DeepBlue

Best Buy guys just delivered my new big screen Panny. They took it out of the box, plastic wrap and all. I was going to drool all over it, but after a closer look, it seems like used one to me.
There is dust on it and its remote definitely isn't brand new one, someone already put their dirty fingers on it. You know, when you buy a new receiver or cd player, the remote is SPOTLESS? Well, this one isn't.

Paperwork was still sealed in clear plastic bag, nothing missing.

I am not sure what to do at this point, how do I prove that they didn't give me a brand new one. They can say that it got dusty in Best Buy warehouse.

Did anything like that happened to anyone?

PhYbEr

was the remote in the sealed bag? if not, it should have been.. were the batteries already in the remote/still sealed up in that little plastic wrap stuff..

Oopium

I know this has happened to me before, not with my home theater, but with DVDs and some other gadgets. It's just so easy for retailers to just re-shrinkwrap and dump it off as new to an unsuspecting customer. I'm willing to bet this happens more often than we think. It's just that some companies do a better job of cleaning off the dust and fingerprints than others.

I'd say just tell them u want to exchange it.

DeepBlue

Yes, I would like to take it back. But...it is too big and heavy, I would have to rent a pickup truck, get someone to move it etc.

One more thing (I will post in another thread since it really doesn't belong here), I am not very happy with the picture.
This is my first big screen toy, so I don't have much experience but I am having problems to make it look good. I have been playing with settings a little bit (my Avia disk should arrive today so I can try that too) but some movies really look bad.

Every few minutes, I get this 'see through water' like pictures - it is hard to describe but part of the screen looks like I am looking into aquarium? What can I do with that?

I apologize for my newbie questions
I am sure once I get all settings right, it will be fun to watch.

DeepBlue

I took the remote control to Best Buy, and home theater manager didn't even listen what I was saying and yelled "Are you accusing me of selling you used product?"

Well, jeez, with remote control having fingerprints all over it......hmmm....

No disrespect for any BB employees on this board, but I don't think I'll shop there any more

jonw9

I would have said back even louder "Yes, I believe you did sell me a used product, and I also know it is against the law to sell an item as new once it has been previously purchased"

Contact the better business bureau, I have done it before. There is no reason to accept the product.

Now, you could also try to wrangle a 10% refund on your purchse, some DVDs or something in order to keep your TV and now have BB come pick it back up...

Caliking

dont stop there.

demand you want to return this item...this sounds really fishy to me. this is one reason that i dont buy anything but my dvd's there. for now one...buy from your local HT store...at least thats what i do.

kngelv

You will not have to lug it back yourself. Best(Worst) Buy Should pick it up. Too many people tolerate this kind of stuff. After the way you were treated when you went back, I'd take my business elsewhere. Best Buy is notorious for delivering returned merchandise figuring people will not want the hassle of returning it. Take a stand.

James

grip

I agree with calli and KNG. If you are within your time period, get your money back or exchange the item. If you are not happy FOR WHATEVER REASON, you should not pay for it.

egbok

1. Talk to the manager at Best Buy, they should take it back and give you a new one.
2. Panasonic has the 30 days return policy, if you don't like it Panasonic will take it back, but you need to have the box.
3. If you paid by credit cards, i.e., Visa, MC, or Amex, talk to them, they will deal with Best Buy.

Cheddarmuff

I agree with what has been said above. There is no reason you should settle when you are buying a new item. If it isn't what you want, send it back. There is no point in having buyers remorse when it can be avoided.

DVD.guy

NBC in Chicago had an expose about this recently. The stores are not going to go out of their way to keep you happy unless you complain and make it a big deal. As kngelv said, the stores figure you don't want the hassle and will just forget about it.

In regards to complaining: My wife had this happen this past Christmas. Althought it was just a set of computer speakers ($50). She picked them up off the shelf and went to pay. Oops, the cashier tells her, you can't buy them because someone had reserved them. Well, long story short. Not my problem, complained to manager, piss off manager, manager gives 2 rebates, speakers free!

Moral of the story...DO NOT TAKE THEIR CR*P.

grip

sooo......what's been happening Blue? I hope that you get satisfaction!

DeepBlue

Thanks everyone for your input.

I have been busy with other unpleasant stuff - car theft

I want to return my tv, BUT I didn't keep a box (don't have space for it) and Best Buy receipt says:
Restocking Fees will be applied to any product not returned in 'like new condition' including missing the original box, packaging materials......
so I can imagine what I will hear from them on Monday.

egbok
Panasonic warranty - good idea - if Best Buy won't take tv back, I will try to wrestle the box from them somehow and call Panasonic to return it to them.
and yes, I paid with VISA but the transaction has been approved already, when I bought the tv.

Goblincat

If you work out an exchange for a new one, just let them keep the box when they deliver it and pick up the old one.

jonw9

Word

egbok

DeepBlue,

Call your bank (VISA) and tell them that Best Buy sold you a used TV, and you're not happy with your purchase. VISA will deal with Best Buy, it's a long, unpleasant process.

Where do you live? You're welcome to have my Panasonic PT-53WX52 box.

Cheddarmuff

Didn't BB deliver the TV in the first place?? Tell them that they already have it...

vwbeetlvr

ive worked at best buy in nj for 2 1/2 years and this is the first time i ever heard of them selling a tv as new when it was used. If they delivered the tv and it was used, just be nice to them and tell them they delivered you a tv with a picture you dont like and you would prefer to have it exchanged.

nekobus

I ran into the same thing with an item at BB, it was a return that had been carefully wrapped and put back in the box. I had learned from a different employee that someone had just returned it and they hadn't had the chance to "put it back on the shelf".

Another employee tried to give sell it to me as a new item. I told him it was a return and should be sold as an open box. He said it didn't look open to him, so I made him open the box up--the instructions were open, the batteries were in the remote and the cables were all unwrapped. He finally agreed to sell it as an "open box" item.

DeepBlue,
It doesn't matter if VISA approved your transaction, most credit cards have a dispute procedure to follow if you are not happy with a local purchase. Check your credit card statement/agreement for more info.

CPA-ESQ.

Definitely call Visa up and dispute the charges on the grounds of either:

1: Merchandise was not what you ordered (i.e. you ordered a New TV and you suspect that they sent you a Refurb or Floor Model)

or

2: Merchandise does perform to specifications (i.e. find something wrong - the picture is grainy, the sound is muffled)

Let Visa deal with them - you should get an immediate credit on your next statement for the purchase price and it will stay that way until the situation is resolved.

--------------------------

"vwbeetlvr"

Is right - if you don't want to muddy the waters go in and ask for a new one. Say the picture does not look good and you would like another one delivered.

Tell them the delivery guys took the box with them - That's why you don't have it

------------------------

Finally, you could call up Best Buy Corporate HQ and talk to a supervisor and explain how the Manager yelled at you, and inform them that you suspect that a "used" television was sent to your house. They should make good.


Let us know what you do.


Sears will come to your house and pick the TV up if you are not happy and want to return it (as long as they delivered it). So no need to rent a truck.

DeepBlue

Thank you all for your suggestions.

It was quite easy. I walked in the store, gave them my receipt, and said that TV is way too big for my living room and I need to return it
No questions asked, no restocking fee. They are coming to pick up my tv on Monday. Heh.

Soon I will be TV-less and now I am looking at other brands. I brought a few my dvd's to the store and watched there, it seems to me that Mitsu has a better picture. So I am not sure what to do at this point, Mitsu is more expensive but it does look better I think. And Toshiba doesn't look bad either.

Oh, so many choices.

djones6746

I have a Pioneer(Great....great set!!!) but if you are going to limit the search to Panny, Mits or Toshiba...I would go with a Mits. Stay away from Sony...they have been having way too many problems over the last year with many of their RPTV's.

cowanrg

one more reason why you should never buy anytihng but cd's or dvd's from best buy...

IMO, buying electronics from best buy is a gamble at BEST. they really dont even sell that many good products, their service is crap, and their prices arent really rock bottom...

CPA-ESQ.

Don't judge a TV on how it looks in the store.

They are not setup or calibrated at all. I could take the worst RPTV and make it look better than the best one just by tweeking the contrast, color etc.. The only way to tell by looking is if you were to go to a specialty store where they owner or staff took the time to calibrate each TV and ran the same signal into it.

Best : Pioneer Elite (nice TV but you pay for it)
2nd best: Hitachi (better guns and lenses)
3rd: Mitsu (Nice - has it's quirks but can be adjusted if you like to tinker


Good luck