Best Buy and Gift Cards – - Be careful folks!
I love Best Buy. I buy anything and everything electronic at that store. I even have my Reward Zone card. But I have had two issues with Best Buy that is making me think as to whether I should continue to purchase my stuff there.
I bought a digital camera from Best Buy and I DID BUY the extra warranty service that they offer. Get this, right almost at the end of the extra warranty that was about to expire, my camera started acting up. There are times that the screen would fade and I couldn’t even see what I am taking a photo of. Even worst, it happens intermittently.
So, I hurriedly took it to the Geek Squad to have them take a look at the camera. However, when I brought it there – the issue would not come up. I tried to tell the guy that it happens intermittently and that they need to take a look at it… they would not take it. They want the issue to happen right then and there…before they even take the camera. Now, what good did the extra warranty do me? Nothing. Because within a week – it expired and then my camera never worked again thereafter.
The next issue I had was this. I bought a Wii Fit Plus and a Wii set using gift cards I received for my birthday. These are American Express and Visa Gift Cards. When the cashier took the gift cards, he never returned them to me. I didn’t think that was not normal since I rarely use gift cards.
Well, I decided that the Wii and Wii Fit Plus set was not for me so I returned it (unopened, in mint condition – after only a few days). This is what I got from the folks at customer service.
“We can only refund American Express Gift Cards directly to the Gift Card itself. The sales person shouldn’t have taken it from you. Since you don’t have the Gift Card anymore, we can only issue a BEST BUY Store Credit! And if you use Visa or Mastercard Gift Cards, you can only get a store credit regardless.“
Now, that was not my issue. The issue that they cannot refund me the value in cash for gift cards is absurd, specially if their own salesperson took it from me. I was very disappointed.
So, lesson learned when buying from Best Buy using gift cards:
American Express Gift Cards:
Make sure you ask for the gift card back!! Do not leave it with the salesperson in case you need to return your purchase like I did.
Visa and Mastercard Gift Cards:
If you really think that you will not return the product you are buying, go ahead and use the gift cards at Best Buy or if you really purchase a lot from Best Buy that a store credit is not a problem for you. Any Visa or Mastercard gift card is only refundable through a store credit.
Luckily, I am going to switch to the iPhone and the $300.00 store credit I received is exactly enough for the iPhone 4 that I will be getting so it’s no big deal. But what if I didn’t plan on buying anything else from Best Buy? I guess I’m screwed.
[eminimall]
