Best Buy is the worst

I realize this is a little off topic. I don't usually post items from consumer advocates but this is just horrible. I've had some real problems with Best Buy in the past. So bad that I cut up my Best Buy credit card and mailed it to the store manager (after paying off the balance of course) with a right nasty little letter. Of course I never heard from him.

I won't get into all of that now but I want to share a letter that was written to the Orlando Sentinel's consumer advocate Greg Dawson. Greg is usually pretty effective in dealing with scum but not even he could get Best Buy to do right by the customer.

Dear Greg: In May 2002, I bought a 36-inch Sony TV and a four-year extended warranty at Best Buy. In August of this year, our house took a lightning strike, and the TV was damaged and needs a new main board and power supply. All the repairs are covered under the warranty, but Best Buy says it can't find the parts. I was told if it isn't repaired after 45 days the store will give me a new set, per the warranty. What's up with that? There's nothing in the warranty about my having to wait 45 days.

MARK BLANKENSHIP

WINTER PARK

Dear Mark: A Best Buy spokesman admitted there is nothing in the warranty about 45 days, but it's still company policy. Then he said you will get a new TV, plus the balance of your old extended warranty, if the fried set is not fixed within the nonexistent but apparently binding 45-day waiting period. I wish I were kidding.

I realize that in the grand scheme this is really nothing. There are lots of worse things that retailers do every day to their customers. Hell, the guy was fortunate that Best Buy honored the warranty at all. The moral of the story is STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM BEST BUY! And if you MUST patronize Best Buy, don't get the extended warranty.

No back to our regulary scheduled program...