Only after I escalated my case to the Better Business Bureau, the New Mexico Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and HPās Ethics and Compliance Division did it finally reach HPās Global Executive Escalations Team ā where they reviewed the case and ultimately offered the full refund.
I purchased a high-end gaming desktop directly from HP in August 2024. Over the course of seven months, I was sent two different machines ā both defective, both failed within two weeks. I followed all repair procedures, waited patiently through long delays, and was even promised a replacement that was ultimately canceled weeks later due to parts being unavailable. When I finally requested a refund ā because it was clear HP could not honor my purchase ā I was offered only a partial refund. HPās own published policy clearly states that a full refund ā including sales tax ā is required when the product is defective.
I brought this policy up twice with the HP case manager assigned to me. He refused to acknowledge it both times. Instead, he repeatedly claimed that because the sales tax had been "remitted to the government," HP could not refund that portion ā a position that directly contradicts HPās own refund policy for defective products. I repeatedly asked him to escalate the matter internally within HP, and he refused every single time. When I explicitly asked him to provide documentation or internal policy to support his claims, he failed to do so. Even after I informed him I had escalated the matter to the New Mexico Department of Justice and was preparing to file with the Federal Trade Commission, he simply archived the case ā seemingly hoping it would be forgotten.
It is alarming that a company as large as HP can openly contradict its own policies and mistreat everyday customers without accountability. The case manager knew the policy ā I cited it verbatim and provided a direct link ā yet no effort was made to honor it, clarify his stance, or engage in good faith. Even after escalating to the Better Business Bureau, he continued repeating the same canned paragraph about the tax being non-refundable due to remittance. Our final exchanges were nearly copy-pasted. He absolutely refused to treat me with respect or answer basic questions about the policy violation. Iāve now had to escalate this to the government just to have my basic consumer rights protected. For a company as large, successful, and supposedly reputable as HP, that is absolutely unacceptable ā they should be embarrassed.
This isnāt just poor service ā itās a sign of a company thatās become so large and complacent that it no longer feels the need to follow its own rules or treat customers fairly.
If HP has mistreated you or violated its stated policies, do not be afraid to stand up for yourself. Contact your stateās Attorney General or file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, or both. These are free services available to all Americans and exist to protect consumers like you and me. And if you live outside the U.S., your country likely has similar consumer protection agencies that are ready to help. The only way companies like HP will change is if we stop letting them get away with it.
Addendum:
I initially accepted the partial refund because I was worn down by months of delays and feared HP would deny any refund if I pushed further. At the time, I didnāt realize their published policy entitled me to a full refund ā including sales tax ā for defective products. The way I was treated felt deeply unfair. Even after I cited the policy, the case manager refused to acknowledge it, provide documentation, or escalate ā despite knowing the issue had been referred to the New Mexico Department of Justice. The full refund should have been issued from the start ā...
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