Man Buys Computer From Best Buy, Opens Box To Find Wooden Blocks

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: gnumantsc
Ugh places like Staples or what we have here in Quebec is called Bureau En Gros (which is the french translation of Staples to Quebeckers). The story is I bought a USR 56k dialup modem and when I opened it up the packaging was a mess. The anti-static bag wasn't sealed properly and looked like someone used it. Brought it back to them and they stated they just reseal tha package.

So in a matter of fact without reading the article I would believe the customer. I bet someone here would try to the good ol switcheroo on them and see if they check the box. I've returned stuff and well never seen them check it whether it be a reflashed cd burner where I talked ot the manufacturer quite a few times or the modem. They don't care htey just reseal the package and say its new.

yeap i remember reading about best buy (i think) getting busted for doing this. They would just re-wrap stuff and re-sale it as new.

about 2-3 years ago they started pulling the stuff out of the package and testing it to make sure it is the item and it does not work.

but i do believe the guy was screwed. well it is possible.

I worked for Best Buy approx 5 years ago and can tell you this is a fact. They *do* reseal the used items.

 

[DragonMasterAlex]

See, this is why I always build my own computers. That way you know *exactly* what's going into the box

Jason

 

[Lash444]

I completely 100% believe this guy. Think about this. Not even a crazy person trying to scam best buy would continue shouting expletives when the cops showed up. They would just calm down, and say ill handle it at another time, but take a report.

You think its really that difficult to open a "sealed box" and remove the contents, only to repackage and return it? Come on guys. Usually its just a sticker, and some shrink wrap. Not exactly a fingerprint analysis machine straight out of Mission Impossible.

Best buy can just sit on this, because nobody has any video evidence of just how easy this can be done. Stupid judges will also side with the stores on it, becuase the consumer did not check the contents in store before returning it. On top of it, I am sure they dont understand how easy this stunt is to pull off. So, hes screwed.

You think the guys at customer service are looking at the packaging with a magnifying glass? Give me a break.

 

[ironcrotch]

Tell all your friends about this bullshat and never step into a BB again. :thumbsup:

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: wasserkool
there is 110% no way that an major OEM will fill a computer box with wood blocks...

Definately not. This guy is trying to scam Best Buy...

I dont't know.

I baught a NEW video card from them years ago. inside was a 28.8 MODEM. I didnt notice any tampering with the box at all.

that was the last time i baught anything other then a game or cd at best buy.

I dont really see how that's best buy's fault though, but that's pretty effed up.

how can it NOT be Best buy's fault? They take in a return they need to make sure they are getting the same item.

 

[miri]

This is what I think happened.

Someone purchased computer from best buy. Took computer home and put wooden blocks in it. Carefully retaped the thing back together again and returned to Best Buy. The computer box was probably originally openned from the bottom so it would not look like it was never opened. But someone could carefully retape the box and make it look brand new. It was probably returned as unopened and brand new. And I think Best Buy would not open a return if they think it was never opened.

 

[oogabooga]

the box's seal was intact when it left the store, so if wood was inside the box, it came from the factory.

cause we all know it's not punkass teens buying and returning crap to undertrained return associates.
OR even better - it's the employee's themselvers or at another store with a shrinkwrapper. Woot.

"Anything is possible, but we do offer a service of having it looked at when you buy it and he didn't take advantage of it," Hammond said. He referred any other questions to corporate public relations.

so buy our services for 400 bucks to make sure your $1200 machine isn't a bunch of wood? That's pretty much all their service is good for and to be honest - i'm not sure i'd even trust them with that.

 

[bsobel]

how can it NOT be Best buy's fault? They take in a return they need to make sure they are getting the same item.

And this of course doesn't include the possibility it wasn't a return, but a substituion by a store employee (who then used the employee discount to buy that 28.8 modem while actually taking a video card home).

This does happen (both the return scam and the employee theft). When a customer runs across it, it is NOT HIS FAULT. A sealed box leaving the store has the presumption that the item inside is correct. Of course, once he does leave he also becomes a suspect.

This happened to me a while back at Fry's (probably like 96). Got a slower speed modem instead of the 56k one I bought. Had to sign a letter attesting that I did receive the other one (I think they track how often one person 'happens' to get the wrong item). In BestBuy's case, due to the value of the item, I can see them wanting to investigate. But suggesting that since the tape was intact they couldn't be involved, well, yea right...

 

[Hammer]

I believe the guy. wasn't there an ATOTer here about a year back that bought something at best buy and got a box full of sand instead? they told him the same thing, that they couldn't help him as i recall. the guy handled it wrong though. he should have called his credit card company and disputed it. that's why i use my amex for big purchases. they b1tchslap stores in situations like these.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Hammer
I believe the guy. wasn't there an ATOTer here about a year back that bought something at best buy and got a box full of sand instead? they told him the same thing, that they couldn't help him as i recall. the guy handled it wrong though. he should have called his credit card company and disputed it. that's why i use my amex for big purchases. they b1tchslap stores in situations like these.

yeap.

Use CC for any purchase now if over $35 at best buy. I have heard way to many people complain about not getting what they paid for.

or just not shop for anything expensive heh.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
well why dint the dude check the box? seems like his fault to me

Something seems fishy, but regarding not checking out computer in the store: why should he?
Do you always unpack, extract, and plug in every single piece of equipment you buy in the store?

if im buying open box then yes.

 

[bsobel]

if im buying open box then yes.

But the person the story was about WAS NOT BUYING OPEN BOX. So, if you didn't check a sealed box you still think it's your fault and not the stores?

 

[purbeast0]

I know people who scammed K-Mart this way ALL THE TIME years ago, when psx was the hot thing.

When they would screw up a modding job, my friend would go to kmart, buy a psx, take it home and unseal the glue on the BOTTOM of the box (keeping the seal intact), and switch the busted psx with the brand new one in the box. Sometimes he would take the controller as well.

He would then glue the bottom back together and it would look as if it was brand new, with the factory seal on the top still intact. He would then return it the same day or the next day and have a brand new psx, with a busted psx going on the shelf back at kmart.

I believe this is the reason now a days consoles have holes in the boxes, and barcodes on the actual machine so that they can scan the actual machine when you purchase a console. I know thats how xbox was.

 

[EvilPaper]

You know, I'm really shocked you don't read about this more often.

When I worked at Best Buy, we had three people get fired in a six month time frame for taking the merchandise out of a package and resealing it for sale with rocks inside. The only reason someone caught on was because the idiots were dumb enough to do in the store at any given time. I'm sure many customers complained and were passed off as either scammers or just plain nuts.

That's the other thing about Best Buy, not everything that is returned gets marked open box. When I worked there at least, it was determined by how noticeable its used status was.

 

[slycat]

i cannot understand how a 1300 purchase was not done using a cc.

 

[yourdeardaniel]

"Anything is possible, but we do offer a service of having it looked at when you buy it and he didn't take advantage of it," Hammond said.

what a load of crap
what kinda service is that? to make sure you're not ripping people off service.
best buy really sucks

the man should be compensated

 

[yhelothar]

wow I hope he doesn't go to FPMITA prison for it.
That would just be bs.

 

[gnumantsc]

It should be illegal for retailers to accept opened items and not let customers know its been returned. These places are huge stores and would expect an open box sticker of some sort.

Bet one of you guys will do the same thing with a desktop computer soon.

 

[spaceman]

someone needs to go into bb with a hatchet.
a HATCHET! BICHTES!

 

[marvdmartian]

And now he's sitting in jail, where "having wood" is not always a good thing!! :shocked:

 

[jamesbond007]

Here's what I'd like to see...I know a bunch of you guys are pretty ballsy enough to do this, so here it goes:

Using a candid/hidden/concealed camera, buy a product such as a modem or videocard or whatever. Then put an older card of a sort inside, bricks, rocks, sand, whatever. Go to the Best Buy Customer Service desk and return it and see what happens.

Of course, when you leave, go back and bring the real card with you so you aren't liable for prosecution. I'd love to see that videotape be spread on the Internet with Bittorrent and a nice big fat URL posted on www.bestbuysux.org. I'd like to see some news headlines sprawl from this and see Best Buy get crapped on as they have crapped on several of you. (I haven't had a bad experience yet, but I'm sure the store quality/CS varies from location to location.)

That'd make my day and probably the week.

:thumbsup:

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: wasserkool
there is 110% no way that an major OEM will fill a computer box with wood blocks...

Definately not. This guy is trying to scam Best Buy...

Well I've read numerous reports of the same scam being run with video cards and other sealed box items, and not only at Best Buy. Maybe someone was slick enough to buy & return without them knowing.

Just seems like a stretch for this guy to risk going to jail and getting the police involved if he was trying to scam Best Buy.

 

[Pepsei]

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: wasserkool
there is 110% no way that an major OEM will fill a computer box with wood blocks...

Definately not. This guy is trying to scam Best Buy...

if i remember correctly, wasn't there guy from AT that purchased a palm pilot and got a box of sand?

 

[Linflas]

I bought Hexen from BB once and when I got home and opened it up inside was an AOL CD instead of the Hexen CD. BB didn't give me any hassle when I returned it though. They did call over the manager and after I explained to her that I opened it up and that is what I found inside they gave me another copy.

 

[mdchesne]

OMFG, best buy customer service people are @ssholes. come on, how could they NOT do anythign about this? Boycott best buy, imo