Best Buy — Local services in Maplewood

04-13-25 Maplewood Best Buy. I was given some of the worst customer service that I have ever had in my life. I purchased a TV through the Best Buy website for curbside pickup at the Oakdale location and went and got it an hour later. I brought it home and my wife and I carefully unboxed it and set it up. Once we powered it on we saw that the screen had been damaged at the very top in the middle. It was completely unnoticeable until the screen was lit. Disappointed, we tried calling the store but instead the number is automatically sent to their call center. So we spoke to someone at their corporate customer service department to figure out what could be done and we were told to bring it back to the store and they could exchange it for us and that there is a 15 day return window. I brought it back right away and was helped by a nice guy at the Oakdale location where it was originally purchased. He was doing his best to help me but unfortunately they didn’t have another TV like ours at their store to exchange it for. The options I was given was either to return it and they could order a new one and have it delivered to our home in a few days or I could bring the TV to the Maplewood location that day and have them exchange it because they had the same TV in stock. I went for the second option. I drove to the Maplewood location and went to the sales desk since the customer service desk was closed and explained everything to the lady working there. She called to another associate who I retold the issue to. He asked me if the other store did the return already and when I explained that I was told to bring the TV for the exchange to their store he rolled his eyes and tilted his head back and sighed while chuckling. He then told me that Best Buy doesn’t return or exchange broken TV’s per company policy because it is extremely unlikely to have been damaged in the box and that almost all damaged TV’s are caused by the customer. He then lectured me about this for about 5 minutes while also flip flopping about how fragile they are and that even touching the bezel could break it. He ended up saying that he would exchange it for me “this time” and that he couldn’t say for sure that I broke it but that most of the time it is the customers fault. So basically accusing me without directly saying it. I feel 100% confident that we didn’t damage it. So I was upset and irritated but he is going to exchange it. He asks me to go get the broken TV and bring it in while he gets the new one up to the sales counter. He doesn’t offer to have anybody help me so I go out to my car and lug it back into the store. As I walk in he’s standing at the Loss Prevention desk in the front entrance with 4 or 5 coworkers who are all talking as they watch me awkwardly duck-walking back to the sales counter with the big box. No one helps. The sales lady does the computer work and as she is doing it I asked her why their store policy was so different than what the Corporate or the Oakdale location had told us. Her explanation was that the Corporate customer care is just a call center in India that works for multiple large companies and that they don’t really know the policies and the give bad information to customers. She advised me not to ever call corporate but to just call the store. Wow! However, all store numbers go directly to the call centers as we found out when we initially called to figure out what to do and were immediately connected to corporate. When I pointed this out she mumbled something that I couldn’t make out. Once she was done with the exchange she simply pointed over to the end of the counter and said “it’s over there” where the new TV was on a cart kind of off to the side about 10 feet away and proceeded to help the next customer without getting anyone to help me move it to my car. I decided I will just take care of it myself. As I start moving the cart she tells me very loudly that I can’t use the cart. WTF! The other associate then came over after I got in trouble to offer some help. Masterclass in horrible...

I purchased their premium car starter (Viper model 480v) and had it installed January 2015. The sales rep who sold it to me stated the remote batteries will be good for numerous years, so I purchased the car starter.

5 months after the installation, both of my remotes went dead. When I called in I spoke to one of the best buy Mechanics and he told me the remote batteries only have an average life span of 3 MONTHS!!!! The Mechanic stated two way remotes drain a lot batteries as it is constantly communicating with the device in the vehicle. He was surprised it lasted 5 months. I told him only one of the remote was a 2 way remote. The back up remote was a 1 way and was never used. It was still in it's original plastic covering. I asked him about my 1 way remote and the mechanic stated those last a little longer but not surprise that it had died already. The mechanic advised that I have the batteries replaced.

At the time it was in the middle of summer and it was not urgent to replace the batteries so I didn't. October rolls around and I figure it's time to install the new batteries. When I took the remotes out, the 1 way remote started working again but it would come in and out. Out of curiosity, I came back to this Best Buy and spoke to a sales associate who worked in the department. I pretended I looking to buy a car starter and asked him the same question I asked the initial associate, "how long do the batteries last on these remotes?" The associates responded "They last for a very long time." I asked him to clarify what he meant by that and he stated "up to 5 years." At this point I was quite surprise and told him my issue. He called over his supervisor and she stated these batteries should last for a number of years.

At this point they take me over to the mechanics to get things straighten out. The mechanic tells me these batteries only last for 3 months MAX!!!! He was surprise the 2 way had lasted so long. I told him about the 1 way remote and he tells me to call in on Monday (this day was Saturday) to schedule an appt. I asked why I couldn't just schedule it at that time. He told me they don't schedule more then 2 weeks out. I call in on Monday, and the mechanic tells me there's nothing they can do and that I needed to reach out to Viper. At this point, I was done. I requested that they needed to uninstall this car starter and refund my money back as I was given false information at the time of purchase. The mechanic in so many words said no.

A few days passed and I called and spoke to the department manager (of both sales and installation so he stated). I called only to waste more of my time. The guy missed my WHOLE ENTIRE POINT. Long story short,he was not trying to resolve my issue, he was just trying to get rid of it. My issue is not about the battery. My issue is with the HUGE disconnect with the sales reps and mechanics. After talking to him I know now it's not a disconnect. This is the way they are...

3rd Best Buy of the day - but I'll give them .1% credit that after being in the store for about 20 minutes circling the computer area one of the about 5 people standing by the door finally walked up and asked of he could help- I explained what I wanted and for what and asked if he could help - when no immediate response was recieved I offered the young kid a get out card by finding someone who might be more versed at desktop computers. I was told he was the expert.... I simply showed him one I had looked at online - said I didn't want to break the bank but needed a desktop and 2 monitors. I was showen and told the one on clearance was perfect and the same with the monitors. I never set a budget to him, to not break the bank. I was more then expecting to be into this for a 2k or more. Decided to trust the "tech expert" and went with the desktop and picked out a monitor then changed my mind and grabbed a different one. At this point I went to sign into my best buy account / use my card and it suddenly didn't seem to be an option on the app. I preface here with I was forced to get a brand new phone Friday. We'll attempting to figure this out, the tech expert looked me up and clicked on one of the 2 matching names that came up. He said on more then one instance "maybe you need to make a payment" "does it have a balance" had me attempt to call a closed customer service line. First of dont insinuate things about people, second really... another staff walked over and offered help bit did nothing but click on my app a bunch then tell me my card wasn't linked when it is indeed linked then walked off to help another customer. I was actively attempting to get this to work - as I have done it before In a store. At 7:10 I was informed that I had to leave and I didnt not get to purchase anything because "they were in his ear saying so". Not only did the staff insinuate I had no money, sell me clearance or sale only which hey thank you for the savings but I legitimately needed to know it would work for my needs hence why I went to the store. To be told essential sorry we are either to lazy or not trained in how to effectively help customers with our own app to pay and then told rather then help I had to leave with nothing because it's 10 minutes past closing, but once I was in my truck I watched 2 other sets of shoppers leave. Ridiculous, pathetic customer service considering it's about a 2 hour drive to be treated as if I don't have the money, then leave without my purchase cause no one knows how thier app works - and heaven forbid the time is 10 past close - you know the whole world runs on punch clock hours obviously. Utterly disgusted that this type of service is clearly not only allowed but encouraged by lack...