Comments on: My Best Buy Performance Service Plan (PSP) Experience: Part II

By: Christopher Price

Christopher Price — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 09:17:53 +0000

If you send it in before the PSP expires, they are required to fix it regardless of if the repairs take place after the end date of the warranty.

Don’t spill anything on your laptop. For one, it’s fraud, and that’s a felony. For two, they’ll refuse to fix it due to water damage. Most PSPs don’t cover accidental damage.

By: PizNost

PizNost — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:38:52 +0000

QUESTION–

My Laptop (bought in ’07 for $2,100) with a 3 yr PSP warranty expires in 2 weeks.

It is constantly overheating, shutting down, and has a very limited battery life. I am thinking of “accidentally” spilling/soaking water on it….or letting it burn.

If i send it in with problems before my PSP date expires, but it is being serviced after the PSP warranty has expired will they fix or replace it with a comparable laptop?

By: cparker

cparker — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:19:36 +0000

I am currently going throught a very similiar issue with my 52″ RCA Rear Projection TV. I am having convergence issues and the “Geek Squad” repair people cannot get the part they need. They have already told me that they would replace the TV if my next service date (Jan 9, 2010) comes and goes without getting the part in stock. My fear is that what I consider “comparable” is not what BB will agree with.

My argument is that my TV is 52″ and has a resolution of 1080i. The only thing I can get that is around the same price is a 46″ LCD with 1080p. That only meets half of what I would consider comparable. The other option would be a 50″ or 52″ with 720p. BB has a TV that is “comparable” and is $150 more than what I paid for my TV originally. Hopefully they will allow this.

By: amygdala

amygdala — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:56:27 +0000

I agree with Ryan–I wouldn’t bet on a Westinghouse tv to last more than three years. It’s amazing Best Buy even offers PSPs on practically disposable garbage brands. You’d think BB would lose money– which is probably why they delay everything. To me, that’s masochistic– buying a piece of crap and adding a service plan that you know deep down you’re going to have to fight tooth and nail to use because the people that sold you your item know it’s a piece of crap. It’s like getting an extended warranty on an ’86 Yugo.

By: Beverly Carter

Beverly Carter — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:06:02 +0000

I’m currently going through my own epic battle with Best Buy home repair. I bought a 56″ Samsung TV in February of 2006 with the PSP. The first problem, about eight months ago, was resolved by a lamp replacement. The recent problem (the last two months) started with half the screen going black. I could turn the TV off, wait a few minutes and turn it back on and have a full picture again. Sometimes it would go for days without half the picture shutting off and sometimes only for hours or minutes.
I initially made the mistake of calling the Best Buy store where I had bought the TV. Between disconnections, holds and transfers (over an hour) I finally reached someone that could and did schedule an appointment…for two weeks later. Thankfully I could still watch my TV, at least intermittently.
The day of the appointment came, the technician showed up and the resolution was a part placed on order. Two weeks later the technician returned, part in hand. The part was broken. Another part was ordered, another appointment was scheduled. Yesterday the technician showed up, part in hand. The part was installed and the TV came on and appeared to be working fine…for about two hours. Now the TV won’t stay on for more than a few minutes. The picture breaks up with large sections going black and after a few minutes an exclamation point appears next to a little picture of a light bulb and then the TV shuts off. I called the number left on my caller ID when the technician called to be let in to through the security gate. I left a message relaying the problem and asked him to call me back. No call back. This morning I called 1-800 Best Buy. I asked for the number to call to speak to someone about the failure to resolve the problem explaining that it had seemed to be okay while the technician was still here. I was told there is not a direct number to call and was successfully transfered. The number I was transferred to had an automated input for zip code and I entered mine. Less than two minutes on hold and I was speaking to a live person. After explaining the situation I was offered another appointment on 8/14. I asked if there was any way to get someone here sooner as I had been dealing with issues for over a month. I was transferred to a supervisor. After more explaining and two or three “holds” the supervisor informed me that a technician would be able to come today. She was unable to provide a time (perfectly understandable as they will be squeezing me into today’s scheduled appointments) but advised me that the technician or the technician’s supervisor would call me within the next 3 hours to advise me of the time. I got the call about two hours ago and it was the technician at the gate. A new part has to be ordered (this will be the third part replacement) and I have to wait until 8/18 for it. I’ll keep you posted…
So far I haven’t run into the serious problems others have had. Granted I’ve had to be persistent but I’ve dealt with beauracratic red tape and this is nothing compared to that.
The technicians have all been knowledgable, prompt, polite and professional; no complaints there. Getting a working TV has been a slow process and now I will be totally without a TV for almost two weeks. If the replacement part fixes it, that will be it. If the part doesn’t fix it I guess I will begin my journey through the pitfalls of getting a replacement. Wish me luck either way.

By: Christopher Price

Christopher Price — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 03:29:10 +0000

Ryan, you might have a point that Westinghouse offers sub-par service. But, that’s irrelevant.

I filed a claim with Best Buy, using their service centers. Best Buy should have repaired the product quickly and efficiently.

If Best Buy had trouble with Westinghouse, Best Buy is a customer of theirs… they should have been able to get the parts quickly. If Best Buy couldn’t, the onus was on them to replace the HDTV quickly. If Best Buy has a systemic problem with Westinghouse parts… the onus is on them to either fix that supply issue, or stop selling Westinghouse products in Best Buy stores.

I don’t blame Westinghouse for this one, sorry. Best Buy’s service center and service plan infrastructure dropped the ball here.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:25:42 +0000

I feel your pain man, but the bottom line is that you bought a Westinghouse TV. Your situation is similar to anyone who still owns a Daewoo automobile. I highly recomend Sony, Sharp, or Samsung. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean you should buy it. Hope you have better luck with the new PSP.

By: Christopher Price

Christopher Price — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:21:28 +0000

Wade, as we’ve noted a couple of times at least (with multiple experiences now)… simply asking for a Junk Out doesn’t cut it.

Best Buy appears to be actively ignoring Junk Out orders, until they have been escalated by multiple people. We’ve had stores file a Junk Out, and just have it sit there.

Asking to speak to the GM of the store, is a good idea… but usually the GM only will intervene after you have filed a Junk Out order with the store, and already have not gotten a response to it. This is because the GM has to spend quite a long time on the phone with corporate, in order to chastise them into completing the Junk Out request.

By: Wade

Wade — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:15:09 +0000

Call corporate and request a junk out. 888-237-8289. After 4-5 weeks, this should easily be approved so you can get a replacement TV. If they forward you to a repair facility. call the local store and speak with the General Manager.

By: Christopher Price

Christopher Price — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:37:35 +0000

The first step I would take, in your case, is to go to the local store, and ask to speak to a manager. Explain to them everything you just wrote (calmly), and say that you want to start a junk-out order.

If they try to pass you off to 800-Best-Buy, remind them that 800-Best-Buy does not handle junk-out orders for home theaters, and that the store must work with the corporate office themselves to escalate the matter to a junk-out order.

If the store won’t cooperate (and I don’t see why they wouldn’t, but it is possible), I would then go the BBB complaint route. That usually will get you assigned to an ombudsman at the corporate office, who would then initiate the junk-out.

I had three junk-outs initiated before one went through. Often times, the junk out orders are sent to corporate for approval, and just sit there. The only solutions at that point are to either file a new one (often same result), or for the store’s manager to call corporate him/herself and talk to an escalation rep.

Oh, and don’t trust a word the repair center says. It’s in their interest to wait… an indefinite period of time… if necessary to get your part in. If there’s a junk-out order, they don’t get any money for the repair. So, they would be happy to tell you for the next year that they’re still working on your TV.