return the favor when they screw up a delivery.