Best Buy Best Buy doesn't honor warranty Minneapolis Minnesota

*Best Buy is attempting to exclusively use rebuilt parts since it is clear that the new part is available.

While their terms and conditions indicate that new or refurbished parts may be used. It appears no attempt has been to obtain a new part.

*Best Buy is counting service calls as repairs and forcing the replacement of products to "fulfill" the warranty.

*Best Buy is intentionally using incompatible and inferior parts on their repairs.

*Best Buy does not properly explain the definition of "fulfilled" in their terms and conditions and misrepresents a 4 year warranty.

Approximately 2 months ago Best Buy was called for service on an extended warranty we purchased for a 46" Samsung LCD TV, Model LN-T4665F. The television was purchased on 05-19-07 with an extended warranty of 4 years. (1 year Samsung plus 3 years Best Buy)

The complaint under the warranty was that the picture would not work at times. When the television was turned on the volume always worked but sometimes the picture did not appear. We explained that this problem only happened sometimes.

The first technician came out and said nothing was wrong with the television and blamed it on the cable box. Verizon FIOS, our cable provider came out, checked the lines and boxes and assured us it was the TV.

Best Buys was called again. A second technician came out, took the TV apart and said the TV was in fact broken. He said a part had to be ordered and it would take about 10-14 days. During this time the problem got to the point where the TV would not turn on the majority of the time. After about 3 weeks we had not received a call that the part was in so we contacted Best Buy. Best Buy said the part had just arrived and scheduled an appointment to install the new LCD panel.

When the technicians arrived on their third visit as they were installing the panel, they admittedly stated that the part number of the panel did not match the existing part number. When questioned about it they stated this was common. They stated because a newer model was now out the new panel would be used but it would work just fine.

We immediately noticed that the color ration on the TV and the clarity was not the same. We immediately called the technician back but he said he could not return to the home and we would have to schedule another appointment. After waiting a week for the new appointment we were called on the morning of the appointment and given a code to take to the store to pick up a new TV. They would not be coming in to service the TV.

Upon going to the store and arranging for a comparable TV we were told that the warranty was "fulfilled" and that we would lose the remaining 2 1/2 years. Since we paid for a 4 year warranty we stated that we would not like a new TV and never requested a new TV. We just wanted our TV fixed properly so we could keep the warranty. We did not take the TV.

Upon calling repairs again Best Buy stated that they reserved the right to replace the TV after 3 service repairs have been completed. There are a couple of problems with this (1) There were NOT 3 repairs made, while there were 3 service calls, only one attempt was made to fix the television. Even if you are to count service calls as "repairs" under no situation should the 1st call be counted since their technician didn't even acknowledge a problem (2) At the 3rd appointment the technicians admittedly used the wrong, inferior, part stating "let's see if it works". (3)There is nothing to stop Best Buy from voiding warranties by wasting service calls as they did in our case and then classifying them as "service repairs" (4)The part the technician said wasn't available, hence the wrong part number, is in fact available.

After contacting Samsung directly the part, part # BN07-00391A is in fact still available and available for shipment in 3-5 days. (5) Matt the last supervisor I spoke to at Best Buy has now acknowledged that they should come out for an additional service call. The LCD panel ordered on the second service call was actually on back order which is why we were offered a new TV after replacing it with wrong screen. Apparently it was known that the screen used would not work properly all along but they used it anyway trying to get away with it (In my opinion because they did not want to order a new screen but instead want to use a re-furbished screen which is not available.) The technicians themselves said it was the wrong screen and they would "see if it worked"

While Matt said someone would contact me to schedule a service call I have not heard back from Best Buy yet. In addition Matt stated the part was on back order and could take months. In my opinion this is a clear case of fraud and consumer deception.

*Best Buy is attempting to exclusively use rebuilt parts since it is clear that the new part is available. While their terms and conditions indicate that new or refurbished parts may be used. It appears no attempt has been made to obtain a new part.

*Best Buy is counting service calls as repairs and forcing the replacement of products to "fulfill" the warranty.

*Best Buy is intentionally using incompatible and inferior parts on their repairs.

*Best Buy does not properly explain the definition of "fulfilled" in their terms and conditions and misrepresents a 4 year warranty.

Andy
Hoboken, New Jersey
U.S.A.

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