Update to the Best Buy fiasco

**bjames75** · 08/20/2009, 01:05 AM

I did a little moonlighting as a Geek to take advantage of the outstanding employee discounts. As a VERY experienced computer & network tech (I engineer government networks for a living), I was sickened by the lack of knowledge of most "agents". You MAY have 1-2 people that know anything, but the rest are glorified salesmen (and often "promoted" from the sales floor). Make sure you do your own research before dealing with them.

On a lighter note--12 Days and counting 'til I get my Pre. I can't wait!

**bjshedwick** · 08/20/2009, 02:18 PM

So, I threw my back out yesterday and didn't get a chance to make it over to Best Buy until today. First I spoke with one of the Best Buy Mobile Employees, who said he was new and did not know too much about the return/repair process. I brought up the information to him about rapid exchange.

He went to go refer to his manager about the process.

The information that he told me is that I may have to wait another few weeks for my phone. He also told me that not all regions of Best Buy have transitioned away from RMS and gone with the rapid exchange program (sounds a bit fishy to me...)

Anyway, I told him that this all sounded a bit wierd and that I wanted to talk to the manager since he really didn't seem to be 100% comfortable with the process.

The manager was busy, so I said that I wanted to get a phone call back from him today, as soon as he was available.

The manager actually called me back less than an hour after I left Best Buy.

The manager told me that unfortunately the transition away from Best Buy using RMS is a gradual phase out by region, and the Baltimore region has not phased out, while other regions have.

He did have an update from RMS, that my phone is due back to RMS from Palm (b/c palm doesn't trust them to fix it) by Sept 3rd. Then if the phone is up to RMS' standards, it will get shipped back from Dallas to my Baltimore store. So it could be Sep 10th at the earliest (which will be 5 weeks from when I dropped it off)

We'll wait to see. I'm not sure if there is anything that I can do now. I'm thinking that I'm out of options. I may have to wait (rather impatiently) until Sep 3rd.

Any other advice?

**NOLApre** · 08/20/2009, 03:32 PM

i got the same thing from my best buy about the RapidExchange program.

apparently Best Buy stores in this region just started this on 8/17 (imagine that) so my phone went to RMS.

but if it's going to be 5 weeks from when you dropped it off, it'll be more than 30 days which is the cut off for getting a new phone.

regardless, this "protection plan" is completely useless if the payoff is you get a phone back in a month.

i'll be cancelling and getting TEP when my phone comes back.

**Lacerz74** · 08/21/2009, 11:43 AM

I took my Pre in on 7/19 using the Black Tie Protection and it was sent to RMS in Dallas. It's still listed as "in repair" as of today's date (despite having a Target Completion Date of 8/18). According to the BBM rep, I can get a new Pre tomorrow since it's been 30 days since it was received by RMS.

I called the Best Buy where I dropped my Pre off and was told that the switch to RE happened mid-August. The BBM rep did say I could come in this evening and I could get a new Pre, so that cuts a day off of the wait time at least.

This has been very frustrating.

**bjshedwick** · 08/21/2009, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Lacerz74

I took my Pre in on 7/19 using the Black Tie Protection and it was sent to RMS in Dallas. It's still listed as "in repair" as of today's date (despite having a Target Completion Date of 8/18). According to the BBM rep, I can get a new Pre tomorrow since it's been 30 days since it was received by RMS.

I called the Best Buy where I dropped my Pre off and was told that the switch to RE happened mid-August. The BBM rep did say I could come in this evening and I could get a new Pre, so that cuts a day off of the wait time at least.

This has been very frustrating.

Hope you get a new one soon. Maybe I'll be lucky too

**Lacerz74** · 08/25/2009, 09:55 AM

Just an update... I went to Best Buy 8/21 after work and was provided a brand new Pre. It took a few hours of tiddling to reaquaint myself with it, but I'm now back in business.

**bjshedwick** · 09/03/2009, 05:33 PM

So I call up my Best Buy today, as this was the estimated date that RMS would be done. They told me that as of 8/28, my phone was fixed and prepped for shipping. Nothing else. So hopefully, it already has been, or will be shipped back up here to good ol' B-more, and be back in my impatiently waiting hands within a week. If not, there will be hell to pay.

I just hope that I have it soon, b/c I sure have missed my precious Pre....

**NOLApre** · 09/03/2009, 06:22 PM

my 30 days is up tomorrow.

i'm excited.

**NOLApre** · 09/04/2009, 04:41 PM

i got my new Pre today.

wasn't happy with the first, guy got me another one

build quality on this one is INCREDIBLE

**bjshedwick** · 09/04/2009, 05:20 PM

@NOLApre: Awesome to hear you got a new one! Enjoy

**sd7318** · 09/04/2009, 06:19 PM

Guys make sure if you take it back to Best Buy for our Black Tie that you let them know they are rapid exchange! This will save you time on repairs if the person you happen to talk to doesn't know the Pre was added with the iPhone to rapid exchange!

Touchstone also launched so turn around times that way should also be quicker than a month for sure!

**bjshedwick** · 09/04/2009, 06:24 PM

According to some info here and at a few Best Buys that not all stores have started using the Rapid Exchange program. Hopefully, if this phone that I get goes bad, the Rapid Exchange will be in effect in my store's region. I really hope that I have it my phone soon (by the end of the weekend...)

**mikejaret** · 09/04/2009, 06:36 PM

hey bj,

you are out of your GD mind if you let BB pull this crap on you. I cant believe noone told you this here, but I used to work at Best Buy and the store managers will do ANYTHING to make you NOT call corporate. If I would have seen this before today I would have told you, GO NUTS AT THE STORE. Raise hell, get angry and threaten to call the BBB. It is absolutely unnacceptable to not replace your phone and to "send it to service".

This even pisses me off and its not my phone and I shouldnt really care, but funk best buy up their stupid bums....I had bought my pre at best buy on launch day and it broke within the first 30 days and they didnt have any to replace it with...so I called Sprint and raised hell with CS and they ended up covering the $100 insurance claim for me...

Its all about your demeaner but I can promise you that GM or SM at the BB should know your name and be kissing your colon.

**mikejaret** · 09/04/2009, 06:37 PM

Oh and ftr, I dont have the Pre anymore...I returned it within 30 days because a)sprint is total garbage service in Tucson and b) Palm really built a toy....the OS was superb but that phone is a freakin candy box....

**sd7318** · 09/04/2009, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by mikejaret

hey bj,

It is absolutely unnacceptable to not replace your phone and to "send it to service".

That is what our plans are, they are "service" plans, aka they go to service to get fixed. Within 30 days of purchase it's a simple swap (if we have in stock) but after 30 we send it out. Pre (atleast in my area) is done within 5 business days.

Also, if you freaked out like you said in your post, I would have made sure your phone went to service.

**bjshedwick** · 09/08/2009, 05:03 PM

I just called Best Buy a few minutes ago to find out the status of my phone. And I finally heard the words I had been hoping for for a while. You have been approved for a new replacement phone. WooHoo!

I'm going in tonight when I get home from work. Can't wait to finally get a pre back. I'm so sick of my Samsung Instinks.

I think it'll take me a little while to get re-acquainted, but I'll pick it back up after a few hours or so.

Can't wait to partake in all of the wonderful new homebrew. There were only 30 or so when I last had my Pre

I'll be sure to update my status after I get my new phone up and running.

I'm also going to make sure that the phone I get is not an oreo or a wobbler....

**Quis89** · 09/08/2009, 05:08 PM

Haha...People think us Sprint reps are just gassing them up when we say our insurance policies are better than that of the indirect locations such as Best Buy and RadioShack.

No...actually we are very serious. If you take your phone to a Sprint store they should be able to replace it at a cost of $119 without the TEP so long as there is no liquid damage to the phone. Sprint stores can replace physically damaged phones without the TEP you will just be paying slightly more for them to do so. In that case if they cant replace it up front they will order in a replacement and you will get that within 3-5 days.

**bjshedwick** · 09/08/2009, 08:25 PM

Posting from my new pre. Awesome!

**deleonj1225** · 09/08/2009, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Quis89

Haha...People think us Sprint reps are just gassing them up when we say our insurance policies are better than that of the indirect locations such as Best Buy and RadioShack.

No...actually we are very serious. If you take your phone to a Sprint store they should be able to replace it at a cost of $119 without the TEP so long as there is no liquid damage to the phone. Sprint stores can replace physically damaged phones without the TEP you will just be paying slightly more for them to do so. In that case if they cant replace it up front they will order in a replacement and you will get that within 3-5 days.

this is good to know..i never knew this..is that for any phone..

**NOLApre** · 09/08/2009, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by bjshedwick

Posting from my new pre. Awesome!

did you manage to get a good one?

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