You know what really grinds my gears?

[Caulfield]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

I don't even live in a bad area, hell it's actually a nice area, it's basically just a weird little hole in the wall of complete lawlessness surrounded by totally normal businesses. My problem is I'm stubborn and want to tough this out like I'll earn some adult merit badge or something, plus I need a lot of help trying to move and it would be just to another low income spot anyway so I try to grin and bear it the best I can (while complaining on OS haha)

thats what we're here for. if there's any justice, maybe the new property mgr. will glue himself to himself.*


*apologies to EU

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Yep, people seem to want to do the right thing, until money enters the picture. Then its business, as usual. Before I finally became financially secure, I lived in some pretty rough neighborhoods and had my share of scumlords. Finally moved to the country 21 years ago this April and haven't looked back.

Have you also eaten a lot of peaches?

[Blzer]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

So I ordered a camera lens from Best Buy and got it for in-store pickup, alongside a lens adapter. I needed to make sure it was the right fit for both of them, so they personally opened up the packages to ensure the fit. All was good.

I went home that night and did some research on more lenses, and ultimately decided upon another one instead of the particular one I now had (still in the package). So I ordered another one and earlier today returned the one I had previously picked up.

The guy asked if it had been opened (because the tape was off or whatever), and I stated that another BB store (the one that had the lens) opened it on my behalf to make sure it fit properly. He said as a result I would have to be charged the 15% restocking fee, a not so modest $82.50.

I called bull**** and stated my case, not to mention customer service told me that when I placed the online order I firmed an electronic signature accepting the restocking fee for a returned open item. Although I admit to overseeing a disclaimer about it, there is no such signature in terms of a typed name or checkbox. I do in-store pickup all the time but never really purchase items where I have to look for such a written bit. And it's not exactly in big red letters either.

They say there's nothing they can do, so needless to say I was pretty gear-grinded. Still while in-store (on my way to purchase yet another lens), I called member services and explained the situation, and for good measure I emotionally stated my longstanding loyalty with the company (I've been a silver/elite member with them for twelve years) and threatened I would halt all purchases from them hereon out including the camera lens I was about to buy, return my $700 gimbal and cancel a $1400 and $800 lens order that I had placed within the past day. I guess their supervisors were too busy to talk to me, but they settled with a one-time $50 gift card to be delivered by mail.

I accepted it and I'm sitting here thinking I guess I'll take it, but man I think they really muddled this whole situation here. What the hell is a restocking fee, anyway? If they need me to, I'll rip off a piece of 3M scotch tape and slap it on the sucker, then I'll stick it right on the shelf for them for free. I didn't even use the damn lens, and it only was opened by another store's CS team to confirm the parts were right. Add in the baloney "electronic signature" bit they told me, and I owe them $32.50 for the slight oversight on my end? Rubbish.

I tell you, if they provided me nothing in return, I think that would have been the end of a long relationship with me and Best Buy. I'm still pretty miffed.

[slickdtc]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Come on man, you know that’s how it goes. People who work in retail would be better able to tell you, but there’s a reason for the restocking fee. They can’t sell that item at regular price anymore because it’s been opened.

You stated your case. They’re a business, you’re looking out for your money, you shouldn’t have any hard feelings. Not everyone just dropped over 2 grand to use as leverage in a technical dispute, heh. Score one for the little guys.

[Blzer]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Honestly, and I'll be perfectly honest... I don't think there was ever any "tape" on it to begin with. I was just stating maybe that's why he asked, but thinking back my other lens and adapter purchases didn't have any; I'm looking at one right now, and the outside is clean as a whistle. If he asked if it had been opened and I just said "No," there would be no reason for him to know or assume that it actually in fact was.

Sometimes when I'm in a retail store I open an item bold-face in front of everybody to inspect the inside, then close it up and put it back on the shelf. You know, the things that you don't ruin as you open it because there is nothing to ruin. Just unfold the flaps, lift it out, put it back in. I do it all of the time. This camera lens would have been no different. I didn't use it. BB didn't warn me about it when they opened it. What if the lens was incompatible when I first picked it up? What, they'll ask me to cough up eighty bucks then and there? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I get the policy, but I don't believe I fall under it for any reason, nor do I believe that specific product can't be resold for exactly the same amount.

[Caulfield]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Have you also eaten a lot of peaches?

Oh yes, we love peaches out here in the boondocks. Except for the walnut inside of them. Worst walnuts ever.

:|

[BurghFan]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

When I go to watch a college football game on Watch ESPN and the stream ends up being either in Spanish or one of those ones with the rotating skaycam view with no commentary.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

As a former retail person, some places like Walmart and Staples, will simply carefully re-tape an opened box and put it back on the shelf, selling it for full price. I also however witnessed 100s of times where customers will ask for a discount on an item simply because the box have a scratch on it or a dinged corner.

But in general the restocking fee is because it can no longer be sold as new. It have to be sold as used or refurbished. But like I said, you have unethical managers out there who will still sell an opened item as new. Me personally I wouldn't want to pay full price for a camera or TV if I saw the box was re-taped. Every camera I ever bought from Best Buy had tape on the box.

[l3ulvl]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

When I go to watch a college football game on Watch ESPN and the stream ends up being either in Spanish or one of those ones with the rotating skaycam view with no commentary.

Do you have a cable account linked with WatchESPN? I think they always do that with the free broadcasts unless it's an ABC feed

[Blzer]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Every camera I ever bought from Best Buy had tape on the box.

Cameras? Maybe. Can't remember if mine did or not. My box is somewhere in my closet, and I'll check it out later.

Camera lenses? So far, none of mine had boxes. However, they're either locked away inside a cabinet underneath the display region, or I got them via in-store pickup. No reason for them to "be taped" in those cases (no pun intended).

So maybe they were selling me refurbished items, who knows?

Anyway, the honest truth about the "checking for fitting" wasn't actually as much about the lens as it was about the mount adapter. When I went to pick it up in store, they said they couldn't find the one that was in stock so we tried a different model, which didn't work. They eventually found it, and since we had already opened the items for testing we did it with the one they found and it worked. Opening wasn't my idea so much as it was theirs because they couldn't find my original model.

[BurghFan]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Do you have a cable account linked with WatchESPN? I think they always do that with the free broadcasts unless it's an ABC feed

Yeah, I have my Xfinity account linked to it. Sometimes I get a message saying I'm already signed in or something, but sometimes I don't.

[Caulfield]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

public laundromats. our washer is on the fritz. arghh. at least the dryer's in good shape.

[Majingir]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Some open box items really don't have anything wrong, it just depends on the people selling it and how honest they'd be when selling. Some can lie for a sale, others do the opposite. I got my tablet years back for at least 25% off because it was open box. They threw in a Bluetooth keyboard as a bonus. The guy said that it was fine, nothing was wrong except just having boxed opened up slightly. So I got a brand new tablet + keyboard for 25% the cost of just the tablet.

I've also seen customers try creating deals. They'd open a box, know the store will eventually discount it, and come back days later to buy that very box.

Back to the 'grind my gears' part of the thread :
I've been really sick my entire vacation. Probably the worst illness I've ever had. The final day of it, I'm feeling better. So it now feels like I missed/wasted 2 whole weeks of what was supposed to be fun.

[Caulfield]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

Back to the 'grind my gears' part of the thread :
I've been really sick my entire vacation. Probably the worst illness I've ever had. The final day of it, I'm feeling better. So it now feels like I missed/wasted 2 whole weeks of what was supposed to be fun.

that's the worst. about 5 years ago, couple weeks before my scheduled vacation during Christmas, pneumonia hit me, lost 17 pounds and missed a week of work. They had to call the 1 guy who works with me off of his vacation to work. Then I had to work during Christmas week so my co-worker could be off.

[Majingir]

Re: You know what really grinds my gears?

that's the worst. about 5 years ago, couple weeks before my scheduled vacation during Christmas, pneumonia hit me, lost 17 pounds and missed a week of work. They had to call the 1 guy who works with me off of his vacation to work. Then I had to work during Christmas week so my co-worker could be off.

I'm not even thinking about the future. I'm just trying to get better. Sucks to happen now. Even more so when side effects of antibiotics seem to be kicking in. They kill bad bacteria, but it's also the good ones getting killed in the process.

I've been rushing to get to sleep each night hoping the sooner I sleep and more rest I get, the quicker I'll get better. So far it seems more like I've just been wasting time going to sleep earlier.