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Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...

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Anonymous
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Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...

Hello everybody- Happy Holidays and jealousness extended to those of you who get snow!!
 
I know this is off topic for the CC- but I just wanted to relay a friendly reminder and share an experience w/  you re: purchase of electronic equipment/software for the holidays...
 
Reminder- as return policies have become so strict for purchase of electronic equipment these days my advice to most people (notice I say most as if you are buying a video game or CD there is no way to do it) my advice would be if you are buying a piece of equipment  is to very carefully try to take it out of the box or plastic and check the equipment to make sure it works.
 
As a real life example that I will offer- last Friday a co-worker at work went to some special sale and purchased some off-brand type of MP4 players. She bought three of them to give as Christmas gifts. They were half off and she had purchased them at an early bird sale and brought them to work to show us.
 
After having some really bad experiences w/ elec. equip the past two years- I suggested to her to let me carefully take them out of the packaging and see if they were charged and would they work.
 
Guess what happened? One side of one of the ear buds didn't work for one of the players, you couldn't hear the side out of one ear!  Another player wouldn't work correctly using the click wheel and couldnt' bring up the video clip it was supposed to play.
 
Fortunately, these were not in the "molded plastic" that a lot of stuff comes in these days, and we were able to gently slip it out of its plastic and then put it back in.
 
Bottom line, prevented her a lot of time and trouble as she was able to return them and find a better deal at Wal Mart anways.
 
Now I know some people will not agree w/ me- but esp. if you are shipping gifts long distance oversears or whatever this method may help prevent frustrations w/ equip and holiday exchanges.
 
And yes, I know you get what  you pay for- but just thought this experience might save someone trouble for those who do all the right things- i.e keep reciepts/gift reciepts/buying extended warranties.
 
Finally, reason I am saying this is some stores have moved to 30 day returns AND EXCHANGES on electronics- and if  you are like my family that is spread all out of the US- we have our "Christmas" sometimes the 1st week of Jan. So for ex.- if one buys  a DVD player Friday and wraps it and puts it under the tree- if it doesn't get opened or even plugged in until last week of Dec or 1st week of Jan you could be stuck as the 30 day period would be over!
 
Thanks for letting me psuedo-vent...


Message Edited by netpanther on 11-21-2007 10:54 PM
Message 1 of 30
29 REPLIES 29
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...

I agree!

I also started doing this last season, for little ones, we pre-opened all the gifts. They put so many darned cable ties on toys these days, if you don't have the right tools on hand, it takes at least 10 minutes to free up the darn toy and its parts. Let alone finding a small enough philips screwdriver to open the battery compartment.

As a result, I wound up returning 3 toys before Christmas because they were DOA. I felt so relieved to have saved heartache celebrating with my then 2 yr old.
Message 2 of 30
Anonymous
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Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...



PenguinGeek wrote:
I agree!

I also started doing this last season, for little ones, we pre-opened all the gifts. They put so many darned cable ties on toys these days, if you don't have the right tools on hand, it takes at least 10 minutes to free up the darn toy and its parts. Let alone finding a small enough philips screwdriver to open the battery compartment.

As a result, I wound up returning 3 toys before Christmas because they were DOA. I felt so relieved to have saved heartache celebrating with my then 2 yr old.

Ok- kewlness. I thought maybe I was over- reacting and the only person in the USA that was having this problem (besides confirming it at work) and was reaching a level of paranoia about working electronics/gifts.
 
Glad to hear that it saved you from having problems and glad to know that it helped!!!
 
Happy holidays...
Message 3 of 30
haulingthescoreup
Moderator Emerita

Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...


@Anonymous wrote:
Ok-kewlness. I thought maybe I was over- reacting and the only person in the USA that was having this problem (besides confirming it at work) and was reaching a level of paranoia about working electronics/gifts.
Glad to hear that it saved you from having problems and glad to know that it helped!!!
Happy holidays...
Heck, no, you're not the only one! Might be smart to open up the box out in the parking lot and save a trip back! SO much junk being sold these days.
* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007
Message 4 of 30
Anonymous
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Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...



@haulingthescoreup wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Ok-kewlness. I thought maybe I was over- reacting and the only person in the USA that was having this problem (besides confirming it at work) and was reaching a level of paranoia about working electronics/gifts.
Glad to hear that it saved you from having problems and glad to know that it helped!!!
Happy holidays...
Heck, no, you're not the only one! Might be smart to open up the box out in the parking lot and save a trip back! SO much junk being sold these days.

more kewlness.
 
Update- Best Buy has reformed their return/exchange policy to extend all the way up until Jan 31st. However, they will still charge a re-stocking fee once the box has been opened.
 
At least this is progress compared to last year!!!
Message 5 of 30
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...



@Anonymous wrote:


@haulingthescoreup wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Ok-kewlness. I thought maybe I was over- reacting and the only person in the USA that was having this problem (besides confirming it at work) and was reaching a level of paranoia about working electronics/gifts.
Glad to hear that it saved you from having problems and glad to know that it helped!!!
Happy holidays...
Heck, no, you're not the only one! Might be smart to open up the box out in the parking lot and save a trip back! SO much junk being sold these days.

more kewlness.
 
Update- Best Buy has reformed their return/exchange policy to extend all the way up until Jan 31st. However, they will still charge a re-stocking fee once the box has been opened.
 
At least this is progress compared to last year!!!


 
LOL!  I was just about to post about BB.  Last year I bought my kid a Playstation anf it broke a fe days after Xmas. Exactly day 31.  Bought it from target so it cost me an extra 35.00 to return to the manu.  Was Happy to see BB'snew return policy since I bought my kid's psp from there for this Christmas.

Message 6 of 30
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...



@Anonymous wrote:


@Anonymous wrote:


@haulingthescoreup wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Ok-kewlness. I thought maybe I was over- reacting and the only person in the USA that was having this problem (besides confirming it at work) and was reaching a level of paranoia about working electronics/gifts.
Glad to hear that it saved you from having problems and glad to know that it helped!!!
Happy holidays...
Heck, no, you're not the only one! Might be smart to open up the box out in the parking lot and save a trip back! SO much junk being sold these days.

more kewlness.
 
Update- Best Buy has reformed their return/exchange policy to extend all the way up until Jan 31st. However, they will still charge a re-stocking fee once the box has been opened.
 
At least this is progress compared to last year!!!


 
LOL!  I was just about to post about BB.  Last year I bought my kid a Playstation anf it broke a fe days after Xmas. Exactly day 31.  Bought it from target so it cost me an extra 35.00 to return to the manu.  Was Happy to see BB'snew return policy since I bought my kid's psp from there for this Christmas.



Gosh! I am so sorry that happened to you! Doesn't that bite- exactly  day 31??? Glad to hear you got it corrected though.
 
Is it just me, or does it appear that electronic equip.- as the price has come down so much for some of it- that it has also increased that a lot of it breaks after short periods of time?
Message 7 of 30
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...

I do my christmas shopping early so this was about a week after th actual day.  Talk about MAD!!!!!  Well I bouht all my electronics from BB for this Christmas..lol!!
Message 8 of 30
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...



Brammy wrote:
I do my christmas shopping early so this was about a week after th actual day.  Talk about MAD!!!!!  Well I bouht all my electronics from BB for this Christmas..lol!!


That's why I put up this post- I read where a couple of people were burnt by shopping on Black Friday- made it too long/after day 30 when they tried to return/exchange things...
 
Hey Brammy- I know you know I hate BB- but I have a question for you as I didn't get the paper yesterday to see the flyers- what does BB have on sale that is so good that people would start camping out at 12 noon today? There really isn't any "hot new item" that I can think of...I was wondering if they had laptops on sale or something...
 
It was really wierd- today going to dads there was maybe about 10-15 people camped out and two big tents and a canopy set up in front of BB.
 
Maybe I will look at their ad online...
Message 9 of 30
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Off topic- a friendly suggestion about electronics purchases for holidays...

Oh no I LOVE BB  I just hate my MasterCard.  I LIVE in BB...lol!! And luckily I had work to do today or I would have been shopping against my better judgement.
 
Oh yes but the sale doesn't start til tomorrow.  Stores were closedtoday so I don't know why they were camping out...lol!!  Bet they were mad. Maybe they were camped out for tomorrow ( thats scary) when the sale starts, its a biggie.





Message Edited by Brammy on 11-22-2007 08:19 PM
Message 10 of 30
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