Circuit City bad buy experience.

[Dulanic]

Unfortunetely the scammers of the world are ruining everything for normal people. It is quite sad to know there are SOOO many people out there looking to rip someone off. It is one of the primary reason's prices are going to be higher than internet stores. Shoplifters and scammers cost retail places so much money, if say one camcorder gets stolen, they typically have to sell 10 or more to make up for one stolen one.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Stark
It sounds like you have a solid story... if you went to one store, got a defective card, then went to another card and got junk, chances are they'll see that you didn't return junk to the first store and take your word for it.

However, why did you buy a card that wasn't shrink wrapped (or was it)? You have a legitimate gripe if you purchased a sealed box, told the CSA there was junk in it, and they still refused your story.

You can also get the sales person who sold it to you to back up your story.

They think he took the 9800 and is trying to return the junk card. There is no way for him to definitively prove that he isn't the one who switched the product.

I never even thought about this scenario. The problem is once you leave the store, it is impossible to prove that you didn't switch the products.

The only way to protect yourself is to open the item in the store and to make sure it is the one you bought. The problem is that there is no way to know what the item should look like and all the accessories it should come with unless you have already open one.

This is really stupid. I can't believe people actually do this :|

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: ParrotHeadToo
Even at so called trusted retail B&M, it's still buyer beware.

The music stopped and you were the one without a chair. CC and the person who swapped the card got their seats ok.

When a product is not factory sealed or you suspect it isn't, always, always open the product before buying or just after with a sales person/manager watching over. These are hot items and you can easily be left holding an empty bag. You've got to be very careful when trying to do the right thing in this society.

Good luck in getting this resolved and I would also get the manfacturer involved too. And for the little that it may help, fill out a police report also; it may become important down the road with the credit card company or manufacturer.

Good luck!

Great advice. Filling a false police report is a crime. Someone who files a report lays a little credence to their story because of this.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Shanti
I bought a 13 inch tv at Walmart once.
Got it home, opened up the box (looked new), and it stunk like cigarette smoke.
Took it back immediately and they apologized and replaced it for me.

This is cut and dry. You still have the TV and even if you smoke, it shouldn't have been absorbed in the TV within a couple of hours or days that it took you to return it.

If you brought back a box with sand in it, then it would have been a different story.

 

[Banana]

I think you are at the mercy of CCity because the burden of proof is on you. I believe you, but how can you prove to the store that you're not trying to cheat them? What's to stop dishonest people from trying to do what you want? I agree with you and other posters:
1) Stores need to check returns. When I return at BBuy, the return clerk usually calls someone from the hardware dept to verify the product.

2) Customers need to open their purchases at the store, especially when the package is "suspicious." I know that this may affect your ability to return an unopened item, but do you want to take the chance?

3) Manufacturors need to use tamper-proof packaging. Some are doing it already, but until they all do, I'm not getting rid of my shrink-wrapping machine.

May the retail gods smile upon you and smite the bastard who swapped the ethernet card for the video card (Although you gotta admit--that's funny in a way--Imagine some novice forcing it into an AGP slot . . . )

 

[Gulzakar]

If you're a student (who is tight on funds), why the hell are you buying a 9800 pro? You can't afford to lose $377.00 for a video card, but you can afford to keep a $377.00 video card for games.

I'm sorry you got ripped, but maybe this is karma telling you to stop dicking around.

 

[Bad Dude]

Originally posted by: Gulzakar
If you're a student (who is tight on funds), why the hell are you buying a 9800 pro? You can't afford to lose $377.00 for a video card, but you can afford to keep a $377.00 video card for games.

I'm sorry you got ripped, but maybe this is karma telling you to stop dicking around.

I am a poor student b/c I owe a lot of school loans which I am paying off now monthly around $1800 per month including the private loans. I also said that my friend was going to buy my old Radeon 9800 from me so that I can get the retail Radeon 9800 PRO just to get the Half Life 2 game. The difference that I would have to put up would be $30. The original Radeon 9800 I bought was from a for sale forums from a member who got it from Dell's system so it was cheap. Also the money was given to by my father to buy it 2 days before my birthdays. So please refrain from making comments without knowing the full situation.

 

[Bad Dude]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: Stark
It sounds like you have a solid story... if you went to one store, got a defective card, then went to another card and got junk, chances are they'll see that you didn't return junk to the first store and take your word for it.

However, why did you buy a card that wasn't shrink wrapped (or was it)? You have a legitimate gripe if you purchased a sealed box, told the CSA there was junk in it, and they still refused your story.

You can also get the sales person who sold it to you to back up your story.

They think he took the 9800 and is trying to return the junk card. There is no way for him to definitively prove that he isn't the one who switched the product.

I never even thought about this scenario. The problem is once you leave the store, it is impossible to prove that you didn't switch the products.

The only way to protect yourself is to open the item in the store and to make sure it is the one you bought. The problem is that there is no way to know what the item should look like and all the accessories it should come with unless you have already open one.

This is really stupid. I can't believe people actually do this :|

I know that my case is hard to prove but I still have to fight it as I was innocent. If CC continues to repackage their products without better inspections, imagine how many people this can happen to. With the holidays season coming, I can sure use that $$$.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: Gulzakar
If you're a student (who is tight on funds), why the hell are you buying a 9800 pro? You can't afford to lose $377.00 for a video card, but you can afford to keep a $377.00 video card for games.

I'm sorry you got ripped, but maybe this is karma telling you to stop dicking around.

I was a poor student too and I still loved gaming. I wouldn't get the top of the line cards but I'd scrimp and save so I could upgrade my machine. And I don't know where you live but where I'm from, no one can afford to lose $377.00. Whether they're millionaires or dirt poor.

 

[Bad Dude]

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: Gulzakar
If you're a student (who is tight on funds), why the hell are you buying a 9800 pro? You can't afford to lose $377.00 for a video card, but you can afford to keep a $377.00 video card for games.

I'm sorry you got ripped, but maybe this is karma telling you to stop dicking around.

I was a poor student too and I still loved gaming. I wouldn't get the top of the line cards but I'd scrimp and save so I could upgrade my machine. And I don't know where you live but where I'm from, no one can afford to lose $377.00. Whether they're millionaires or dirt poor.

I cannot afford to lose this $$$, but what can I do now but wait. I am from Fullerton, CA. I live in a $500 studio which is cheap here in CA. Even if I finish school, it will take a while yet to move out. I built systems on the side to help pay off my huge loans. So this why some time I will buy expensive computer products. I usually buy them and no later than 2 weeks later, some would want a system and rather than buying new and having to test them all over again, I give them my system. They know about this of course, so I don't have to spend 24 hours testing it. I barely ever get a chance to use my system. I play games like 10 minutes a day if ever. I spend more time doing video editing from old VHS to preserve my memories.
I understand how a lot of you feel toward me, but a poor student in my shoes is better than any poor student in other countries. At least in US, our government helps give us a better living standard. But once in while, I hope it's OK with you guys, that this poor student can treat himself to something nice. Since I don't have $$ to go out or travel, I stay home to play games. Is this so bad. I have never gone to the movies for the past 15 years. I rent 99c DVD from Albertson on Mondays when I want to watch a movie. I have an old 87 corrolla which I use when the MTA bus line is on strike.
What else can I say to explain? I am probably wasting my time here. So I'll stop.

 

[Tom]

hypothetically speaking, you were going to sell a Dell pulled Radeon 9800 to your friend for $350 ??

not saying you would do so, but the thought occurs to me that a hypothetical person might have thought they hypothetically would buy a retail 9800 pro thinking they could get the free HL2 game and a real 9800 pro and return the Dell pull in the retail box..

so they hypothetically try this once and discover that the card from the retail box is different, spoiling their hypothetical scheme, so they return the first card..

but the idea of getting HL2 free is burning in their hypothetical brain, so they hypothetically decide to go another step, buy another one at a different store, and then keep the retail 9800 pro, get free HL2, and stick any old thing in the box and claim that is the way it was when they opened it..

hypothetically speaking, of course.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
hypothetically speaking, you were going to sell a Dell pulled Radeon 9800 to your friend for $350 ??

not saying you would do so, but the thought occurs to me that a hypothetical person might have thought they hypothetically would buy a retail 9800 pro thinking they could get the free HL2 game and a real 9800 pro and return the Dell pull in the retail box..

so they hypothetically try this once and discover that the card from the retail box is different, spoiling their hypothetical scheme, so they return the first card..

but the idea of getting HL2 free is burning in their hypothetical brain, so they hypothetically decide to go another step, buy another one at a different store, and then keep the retail 9800 pro, get free HL2, and stick any old thing in the box and claim that is the way it was when they opened it..

hypothetically speaking, of course.

That's the spirit! Guilty until proven innocent and even then, guilty!

 

[dabuddha]

DP

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Bad_Dude

Originally posted by: Gulzakar
If you're a student (who is tight on funds), why the hell are you buying a 9800 pro? You can't afford to lose $377.00 for a video card, but you can afford to keep a $377.00 video card for games.

I'm sorry you got ripped, but maybe this is karma telling you to stop dicking around.

I am a poor student b/c I owe a lot of school loans which I am paying off now monthly around $1800 per month including the private loans. I also said that my friend was going to buy my old Radeon 9800 from me so that I can get the retail Radeon 9800 PRO just to get the Half Life 2 game. The difference that I would have to put up would be $30. The original Radeon 9800 I bought was from a for sale forums from a member who got it from Dell's system so it was cheap. Also the money was given to by my father to buy it 2 days before my birthdays. So please refrain from making comments without knowing the full situation.

crap I don't know about you but if you can afford 1800 per month on your school loans, you are not poor my friend.

 

[Hammer]

stop returning items that you found a better deal on all the time and maybe you wouldnt have such a bad return history. the store loses money when they have to sell something as used just cause YOU didn't like the deal you got on it.

 

[CraigRT]

Man, that's insane.. good thing they don't have that crap store up here

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: Hammer
stop returning items that you found a better deal on all the time and maybe you wouldnt have such a bad return history. the store loses money when they have to sell something as used just cause YOU didn't like the deal you got on it.

Last time I checked, Circuit city doesn't sell used items. They do tend to repackage them and sell them as new but that's about it. Best Buy, I've noticed, sells stuff sometimes as open items but they only knock off 10 bucks or so.

 

[Dulanic]

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: Hammer
stop returning items that you found a better deal on all the time and maybe you wouldnt have such a bad return history. the store loses money when they have to sell something as used just cause YOU didn't like the deal you got on it.

Last time I checked, Circuit city doesn't sell used items. They do tend to repackage them and sell them as new but that's about it. Best Buy, I've noticed, sells stuff sometimes as open items but they only knock off 10 bucks or so.

Both CC and BB will sell open item's... CC typically does not repackage items, but not totally sure on PC items. I know with TV's Speakers etc... they toss the box, bag up the accessories and sell it as open. I think both used to take item's back unopened and just put them back in stock, and some stores probably still do, but I think that is slowly changing because of problems with people repackaging things etc.. and scamming the store.

 

[Bad Dude]

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
hypothetically speaking, you were going to sell a Dell pulled Radeon 9800 to your friend for $350 ??

not saying you would do so, but the thought occurs to me that a hypothetical person might have thought they hypothetically would buy a retail 9800 pro thinking they could get the free HL2 game and a real 9800 pro and return the Dell pull in the retail box..

so they hypothetically try this once and discover that the card from the retail box is different, spoiling their hypothetical scheme, so they return the first card..

but the idea of getting HL2 free is burning in their hypothetical brain, so they hypothetically decide to go another step, buy another one at a different store, and then keep the retail 9800 pro, get free HL2, and stick any old thing in the box and claim that is the way it was when they opened it..

hypothetically speaking, of course.

Actually not just sell the card, but installing it and do some other upgrade like hard drive and motherboard CPU combo. So he offered this suggestion to me.

 

[Bad Dude]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Bad_Dude

Originally posted by: Gulzakar
If you're a student (who is tight on funds), why the hell are you buying a 9800 pro? You can't afford to lose $377.00 for a video card, but you can afford to keep a $377.00 video card for games.

I'm sorry you got ripped, but maybe this is karma telling you to stop dicking around.

I am a poor student b/c I owe a lot of school loans which I am paying off now monthly around $1800 per month including the private loans. I also said that my friend was going to buy my old Radeon 9800 from me so that I can get the retail Radeon 9800 PRO just to get the Half Life 2 game. The difference that I would have to put up would be $30. The original Radeon 9800 I bought was from a for sale forums from a member who got it from Dell's system so it was cheap. Also the money was given to by my father to buy it 2 days before my birthdays. So please refrain from making comments without knowing the full situation.

crap I don't know about you but if you can afford 1800 per month on your school loans, you are not poor my friend.

Must I release all of my spending records here? $1200 of those month cost is coming from my parents, I will have to pay them back when I finished my residency. The good thing is the interest is lower when you are paying back now then wait until the end where the interest will accumulate.

 

[nycdude]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Bad_Dude

Originally posted by: Gulzakar
If you're a student (who is tight on funds), why the hell are you buying a 9800 pro? You can't afford to lose $377.00 for a video card, but you can afford to keep a $377.00 video card for games.

I'm sorry you got ripped, but maybe this is karma telling you to stop dicking around.

I am a poor student b/c I owe a lot of school loans which I am paying off now monthly around $1800 per month including the private loans. I also said that my friend was going to buy my old Radeon 9800 from me so that I can get the retail Radeon 9800 PRO just to get the Half Life 2 game. The difference that I would have to put up would be $30. The original Radeon 9800 I bought was from a for sale forums from a member who got it from Dell's system so it was cheap. Also the money was given to by my father to buy it 2 days before my birthdays. So please refrain from making comments without knowing the full situation.

crap I don't know about you but if you can afford 1800 per month on your school loans, you are not poor my friend.

Damn, $1800 a month to repay school loans is one lucky student. :Q

 

[Deeko]

YGPM

 

[MillionaireNextDoor]

I always open everything in the store in front of the clerk after buying it. If there's a problem, there's no problem. Get it?

 

[bjc112]

Absolute BS.

If you fight long enough, you will get your money back.

And damn, what happened to the customer is always right... Sometimes it's better to NOT be the nice person and just screw them..

 

[emb09]

i bought a media playing program (FAR) from best buy about 3 years ago and when i opened the box nothing was inside.

At least it was FAR. And I did get the $20 rebate.