As reported by Engadget:
We’ve all been completely pissed off with Best Buy for one reason or another, but no matter how infuriatingly incompetent their people can be, it’s probably not a good idea to follow Marlene Anne Bagnall’s strategy for getting what you want out of them. She found out the hard way that while pulling a gun on the Best Buy television repairman and telling him that, “You’re not leaving until the TV is fixed,” actually isn’t a good way to get your TV fixed, it is an excellent way to get yourself charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment. The repairman, who had already tried and failed to fix her TV several times, calmed her down by calling Best Buy and getting them to agree to give her a new TV, then left and called the cops.
Several attempts to get it fixed???
Best Buy is one of the worst when it comes to enforcing the law or abiding by it ... most states have a lemon law which says:
" [ If a customer has the same problem with a product under warranty ... more than 3 times or different problems with the same item more than 5 times under warranty - the seller must reclaim the unit and provide a complete refund. The store must investigate, with the manufacturer, if a recall or consumer alert is necessary. ] "
I actually learned all that from my own experience with Best Buy. My father purchased an Apple Performa 6116 package + printer from Best Buy in 1994 for almost $3000. ( Replacing an original 1984 Macintosh ) - in 1998 problems started to arise. My dad had purchased the 3 year extended warranty (for a coverage of 4 years from date of purchase).
He took the unit in for an issue with the serial port being nonfunctional.
Note: Before reading; note that Best Buy had stopped carrying Macs two years prior to this incident in 1996.
The details are below ( condensed ):
1) Took the unit in 45days before extended warranty expired on December 1998
2) Claimed repaired or no problem 4 days later
3) Problem persisted - taken in 2nd time
4) Claimed repaired in 7 days by replacing motherboard
5) I examined the issue this time - it looked to me as if they hadn't done anything, so I taped a piece of tape to the underside of the motherboard at the serial port that said, check here or call this number if you replace this part.
6) Taken in for repair 3rd time
7) Claimed repaired in 15 days by replacing motherboard for cost to Best Buy ($900) Cost to my father (under warranty) = $0
8) Same problem, so I took apart motherboard ... tape was still there and not checked - no motherboard had been replaced
9) My Father took the unit in and spoke with the manager; demanding satisfaction.
10) Manager asked for one more chance but for my father to bring everything in to make sure it was tested
11) My Father agreed
12) 18 days later, he was told to come pick up the unit (with no mention of what what we were about to hear)
[something similer to this said by the manager]
Mr. Smith, your unit is fully repaired ... that will be $1100!
Why $1100? The unit was now out of warranty. The claim was; the unit was out of warranty, so, the repair was now at a charge. Obviously, this was outrageous. Take in to account, that my father also is a fervent tax preparer and accountant who was not able to balance his books for almost 2 months. My dad left the store, filed suit (claiming lemon law rules applied), and Best Buy responded within just a few days. My father got a gift certificate for the full original purchase price. Best Buy had just picked up carrying just the iMac on a limted basis. With his gift certificate; he bought two iMacs, two printers, two scanners, and a 27" TV. ( He was also refunded the $399 he spent on the warranty + the $150 in taxes he paid )
