Best Buy;CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT;Cell Phone Replacement Program

[MilitaryOfficer]

I’m collecting information and intend to file a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against Best Buy. Best Buy’s (August, 2004) implementation of their new policy is inconsistent with the original Product Service Protection Plan (PSP) for my Sprint cell phone which I bought less than one year ago (December, 2003). POC is myself at coairborne@hotmail.com

The collective attitude of everyone (at that is ZERO hyperbole) is ‘This is Best Buy New Policy. You are screwed. If you don’t like it Tough Luck’. This attitude is reflected from the Best Buy from the store manager (Colorado Springs), Best Buy Wireless customer representative and supervisor to Best Buy Corporate.

Best Buy gets an F for it’s Product Service Protection Plan (PSP) for # reasons.

Best Buy has made TWO significant customer non-responsive changes regarding PSPs for cell phones only. The new policy was changed WITHOUT NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS effective August, 2004 (Source: Customer’s talk with Dennis, Supervisor of Wireless on 14NOV2004) and Tonya, Customer Service representative at Best Buy Corporate (Friday, 19 NOV 2004).

1) Cell phone replacements are NO longer allowed or performed at ANY of the Best Buy Stores. Source: Tonya said (19NOV2004) that the reason was because a lot of phones were replaced that were not actually defective.

2) Customers are required to contact Best Buy 888-BEST-BUY which is not manned during the same hours as store hours (select the following options 2 for Service, 4 for Wireless and 1 for PSP).

3) Best Buy DEMANDS that your replacement phone be of the SAME CARRIER that you had previously. In the past (on two previous occasions) when in-store replacements were allowed you were informed which of the various phones form various carriers constituted “comparable”

4) You are without an operational phone for FIVE DAYS. Delivery Turnaround time of new phone. Customer submitted request for replacement on Sunday, November, 14, 2004 at 5 p.m.

a) Credit card required. When you call 888-BEST-BUY the Wireless Section will ask for your credit card as collateral to insure you return the replacement phone.

5) Training Issue Corporate not on same ‘sheet of music’ as local stores. Dwayne, Store Manager, Best Buy, Colorado Springs (Store #0298) said that the turnaround and delivery time is “…anywhere from 3 to 10 days” but when you talk with Best Buy Wireless section they tell you turnaround time is anywhere from 3-7 business days.

6) Quality Assurance:
Grade F=Email notification doesn’t work. During your first call with Best Buy they will ask for an email address in order to notify you of the status of order but a) no email was ever received compelling customer to make a second phone call to check on status.

[shareef777]

On December 1 of 2003 I replaced my 8200 with a 4500 (paid the difference) under the advice of the Best Buy store employee. On July 7 of this year I replaced my blue VM4500 with a silver one because the old one wouldn't boot up any more. This current one will not accept a software update that Sprint tried to give it. Best Buy, after 3 hours on the phone, offered to send a replacement but I was forced into giving them my credit card information. Also, this time around I couldn't upgrade the phone, or even pick the color. They told me the would ship the closest possible match that they had and would send it to me. I'm assuming they're taking only the price into consideration, as the employees didn't understand anything about ReadyLink, PictureMail, VideoMail, or SMS. I'm awaiting the new replacement phone and will update with what I got.

-Shareef

[MilitaryOfficer]

I've read posting by shareef777 and also received a number of other replies from persons whom have purchased the Product Service Plan from (not) Best Buy. Given the replies that I've received I will be contacting a lawyer to proceed with the class action lawsuit.

shareef777: Please email me at coairborne@hotmail.com with your email address. Thank you.

[Skoold]

Hahhahahahaha.....You guys purchased something from Best Buy. Suckers!

[majic_13]

What I want to say is that Best Buy is not the company it use to be. I worked for them for 8 years from 1990-1998 and the extended warrenties is something that actually made since and they lived up to what was in them. But 2 years ago I bought a tv from Best Buy and the extended warranty with in home service. What a laugh in home service ment that I was still with out my tv for 30 days and it was not serviced in the house but in a shop. NOT what Circuit City or Sears both state and best buy use to that in house meant it was service in the home. I refuse to buy from them any more...

[shareef777]

After 3 weeks, I still haven't got a replacement phone. I called them up and they said the phone was on back order. I argued for about an hour and they finally agreed to allow me to pick one up from my local Best Buy, which had plenty in stock. Unfortunetly they said that I'd have to buy it out with my own money and that they'd send me a reimbursement check after a fax them a copy of the store receipt for the old phone and the new one. I faxed them a copy of the receipts a week ago, but they never contacted me. I will wait for the credit card bill to come in and see if the check arrives by then. If not then I will file a dispute with my credit card company, and so Best Buy still won't get any money from me, and I still got a replacement phone.

[goose2006]

As a Best Buy tech, I'm the person people come to regarding issues with their phones under the PSP. While I agree that it is an inconvenience to wait 3-7 days for the replacement phone to arrive, the policy was instituted both with the best interests of Best Buy and the customer in mind. Because phones under different service providers from different manufacturers are different, they have always been handled differently, depending on the leeway that they give us. What was frequently happening is that the employee (ie the tech) would tell the customer one thing, only to find out that the situation had to be handled differently. A common misconception is that the PSP (performance SERVICE plan) is some sort of replacement plan, where no matter what it will correlate into a new phone. The best way i can describe the PSP is like the warranty you get with a new car. If you drive your new GM into a lake, it obviously would void the warranty. Same with a PSP, if you spill a coke on it or drop it, it is not going to be covered. If your new GM has the engine blow up on it, you will not be given a new one, instead it will be fixed by the mechanics. If you read the brochure that came with your PSP, you will see that it states that the product will be fixed, or replaced if it cannot be fixed. The fact that sometimes we are given the leeway to actually replace phones for people (which is an added bonus that occurs in a set of circumstances) had many people confused about how things would be handled. This new policy is designed to have the customer speak with a specialist about what is to be done with that specific phone. As a verizon customer, i have had a phone replaced for me under manufacturer's warrenty, and i can tell you that the PSP is much more convenient. I had to drive 15 miles to the corporate store, wait in line for 20 minutes, then have them mail me a new phone two weeks later. As it was my only phone, it was a major hassle, so I can sympathize. However, I was not upset at verizon for this, it is their policy. My best advice is read the PSP brochure to fully understand what you are getting... it is a great program and i see tons of people take advantage of it, this is merely a step to ensure that it is not people taking advantage of us, and in truth, it beats sending the phone off to the service center for 2-3 weeks as was sometimes the case before the implementation of this new policy. Bottom line; the people you speak with at best buy are going to do their best and help you out, and will fully live up to what they are obligated to do, which is stated in the brochure that your PSP is printed on.

[shareef777]

After all is said and done, the primary purpose of a PSP is to help alleviate some of the inconvenience of cell phone problems. However, I was still 3 weeks without a phone, I wound up purchasing a phone and paying costs upfront, not knowing if I will ever get my money back.