Best buy Toshiba S103 Laptop deal ... anyone who bought please read

[dud]

This is a heads-up for all who pre-purchased any laptop at any time at Bestbuy. I hope the mods allow this to remain unlocked but I think this is IMPORTANT for everyone who got in on the after Thanksgiving Toshiba Satellite deal. Here is the story: My wife pre-purchased on the 27th of November and re-purchased (with the consent of Bestbuy) on the 29th. She sent in her rebates and, get this, just received a letter saying her rebates WOULD NOT be honored because she bought on the 27th. Apparently re-buying it on the 29th meant nothing. She called the manager of the Bestbuy and he told her that NO MATTER what anyone told her because she bought on the 27th she WOULD NOT be getting the rebates - period. Basically if she does not get the laptop it is going back and the charges will be fought. PLEASE provide some advice, I have never had this problem before (with pre-purchasing) and am stymied.

 

[minendo]

That is BS. They have a 14 day price guarantee on all laptops. They must honor the rebate.

 

[dud]

Thanks Minendo. I have tried calling two other BBs in the area and no one every picks up the phone. Anyone else with this potential problem?

 

[darqice]

i work at best buy.

they have a 14 day price match guarantee.

of course that includes their own stores

tell that manager to go fvck himself or just avoid the hassle and go to another BB store that knows whats up

 

[dud]

Darqice, could you please PM me when you get the chance. My real concern is the "letter" from BB that states it was not purchased within the allotted time. My wife is pretty upset right now. She does not want to give the laptop up and having to pay a $150 restocking fee is also a concern.

 

[novon]

I got this laptop from CompUSA, I can't track one of the $200 rebates online, anyone recieved their rebate yet?

 

[Tung]

hope it works out dud. i might be in the same boat as your wife.

 

[Aeiron]

I know exactly why. You need an original (not return/rebuy) receipt showing your purchase on the 29th. The rebate center will not adhere to any rebate if there is any exchange or return shown on the P.O.S system because they automatically assume you've returned the PC but are still trying to get the rebates. Too late now.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Aeiron
I know exactly why. You need an original (not return/rebuy) receipt showing your purchase on the 29th. The rebate center will not adhere to any rebate if there is any exchange or return shown on the P.O.S system because they automatically assume you've returned the PC but are still trying to get the rebates. Too late now.

Best Buy prints out Rebate Receipts when a product is returned. The receipts do not show the return and reflect the date in which the item was returned and repurchased.

 

[GoatHerderEd]

What should have been done, is you return the laptop. and sice, o look, it is now instock, buy it again. That way when you send in the rebate, there is no way for them to know you returned it. BTW i work/worked at BB.

 

[dud]

Just got back from BB and was told (somewhat rudely) by the GM that he could do nothing for me AND that he could not advise me on a course of action because of liability issues. He did give me a toll-free number to call though. After 1 hour, 21 minutes, talking to 4 people in Canada and Minneapolis I talked to a supervisor who told me (and this is where it gets really important for all who repurchased on the 29th or 30th) that the fulfillment house was at fault. Because they had sent my wife's submittal back I had to fax it in and that the rebate would be paid. I know one thing, I will probably NEVER buy a rebate item at BB again!

 

[Z80]

Welcome to the BEST BUY SUCKS club!

 

[RideFree]

BB is suck!

 

[Noirish]

either you do rebuy correctly or don't do rebuy at all.
i stayed in line and got my ti4200 and the rebate came yesterday.

 

[Shockazooloo]

Yeah man that sux, but for the most part BestBuy is really good giving rebates and stuff. I know when I didn't receive a rebate I went into the local BestBuy and the manager gave me cash on the spot (and it is a good idea to have some big price item in your hand when approaching the manager for the cash - say something like I didn't get my rebate for my laptop and was wondering if you could give me it or discount this item the amount owed to me). BestBuy will give you the cash if you show them a receipt and a rebate form. And will give you cash for the rebate you didn't get from either BestBuy rebate or the manufacturer. I've done this so many times I got away with doing it with a few rebates I have already received. Just make sure you show the receipt and the form, I usually bring in a copy of all of it to prove I did infact mail it off. And sometimes they will check their systems just to make sure you didn't get a rebate as well. Try it you have nothing to lose. Just don't mention the date issue and try another Bestbuy one where they won't recognize your face. Otherwise you can always sell on ebay!

If you are out and there is no way to get your money for your rebate keep your head up high they usually have some kick as@ deals there especially hard drives. I've done and gotten away with so many kick as@ deals just talking and knowing the manager : ).

Off topic : Has anyone used the preferred or sports illustrated 10% off coupon on laptop/computer?
I was just at local Bestbuy and they won't do it. I know the preferred doesn't start til tomorrow but the sports illustrated is good til 1/31/03. I wanted to get the HP 1.6 celeron laptop with the rebates of $250 plus the 10% off coupon but they wont budge. When I called their 800 customer support line I was told as long as there is no exclussions written on coupon they should.

Hope this info helps you out!

BTW what are the specs on your Toshiba laptop? And how much did you pay?

 

[jTek]

I purchased this laptop early then went back for a pricematch / exchange. I then called the rebate center during the promotion. They told me that the any exchange / pricematch / return reciept would be rejected. Only clean, new purchases the week of the promo would be good. Of course, this is total crap.

I had to haul myself down to BB (again), and had to twist the arms of the customer service folks to let me do a return on the laptop, then a complete new purchase on a single receipt. They were really nice about it, though, and were quite appalled when I told them what the rebate center told me. I can see why because when rebates don't get paid, the store takes it on the chin.

The moral is that you have to really watch BB rebates. It's kind of like an HMO. As long as you follow all the rules, your claims get paid. As soon as you trip up, SORRY! WE CANNOT PAY THAT CLAIM!! YOU FORGOT TO CROSS THE T ON LINE 4!! BWHAHHAHAHAH.

 

[T2T III]

I agree with you. Clearly, this is a silly process. However, a manager earlier this week explained the same thing to me. If the rebate center sees receipt with the word "exchanged" on it, you might be out of luck. This is a very unfortunate way of doing business, though.

Consider the following scenario: You purchase item "x" on a Sunday, the first day that the rebate is valid for. You get item "x" home only to realize the item is dead. You head back to BB to 'exchange' the item. BB provides you with a receipt that says "exchanged" on it. You would then forfeit your right to a rebate - all because the item they sold you was messed up from the beginning. The system is designed to weed out people from exchanging items constantly. However, this process is not the best because innocent people as I've described will also be affected by the mess that gets created.

 

[SgtZulu]

where's the hot deal?

looks like you're stuck with a $150 overpriced laptop

 

[dew042]

we would take care of this in my store, but mn is a long ways away.

i had a simular situation recently. the customer got repaid out of our margin.

btw; to those who trash bb - i suggest you try working from the other side. if you had to deal with the demands our customers have and expect -- you would not be so quick to judge us. any large organization will have probelms, but in the end bb values its customers. i can't speak for other stores, but if you shop my best buy we will treat you better than fairly...

dew.

 

[tommyjt24]

well i can see everyones point but why should u get to pre-buy your laptop and get the rebates? i got there at 7:00 and they was already all gone!!! so my personal opinion is i dont think you should get any of the rebates. The people that did get the rebates went through Hell trying to get those laptops like waiting outside in the cold for an hour(s)

tom

 

[dud]

Sgt. Zulu. Do the math. There were 3 rebates on that laptop 2 from BB and one from Toshiba for a total of $500! If you sell an item with a rebate, then you decline those rebates then that is fraud no matter if you repurchased it or not.

Dew042, I wish I were in MN at the moment but thats a no-go for me. I cannot believe how arrogant the managers were at the BB I went to. All I was asking for was some help. I was not rude or did not raise my voice. I was absolutely floored by this guy's response to my questions. Some classic responses include: "Sorry, we have nothing to do with rebates and cannot help you." and the classic "Sorry, I cannot advise you, doing so would open myself up to liability." At that point the man became a clam.

Tommyjt24, you sound like a little kid, even if you are not. Have you never pre-bought something only to return it later to get the pricematch? For the most part it is called SMART. Unfortunately, BestBuy is trying to pull fraud here. My wife was told (by store personnel) what to do. When she went back to the store on the 29th (to repurchase) the register even printed the correct rebate forms. Two weeks later the same store even supported her when the price on the very same laptop dropped to $499 (AR). They printed more forms and told her how to fill them out.

BestBuy is a BIG beuracracy populated, for the most part by good people. Unfortunately, in my case, the company is acting like an evil empire that first, is having a hard time explaining why the rebate(s) are being declined and second, cannot provide even the required minimal amount of customer support (at the BB store I went to).

 

[jimmyhaha]

dude, don't be a cry baby..

Tommyjt24, you sound like a little kid, even if you are not. Have you never pre-bought something only to return it later to get the pricematch? For the most part it is called SMART. Unfortunately, BestBuy is trying to pull fraud here.

duh, YOU sounds like a little kid.
If u use a exchange receipt or pricematch receipt (but NOT a clean receipt), u are likely to have the rebate rejected.

In this case, BB does NOT pull fraud. You try to pull one, in strict legal terms.
You purhcase the laptop BEFORE the rebate period and despite priceadjusted in during the rebate period, thought you may think now you qulaify for the rebate after PM, but receipt obviously state that your original purchase is before the rebate period, thus disqualify for rebate. Simple as that.

BestBuy is a BIG beuracracy populated, for the most part by good people. Unfortunately, in my case, the company is acting like an evil empire that first, is having a hard time explaining why the rebate(s) are being declined and second, cannot provide even the required minimal amount of customer support (at the BB store I went to).

true, every corporate america is like that, so what can u do ? go fvck yourself ?

My wife was told (by store personnel) what to do. When she went back to the store on the 29th (to repurchase) the register even printed the correct rebate forms.

You / Your wife should NEVER believe in anything that are told by an bestbuy employee (minimium paid HS kid or sales), which are *** IN CONFLICTS *** with the BestBuy Rebate terms (i.e. using a CLEAN receipt), unless you get it in writing from them.

And yes, Bestbuy do suck (so do most corporate America), you want to do business with them and look for good deal, learn the rule of the game
, play smart. BB rebate do come in a timely manner.

My advice for u:

I would suggest u file a complaint with BBB or call up customer relation of BB Corporate Office to see what they can do. I doubt they can do anything for u coz looks like you use the pricematch receipt to submit the rebate when the laptop is purchase before the rebate period.

good luck !

And Mod, move this stuff to Off-topic or Brag and Moan, it does NOT belong to hot deal.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: tommyjt24
well i can see everyones point but why should u get to pre-buy your laptop and get the rebates? i got there at 7:00 and they was already all gone!!! so my personal opinion is i dont think you should get any of the rebates. The people that did get the rebates went through Hell trying to get those laptops like waiting outside in the cold for an hour(s)

tom

If you can't run with the big dogs, then stay on the porch!

btw; to those who trash bb - i suggest you try working from the other side. if you had to deal with the demands our customers have and expect -- you would not be so quick to judge us. any large organization will have probelms, but in the end bb values its customers. i can't speak for other stores, but if you shop my best buy we will treat you better than fairly...

Dew,

Thanks for your input. Is there a way we could get Best Buy to stop pushing those extended warranties? I like shopping at Best Buy, but the way the salespeople push the extended warranties leads me to taking some Rolaids before I go into the store. Needless to say, I prefer to be "self insured" and say "no thanks" to these service plans. Over the past several years, I have saved thousands of dollars by not purchasing them. Plus, none of my purchases have ever died. Should one ever die, I will just go to my account, get some of the cash that I have saved and purchase another product. Finally, I'll agree to lay off on the Best Buy employees. Lots of them really do try - but, they get lots of pressure from managers and also the customers on the other side of the counter.

dud,

Thanks for starting this thread. I headed over to Best Buy this evening to get a "good" set of receipts cut on a purchase that had $250 in rebates. After reading your post, I noticed the "exchange" words on the receipt from the adjustment that I had received last Sunday. This appears as if it would not be acceptable to the rebate process, so I quickly hit my local store.

Here's how the scenario worked out:
1) CS lady agrees to return the item, then re-sell it.
2) She returns the laptop and puts the funds on one of their store cash cards.
3) The American Express system then crashes in the middle of the transaction.
4) The poor CS lady spends 10 minutes on hold, then hangs up. American Express doesn't appear to be answering their calls this evening.
5) CS lady gets more personnel involved - including the supervisors.
6) Many different scenarios are attempted.
7) The money is on the cash card and the register will not accept the card.
8) I suggested that they just give me the card and I'll go re-purchase a new item.
9) Finally, they come to an agreement that they need to refund the item as a "cash" refund.
10) The CS lady then rings the purchase back up.
11) I get a "clean" set of receipts.
12) The CS lady and supervisor document the process like crazy to cover themselves since apparently taking out such a huge cash amount is a big "no-no."
13) The CS lady appologizes like crazy.
14) I said "don't worry" and never made her feel uncomfortable during the whole process and actually kept my sense of humor; the customers that were backed up the line were groaning and moaning impatiently.
15) After 30 minutes at the CS desk, I finally left the store.

 

[Nightwatch]

Well, I am in the same boat. I prebought, then returned, then rebought.

...but my receipts said nothing about a return.

I will have to wait and see

 

[LuZeR]

where can i track the rebates?
anyone know?