Circuit City Advantage Protection Plan Bogus Protection Plan Just try to find someone to listen to you ripoff Richmond Virginia

I will attempt to make this as brief as possible. However it is a long frustrating story. I hope I can be of some help to anyone that has made the mistake if dealing with Circuit City.

Where do I start. I have been fighting with Circuit City Protection Plan since October 05. I purchased a Panasonic LCD Projection TV PT-50LC13 Jun 04 as well as the protection plan. In March 05 my first $300.00 bulb shattered. Not a problem, they send someone out to replace it. In July 05 the second bulb shattered. Not a problem, they mailed me a new bulb. In October 05 the third bulb shatters. Now I feel surely I must fall under the lemon law in my contract. So I begin the process.

Now it takes me 5 days just to get out of India to have someone attempt to help me. After numerous phone calls I am finally told that because a Service Tech did not come to the house the bulb that was mailed does not count towards the third repair under the Lemon Law.

Ok so now what? They send out a Service Tech he replaces the bulb once again and gets approval to replace the ballast. I had been insisting all along that there must be some other internal problem causing the bulbs to blow so I thought I would give them the benefit of the doubt and see if this solves my problem. Well, It did for awhile. This bulb actually lasted 13 months. Longer than any other.

Now the fourth bulb shatters Dec 06. My quest begins Dec 10th. Knowing I needed to get in the right frame of mind ready for the fight.

This is my intial result. Wrong phone numbers, disconnected numbers, transfers to the wrong departments and disconnects during transfers. Number after number given to me all of which would start me right back to square one in India. Everytime I requested an outside number I was told there were none. Asked for an address thinking maybe if I wrote I could get some action from someone that may be able to help. Told again no such address was available.

Somehow I finally got into some department (not sure what) but they at least attempted to get me directed to what is called the Escalations Department. I am told my Case Manager is Brian and will be transferd to him. Suprise, again transferred to the wrong department and am told there is no Case Manager assigned to my case. However someone will be assigned and will call within 48 to 72 hours. Did not happen. So, I call again only to the face the same wall as before. Transfers, disconnects etc..

Jan 10, 2007 I finally get a Case Manager. Ms Sanita Waller. I now have a phone number and an ext. All this time and energy to finally get to someone and am told they would not be replacing the TV because the bulb is not a part but rather a consumable item. The contract as such states this. Ok, here is what my contract says under TV's over 25inches. CONSUMABLES such as batteries, toner, ribbons, drums, belts, or consumer replacable printer heads are excluded from service.

They basically told me they did not care what my contract said it is a consumable item. I had found out earlier in 05 however that they deemed the bulbs consumable in Apr 05. My contract was purchase Jun 04.

It was now becoming clear that Ms Waller had no intentions of helping me. She talked over me, would not listen and just wanted to continue to state Circuit City's position on this. I had been doing some homework and found out that a Class Action Suit had been filed against Panasonic and relayed this to her. She agreed to send off another email to "her" managers and would call me in 24 to 48 hours. Of course, you know this did not happen.

Finally speak with her 5 days later and am told under no circumstances would Circuit City be help responsible. I was to contact Panasonic and deal with them. I explained that the Class Action Settlement was not acceptable and that I have paid over $500.00 to have my TV protected by Circuit City not Panasonic. I was told too bad. Circuit City had made their decission and that was final.

I asked who I could go to now. Who was above her who could I speak with or write to. Nobody else she said this is the decission. So now I am here with a 2600.00 TV that does not work? Someone must be able to help me. She asked me to hold a moment so I thought possibly I was going to be assisted.

She comes back on the line and says she is transferring me to another Case Manager Gary Cox. Well I quickly found out Gary is the WALL. It will stop here with him. He spoke to me like I was an idiot. Constantly spoke over me and would not let me speak at all. I finally asked if I could ask a question. I was told go ahead but that nothing would change. When I told him I had spent over $3000.00 between the TV and the protection plan he responded that I am trying to make this personal and it is not personal it is bussiness. He explained he had other people on hold waiting to speak with him and he could not spend any more time with me. I was told to pursue what ever avenues I felt necessary but that Circuit City had made there decission and that he would be hanging up. HE DID...he hung up on me and I just sat here confused and beaten down.

Ok, so all in all here is my biggest frustration. Yes, I am upset about the TV. But never have I been treated so badly by who I thought was a reputable company. The level of disrespect and and uncaring about their consumers was unbelievable to me. Their slogans profess quality customer satisfaction but all they do is beat you down in the hopes you will go away. Yes, I will go to Panasonic and try to get a resonable settlement but again Circuit City PROTECTION is what I thought I was paying for. I thinnk the Class Action Suit proves I have purchased a LEMON! Buyer beware of Circuit City!

Dana
Covina, California
U.S.A.

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