What is Digg?131 Comments
- mdyoke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"Both parties are at fault. Who the ***** uses parallel ports anymore anyway!"
I disagree. Circuit City adverstised that the product had a parallel port and it didn't. Pretty cut and dried in my mind. Actually, I find it pretty amazing that anyone can see it any other way. - Roscoe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3As a CC employee I really find this to be terrible customer service. I will admit that there are employees who are just total idiots and they are weeded out. But when I sell computers, im not on commission but I always let everyone know about the product, i demo it, and let them see it first hand. I dont want to sell a product to a person and them get home and not be happy. But luckily the CC in the town I live in strives on customer service. Some others are less fortunate I know...I'm not 100% defending CC but there are some good CC stores and employees out there.
- dean, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The best place to buy computers, in my opinion, is at small shops that also repair them. If the shop seems busier than most you've got yourself a winner.
- Mark_H, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Both parties are at fault? You should check the product before you buy it?
If they say it has a parallel port, it should have a parallel port! 'Nuff said. - 16x9, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2> stranger678 wrote: "IT's not the greatest customer service, but you really should check out your product BEFORE you buy it."
When possible, I agree that checking out a product in advance is a good idea. But the truth is that it isn't always possible. Especially when purchasing over the net. But what's wrong with retailers, oh I don't know, telling the truth?!?! - JaredRR, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2The problem isn't just Circuit City. It's all the big chains. These kids get commission, or if not, promoted based on performance. The only thing they care about is getting you out the door with less money than you came in with.
Blogging about the experience has got to help make it worthwhile though! I wonder if anyone from CC will track him down and try to make it right. I'm not sure there is anything they can do at this point. - buss, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I used to work at a Circuit City, and the purpose of the restocking fee was to discourage people from buying a TV for a football game and then return it after the game. However, if the person is going to exchange the TV the fee is usually dropped after talking to a manager and in some cases the fee will be dropped regardless if the customer is sufficiently angry.
Also, no one at Circuit City makes commission anymore, and its been that way for a few years. The company was hemorrhaging money and thusly took all employees off commission. I understand that its the same way at Best Buy now, but not because of financial problems but because they didn't need to provide that benefit to their employees since CC wasn't doing it anymore. - vtan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Let's all learn something from this:
When buying high priced equipment, check out the easy stuff at the store before handing over the credit card.
Don't believe anything verbal.
Copy everything that isn't verbal - especially web pages.
Don't count on managers being reasonable.
As bad as Circuit City is - Best Buy is worse. - ThePotatoe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2When i was at best buy on saturday, i exchanged a hard drive for a bigger one, and the asshat at the customer service desk hurled the hard drive in its packaging halfway accross the counter into a metal bin. A HARD DRIVE. Please, best buy, hire people who know what the hell is going on inside a computer.
- hriwo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"hy couldn't someone from Circuit City go to Radio Shack and buy this cable and give it to me? Jeez, that seems like the least they could have done."
Someone please explain this to me. - mdyoke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I find it astonishing and a bit disturbing that anyone could take Circuit City's side on this one. Why should a store get a pass just because everyone knows that most of the employees are incompetent? Sure, you have to do due diligence before making a major purchase, but if a store advertises something that they don't have, they have an obligation to make things right. At the very least, they should refund the purchase price, no further questions asked, and fix the ad.
- NiLeS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It took that long for someone to mention the USB cord?? When we bought our new laptop (also at CC...), we wanted to use the PS/2 mouse & keyboard from our old desktop. We look around and see the PS/2 to USB cord for $20. We get someone to bring the laptop over, and he says we'll need a $130 (!) docking station to use the keyboard and mouse. Then he goes on and on about buying a new mouse/keyboard combo if we don't want to spend that much. I mention the convert or cords. "Oh, right. PS/2!" man....
P.S. Why is "USB" not in the spell checker? - mattjumbo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I would agree with the customer here generally but in this case I think she is a liar.
First, she starts by listing various things that made her mad before she even bought the computer. It was no one's fault but her own that she arrived 45 minutes early, yet she is clearly holding this against them when she walks through the door.
Secondly the whole, "they should have bought the adapter and brought it to me" thing suggests to me that she is, as some others have said, an elitist person.
I just seriously doubt this went down the way she said it did.
In fact, my guess is that she bought it, decided she didn't like it, and then became angry when she couldn't return the laptop with no questions asked. She probably fabricated the whole 'parallel port' issue to try to justify the return. You just *have* to have this feature but didn't bother to check the box?
I think she's full of it. - Griffology, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You're getting her side of the story... She probably shops with the attitude that the customer is always right, which sounds nice but doesn't always work.
I call shenanigans. - killerofkiller, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"When you buy from circuit City, you are buying communism"
- basilmurphy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1
I just don't understand you guys.
The heart of this story is that the website advertised something, sales person on the phone confirmed it, customer service/tech support later confirmed it (It's behind the door)... and yet the buyer is at fault.
I will agree that perhaps she should have investigated the port more on a floor model or something... but at some point we have to believe the printed materials. She admits that she isn't the most technical person... most arn't.
What if you buy a Dell - all you can rely on are the specs and pictures, if they were wrong, wouldn't you kick up a friggin big fuss? Or anything online for that matter.
I try and research before I buy. I consider myself fairly technical - at least when it comes to doing enough research about the items/components I want to buy. Many people who shop at these stores are "mom and pop" types, or have just enough information to hurt themself. This does not mean they should get screwed. - hriwo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1No one has thought to go to the CC website and check ot the m45 http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/133636/originURLEncoded/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.circuitcity.com%252Frpsm%252FcatOid%252F-12963%252FN%252F20012961%252B20012963%252B40001555%252Flink%252Fref%252Frpem%252Fccd%252Fcategorylist.do/rpem/ccd/productDetailSpecification.do#tabs
- metalnightmare, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Note to EVERYONE stop shopping at Circuit City.
- glitchbit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I've only done two charge backs but the first time I caught the them many months too late so I could not atest against it. However the second time I caught it immediately and got fustrated with them because they were arguring with me and I had been calm up to this point but he would not let me get a word in and talk so I finally blew up and interrupted him and said Listen either you give me back my $124.99 back or I will do a charge back with my credit card company!
Unfortunetly it just made the guy on the other end even madder and he started arguing even more OO.... I quickly said to him OK good bye and hung up the phone while he was still talking and called my credit card company ASAP and they never gave me any problems again and I was worried about harrassment from them cuz I learned that I ordered from on of those brooklyn NY camera shops known to rip people off after it was said and down. I normally take more care and look into their background better but their site seemed to be very up front with cost and descriptions, but appreances can be decieving...Mr. Anderson.
I should make a blog just like that one guy did about his camera shop experience I am sure I'd get thousands of diggs too lol. - Stranger678, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1IT's not the greatest customer service, but you really should check out your product BEFORE you buy it.
- jutendouji, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1PriceRitePhoto. Never forget.
- spudwrench, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1IMHO, both parties were dumb.
The customer is obviously very non-computer literate (at best) and expected more than reasonable from a store, big or small. If you live far away from a store, you need to do enough research to make an intelligent purchase (so you do not need to return a "working" product) and not expect the store to simply jump through hoops because you didn't do enough research.
Circuit City on the other hand (specifically, the manager) was completely out of line considering the circumstances. "Jeremy" should have gotta at least a verbal warning from the manager, not exhonorated because the manager "liked" him.
Sadly, "restocking fees" are there for a reason... so you don't simply keep buying things that technically work and then just return them because you made a mistake. An working, "open box" product is unwelcome as a return.
Finally, "false advertising" is REALLY hard to prove on the internet. Basically, it has to be proven that someone used false information regarding a product or service with intent to gain a sale that otherwise would not have happened. Since websites are updated by humans (who do make mistakes... surprise, surprise), it is almost impossible to prove false advertising. Most websites already have a disclaimer in "the fine print" that excuses themselves from "human error". - akamia123, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Whoa! Talk about a surprise ending. The whole time I thought it was a guy and then right at the end she throws a curveball with that whole "what's a girl to do" thing. haha
- bebopredux, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"I don't see Mac EVER running Mia as well and Windows."
What is "mia"? Is that the kiddie version of Maya? I run Maya 7.0 on my G5 Mac with 8GB of memory.
Like I said.
Priceless. - danielson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The lady who wrote this blog sounds like an idiot (she didn't know what a parallel port looked like?). I wouldn't recommend anyone reading it, it's not worth the time. I wish I could get a full return on the time I invested into reading her blog.
- NeuroMan42, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Not surprised really. I work for a local PC repair company and we get TONS of pissed people about the horrible service done from the BestBuy Geek Squad.
- danielson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"the ONLY way to make an impact of asswads like that, is to MAKE A SCENE, and big one at that. they will wave that $149 just to get rid of you."
No, more than likely you'll just piss them off to the point where they demand you leave the store or else they'll call the cops... - mavranos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"I fail to see how Circuit City is responsible for this customer's utter lack of research. No digg. This man is ridiculous..."
Yeah really - I read the whole article and my first thought was "Whine much?"
I'd sooner ask my dog advice about electronic devices before listening to ANY salespersons helpful nfo.
Do your own reseach and do it well. Check your merch. before accepting it. - mcaaronice, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I used to work at Circuit City and I have no doubt in my mind that we would have refunded her money. We waived those fees all the time if it was legitimate.
Why did she buy a computer on the advice of a kid that she keeps pointing out is as dumb as rocks? - urstupid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1OK This is 100% pure example of the average retard customer who's obviously never worked retail. And for all of you posting and taking her side, you've probably never worked retail either.
1. The store was not built for YOU! BB and CC are businesses. They are out to make money. They make money and pay their employees. Their employees use this money to buy other things. This is a huge cycle that helps the ECONOMY.
2. As a few people already mentioned, CC and BB are no longer commision based retail enviroments. Employees are sort of graded on warranty sales but this has no bearing on their job status.
3. The reason the laptop was moved to defective is because it was opened. Period. When opened products are returned they are either returned as Open Box items that are sold at reduced costs or Defective. ALL COMPUTER RELATED PRODUCTS ARE RETURNED DEFECTIVE.
4. The restocking fee is non arguable. It's printed clearly on the receipt, it's posted on the wall behind customer service, and most sales associates that I've worked with ALWAYS mention the restocking fee. Hell, I comment the ticket after every sales that the customer understands the 14 day return policy and restocking fee and the manufacture warranty. If you say otherwise you are either deaf or weren't paying attention. The restocking fee is in place so people don't use chains as a "Blockbuster" for expensive electronics.
5. Yelling at the store associates and causing a scene to get your way will almost never work. And any managers who bend over for this childesh, immature tactic are push overs. The second a customer starts yelling and threatening associates they are given a warning and if they continue, the police are called and the customer is escorted out of the building. Nuff said.
6. What is up with when a sales associate asks "How are you doing today?" and the response he ALWAYS gets is "Just looking." Proof that most customers really aren't paying attention or just don't care.
My advice to any consumers that are wanting a good experience when shopping. You get treated the way you treat others. If you start off being arrogant and testy right off the bat then the salesman is going to play hardball with you. Be polite, LISTEN to the associate, and acknowledge that they are humans that want good treatment just as much as you do. - jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"So I call them, and sure enough, I cannot."
See, at this point I realized she not only didn't know much about Circuit City, computers, but also life in general. You can't call up your credit card company, and just 'cancel' a payment. This isn't a check, and your credit card wasn't stolen and used to buy stuff. All you can ever do is file a dispute, which takes time to get resolved. The thing is, IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS RESOLVED IN YOUR FAVOR. If you didn't get what you paid for, in even the most abstract sense, you won't be charged. - Rorduruk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Why couldn't someone from Circuit City go to Radio Shack and buy this cable and give it to me? Jeez, that seems like the least they could have done."
I was with her up 'til this. - mechayakuza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"So I go to Radio Shack and pay $40 (including tax) for a cable. Why couldn't someone from Circuit City go to Radio Shack and buy this cable and give it to me? Jeez, that seems like the least they could have done. Keep a good, regular customer happy. It would have been so incredibly easy."
This elitist, incredibly unrealistic "customer is always right" type statement proves that this lady is full of crap. - illu45, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Hahahahaha... "This IS a paralel port". Oy... Well, sorry it hapenned to you. Hah... paralel port... *laughs and laughs*
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1this guy is dumb. he is faulting them for opening at 10 instead of when he got there? whatever, i read about half way through that and it is just as much this dude's fault as Circuit City's. Screw him. Screw circuit city.
- lilricky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Actually, if you look at the cache of the Circuit City web page in question, the specs hasn't changed at all. Beginning to doubt the innocence of this person....
- craigtheguru, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That sucks. One more reminder why to stay away from stores like this. Meanwhile, was the parallel port really that important? A new printer could be had for practically the price of the USB-parallel cable and if your old printer doesn't have USB I doubt its worth keeping.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I had a friend that used to work at Best Buy and she told me that the sales people in the computer section would not sell you a computer unless you bought the extended warranty. Basically you would choose your computer and then you'd get the extended warranty sales pitch and if you opted from buying it they would give you the run arround till you left empty handed. Now thats some ***** right there!!!!
~mario
(just in case you wanna know, this is the BB by the 54 freeway in San Diego between Chula Vista and National City) - placebo1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0u want an employee to drive to a radio shack and buy you a $40 cable out of his pocket?? yea sure do u want him to stop and get you anything to eat to while hes out?
- tehdvd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0oh yeah, circuit city associates don't get commision anymore so dont think we're trying to sell you a expensive product. BUT, its the warranty is the way they rate empolyees. One reason why I work in the dvds/cds/games/networking/ blahalha (little stuff) department, because I know I wont get fired for having low protection plan numbers. Plus, i hate lying to nice customers.
- boicraig, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is why i dont shop at big box stores...the hire joe blow who doesnt know anything
- brink668, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0think the online companies like
http://newegg.com http://amazon.com
are kiling them..so yea this sucks - SaintStryfe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I work at a similar store. Let me tell you about a customer today. It's early - 11 or so. A woman - routund as a bag of basketballs, comes in. She has a knowing look. "I want to see a Digital Camera", she proclaims, "But I don't think you'll have it." I show her the camera she suggests. "Well, young man," Oh crap. Young Man. THat's not a good begining to any conversation in a retail store. "Your ad says this camera is a 5 megapixel." I retreive a copy of the ad. Yep. A clear picture of the camnera, emblazoned with "3.2 megapixels". In 8 point font underneath, "5.0 Megapixels." "Well, Miss, this seems to be an error." "Well," She asked curtly, "Who's responsiblity is it? I want a 5 megapixel camera for THAT price." I attemped to show the words that all ads have, "NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MISPRINTS." Well, after being shooed off to fetch a manager, at her request, I am not pleased. She follows a few steps behind before stopping. "YOUNG MAN, do not shake your head at me." Oh I was shaking my head, I admit that. By this point, my manager notices and picks up the sale - and the stupid wench, it seems, was annoyed even after she was given a better camera at a lower price- it did not come with a dock. Only a very few select Cameras, not including the one originally brought up, have docks. Of course, my manager was a little calmer - he apparently didn't get a "Young Man"... the tie does something I think. She walked out with a crappy camera, a crappy photodock, and a memory card (of which I'm fairly neutral on).
Okay. Notice this: THIs was the most boring thing I have ever typed. And I have college degrees. It is true, but it's also crap. This is what I hear when I hear a whining person who can't read the back of a receipt. Know the stores you shop at. Know the policy. Ask about it. Don't assume ANYTHING. And BTW: most of the time, don't demand a return. You do MUCH better to ask for exchange, or for a part to do it yourself. And don't be suprsied if a manager doesn't know about tech even in a technology-themed store. Managers are hired to manage. The grunts are brought on for tech knowlege.
Excuse me, I need to take a shower now. That felt disgusting relaying one of those stupid bad customer/bad service stories. - YanSan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"In case you're wondering if I have lost control and started screaming by now . . . no, I practice yoga and I'm keenly aware that my ability to restrain my emotions is being tested to the maximum. My heart rate is a little elevated, and my chest is getting tight. But I'm working really hard and I'm being nice."
that part made me laugh. the only time i'll use Circut city or best buy, is on small items like dvds, and whenever possible i'll use comp usa, they seem to be a little better, but i think they're just about all apple - imjustabill, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0My advice for shopping at these stores: Get a pair of giant, DJ style headphones, and wear em when ever you go shopping. Turn the volume up high enough so that you won't be able to hear anything employees might say. Or, just shop at CompUSA.
- Play, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0*insert PriceRite joke here*
- mcewen98, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Circuit city has gone way down hill it seems. I was at one today looking for a audio reciever that that has an audio delay option to help resync hdtv broadcasts that have lip sync issues. Neither "expert" at the store that tried to help me had any clue what I was talking about.
The Circuit City in Framingham, Mass I think is the worst one in existance...especially the scumbags in the tv department. I bought my HDTV there and it was the worst experience ever. They make you feel like a complete idiot for not giving in with their demands to buy the protection plan. They also lied about what the manufacturer warrenty covered and for how long. I offered to show the jackass the samsung website where it says that everything on the tv in covered for a full year. He demanded it was 90 days. I eventually decided it wasn't worth arguing with such an idiot and turned around and walked away from him shaking my head. The next day I got a $100 off cupon for any tv $999 and up. I went back to the store thinking it wouldn't be a problem to get that credited back to me. I was wrong, it took two people at the customer service desk 45 minutes to process it, and that was after I asked the guy 4 times if he thought it made sense what I was trying to do and why I wanted the $100 back. It would be no different than if I returned the tv with their no questions asked policy and repurchased it with the cupon. - yaz990, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0this guy is an idiot. why didnt he look at the floor model before walking out of the store with it? that would be the normal thing to do. someone needs a reality check.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0CC are rip off ***** for charging a % restocking fee. what a load of crap.
restocing fee aside, they sold her something which clearly lacked a feature it was advertised as having, and they proved it by removing it later from their website. that manager was just a dumb bitch who would have known nothing was just reciting some corperate line fed to her.
the ONLY way to make an impact of asswads like that, is to MAKE A SCENE, and big one at that. they will wave that $149 just to get rid of you. - jtray, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I have an ongoing situation with an AV cable that CC won't refund, even though they have yet to deliver it to me. This guy is a complete moron, you can't go to a box store and think you will get the same computer advice as you would from a local store. In addition, the people at CC are doing what their corp policy states, they are not going to risk their jobs over this. Also everybody needs to understand customer service doesn't mean you as a the customer get what you want when you want it. Customer service is that somebody is there to help you find a solution that works best for the company then you. In this situation CC was offering a decent solution, just because he didn't want to drive back to CC to return the computer he instead breaks it and then brings it back then expects CC to give a refund. If CC did that then they would run out of business pretty quick.
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