View Full Version : Who has a better plan, CompUsa or Best Buy?
dreaming1
06-01-2003, 12:33 AM
Hi everyone,
I am depending on all of your expertise knowledge on this one :)
Tonight, actually about 1.5 hours ago I bought my very first iPod, the 10gb at CompUsa for $269 by using the Dell offer and asking if they would match it. I knew that Best Buy had them too, but I was more willing to buy it at CompUsa because they actually have an Apple section at their stores (not that there is always someone there who actually knows about them, but that's another story).
I've just had bad service at Best Buy the last few times I've been in there, so that was another reason to not buy it there. BUT, now I have been reading on here about the service plans at both places. I purchased the 2 year one the cashier told me about tonight, for 39.90, and now I've read that Best Buy has a 4 year one for the same price??
I have not opened the iPod packaging yet, so what I'm wondering is, should I just return it to CompUSA asap, and buy it at Best Buy instead? Can I really get a 4 year one at BB for the same price as a 2 year at CompUsa? And which of these places has a better track record? Is one really better then the other?
I am dying to unwrap my new iPod, but of course I want to be absolutely sure before I do!
All your help is appreciated! :)
hi,
I just bought my ipod 10gb from best buy today for 299.99 with a 2 year extension play for 39.99
so its not 3 or 4 years, its 2 years for 39.99
I would actually recomend best buy over compusa just cuz i know that they are true to their warranty, not sure about compusa.
good luck bro.
and....getting an extension plan for more than 2 years is a waste man...cuz look
by that time the technology will be old, just "trade in" your old ipod and get a new one.
its all good :D
dreaming1
06-02-2003, 12:01 AM
Yeah, you're right, I was thinking about that earlier today, that in 2 years it really wouldn't matter anyway because who knows what would be out then,etc.
"good luck bro " ...or 'sis' in my case ;)
noryen
06-03-2003, 03:15 PM
Outside of price, there is a *big* difference between the warranty from CompUSA vs Best Buy.
CompUSA's warranty covers accidental damage (like dropping it), however Best Buy's warranty does *not* cover accidental damage.
(That's why CompUSA's warranty is more expensive)
EDIT - I was wrong about this... read my post below (2 posts down)
you've got to be kidding me...
its the same price, I checked the website, and its 2 years. Are you sure it covers accidental damage?
I work at circuit city, and our extended "cityadvantage" warrenties dont cover accidental damage. I mean, realistically, if they did we would go out of business!
I wonder how compusa does it...or do they really?
noryen
06-03-2003, 07:04 PM
unr1, I guess you are correct. I just read up on CompUSA's extended warranty plan and it does not cover accidents, misuse, etc...
It looks like the salepeople are CompUSA are simply greedy and are lying outright to the customer to earn themselves a SPIFF/Kickback/whatever.
Terms and Conditions of CompUSA's TAP (http://www.compusa.com/media/tap_terms.pdf)
I believe you on that one, because salespeople at these stores can be very misleading about warranty's.
I have experience at work with customers coming back saying: "you told me the warranty covered everything!" and we get a big hassle.
I think both warranty's are great, it also really depends who you talk to though.
-UnR1
mr. k
06-07-2003, 12:53 PM
dreaming1 - what did you have to do to get compusa to match the price on your dell order? did you need to print out a reciept? i ordered the dell and after weeks it still hasnt been shipped. if i can just go to compusa and get one that would be 20 times better. thanks!
dreaming1
06-07-2003, 01:43 PM
hi mr.k,
what i did was go to the dell site, find the info on the discount, print it out and show it to the manager at compusa. it was no problem. i think the 6th of june was the last day for the special though?? you might want to check that, otherwise go for it!
mr. k
06-07-2003, 01:55 PM
did you get 40 dollars off and 40 percent off? if i can get my 15GB for $320 at compusa rather then dell i will go to compusa :)
I'm really surprised that Compusa actually pricematched Dell. Their long-standing stance here in California has been "no we don't price match online stores" and Dell is definitely an online store.
However, I wonder if they would pricematch one of those Gateway Country locations if they had a cheap ipod.
mr. k
06-09-2003, 09:48 AM
i called the bloomington, mn compusa and they don't pricematch online orders. your a lucky man...
yep, he's lucky.
our rule at Circuit City is: we price match any online store, as long as they have a local store in the area which sells the same product.
dreaming1
06-09-2003, 10:17 PM
I didn't even bother to call first because it's always easier for them to say 'no' over the phone then it is in person. I got the tip from Ramse who replied on the 'my buying experience' article, he had printed out the dell details and took them to Best Buy where they honored it. I decided to go to CompUsa instead of BB because well I don't really like the attitude at BB, and secondly because they don't carry anything else Apple. CompUsa doesn't always have the best service, but I had rather buy it from them because they at least have sell Macs there.
I asked someone in the service dept, and they said I would have to speak to a manager. I then found a salesperson who also happen to be a manager if they had the iPods in stock, and he went back to check before I got a chance to ask if if they would price match. He came back with a 10gb and said they had just received them the day before. At that point I showed him the ad and asked if they would match it. I told him I knew Best Buy would match it, but that I would rather give my business to CompUsa if they would match the price. So he barely looked at the ad before agreeing to match the price, and then I walked out the door the proud owner of a new iPod.
So I wouldn't bother to call first,I would just print out the ad and take it in and show it to a manager. If it's BB, tell them you know CompUsa willmatch it (since i'm proof of it), and vv. if it's CompUsa you're going to.
There's still time, so give it a try!
Hammer
06-10-2003, 09:30 PM
Originally posted by unr1
you've got to be kidding me...
its the same price, I checked the website, and its 2 years. Are you sure it covers accidental damage?
I work at circuit city, and our extended "cityadvantage" warrenties dont cover accidental damage. I mean, realistically, if they did we would go out of business!
I wonder how compusa does it...or do they really?
OMG I was taken for such a ride....
I purchased a warranty from CompUsa and they charged me $60 for two years!
They told me it is a one time replacement (as opposed to a 2 year warranty) and that accidental damage was covered, no questions asked...
Apparently, this is not an isolated incident. I am suprised that a "reputable" company like CompUSA would allow their salespeople to blatantly mislead it's customers.
dreaming1
06-13-2003, 12:30 AM
60 bucks for 2 years?? Did you buy the 30gig iPod? I would go back and tell them you want the 39.90 one. When I exchanged my new iPod last week after having it for less then a week, not only did they give me a new one without any problem (which is what I would have expected them to do), but she started my TAP from new as well.
I find that when it comes to dealing with CompUSA, I usually get better service from someone in management then just one of the salespeople.
When I got my new TAP for my 15giger, they gave me the same old SKU as last time (Which is apparently not in the brochure anymore) which is a 2 year carry-in replacement plan for $29.99.
This was a regular sales rep who sold it to me... in this case, management would probably have sold me the more expensive one!
Hammer
06-20-2003, 10:49 AM
Yes, I got the 30Gig one. Is the warranty more expensive for the 30GB? Is that why I paid $30 a year? Does the cost vary by store? I can go back and argue it?
noelty
06-20-2003, 09:52 PM
I can only speak from experience. I brought my 20GB back to Comp USA and exchanged it for a 30GB...no questions asked!!!! COMP USA TAP's rule!
jwong79
07-12-2003, 04:03 AM
Recently my 20 gig iPod bit the dust and I had to use my CompUSA TAP to get a replacement. Here is where I ran into some problems.
I was told that it would take only a 3 day turn around for me to get a replacement iPod. Well it has been 2 weeks and I am still without my precious.
It started when I was notified by the store (three days after I dropped it off at the store) that their corporate office did not have the proper documentation (my original receipt) and I had to fax it to them. The weird thing was that they had already made a copy of this, but I faxed it anyways.
Two more days roll by and I hear nothing. I call back and I speak to one of the technical services people who told me that it was in the "review" phase because they are still awaiting information from the store! I asked what that information was, and they said it was the receipt. Their stance was that they had faxed it to their corporate TAP department multiple times at multiple fax numbers but they have yet to receive it. I tried to be patient and let a couple more days (and a weekend) pass by and called on Thursday. Same answer. I called again today, and went into the store and I got the same answer.
I am at my wits end! It doesn't seem like they store is really doing their job. How could the fax number "not work"? What is happening to the other TAPs that the store is reporting? Can anyone help me with this PLEASE!!!