"I bought an unlocked Google Pixel 6 phone last December. I included in the purchase the credit for my used phone (they send you a kit to send your old phone. When I tried to activate my phone with a carrier the IMEI was not accepted by the phone company. I called the Google store and waited on the chat line (20 min) for a representative. I was told to buy the phone again and return the one I purchased since it was a locked phone (FI). I was also told that I would get an email with return instructions the following day. The next day I got an email to troubleshoot the phone! I called the store again (20min) waiting on the chat line. I explained my problem and got a call from Ricki who had me on hold for 50 min. trying to solve the issue. He then transferred me to Ula and the call got dropped. I called the number back but it was not taking calls. I went on the chat line, again (17 min), to explain mi issue gain! Got a call 2 hrs later from Ricki who had me on hold for another 25 min! I told him that I had filed a complaint with the BBB and to call me back when the manager was available (do not have the time to wait on the phone while he "talks" to the supervisor to solve my problem yet again! This company has terrible customer service do not waste your time and money with them and purchase your phone somewhere else. I am still trying to get my money back!"
"Same experience as many below. Ordered a pixel from google store with 2 day shipping. Did not arrive 8 days later. Called the shipping company (OnTrac) - they say the phone was lost or stolen and cannot do anything including contacting Google Store (this has happened to many people OnTrac - seems insane - why would Google select such a shady shipping company).
But this is a review of Google, not OnTrac. Google store has no way to contact a human. The chat box has been totally unhelpful. We are 15 days out and Google store says that they are trying to reach OnTrac. They cannot give me a date for when I will receive the phone. They need to complete an 'investigation' before they can respond to me. I am left hanging. This experience is simply terrible. The fact that it's Google, one of the largest corporations in the world, makes this totally insane.
Advice: AVOID PURCHASING ANYTHING FROM THE GOOGLE STORE IF YOU HAVE THE CHOICE.
If you are unlucky enough to in a similar circumstance as I describe or others describe - contest the charge IMMEDIATELY with your credit card company. I thought that it was google so it would be all good.
WRONG. It is not all good. Google store is totally unprofessional bordering on a scam."
"A little about me first. I was an apple supporter for nearly 8 years, owning much of their then-ecosystem, including several iphones, macbook air, iMac etc. Although I was always impressed with both their hardware and software, I was getting frustrated with planned obsolescence, and started moving over to android devices, where the price point is easier, but the options are greater. Over the past 5 years or so, I've specifically been supporting the google ecosystem, with pixels, google devices etc, as well as subscriptions to google one and youtube music premium. Clearly, we have a lot of options in this space (Spotify, Amazon etc), but I was convinced that they were a player similar to apple and amazon, and that the cross-device synchrony would work better. More recently, I'm realizing they're not in the same league, and moreoever, they're not really a customer-focused company at all. " Of course!", you might exclaim, "they're after your data to sell and don't care about you a customer!". Well, perhaps my bad.
So, about my experience. I ordered a pixel 6 on Oct 25th. I still await the glorious device now on Dec 21st Yes, a first-world problem (but that's where I live), but instead of just telling me upon ordering it that it was functionally back-ordered (and therefore we'll let you know if something changes), they've been stringing me along with customer service agents telling me that the dates being fed from their AI supply chains are accurate, just to find that within 24 hours they've moved forward again. Am I even complaining to a human? Is the google customer service rep (x 4 now), just a machine stringing me along with "sorry, the device is popular". I guess they mean, "we’re just google"? What could they possibly know about inventory, tracking or linking and order to a box somewhere? I guess nothing, as tracking things or data aren't really their business. Huh? More problematically, I can’t get a hold of anyone from the google store, seemingly any time of day, even via chat. All agents are busy all the time. Call back? Nope. Email follow-up. Nope. You’re just paralyzed hoping to get their attention I guess.
I'm being cheeky, of course. They've instead hired a factory of workers who are paid to be pleasant, but who can only know what the machine tells them. As a loyal customer who has put a lot of cash directly into google, they don't seem to actually have a sense of loyalty to connect their old customers with new products, or apparently the ability to accurately report when things they make will show up. I’m actually a patient person and in the middle of pandemic, understand there are delays. But google, you’re google and you should know better in general, and know better than to tell your customers one thing, and do another. Breaking trust with expectations is exactly how you send customers with money and an interest in your new products to other companies and their new products. Ironically, I’m not upset that you can’t seem to seem to deliver, I’m upset you’re not being transparent about it.
"
"Ordered a Google Nest Thermostat that turned out to be defective. I had noticed some problems but when I had our furnace replaced (unrelated), the installer could not get the nest thermostat to activate the heat. He verified correct installation and ultimately replaced it with the original unit I'd kept. I the attempted to navigate the Google Store return/replacement which is circular and never gives you what it says it will. Chat is your only option and be prepared to wait a very long time. The the chat rep follows a script and is incapable of doing anything off script. The wanted me to reinstall the faulty thermostat so they could walk through their troubleshooting steps; even though a professional had already verified it was defective. It was 3 degrees outside and I was unwilling to do something completely unnecessary. Ultimately I had to elevate my complaint and eventually got a RMA but it took > 60minutes and a LOT of frustration. "
"Purchased a Google pixel 5a but the item was not delivered even tho it was marked as delivered on the tracking. Google's customer service didn't not understand the priority to address the customer's concern which is to fulfill the service and instead went on investigating with the courier then tho I have clearly spelled out the solution for them: lock the original phone and offer me a refund or replacement. Still no action was taken. After expressing my displease and urgency to receive the item, no constructive response was given after 3 days which is when I resolved it by disputing the expense thru my bank and my bank refunded me right away. A day later Google is still way behind asking more of my information. Overall the customer service is poorly trained, misunderstood the customer's priority, and the response is at an glacial pace"
"I am really mind blown by the lack of professionalism from one of the biggest companies in the world, First the store site was down on 19th- aka Offical Pixel 6 launch date, second most of the orders are partially received or processed,no clear idea if the inventory really exist. Second Google decide to add to the promotion with free pixel buds, great idea, but why the heck you doing it post launch? I not the first time when you screw up your loyal customers, who want to spent 1k on your devices ASAP, learn your lesson. Now it seems that the whole order tracking piece means nothing, from Nov 2nd to Nov 9 and now Dec 1? What is happening, even the store support is totally clueless, they pull the order and suggest that I should keep eye on it. Common Google we are not in the dark times, we are almost 2022, learn how to deliver customer service that matches your brand. "
"Very harsh returns policy - be careful
I purchased a Pixel from Google and have been unhappy with the quality of the product. I have contacted about a return but it turns out that their return window is a very short 14 days. I missed this by around 5 days. For an expensive product, and for issues to arise, this is not consumer friendly.
They suggested I trade in the three week old phone with them for £82. The phone cost £599.
Very harsh returns policy - be very wary purchasing from Google."
"Has taken months to get a refund. Requested I box up every single item from a single order in a separate box to return it and then only refunded 1/5 of my order. Never order from the google store it's an impressively awful experience."
"You will get the runaround from a group of 10 people. They will repeat meaningless statements like there is an inventory issue with your order and they can’t get any more specific information. They can’t tell if the items are in stock or on backorder. They can’t get any information about the ship dates. Welcome to customer service in whatever 3rd world country Google outsourced that operation to. To say that it’s subpar is a gross understatement. Easier to cancel the order and never look back. "
"I ordered a chromecast with google tv from the google store. Assumed ordering direct from Google should be good, and the delivery date was estimated at 2 days after I placed the order. Also got a shipment notification the next day. Almost a week later and the tracking still just shows the label was printed and when I contact google customer support by chat they have me wait 5 minutes and then come back and ask for the order number (???) and then tell me to wait 10 more minutes while they discuss with an expert, then come back and tell me a specialist will have to look into it and they will respond in 24 hours. I could order the same device at a number of other retailers for the same price and much less hassle.
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND ENERGY BUYING HERE IF YOU CAN GET IT ELSEWHERE!"
"Possibly the worst return experience of my life. This is definitely NOT Amazon. But a few Nest thermostats, found out they wouldn't work in my house, and tried to return them. Every part of the process is broken. Every. Single. Step. Still waiting two months later for my refund. Runaround with customer service, if you can even find them. Run away from Google! "
"They make promises they can't keep. Most recently, they promised delivery of my new Pixel phone by a certain date. I shouldn't have expected it to be delivered on time.
Fool me once: shame on you. Fool me twice: shame on me."
"I ordered a new Pixel. The parcel supposed to be the next day. Few days passed and still is not here. Tracking showing it is at the depot. I call the depot this, they say the courier couldn't find it in the depot. Lost it? Today morning I reach DPD support. They tell me to reach Google to file an investigation. I reach Google. A gentleman called Alejandro from Google says the courier attempted to deliver (even the tracking says something else, and the depot staff and DPD staff say something else). Then Google support recommend me to collect it in the depot - 50 minutes of driving one way!
So I call the DPD again, and what they say? That the seller (Google) did not rise the investigation - they not even reached DPD regarding this case. Looks like corporate ping pong, just with the customer."
"Ordered new unlocked Pixel 4a 5g from Google Store, received empty box. Google Store claims they are not at fault and did nothing more. Filed claim with Fedex as well, thought that should be Google Store's responsibility. They claim no fault. Looking online, this is has happened to a bunch of people, and only for the Pixel phones. Super suspicious. They have a clear problem they care nothing to resolve."
"I have been trying to buy a phone through Google Store for the last three weeks. At this point, I'm buying it through Best Buy. Wow, Google...you really need to revamp the system for better support."