Anyone have experience returning things at Best Buy?

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:31 am

I'm just heartsick.

We got our daughter an iPod for Christmas. Tonight, when she was listening to it, it started to fritz out. It wouldn't respond to instructions, it started eating up battery life hand over fist, and it got warm to the touch. It wouldn't even turn off! Finally the battery died, and we're afraid to recharge it for fear of doing more damage. We think something caused it to short out.

The problem? We can't find the receipt. We bought it at Best Buy in San Jose, using a gift card my husband had from his office. Because it cost slightly more than we had on the gift card, I can get a transaction record from my bank showing that I spent $48 at Best Buy on that date (we used our Visa Check), but I have nothing to prove we used a gift card or bought an iPod. We even went dumpster diving this evening on the off chance that one of us accidentally threw it out (We don't normally throw away VC receipts...we put them in a bag to be shredded. But it's not there), but no luck.

I wonder if there's the remotest chance that Best Buy will have a record of the transaction? If not, I'm afraid I'm going to have to come up with the money to buy this kid a new iPod...it's not her fault it fried, and the poor kid's only had it for two weeks! Anybody ever tried to return something like this without the receipt?

Redwolf

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 1:16 am

I haven't returned anything at Best Buy in a long time, but most places will let you exchange something for the exact same product if you don't have a receipt, which is what you want anyway.

They're not out anything, even if you didn't buy it there, since they turn right around and return it to their supplier.

Whistlin'Dixie · Post by **Whistlin'Dixie** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:04 am

I don't think you'll have a problem. My experience with returning items at most places has been positive. Even without the receipt. They want to keep your business.
Good luck.

Mary

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:43 am

If you bought it with a credit card (and maybe some other ways, too), they'll reproduce the receipt, no problem. They've advertised that they'll replace lost receipts. In my experience, Best Buy has been one of the easiest places to do things with.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:18 am

Deja vu.

chas · Post by **chas** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:23 am

Even if you can't exchange it at BB, Apple ought to be able to help you out. You can go to an Apple store (or call them) and they can find out exactly when it was bought from the serial number. They'll exchange or fix it for you.

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:24 am

Nearly any reputable store will replace an item they sold without much of a question.

I took a year-old Roomba that fritzed out back to Brookstone, sans receipt, and got handed a new Roomba (and a form to fill out).

Don't fret it...they'll replace it.

Post by **Dale** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:24 am

I think Best Buy will take it back. I think they maintain computer records on-site of who buys what.

Tyler · Post by **Tyler** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:41 am

Best buy is very good about things usually.
I did have one bad experience at one of their locations here in Utah, but that was, i believe, an isolated experience.
I was trying to return a faulty microdrive for my DSLR that I had bought right before I spent a month in Baja, Mexico only to find out that it was faulty after I had gotten there. Upon my return to the US about a month later, I took the microdrive back to Best Buy to return it (I even had the receipt and everything) and the pipsqueak at the service counter told me that they would not take a return under any circumstances outside of 30 days after the purchase. I explained to him the situation I was in, and that I was in Baja for a month. So the little basmati told me that I could have taken the reciept to any of their stores in Mexico (ok, I'm well travelled in Mexico and I have never seen a Best Buy there) and they would have exchanged it for me. I said "Look, buddy, I just spent a month in La Paz, it's almost 1000 miles away from everything, let alone a Best Buy." I told this kid I wanted to see his supervisor, who tried to tell me the same thing that this kid did. Long story short, I had to contact the general manager to finally get my microdrive exchanged.
Funny thing...I've never seen that meally-faced kid or his upstart supervisor at Best Buy again!

carrie · Post by **carrie** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:01 am

You can call Apple customer service. You get one free service treatment. My daughter's iPod mini did similar things. I spoke to a somewhat rude customer service person at Apple who arranged for a very quick and easy pick up, servicing (or exchange), and return. However, even after that the battery is still draining too fast. My son's iPod shuffle had a problem also and I used the free one-time customer service option for that too. With both products having problems, and the mini still a problem even after "fixing," I really couldn't even recommend an iPod to anyone anymore.

Chas and others are right. Apple knows when and where you bought it from its serial number; Best Buy probably does too--don't worry about that.

Good luck!

Carol

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:22 am

Best Buy all but waives their receipt policy right after Christmas,
because they know people don't get receipts w/ gifts. I've returned
a couple of things in Jan. without a receipt, and they've been great
about it.

(It helps if you have the packaging, but it's probably not a deal
breaker if you don't.)

Paul Reid · Post by **Paul Reid** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:28 am

Warranty. Tell Apple to deal with it.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 2:18 pm

Wanderer wrote:They're not out anything, even if you didn't buy it there, since they turn right around and return it to their supplier.

This is NOT true. They can tell by the UPC code and/or pricing sticker if it was purchased at a Best Buy or not and will NOT accept items for return if it was not purchased at their store. I know this from personal experience.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:07 pm

IDAwHOa wrote:
Wanderer wrote:They're not out anything, even if you didn't buy it there, since they turn right around and return it to their supplier.
This is NOT true. They can tell by the UPC code and/or pricing sticker if it was purchased at a Best Buy or not and will NOT accept items for return if it was not purchased at their store. I know this from personal experience.

I wasn't aware that the same product would have a different UPC code from store to store...weird. I would imagine they would be the same on all products.

Now, if the sticker on the box said "Walmart" I certainly woudln't expect Best Buy to take it back

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:29 pm

Wanderer wrote:
IDAwHOa wrote:
Wanderer wrote:They're not out anything, even if you didn't buy it there, since they turn right around and return it to their supplier.
This is NOT true. They can tell by the UPC code and/or pricing sticker if it was purchased at a Best Buy or not and will NOT accept items for return if it was not purchased at their store. I know this from personal experience.
I wasn't aware that the same product would have a different UPC code from store to store...weird. I would imagine they would be the same on all products.

Now, if the sticker on the box said "Walmart" I certainly woudln't expect Best Buy to take it back

You are most likely right that UPC's are universal. I could not remember which label was used. Probably the pricing label that did it.