Shopping Discussion

UNETHICAL: FS & BB - "out of stock" if you don't buy WARRANTY OR SERVICE! BS!

  • Last Updated:
  • Nov 23rd, 2009 9:24 am
Deal Addict
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Sep 9, 2005
1477 posts
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inferno_gn wrote: They post the price at like 10$ and it's on sale in the flyers. You go to the store and want to buy it, but they say they won't sell you one unless you purchase a warranty, now that's illegal. FS did that during boxing day fiasco with the laptop, if you remember and they got alot of crap after it.
It's not illegal. It's their store, they can do whatever they want with their prices, sales or policies.

I'm trying to wrap my mind about how wrong you are... Just picture someone calling the cops on a Future Shop manager who won't sell them a laptop?? :lol:

I can't express how boggled my mind is that someone cannot only think this is fact, but then proceed to post it as fact...
ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ raise your dongers ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ
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Dec 22, 2005
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Ottawa
this goes on all the time, but it's more a result of individual store employees and managers. which consequently, are the product of FS/BB compensation practices that reward heavily on warranty sales and gross margin.

wasn't it just last year when many FS locations preloaded some crap software on Toshiba laptops that were a doorcrasher on Boxing Day? this essentially forced customers to pay the extra $50-$100 for the software, or walk.
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Nov 28, 2005
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Toronto
eightyeight wrote: It's not illegal. It's their store, they can do whatever they want with their prices, sales or policies.

I'm trying to wrap my mind about how wrong you are... Just picture someone calling the cops on a Future Shop manager who won't sell them a laptop?? :lol:

I can't express how boggled my mind is that someone cannot only think this is fact, but then proceed to post it as fact...
I agree with your last sentence (BOLD), except that it actually describes the rest of your post.
Newbie
Jan 10, 2007
22 posts
Someone did call the cops once because he was refused of a return. And he was smart enough to call the 905 number instead of 911...

Anyways, I never seen the refusal of sale because of the 'no psp/accessory' situation in my store. But I have seen similar and worse situations in other stores especially if you travel further south.

I cannot give specific solution to this, but if this happens in my store simply go to the customer service desk to ask for assistance. Or call the 1800 number/email to customer service giving out all the specific details with names. Within a week you would get a response, often times HQ request the store to contact the customer directly to resolve the issue.

One thing I have to stress, though, would be the attitude of the customer. Often times they do not treat staff with any respect at all, from raising of voice to verbal abuse. Those would not be tolerated. Always treat others like how you would be treated.

Similar situation goes on for price matching, if customer is being reasonable and understandable, most of the time there is no problem to it. On the other hand, if the customer is being such a hard person to deal with, the staffs have more than a hand full of legit reasons to refuse (not the 'out of stock' type of b.s.).

At the end of the day, if you are refused, no need to cause a scene. And the staffs can't care less if you decide never to step foot in their store again. Because that is just one less trouble customer to deal with.
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Apr 21, 2009
949 posts
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Winnipeg
eightyeight wrote: It's not illegal. It's their store, they can do whatever they want with their prices, sales or policies.

I'm trying to wrap my mind about how wrong you are... Just picture someone calling the cops on a Future Shop manager who won't sell them a laptop?? :lol:

I can't express how boggled my mind is that someone cannot only think this is fact, but then proceed to post it as fact...
You really have no idea about the competition act or consumer protection laws in canada right?

So you are one of the many sheep who let these shady practices continue...
no wonder that people never get any decent prices on cell, tv, and internet if they continue to buy anyways.....
Reminds me of the popeyes one day special in the us they had (8pc for $4.99
) and one in Minneapolis didn't participate, but peaople bought anyways (9pc. for $9.99).... Youtube Videoclip about that
Deal Addict
Sep 10, 2007
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Honestly, save all your shopping for the US.
The prices are better, and you consumerism is much more valued there.

In Canada, we always get gouged, and this post is an example of Canadian companies/employees trying to give Canadian customers the shaft - again.

Buy American, save money and have more.
Or Buy Canadian, spend more and have less.
The choice is yours.
Would you be willing to pay $58 more for an iPod produced in North America?

My Answer: NO. I get the same Ipod with the same functionality...where is the the benefit to me? As, I've said before, I will get more out of my $58 dollars by lighting it on fire, because it will produce heat. If I wipe my a$$ with that $58 dollars, I will need to buy less toilet paper. IF I buy the made in North America Ipod for $58 more, I get absolutely nothing more out of it.
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Oct 12, 2002
2290 posts
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Toronto
due to this sort of behaviour from employees at FS/BB....i often avoid discussing anything about the warranty until they actually get the physical product, THEN i turn it down.

sometimes they seem pretty annoyed that im not purchasing the warranty...but its harder to claim its OOS if the product is already out in the open.
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May 25, 2009
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Heh, never had this happen and I think that's rather extreme. I've had FS sales folks get really pushy when it comes to trying to sell me a warranty/PSP/extras on something I'm trying to buy (generally not @ BB). I try to be polite when refusing but once or twice I did have to resort to threatening to walk out or finding another sales person for them to back off. I've never had anyone flat out refuse to sell me something unless I purchase a warranty/PSP/extras.
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Dec 9, 2005
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Ontario
I've never experienced this, though I rarely buy from those stores and if I do, it's DVD or likewise. They've never tried to force me to buy a warranty on a DVD.

Last purchase I made from BestBuy was my TV, and while mention was made of the warranty it was never made an issue.

If you go in and ask for an item, I've had them either say yes or no, never asked whether I was going to be buying a warranty with it. I mean, wouldn't the conversation go something like.

Buyer: "Do you have <whatever> in stock?"

Sales Droid: "Depends. Will you be buying a warranty with it?"

At this point, I think your best response is "OK then, bye".

If they say "I'm not going to sell this without a warranty" your response should be "OK then, bye".

You're not forced to buy the product.

While the mom and pop (non-chain) stores may not be able to match the prices of Futureshop or Bestbuy, they're going to be better to deal with, probably more knowledgeable about the product and I highly doubt they'll refuse to sell (within reason). If FS and BB don't want your business, don't give it to them. Whatever the sell, you don't "NEED".
Kaboom! Kaboom! KABOOM!
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Aug 11, 2008
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Regina
I was attempting to buy a TV at BB. It was single handedly the weirdest most messed up experience of my life.

They offered me the TV with a large discount and then added warranty, an HDMI cable, and I forget what else.... it was some high margin accessory... might've been a wall mount. I agreed to the deal since the TV was being heavily discounted and I just had an urge to get a 50" Plasma. Then the salesman says "I have to go okay this with my manager first" so the manager comes out and raises the price of the deal. I insisted on paying the price I was presented. Then I said okay, that's fair, I'll just take off the warranty and I'm at the same amount. The manager said I was getting a hot deal because I was buying the warranty.

I attempted to remove the HDMI cable and what was possibly the wall mount and he got mad again. Then I told him to work out a deal on just the TV. I told him about the price I had received for just the TV and he said he couldn't sell it for that price. Then proceeded to try to sell it to me above sticker price.

I laughed in his face, walked out, and went and bought my TV at Visions.

When dealing with Futureshop and BB I typically make a point of calling in advance, stating I talked to a sales rep and I want whatever item, the warranty, and almost every accessory imaginable and request they set it aside for me. I haven't seen a time where they haven't. Then I go in, let them carry everything to the counter and make sure there's a line up behind me and refuse to buy the whole package except for the piece I actually want. If they argue with me I hold up the line and they get frustrated and let me just buy the item I wanted in the first place.

That's how I combat their warranty and OOS BS.
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Oct 27, 2008
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I just intend to always tell them I'm considering a warranty, then when we get to the cash tell them I changed my mind. That way they can't pull something like stating they are OOS.
Newbie
Oct 9, 2006
11 posts
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Here's what happened at a FS. I was there looking at the ipod Touch (for some reason, the Apple store was out of stock) when I overheard a sales person trying to convince a customer to buy the FS extended warranty. The sales person had the new ipod Touch in their hand. I told the customer that the FS warranty wasn't as good as Apple's and that he could buy the Apple warranty separately, after buying the ipod Touch at FS. The salesman and I and the customer got into a discussion about the differences between the FS and Apple warranties. The salesman admitted that Apple's warranty is better and did sell the ipod to the customer without the FS extended warranty. That sales person instilled me with confidence so whenever I am at that store I buy with that sales person's help.
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Oct 4, 2004
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Golem wrote: Here's what happened at a FS. I was there looking at the ipod Touch (for some reason, the Apple store was out of stock) when I overheard a sales person trying to convince a customer to buy the FS extended warranty. The sales person had the new ipod Touch in their hand. I told the customer that the FS warranty wasn't as good as Apple's and that he could buy the Apple warranty separately, after buying the ipod Touch at FS. The salesman and I and the customer got into a discussion about the differences between the FS and Apple warranties. The salesman admitted that Apple's warranty is better and did sell the ipod to the customer without the FS extended warranty. That sales person instilled me with confidence so whenever I am at that store I buy with that sales person's help.
FS? That's surprising, considering that warranty is worth quite a bit of commission dollars.

But yeah.. these OSS stories I've never heard of in the stores I've been in.. and me, personally, when I person asks for something, the first thing they asked is, "do you have ____ in stock?" and my first response is to go on the computer to check and tell them yes or no. It's when I start working out bundles and bundle pricing or when the customer asks if I can give a better price that I tell them about the warranties and such.
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Newbie
Oct 9, 2006
11 posts
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Yes, FS at Y&D in Toronto. The sales person probably thought that trying to convince the other customer that the FS warranty is better than Apple's was futile because I am very knowledgeable about both warranties and he would rather have a sale than lose it because of the impression that he is more interested in the warranty sale than the customer's welfare. That customer bought the ipod Touch without the FS warranty but has probably also gone back to that FS an bought other "stuff" because of the honesty of that sales person.
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Jul 29, 2007
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I avoid FS as much as possible now and buy almost everything on Dell. I don't want to be hassled on PM and PSP, etc.

Anytime I buy something in store now, I just look them directly in the eye and say "I'll take this TV and I don't want the warranty". It almost always works and they don't even bother with a retort. Obviously it helps to know exactly what you want to buy when you go in, they know you're not a mark.

You know the reason I really will never buy a PSP? The fervor in which they try to SELL it to you proves to me that it can't be good for me. Oh, and Consumer Reports saying they are garbage doesn't help them either :)
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Jun 5, 2004
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I posted this thread about Office Depot and Staples back in June.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/no-e ... es-716725/

Just yesterday, someone wouldn't even go into check for a laptop in the back room if I didn't agree to the extended service plan. So yes, it does happen quite a number of times in retail.
Newbie
Aug 31, 2008
15 posts
4 upvotes
haha, don't worry, as what the salesman told me, PSP is returnable in 30 days.

If u really want that thing on sale. Try buying with PSP first. As soon as the item arrived, returned the PSP back.

I see no excuse why PSP cannot be returned based on FS and BB's policy. At least the services is not "package opened", "damaged", or even "used" ( first 14 days - 30 days are absolutely covered by store warranty).

Plus, Cx service ppl does not receive commission, making them easy to do the return.
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Aug 5, 2004
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AcidBomber wrote: Why dont you tell them you will buy the warranty together with the product, and then change your mind once you see the product in their hands?

and if they throw the 'we wont sell you without warranty' bs then start shat and create a big scene. :evil:
A good related strategy occurs with price matching. Stores sometimes will claim OOS if you ask for a price match right up front. Always make sure that you have the product in your hand and THEN ask for the PM.

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