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Report: #64090

Complaint Review: Circuit City - Houston Texas

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  • Reported By: houston Texas
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  • Circuit City 10405 Katy Freeway Houston, Texas U.S.A.

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My trouble wasn't really all that big of a deal, but things like having to drive right back to the store piss me off. The problem was when I bought a 'new' Delphi SkyFi boombox. Since there wasn't any tape on the box, before I checked out I specifically asked the cashier "This isn't a return right?"

Low and behold, I get home and something is amiss. There's no manual. There's no packing material besides the styrofoam and box for the AC adaptor. I can deal with that stuff. I open the radio up, start unraveling the antenna which was inside the battery compartment, and what do you know, the antenna cable has been stripped of the insulation in multiple places! That's not good considering the antenna is supposed to be waterproof. Ergh!!!

So I drove back to the store, explained to the customer service that it was OBVIOUSLY returned by a previous customer who had damaged it. They didn't care, just said "Mark as defective!" and threw it into the back. I reiterated about the fact it was a returned item, but they didn't care. Eventually, I got my new unit, checked it over in the store, and got back home.

The new one was fine. There was tape sealing the box closed. I opened it and voila! There was bubble wrap a on the antenna and a twistytie on the cable (which comes packed outside the radio, not inside the battery compartment like the first radio had), a plastic-bag on the radio, the AC adaptor in a little cardboard box, with the cord ziptied and a folded cardboard piece on the AC prongs to protect from damage. The adaptor was also in a bag while inside the box. In the original radio, the only packing material left was the styrofoam, the undone zipties, the cardboard AC adaptor box (adaptor and cord smashed in just enough to fit, not organized in anyway), and the little cardboard piece for the adaptor prongs (the undone twistyties and cardboard piece were just on the bottom of the main box).

I hope this is a decent report, as its my first, and I'm not a very good writer.

Stuart
Houston, Texas
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 07/18/2003 10:04 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/circuit-city/houston-texas-77024/circuit-city-ripoff-selling-returns-as-new-i-specifically-asked-the-cashier-this-isnt-a-64090. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
0Author
6Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#6 Consumer Suggestion

Grow up Brian in Toledo

AUTHOR: Withheld - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, August 05, 2003

Brian,

I don't appreciate your stupid comments "As for you demanding cash as a refund- are you on crack?"

I'm a 60 year old person who knows what I'm talking. Keep your stupid comments to yourself.

I was unaware this this site allowed stupid comments like your to be posted.
Get a Life.

You sound like a mad person.

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#5 Consumer Comment

To Withheld

AUTHOR: Brian - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Monday, August 04, 2003

Oh, please- you purchased an item from a retailer which was located on a clearance table. Your cheap a*s then opened the box and looked for defects. Obviously you didn't look hard enough because you got home and found a defect. Big freakin' deal!!! Take advantage of their return policy and return it!!! "Oh you expect it to work for $10! That's be extra." What the HELL does that mean? You have no understanding of the english language so I do not expect you to understand my reply....but I will continue. You try to explain your own ineptitude by complaining that businesses try to get over on people who don't open their merchandise until one day past the return policy. If a store has a 14 day return policy, why would a customer wait 15 days to open their purchase? If a store has a 30 day return policy, why would a customer wait 31 days to open their purchase? The CUSTOMER makes the decision as to when they open their product.Return policies are printed on the receipt- "Withheld" seems to think that people cannot read and that businesses have some type of mind control that prevents people from using their product before the return policy expires. Jesus Christ, people, take responsibility for your actions!!! Buy a f****in' product, use it, and return it if defective. Follow company guidelines!! The people at the store you bought the item from did NOT make the product. To "Withheld"- I understand you are extremely pissed off at your piss-poor purchasing decision- do not take it out on the hardworking parttime associates of CompUSA. If "Withheld" treated all people in his/her/its life the way he/she/it treated retail personnel, he/she/it would be a terribly lonely person. If "Withheld" comes into your business, please give he/she/it all your love. "Withheld" is a miserable person and needs love from everyone. Love you "Withheld!" P.S. Strange name- what's the origin?

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#4 Consumer Comment

Debit Vs. Credit cards

AUTHOR: Daniel - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, July 31, 2003

Actually, If he used a debit card (as debit, not a credit card) most companies treat them as CASH. If he made the purchase with a debit card, then requesting cash back is no problem and the company should have given him cash back. I have worked as a customer service associate for several years, and have always given cash back for debit card purchases when returned. If he just handed them the card and did not have to enter his PIN number, then it went through as a credit card, and should not expect to receive cash back when he returned the item.

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#3 Consumer Suggestion

As for you demanding cash as a refund- are you on crack?

AUTHOR: Brian - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Monday, July 21, 2003

So you purchased a defective item. You checked the item out at the store and it seemed OK. When you arrived home the item was defective. This happens. Even if you believe the item had been previously opened you are still entitled to the store's return policy. If you believe you were sold a used item as new complain to the store's manager. Did you do this? If not the problem will continue. Complaining to a website will not correct this problem.

As for you demanding cash as a refund- are you on crack? Did you pay with cash- NO. Your purchase was made by electronic transfer via a debit card. Your refund will be electronically refunded to your account. All businesses treat debit card transactions as credit card transactions and are handled thusly. Pay with cash- make a return and you will get cash(except for Best Buy who keeps your potentionally interest-earning cash for WEEKS before sending a check in the mail).

Use a debit or credit card and your refund will be credited back to that account electronically(this may take several days depending on your banking institution). Pay with a check and you will receive a check(several WEEKS later as in Circuit City's case- again keeping your potentially interest-earning cash) as a refund. It's simple: pay with cash, get cash. Pay with a check, get a check. Pay with a debit or credit card, get a refund to that account(not cash). Is this so hard to understand?

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#2 Consumer Suggestion

CompUSA is just as bad

AUTHOR: Withheld - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, July 20, 2003

I disagree, they don't just make a mistake some times. They do it to try to make that extra buck from someone who might not open the product for 15 days just when that 14 day return policy has expired.

I recently bought a Phillips 5 piece speaker set at CompUSA off the clearance table. I opened the box and looked, everything seemed to be there. I didn't ask if it "actually worked". "Oh you expect it to work for $10? That's be extra."

No, actually I was teeded off because I live 30 miles from the store and had to drive back to Fort Worth the next day after finding the speaker set was DOA. The screws were loose in the power supply so someone had already worked on it.

CompUSA didn't care and didn't have another they said. Also I was teeded off after they refused to give me a cash refund. I used a debit card and my bank showed that night they already had their money. I had to wait a week for the refund to show up on my account.

DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM COMPUSA OFF THE CLEARANCE TABLE ! IT PROBABLY DOESN'T WORK ! I TOLD THE MANAGER IF HE HAD PUT "AS IS" ON THE BOX I MIGHT HAVE BOUGHT IT AS IS BUT TO PUT NOTHING KNOWING IT DOESN'T WORK IS NOT FAIR TO THE CUSTOMER. HE KNEW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT STILL DIDN'T REALLY CARE. BOO ON COMPUSA !

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#1 Consumer Comment

Retail Screw Up

AUTHOR: Brian - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Saturday, July 19, 2003

You obviously have a reason to complain and I commend you for the way you handled it. The person who returned this opened item as new in the box was wrong- no excuse. If only all customers who were screwed over unitentionally would behave accordingly, retail would be a better world.

I recently purchased a build-it-yourself bookshelf from a major home improvement store and, upon returning home, I noticed that several pieces of hardware were missing. I then noticed that a slip of paper was taped to the back of the box. It became apparant that this was a returned item for obvious reasons. I was furious that I had to repack the item and return it to the store and as this poster can relate I became even angrier as I drove to the store. But you know what?

I suddenly realized that the person who would be helping me with my exchange probably had nothing to do with this mistake. The world would continue to turn and tomorrow would come even though I had been inconvienced because of someone's mistake. People who work in retail are like any other- they make mistakes.

I asked to speak with the store manager when I made the exchange but he was off. I instead spoke with the customer service manager and explained my situation. She was very apologetic and assured me she would do everything to make sure this didn't happen again(well people make mistakes so I'm sure it will). The point is RELAX PEOPLE! People make mistakes and not all businesses are out to "get" you. Sometimes mistakes are made and the proper way to handle these issues is to speak to a member of store management. Sir I hope you did this and I seriously wish that you had not had this experience, and you did fine in writing your complaint.

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