Best Buy — Attraction in Lafayette

This One Star review is NOT a reflection of the Lafayette, Indiana store. They deserve ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!! The personnel, from sales associates to in-store customer Service managers are exemplary. The one-star review IS for the abysmal corporate customer "service" I received.

This was written on 5/22/2023

Approximately 5 months ago I purchased an Insignia washing machine from the Best Buy store in Lafayette, Indiana. 4 days short of the five months it quit working. I, on Tuesday last, went to the store to see what could be done. After explaining what was going on with the machine, the sales associate along with a department manager said the easiest thing would be to replace the defective one. At this point I was quite happy. They stated that the new one could be delivered the coming Friday. Again, good news. I asked if the following parameters could be met for delivery times: before 12:00p.m., or after 4:00p.m. I was assured that this could be accommodated, and that I would receive a phone call to confirm.

Number 1) I never received a call. So, I called your customer service number. I was informed that the delivery time would be between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. I had requested the above parameters because no one would be available at home. I was told my only option was to reschedule the appointment. Once again, stating the delivery time parameters, the appointment was set for today, and that I would receive a call on the day before, Sunday.

Number 2) That never happened. Once again I called customer service, confirmed that my number was a good call back, explained the situation, and was told I'd be put on hold "to check into it." The call was cut off, and no call back

Number 3) I called for the third time, AGAIN confirmed the call back number, AGAIN explained the situation, and was told that "there's nothing we can do." I asked to speak to a supervisor, and was told, "we are receiving a large volume of calls, and one is not available." This was unacceptable to me. I asked what COULD be done. The Customer service associate said she would call the delivery provider and call me back. THIS NEVER HAPPENED.

Number 4) Two hours later, which was 5:50p.m. local time, and what I found out in conversation with customer service associate #4 was 5:50a.m. in the Asian Pacific area, which is where I was and had been calling. Once AGAIN I explained the situation, asked AGAIN to speak with a supervisor, and was AGAIN informed of the high call volume and that no one was available. I asked if I could receive a call back in the 3 hours before the call center closed. I was assured this would happen. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I was also told that the delivery company is a "third party company, and the earlier appointments would go to those closest to their business" which I had learned was Indianapolis, 60 miles south of Lafayette.

Number 5) Therefore, my housemates and I had to juggle work schedules, take time off from work, losing pay, just to be here for an appointment which I was assured by multiple people would NOT be outside of my requested times, yet precisely was.

I am beyond furious. While my personal dealings with the Lafayette store have been wonderful, my dealings with Best Buy "customer service" (and the quotation marks are intentional as no real customer service was had!) have been less than abysmal. The first associate with whom I spoke offered a gift card as "compensation" for my time and difficulty. This was on the Thursday before the first aborted delivery appointment.

As for the other calls of yesterday, it seems as if no one at Best Buy is interested, or cares, once their "part" has been done.

I, when looking for products which Best Buy carries, have thought of this store first, and to this point have been pleased. Now? I am angry enough to never darken...

I purchased a 4k UHD curved Samsung television from the store. A few weeks later, after making the purchase, the television cracked due to a defect that is been widely acknowleged on the Internet, that causes the screen to crack internally on a random basis. I purchased the most expensive in store warranty available to cover the television. Recall the store with our concerns, and they sent a technician from Geek Squad out to take a look. When he came inside cama he looked around the television set and confirmed that there was no physical damage to the television. At this point, he took 2 pictures of the TV, and asked if he could go downstairs to make a phone call; to which I replied, "Of course..."

Upon the return from his private phone conversation, he informed me that due to the photographs that he had just sent to his superior, he was told that there was physical damage to the television set, and that it was not covered by the warranty. He insisted that it had been physically damaged by an object hitting the screen... I then asked him why he made the original determination that there was no physical damage to the television set prior to making the phone call; he then told me that he was informed by a superior that there is a thin film on the front of the television, that prevents the crack screen from falling out. I then asked him how his superior was able to determine that there was physical damage to the television based on 2 photographs, given that there was no actual physical damage on the outside of the television. He had no answers for me, and agreed that there are a lot of reviews on Google about this specific problem involving these curved screen Samsung televisions. He also stated that the warranty does not cover physical damage and that he believed (based on no evidence whatsoever), that there was something thrown at the screen to cause the crack; this was a complete reversal from his original assessment, when he entered the premises. It was not until after he had made the phone call to his superior, and provided 2 photographs, that he changed his mind, and said the warranty would not cover the damage, and that something must have hit the screen to cause it to crack... Even the most cursory Google search would have proven differently.

I eventually returned to the store, to speak to a manager directly. This was, admittedly, very uninformed himself, and even admitted that he was fairly new and was not too familiar with the technology and any of the issues that have been noted all over the Internet, on a lot of reputable websites. He told me that no warranty in the store covers physical damage, and that the warranty's themselves are not that of Best Buy's, but of a 3rd party called "Geek Squad". He told me that there was nothing that he could do, and that there was no way to repair it. He gave me Samsung's corporate number, and sent me on my way. Now I am out a lot of money, and I now have a massive, state-of-the-art, useless paperweight sitting in my living room...

Even after reading this, if you still feel the inclination to make a purchase from this establishment, I HIGHLY suggest that you opt- out of there and store warrantees; given, that they are completely & utterly useless...

I, personally, will never shop here again, and I would suggest that others follow suit.., but to each...

Title: Disappointed with the Lack of Knowledgeable Staff at Best Buy

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I recently visited Best Buy with high hopes of finding knowledgeable staff who could provide genuine assistance and guidance while purchasing electronics. Unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired in terms of the expertise and helpfulness of the employees.

Upon entering the store, I was greeted by a few employees, but their lackluster enthusiasm and disinterest in assisting customers was apparent. I approached a staff member in the TV section to inquire about the latest models and their features. To my disappointment, they seemed clueless and failed to provide any valuable insights or recommendations. It was evident that they lacked the necessary product knowledge and understanding to assist customers effectively.

Moving on to the laptop department, I encountered a similar scenario. As I had specific requirements and preferences, I was hoping for someone who could provide detailed information about the available options. Unfortunately, the employee I approached seemed disengaged and uninterested in helping me. They struggled to answer even basic questions, leaving me frustrated and dissatisfied.

Moreover, I noticed that the staff seemed more focused on chatting among themselves or playing with their smartphones rather than proactively assisting customers. It was disheartening to witness their lack of attentiveness, especially when it was clear that some customers were in need of assistance.

While I understand that not every employee can be an expert in every product, I expected Best Buy to have a team that possessed a minimum level of knowledge across their range of products. It seems as though the company fails to prioritize training and development for their staff, resulting in a subpar customer experience.

Despite the disappointing experience with the staff, I must commend the store's layout and wide selection of products. Best Buy offers an extensive range of electronics, and their prices are generally competitive. However, without knowledgeable staff to guide customers through their purchasing decisions, the overall shopping experience falls short of expectations.

In conclusion, my visit to Best Buy left me thoroughly disappointed with the lack of knowledgeable and helpful staff. The absence of well-informed employees hindered my ability to make informed decisions and left me feeling frustrated. I hope that Best Buy takes steps to address this issue and invests in training their staff adequately to provide a better customer experience...