I bought a broken camera from Best Buy, they don't want to take it back. What can I do?

Question

I just bought a digital camera today from Best Buy on my lunch break, and when I opened it up 3 hours later to show my boss and co-worker, the screen on the back was cracked.

I went promptly back to Best Buy with my boss and co-worker who saw me tear open the seals on the box, and pull out the broken camera. They told me that I had dropped the camera, as the seals on the box were broken, and would not allow me to return it or exchange it.

The camera also had scuff marks on it, which definitely makes it seem like it had been taken out of the box prior to Best Buy's sealing.

What can I do to get either my money back, or a working camera? I am very disappointed with them!

Answer 1

what you can do as others have done is to go to the consumerist.com and make a post, or make a post yourself on somewhere popular, and complain about it. Also go to the corportate for it, they'll give you a refund or a new camera, or a new camera and a gift certificate. good luck, make your story big.

Answer 2

Well, doesn't that Camera have a Warranty from the Company who made it?  Look at your instruction manual and see if there is an 800 number or web address you can call/write to.

Answer 3

the first thing to do is compare the seals on your box to the rest, to see if it looks like yours are different, and that it had been opened by someone else.

if that doesn't work,

Answer 4

I'd print their store return policy and show it to them.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site//olspage.jsp...

The 15% restocking fee wouldn't apply to you either.

Answer 5

Do what LEM said. DO NOT contact the manufacturer as others have suggested. This is a problem between you and the retailer. What you describe sounds like impact damage that isn't possible if the camera never came out of the box (unless it was put in that way but you'll have a hard time proving this and having the company acknowledge it) so it will not be covered by warranty. The manufacturer will fix it but at your expense.

If you purchased with cash you have very few options. Go back to the BB and discuss the problem with manager of the store. If he/she refuses to give you an exchange or refund call corperate in the store, preferably with the manager present, to try to come to a resolution. If you still get nothing, which isn't likely, there isn't much else you can do other than file a report with the BBB.

Corperate customer service: 888-237-8289

Corperate offices: 612-291-1000

Answer 6

They must take it back if it was broken out of the box.

If they don't - hopefully you bought it with a credit card. Here's what you can do:

Go back to Best Buy and demand the camera to be either taken back for full refund or replaced with identical model. If they refuse to, take out the receipt, note the name of the representative you're talking to, and in their view write on receipt: RETURNED TO JOE ON XX/XX/2008 AT 12:34PM. Then leave the camera with them and leave the store. Call your credit card company and dispute the charge. Explain that camera was broken out of the box, and you left it with the store. The credit card will refund your money.

You may want to call the CC first, and check with them if this is how they want it handled. Some credit cards will even refund your money without having to return camera to the store (e.g. they will ask you to ship the camera to them, etc).

This advice comes from personal experience. One day I bought a portable butane stove from local store, when I opened it, turned out it had missing parts. I brought it back to store, but they said they can't take it back without missing parts. Dough... I wouldn't be returning it if it was a complete set... So I just left it on the counter as noted above, and CC charged back the store for it. Took a few weeks to resolve, but while the charge is in dispute, you don't have to pay it to the card anyway, and no interest is being accrued.... Even if it takes a few months to resolve.

LEM

Answer 7

Try the manufacturer's help line/ 800 number.

Also talk to best buy telephone people about restocking used merch... won't get you anywhere probably, but you'll get to yell at random people and vent your frustrations on strangers.