Best Buy Getting Stricter With Console Exchanges

Best Buy Getting Stricter With Console Exchanges

Neowin Staff on 26 August 2008 - 16:25 · 33 comments & 22385 views

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The formula was pretty simple: Buy a game console at electronics retailer Best Buy, pick up the extended warranty, and when a new hardware revision was released, claim your console was broken and upgrade for free. Just ask all of those Xbox 360 Pro owners who upgraded to the Elite or 40gb PS3 owners who upgraded to the 80gb Metal Gear Solid edition. It worked.

In an attempt to cut back on losses stemming from an increasing amount of console exchanges, Best Buy is now trying to clamp down a bit more. Beginning next week, if you try to exchange a console at Best Buy, a Geek Squad agent will be required to test the console and verify that it's actually broken. No, they won't take your word for it and, yes, it will result in a longer wait on the customer service line. The good times had to end eventually, right?

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(1 reply) #1 Landlocked on 26 Aug 2008 - 17:32

Two of my three 360's suffered the RRoD. I highly doubt most of the people are scamming Best Buy.

#1.1 bangbang023 on 26 Aug 2008 - 17:36

You haven't spent much time in BB then lol. Every time a new console version is released, we (I work for BB) have people lined up outside with their older version in a box waiting for exchange.

(1 reply) #2 IceBreakerG on 26 Aug 2008 - 18:23

That's one of the reasons Costco changed their return policy. People were bring back TVs and other stuff when there was nothing wrong with it because a new model was out.

#2.1 koppit on 26 Aug 2008 - 20:02

Lol, or if you decide you want a new computer every 6 months .. of course the one they sold you isn't in stock anymore .. so here, have a newer, better one!

#3 Gabureiru on 26 Aug 2008 - 21:43

It's still going to be easy to exchange the consoles, I'm mean, how much does it take to fry a console? right

(1 reply) #4 Nightburn on 26 Aug 2008 - 23:20

just put a blanket over it until it gets RRoD or catches on fire, then return it.

#4.1 Raa on 27 Aug 2008 - 00:19

Or just run a few more volts through the power

#5 Manuroc on 27 Aug 2008 - 03:07

Easy workaround. Force a brick or RRoD on your 360 and then bring it in for an exchange. "Geek Squad" won't know any better...

#6 gadean on 27 Aug 2008 - 04:04

the Geek Squad is a joke, anyway. seriously. This is just one more obstacle but a small one nonetheless.

(1 reply) #7 +Sethos on 27 Aug 2008 - 10:46

Just jam a screwdriver in the vent holes and twist it around, fixed! I mean, broken!

#7.1 rageagainstmachine on 27 Aug 2008 - 12:10

hahaha :-)

#8 Draken on 27 Aug 2008 - 12:31

People dishonesty

!!! My first xbox 360 failed in the first week (dvd drive) and BB replaced it without even opening the box to see if I was returning everything.

(3 replies) #9 Orlando Rays on 27 Aug 2008 - 12:49

Funny they're just now doing this for video game consoles. I tried to exchange my LCD computer monitor on the product protection warranty last year (about 6 months after I got it) when it was having genuine problems, and they said I'd have to buy a replacement while they ship it somewhere to test, and they would refund me for the replacement if it turned out broken beyond repair. That's why I got my Xbox 360 from GameStop instead of Best Buy, because I thought their product protection was a freaking joke.

#9.1 Cagedfury on 27 Aug 2008 - 13:43

The reason why they do that is so you dont just decide to keep the new monitor and stick them with the old and broken one. You can thank dishonest people for that.

#9.2 Orlando Rays on 27 Aug 2008 - 15:56

You didn't quite get what I was saying.

I was wondering why they did not give me a new monitor on the spot with the replacement warranty, while video game console owners were being given exchanges without question.

#9.3 bangbang023 on 28 Aug 2008 - 04:45

Consoles have a Product Replace Plan and monitors have a Product Service Plan. The latter involves them trying to actually fix the product first.

(1 reply) #10 +TCLN Ryster on 27 Aug 2008 - 16:51

Just ask all of those Xbox 360 Pro owners who upgraded to the Elite or 40gb PS3 owners who upgraded to the 80gb Metal Gear Solid edition.

Why on earth would Best Buy give an Xbox 360 Elite console in exchange for a faulty Xbox 360 console? That just doesn't make sense. Shouldn't these warranties be like for like?

Oh and for the record (again), there's no such thing as the Xbox 360 Pro. The three editions are the Xbox 360 Arcade (previously known as Core), Xbox 360, and Xbox 360 Elite. Just because magazines and stores continue to call it that, doesn't make is so. http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/compare101.htm

Last edited by TCLN Ryster on 27 Aug 2008 - 17:29

#10.1 M1ke on 28 Aug 2008 - 00:43

They don't just give you the elite for free, they charge you the difference and ask you if you want to buy another prp plan, this is exactly what I did as soon as the elite came out and my 360 elite RROD.

#11 Don Matteo on 27 Aug 2008 - 19:54

How about losers stop trying to scam places? Assclowns that do things like that just make everything more of a hassle and more expensive for everybody else.

(2 replies) #12 +DrunkenMaster on 27 Aug 2008 - 23:55

Anyone bring an NES in and complain it doesn't play Wii games? You'd have a legitimate claim if you still have a PowerGlove handy.

#12.1 The Gunslinger on 28 Aug 2008 - 13:18

Lol...My DS doesnt play the new Mario!

#12.2 Magallanes on 28 Aug 2008 - 13:54

lol

(4 replies) #13 toadeater on 28 Aug 2008 - 00:48

Don't talk to me about those monkey boxes.

Consoles = @($*^)(!$^)!^(*$&%*!(&%(!*&$%*!&$%!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#13.1 Kushan on 28 Aug 2008 - 10:25

Well...that was insightful...

#13.2 Airlink on 30 Aug 2008 - 03:21

He's right, though. Consoles are crap.
Real gamers build their own gaming rig.

#13.3 Doli on 30 Aug 2008 - 19:44

(Airlink said @ #13.2)

He's right, though. Consoles are crap.
Real gamers build their own gaming rig.

Maybe the games that people like are not the PC.

#13.4 RAID 0 on 04 Sep 2008 - 06:33

(Airlink said @ #13.2)

He's right, though. Consoles are crap.
Real gamers build their own gaming rig.

AMEN BROTHER! Tell the truth about console GPUs lacking power to play real games! Tell about the devil in the console that's waiting to burst out at any moment! PC gaming is forever!

I feel that way in all honesty. Please don't hate me. Well, OK... you can hate me.

#14 Aahz on 28 Aug 2008 - 22:50

It's hard to feel sorry for a company which not only offers but actively pushes these replacement plans on customers and then pulls a serious boner by not checking the returned hardware.

Is everyone at Best Buy corporate headquarters really that dumb/naive?

#15 Mystnight on 29 Aug 2008 - 00:18

we dont rip off best buy.... we rip off walmart, they only check serial #s

#16 Tehwildcard on 30 Aug 2008 - 23:03

Problem solved? Replacing your old xbox360 for the difference of a newer one? The hardware in the 10 versions they have out now have changed a whole whopping 3 times with new disc drives. So all you (most likely) are getting is a bigger HDD (which you could have just bought separate and put on your old 360 for $20 less in most cases). SMART PEOPLE!

This is just like a bug in a game, they're patching up so it's "working as intended".

As the article leads you to believe the upgrade to a new console IS NOT and WAS NOT free (You still paid the difference). Only the replacement of the exact same console was free. I beg you to post pictures of receipts to prove me wrong.

#17 virtualmadden on 02 Sep 2008 - 00:19

I was told by store reps to buy the extended warranty when I bought my Xbox 1 so I could bring it back. I eventually used it to get my 360 and again to get my Elite. I'm sure I'll give it a try come next year when my warranty runs out.

#18 Groovedude on 04 Sep 2008 - 15:49

hmm its done very different in uk at least from what i have seen behind the scenes in certain places with xbox's and Sony etc.. Repair is always the first option.

#19 Hak Foo on 06 Sep 2008 - 02:34

So instead of "bring back fake broken console", they'll just plug an Etherkiller into the console and it's really broken. Yay!

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Best Buy Getting Stricter With Console Exchanges

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