Best Buy Doesn't Honor Warranty

This is a copy of a letter that I have sent to the local television station.

Thank you for taking the time to hear my problem. I appreciate the service that you offer and hopefully, you will be able to help me resolve the issues that I am facing. I am experiencing difficulty with Best Buy at University Place honoring a warranty that I bought with a computer. I purchased a Compaq computer in April of 1999. The salesman, who suggested I buy the extended warranty told me that if I ever had any problems with the pc for the next 3 years, all I would have to do was bring in the pc and Best Buy would swap it out for a new or equal unit.

Almost immediately, I started to experience problems. The first problem was that the modem was not recognized when I installed and tried to log-in an internet service called Juno. However, I did not take the computer back to Best Buy at that time. I called Compaq directly and worked with their representatives. The representatives walked me through various diagnostic tests over the phone, but still the problem was not resolved. I did not push the issue at that time, but after about a month or two, I took the machine in for repair. Best Buy had the unit for approximately two weeks . When I went to pick it up, they told me that no problems were found. However, when I asked them to try it again, while I was there watching, they could not connect to the internet and or use the keyboard either. The keyboard, mouse, and modem were unrecognized. The technical representative told me that I had a flaky board and he would have it replaced . When I came back, a week later(July 1999), a different tech told me that there was nothing wrong with the unit. I asked them then if they would switch it out for me. They then told me that it had to be sent off for four times to be worked on before they would switch to a new/equal computer. At the time, I accepted what they said to me without question, even though I had a swap out warranty.

I took the computer home and still could not use the internet, so I used the local library's computer, when ever I needed to log-on to the internet. Then, one day I needed to type a letter. The libraries were not open, so I tried to use the computer to type the letter, but it would only let me get so far, before the keyboard was not recognized and the entire unit would lock-up. I was beginning to get frustrated, so I took the unit in to Best Buy again . This time, which around Christmas of 1999, I let the techies know what had happened and they told me that it was a software problem and that they would charge me if I brought it back again and it was a software problem. Then the techs said they would try to find the problem and I could pick it up in a few days. I called every other day and it was two weeks before they said it was ready. When I picked it up, they said there was no problem and stated again that I would have to pay if I brought it back again. When I went home, I called Compaq and had them send me a Complete Restore disk. This disk allowed me to totally reformat the hard drive of the computer. The Restore Disk removes all software from the computer and then reinstalls everything from the beginning. So, I started with a fresh slate and tried to get onto the internet. It still did not work. Then, I went to the store and purchased an external modem for the unit. The external modem has allowed me to get onto the internet, but I think Best Buy should have fixed the problem or taken care of the price of the modem or something, because I did what they were supposed to do by warranty. Even with the new modem, I still experience problems with the keyboard and the mouse not being recognized at different times during the use of the computer.

Due to the fact that the keyboard still had problems and I was becoming increasingly annoyed, I took the unit back again . This time, I was not very nice, I was firm with my concerns and requested the assistance of a manager so that I could discuss the nature of the problems I was experiencing. He told me again about some stipulation that the computer had to be worked on times, which I was not informed about when I purchased the computer warranty. He also told me that they would send the computer to an out of state repair place for repairs. A tech from Georgia called me over the phone and told me that there was nothing wrong, other than the fact that the software was looking for a printer, which was obviously not attached to the unit. At that time, the out of state tech told me that he might replace the mother board, but that would be all that he could do because he could not find the problem. At this point, I am really about to reach my boiling point with this. I went to Best Buy and talked to store manager, Dale Marshall, again about the problem and I picked up the unit. Dale told me that if I continued to have the problem, he would send it off again and switch out a new computer for the Compaq. This was sometime in the summer, maybe around July.

By then, I had purchased another computer, so I was not using the Compaq that much. My father mainly used it to connect to the web. He also told me about the same things that I was experiencing with the keyboard and mouse. I reformatted the Compaq again, so that if it was a problem with software, I would surely catch it this time. However, the same problems persisted. Due to the fact that I had just been approved for a free Virgin Connect Web Player last summer, I let my father use the web player to connect to the web. Meanwhile, the Compaq was not being used. The company that supplied the web player went belly up in mid November 2000, so I had to send the web player back. Therefore, I needed the Compaq to allow my father to use the internet. Due to the fact that it is still not working properly and I have contacted Best Buy on so many occasions regarding the problem with the Compaq Lemon, I need to ask for your help with resolving the issue.

I am confident that your team can play a significant part in finding a solution to my Best Buy Computer problem. Again, I appreciate your time and look forward to your assistance in the near future.

Thank you,

CC:
Best Buy CEO
Best Buy University Area
Better Business Bureau


ps. Since I wrote this letter, I had my pc sent down for service again. This time, Best Buy told me that it has only been down for service once. I can fax you a document from Best Buy that states the pc has been down for service 4 times as of Aug 19, 2000.

Please help me Action 9. My warranty is about to run out in April 2003.

How I have Tried to Resolve Problem:
Responses I have Received from Best Buy:

I have taken this pc for service on numerous occasions, as listed in the above letter.

I have asked that my warranty be honored and that the computer be replaced.

The manager who I talked to, Dale Marshall told me on Jan 10, 2002 that the next time I had to bring the computer in for service that he would swap it out for a new computer. I have a witness who was with me when he stated this.

I have submitted the computer to Best Buy at least two more times for service.

Best Buy still will not replace the computer.

Best Buy now tells me that the computer has only been down to service once.

Contact Information For Best Buy:
Best Buy
University Place
8813 Carley Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28262
704-548-8003

Best Buy
Richard M. Schulze
Founder, Chairman & CEO
Best Buy Co, Inc.
P.O. Box 9312
Minneapolis, MN 55440

Best Buy
Customer Relations
888-237-8289

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