View Full Version : Buying cards at the Future Shop, my experience
Garrett_thief2
10-26-02, 10:44 PM
I posted this in "gripes and moans" but thought it was appropriate to post it here too.....
Just thought i'd type this up to let everyone know what happens when you buy from The Future Shop in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
In August i bought a Visiontek GeForce 4 Ti4400 for $369. I bought it because its a kick ass card, with a lifetime warranty.The salesman at the future shop explained to me that Visiontek has an awesome, no-hassle lifetime warranty, and that if i ever had any problems with it, The Future Shop would gladly replace it, no problem. So i decided to buy it right then and there. We discussed the "over the counter replacement deal", wich would have cost an additional $50. I asked the salesman why i should bother with it if the card came with a lifetime warranty.He replied. "i don't know, i'm just supposed to ask you if you want it"
Ok, so fast forward a few months till yesterday.My Ti4400 died.I replaced it with my backup card, and all was well with the system.
So i go down to The Future Shop and explain that i tested the card in 2 different machines, and it failed to display video in either.Both machines work fine with other cards.I am told by Jenn, the customer support girl that the card would have to be tested, and it might take a few hours.I say fine,, and ask what will happen when they find it is a dead card.I am told that i will have to purchase the "over the counter" replacement policy, and that she would back date it. Since they were sold out of Ti4400's i ask her if i would get the 4600 as a replacement.She left for 10 minutes and came back to let me know that i would indeed get a 4600.I say fine, i'll go for that then.
She brings the tech over, and he tells me that i would not get a 4600, but that i would get a Radeon 8500le.I tell them noway, thats BS. They then take all offers of help or support off the table.Now they will do nothing for me.I become angry.Paul, the Tech tells me "what did you expect....Visiontek went under, thats why the card was on a clearance sale" .........I lost it!!! In effect they sold me a card knowing that it would not warrantied, yet they really hyped the warranty. I told them i felt deceived and outraged.
Fast forward 45 minutes.Tech guy tells me that he will give me one option, and i have only a few minutes to decide.They will give me a store credit for $369, to use towards anything in the store, but i have to go for it right now.He walked away to let me think about it.
I tell him that i'm gonna buy a $229 Radeon 9000, and a $170 80 gig hard drive, and i will gladly pay the difference.....he says "noway,dude....its gotta be on a videocard only....if you decide on a $229 card, thats all you get" I lost it again!!.....they are robbing me, with the intent to rape me.....
So in the end, my choices were : 1. Pay $369 for a $229 dollar card or 2. Buy a $530 Ti4600 without any hopes of future support or 3. Fork out the cash for a $650 Radeon 9700 and try to take comfort in knowing i had the best card on the market.
I chose 3.....I had to, it was to only logical choice to make at the time.....
Jenn, the customer support girl was nice, and she did try to help, but Paul, the tech guy, was a real jerk.He was obnoxious.a small guy trying to bully me around.
what do you guys think?
Samoyed
10-26-02, 10:53 PM
Sounds like they dont really have any policy at all at that store and were just winging it.
One way to pressure fools like that is to sue them in small claims court. I dont know if they have that in Canada. Once they get the summons they will settle cause they dont want the hassle. U can also stay in the store and keep bitching till u get your way and start throwing terms around like fraudulent advertising, bait and switch etc... You can also go back to the store with a person who is a better arguer than you and let them bust chops.
Always start off nice and only get mean if u have to.
Garrett_thief2
10-26-02, 10:59 PM
I guess in the end, i'm happy that i got an awesome card, just not happy how i got it.The crew at The Future Shop strongarmed me, and tried thier best to make me feel helpless.Then they told me how much of a favour they did me.They screwed me over in the first place by not telling me it was a clearance sale, and not telling me that visiontek had gone out of business.......they just wanted to move inventory, and they even told me so.
They raped me, and never even kissed me first.
Maximouse
10-26-02, 11:40 PM
I never deal with them anymore! They are overpriced and I went through the same experience (almost) with a speaker setup I returned to them. I won though :)
Didn't even have the courtesy to reach around, eh? That sucks.
Personally, I've never had any problems w/ Futureshop. Save for the warranty things and wanting to punch techs that say there is no 'real' difference between PC100 and PC133 RAM and that burners are only good for 100 CDs or so . . . They've always treated me very well.
Maybe things are different in Thunder Bay, howver.
Cisco Kid
10-27-02, 01:29 AM
Originally posted by Garrett_thief2
I posted this in "gripes and moans" but thought it was appropriate to post it here too.....
Just thought i'd type this up to let everyone know what happens when you buy from The Future Shop in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
In August i bought a Visiontek GeForce 4 Ti4400 for $369. I bought it because its a kick ass card, with a lifetime warranty.The salesman at the future shop explained to me that Visiontek has an awesome, no-hassle lifetime warranty, and that if i ever had any problems with it, The Future Shop would gladly replace it, no problem. So i decided to buy it right then and there. We discussed the "over the counter replacement deal", wich would have cost an additional $50. I asked the salesman why i should bother with it if the card came with a lifetime warranty.He replied. "i don't know, i'm just supposed to ask you if you want it"
Ok, so fast forward a few months till yesterday.My Ti4400 died.I replaced it with my backup card, and all was well with the system.
So i go down to The Future Shop and explain that i tested the card in 2 different machines, and it failed to display video in either.Both machines work fine with other cards.I am told by Jenn, the customer support girl that the card would have to be tested, and it might take a few hours.I say fine,, and ask what will happen when they find it is a dead card.I am told that i will have to purchase the "over the counter" replacement policy, and that she would back date it. Since they were sold out of Ti4400's i ask her if i would get the 4600 as a replacement.She left for 10 minutes and came back to let me know that i would indeed get a 4600.I say fine, i'll go for that then.
She brings the tech over, and he tells me that i would not get a 4600, but that i would get a Radeon 8500le.I tell them noway, thats BS. They then take all offers of help or support off the table.Now they will do nothing for me.I become angry.Paul, the Tech tells me "what did you expect....Visiontek went under, thats why the card was on a clearance sale" .........I lost it!!! In effect they sold me a card knowing that it would not warrantied, yet they really hyped the warranty. I told them i felt deceived and outraged.
Fast forward 45 minutes.Tech guy tells me that he will give me one option, and i have only a few minutes to decide.They will give me a store credit for $369, to use towards anything in the store, but i have to go for it right now.He walked away to let me think about it.
I tell him that i'm gonna buy a $229 Radeon 9000, and a $170 80 gig hard drive, and i will gladly pay the difference.....he says "noway,dude....its gotta be on a videocard only....if you decide on a $229 card, thats all you get" I lost it again!!.....they are robbing me, with the intent to rape me.....
So in the end, my choices were : 1. Pay $369 for a $229 dollar card or 2. Buy a $530 Ti4600 without any hopes of future support or 3. Fork out the cash for a $650 Radeon 9700 and try to take comfort in knowing i had the best card on the market.
I chose 3.....I had to, it was to only logical choice to make at the time.....
Jenn, the customer support girl was nice, and she did try to help, but Paul, the tech guy, was a real jerk.He was obnoxious.a small guy trying to bully me around.
what do you guys think?
First , YOU GET THE STORE MGR involved. Second you do not accept NO for an answer, deal outside of the pc dept. And Let peop[le in the store hear you complain they do not like that, but be tactful!!
I say this because Futureshop close to where I live CRINGE when they see me walk ion to the PC dept. I have spent way too much money in their store, to be jacked around!!
If they did not have the card in stock their policy states they will exchange for an equal value card or whatever has replaced it if it is no longer available, usually this gets you a newer model item the same day within warranty period if they test the item and it is found not to work right there and then.
If you knowingly bought the card as you mentioned in your post that it was a clearance item then you shjould have bucked up for the exchange policy, cause you were prolly aware that Visiontek was going under.... this is the part where you may have to scream a bit......
I would still go back to the store and ask for the MGR (not of the Computer Dept, but of the Store). You should get an equivalent card for your dead one although you may have to wait for it.
Cisco KId
PS Believe what I say , I just went through this issue with a $3500 HDTV and I am in the process of getting a new replacement as mine is no longer made. Second the same thing happened to me with a digital camera while it was under a regular 1 yr waraanty when it failed and the model was no longer made.
Garrett_thief2
10-27-02, 01:01 AM
Cisco.....at the time time i bought the card, i had no idea that Visiontek had gone out of business.I would not have bought it.That is why i went for the radeon 9700 instead of the cheaper Visiontek ti4600.......support and warranties mean alot to me when i am paying that much........if it was a 50 dollar product i wouldn't be so concerned......
Anyone got any food they wanna donate? I an broke for the next 2 weeks cuz of this bullcrap.......
Cisco Kid
10-27-02, 01:04 AM
I say you should still go back and complain based on their exchange policy and that you have rightfully been screwed around as a customer.
Tell em straight up but speak to the store MGR only
Cisco KId
Garrett_thief2
10-27-02, 01:05 AM
If anyone wants to spread this around by posting a link back to this thread on other forums, i'd appreciate it........things like this need exposure......
Garrett_thief2
10-27-02, 01:13 AM
Wanna know the really funny part?? Paul, the tech, tried to tell me that both the Radeon 8500le and the Radeon 9000 both stomp all over my Ti4400..........what a homo
According to madonion.com, neither come close....
http://service.madonion.com/compare?2k1=4191186
This is my ti4400 on one of the first tests......not much playing around....i'm sure i could get a bit higher...
Cisco Kid
10-27-02, 01:36 AM
Originally posted by Garrett_thief2
Wanna know the really funny part?? Paul, the tech ***, tried to tell me that both the Radeon 8500le and the Radeon 9000 both stomp all over my Ti4400..........what a homo
According to madonion.com, neither come close....
http://service.madonion.com/compare?2k1=4191186
This is my ti4400 on one of the first tests......not much playing around....i'm sure i could get a bit higher...
Leave the remarks to certain peoples sexual orientation outa your posts, just a thought you may wanna consider not that I care but people here in the forum pretty much preach respect to one another , not that you directed any of your comments to anyone in particular.
I hear where you are coming from, you are choked , you got dicked around but get some biggers ****s and go back and give em your piece of mind....
cisco kid
Garrett_thief2
10-27-02, 01:48 AM
Sorry bout the *** thing....just a little ****ed.
I have the balls, just an anger management problem.If i get into a heated arguement, i tend to lose control, in a bad way.......bad idea in a store full of cameras.I seriously almost beat on this paul guy.He totally treated me like a moron.......i was very close to messing him up.....but i'm glad i didn't.
This is war.....and i'm glad i have a place like overclockers forums to vent.I'm sure there will be a few people that will think twice before spending thier money at The Future Shop.......
Yeah I got jerked off with a Ricoh 6x4x24 burner. I bought this and the extra warrenty for about $450.00. It finally died and they unhappily replaced it with a Ricoh 6x4x32. Whatever... and when thay died, they replaced it with a $79.99 pos Yamaha burner. Like.. hello.. am I missing something? I pay over $400.00 and I get an $80.00 burner? Uhm... No.
Anyways, I no longer deal with them and any PC part purchases.
Cisco Kid
10-27-02, 12:03 PM
Interesting, I have bought all my video cards through Futureshop.ca but then again I am not your normal shopper.
I come in only to use their price match policy in addition to getting an extra 10% of the difference off them. I have done very well with all purchases there, never had a single prob. I will continue to buy from them without a prob.
I actually know someone who returned a used 64 ddr vivo in a 8500 box and got the refund LOL, keeping the 8500 for free. I did not agree with that but it did make me laugh!
Cisco KId
Garrett_thief2
10-27-02, 12:15 PM
Originally posted by Cisco Kid
I actually know someone who returned a used 64 ddr vivo in a 8500 box and got the refund LOL, keeping the 8500 for free. I did not agree with that but it did make me laugh!
Cisco KId
They just got back what they dish out....they got screwed back.......
Garrett_thief2
10-27-02, 12:51 PM
A friend of mine just went to The Future Shop.We had talked about my problem, and we decided to investigate a bit further..He went there to inquire about the VisionTek Ti4600.He was also told about how great the card is and how great the warranty is.He was also told that nobody has ever had problems with any of these cards.......this is a lie....i was there 2 days ago.....same store, same guy.....the lies continue....
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=1&WLBS=fs%2Dweb5&biasid=31995419DF954C608731FBC2ED0E3509&sku_id=0665000FS10013117&catid=&newdeptid=1
Still hyping the great warranty........
Deadphishy
10-27-02, 01:12 PM
yea man i feel for yea. you should write them a letter and say your contacting a lawyer. When you write something down it usally has a better effect then screaming it across the store. often the employes get mad and then don't want to help you if you make them look bad.
CraxySerge
10-27-02, 02:56 PM
I always though that Future Shop had a wicked return policy. Once me and a couple of friends were going to a car show, and we all wanted pictures, so I bought a Digigtal Camera, and toot alot of pictures, and then returnes the camera 2 days later, no questions asked. And then there was the time when I bought a Radeon 8500 off of them and didn't like it, so I returned it the next day, keeping all the wires and DVI converter. I bought a phone there and bought 3 years extended warranty for $125 total. 2.9 years later I find out that they no longer sell or make my phone so I dip my phone in water, and then take it to Future shop for a nice new replacement, and sell the new phone for $100. Lots of good deals at Future Shop. hehe
Samoyed
10-27-02, 05:25 PM
That's blantantly dishonest. People like you are one of the reasons businesses have to be so harsh in their return policies and keep prices up.
The sad thing is that you seem proud of your subterfuge.
that is terrible. You're the reason that most stores have the 15% restocking fee
SkaGoatMaster
10-27-02, 05:44 PM
I buddy bought a Sony "Car Ready" Discman, with the extended warranty there, he took it back, they wouldn't over the counter replace it, they sent it away to a local Sony repairman, he got it back a month later, and it worked for another month, and started doing the same thing.... he hasn't been able to get back to the store to have it replaced yet.
CraxySerge
10-27-02, 08:07 PM
Hey, I don't abuse smaller stores. Its only Future Shop, and their 30 day satisfaction guarantee deal. I buy an item, use it, and if I'm not satisfied I will return it. If the cables or the universal remote is missing then it's their foult for not pointing it out to me. Maybe I innocently forgot it at home and would be more then happy to go home and get it for them. And Future Shop employees take everything back. I know somone who wanted to mod their Playstation and he broke it, and Future Shop gladly gave him his money back.
Mr. Chambers
10-27-02, 08:55 PM
people like you make me sick... what you're doing is WRONG i dont give a rats ass if you think it isnt.. so just because they're a "big" corp. you can screw them out of money? this is the EXACT reason why almost 90% of online stores have restocking fees... :mad:
[edit]
sorry about getting off topic garrett, i will repost on some other forums to get the word out, its obvious no one should do much buisness with futureshop! i'm glad i have newegg :)
Chamers, agreed. There are two reasons people actually return stuff:
The hardware went defective by itself
The user is trying to screw the vendor/manufacture
When you did what you did with the phone, you screw over the customers as well. We probably wouldn't pay half as much as we do for software or cds if there wasn't pirating etc. It will never end though. I just feel that people need to think that their hardware being damaged has nothing to do with the vendor or manufacture and yet they blame them.
Yodums
Garrett_thief2
10-28-02, 11:14 AM
Just to keep you guys updated....
The Future Shop emailed me back to let me know that they filed a complaint and will be launching an investigation......what that really means has yet to be seen..
I emailed them back demanding that they pay me the $322 difference that i was forced to pay.They told me they'd get back to me once the store manager responds to the complaint.
They can keep their money if they fire that Paul jerk........
illbreakit
10-28-02, 04:02 PM
I guess we have been lucky over here. I have taken stuff back with no hassels. My buddy just recently fried his 4600, (our fault) so he proceeds up to Future to buy a replacement. He settled on a 9000. Took it home and was disgusted by the performance. I couldn't keep up with my 8500 retail. I mean, isn't a larger # supposed to be better? Anyway's, he takes the 9000 back, because it turn out that they had also sold it as a 128 megger and it was only a 64. The had no 128 meggers, so he said he would only settle for a 4400. They hummed and hawwed, tried to brush him off a little, but he just kept standing there at the desk. 'Bout 10 minutes later, they come back and say OK. So, he got a better card for less money, the lucky you know what!!!
DDR-PIII
10-28-02, 04:13 PM
Originally posted by Garrett_thief2
I posted this in "gripes and moans" but thought it was appropriate to post it here too.....
Just thought i'd type this up to let everyone know what happens when you buy from The Future Shop in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
In August i bought a Visiontek GeForce 4 Ti4400 for $369. I bought it because its a kick ass card, with a lifetime warranty.The salesman at the future shop explained to me that Visiontek has an awesome, no-hassle lifetime warranty, and that if i ever had any problems with it, The Future Shop would gladly replace it, no problem. So i decided to buy it right then and there. We discussed the "over the counter replacement deal", wich would have cost an additional $50. I asked the salesman why i should bother with it if the card came with a lifetime warranty.He replied. "i don't know, i'm just supposed to ask you if you want it"
Ok, so fast forward a few months till yesterday.My Ti4400 died.I replaced it with my backup card, and all was well with the system.
So i go down to The Future Shop and explain that i tested the card in 2 different machines, and it failed to display video in either.Both machines work fine with other cards.I am told by Jenn, the customer support girl that the card would have to be tested, and it might take a few hours.I say fine,, and ask what will happen when they find it is a dead card.I am told that i will have to purchase the "over the counter" replacement policy, and that she would back date it. Since they were sold out of Ti4400's i ask her if i would get the 4600 as a replacement.She left for 10 minutes and came back to let me know that i would indeed get a 4600.I say fine, i'll go for that then.
She brings the tech over, and he tells me that i would not get a 4600, but that i would get a Radeon 8500le.I tell them noway, thats BS. They then take all offers of help or support off the table.Now they will do nothing for me.I become angry.Paul, the Tech tells me "what did you expect....Visiontek went under, thats why the card was on a clearance sale" .........I lost it!!! In effect they sold me a card knowing that it would not warrantied, yet they really hyped the warranty. I told them i felt deceived and outraged.
Fast forward 45 minutes.Tech guy tells me that he will give me one option, and i have only a few minutes to decide.They will give me a store credit for $369, to use towards anything in the store, but i have to go for it right now.He walked away to let me think about it.
I tell him that i'm gonna buy a $229 Radeon 9000, and a $170 80 gig hard drive, and i will gladly pay the difference.....he says "noway,dude....its gotta be on a videocard only....if you decide on a $229 card, thats all you get" I lost it again!!.....they are robbing me, with the intent to rape me.....
So in the end, my choices were : 1. Pay $369 for a $229 dollar card or 2. Buy a $530 Ti4600 without any hopes of future support or 3. Fork out the cash for a $650 Radeon 9700 and try to take comfort in knowing i had the best card on the market.
I chose 3.....I had to, it was to only logical choice to make at the time.....
Jenn, the customer support girl was nice, and she did try to help, but Paul, the tech guy, was a real jerk.He was obnoxious.a small guy trying to bully me around.
what do you guys think?
haha im from thunder bay also.....in westfort :)
DDR-PIII
10-28-02, 04:18 PM
i just read your story and i know that tech guy paul hes a eal @$$ grrr..... but i havent had to much trouble with future shop... since there arent many places ti buy PC parts here :(
Garrett_thief2
10-28-02, 05:53 PM
Hey DDR! Good to see a fellow overclocker from T-Bay :)
I live up in PA, just off Red River
check out www.ncil.com They are on memorial ave.,just behind Fanny's Fabrics.Decent prices, and not bad to deal with.
I am only going to deal with Dan and Darcy at soft sell from now on.....they are great to deal with, and they don't mind negotiating on prices a bit.....
DDR-PIII
10-28-02, 06:22 PM
sweet thx for the link :)
I believe a few swear words are in order in this case. Future shop ripped you off, so you have to either do something legally, OR boycott them with protest or something.
Garrett_thief2
10-28-02, 09:00 PM
My lawyer is going to deal with them......
OC Noob
10-28-02, 10:10 PM
Geez, what kind of store is this?
Sounds like they bend over backwards for the people who abuse thier policies and bend over the innocent customers.
Those no questions asked replacement warrenties are just bad policy imo. Send it out to be repaired, okay, but replacement on the spot with an equal or better product is just begging for @-holes to come in and abuse the policy...usually at the expense of honest customers.
Cisco Kid
10-29-02, 09:48 AM
for those of you who do not know futureshop was bought out by Best Buy here in Canada
I have never had a problem with them and I have spent alot their , like nearing the 10K figure on electronicas stuff.........
unfortunately thier exchange policy gets abused by those who know how to work it
cisco kid
Garrett_thief2
01-15-03, 06:29 PM
Not to drag up an old topic.....but i just stumbled across this thread and figured i'd update it.
I sent the Manager about 50 links to various boards where i had posted the story......he wasn't happy. He asked me what it would take for me to settle down...
The Future Shop agreed to pay me the difference between the price of the Visiontek Ti4600 and the Radeon 9700.......which ended up being $180, plus i got a free 3 year over the counter replacement.Used it once already, no hassle.
So in the end i got a 9700 for $470, including the 3 year warranty.
Still wasn't worth the hassle......but i'm satisfied.
Moral of the story: If you get screwed....BITCH....very loud.
*edited the price i actually paid....my math was way off*
OC Noob
01-15-03, 11:38 PM
Glad to see you finally worked that out.
So what is the Canadian/US conversion rate?
Garrett_thief2
01-15-03, 11:45 PM
Roughly $300 US....but remember, this was early October....9700's have since gone down in price a bit.....
*edited for my math mistake*
I just read your story for the first time, wow that Paul guy seems like a jerk. I had an encounter similar to that, at CompUSA, which I will never go back to. I bought a Hercules Fortissimo 3, installed it, I recieved non stop static from my speakers, so my guess was that the card was diffective.
Back up a little bit, I had trouble at CompUSA in the past, returning a video card a long time ago. When I bought the Fortissimo 3, I asked them about the return policy, because I knew they charged a 15% restock fee, for returns. The guy distinctively told me, that if the card was defective, that the 15% restock fee would be waved.
So, back at my house, I took the soundcard out, looked at it, and discovered 2 of the black pins (round things that stick out of the soundcard) were bent, not fully connected to the soundcard, and ready to fall off. It was as if someone had stepped on the box. I took it back, and saw the same guy I had talked to about returning it. I told him how it didn't work, and he said that I could take it back, and I said alright lets do that, and then he added, 'oh yeah, you will be charged a 15% restock fee.'
I told him that he clearly told him earlier, that he told me if the card was DEFECTIVE, I wouldn't have to pay a 15% restock fee taking it back. He said 'No, I never said that' and he showed me the back of the receipt where it says a 15% restock fee applies to all returns. What BS.
I didn't want the Hercules, I was going to get the Turtle Beach, and told him, alright, then I will exchange it for the Turtle Beach and pay the difference. He said ok, and that I would still have to pay the 15% restock fee. I said WHAT? and he was going to make me pay about $9 to get a sound card that costed more money. I said, 'screw this, let me talk to your manager' I talked to the manager and after arguing a while, he finally let me take it back, without paying a 15% restock fee, and I told them I would never go there again.
The next day I looked in the paper, and on the back of the front page, was an article about how much the return policy at compusa sucks. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought so. It is a pitty that our compusa has a lowsy manager and workers, I really like their products.
snyper1982
01-16-03, 12:39 AM
i know someone who bought a broken audigy off ebay for like 20 bucks, went to compusa and bought and audigy, stuck the broken one in, and took it back, he paid the restocking fee though.
Garrett_thief2
01-16-03, 12:43 AM
Thats just wrong........
snyper1982
01-16-03, 12:59 AM
to pay the restocking fee? lol. i hate compUSA they suck. a way to get around the restocking fee is by returning for te same item, because they dont charge a restoking fee for that, THEN DONT open it, because they only charge a restocking fee for opened items. Well at least thats how it was the last time i was there, they might have changed it since then.
OC Noob
01-16-03, 12:39 PM
I payed $350 from Newegg, so $360 wasn't bad at all (I think the retail still goes for close to $300).
SpyderMatrix
01-16-03, 01:02 PM
seems to me since i deal with visiontek as a reseller they still make cards. just ATI owns them now that tech guy dont know jack. and if they went under why they still selling the cards like mad. this guys is crude you should email them at webmaster@futureshop.com and complain about the warranty they will foreward it to the owners of the company as they did for me and you will get helped.
Garrett_thief2
01-16-03, 01:38 PM
I know now that VisionTek did not really go under, but at the time i didn't.....and i didn't have time to find out.I'm happy with my 9700 tho........ :-)
At the time, the 9700 was selling for $650 Canadian, and i paid $470
That sucks man, i have never heard of futureshop they don't exsist around Purdue or around Chicagoland. But if i ever did find one... i sure as H*** won't buy anything from one
I try not to buy from future shop now, inless I am using their price matching policy or the like, which I did when I bought a digital camera a few months ago.
I completely agree about the techs, they are lying *******s.
I did the exact same thing with the digital camera. I was going on a trip for a few days, so I bought a camera, bought an extra memory card, and returned it when I came back. The memory card was opened, everything used. They didn't care.
That's a good idea to swap a good video card with a lesser card and return it :) As long as they don't get their techs to examine the package, you could stick a 5 dollar ethernet card in an expensive video card package and they probably wouldn't know. heheh
Codeman05
01-16-03, 08:03 PM
glad to hear they tried to work with you then. Sad how they made you go through all those hoops and tried to screw you from the start
Codeman05, I like your avatar. What vehicle is that? I am into rock crawling too:
http://members.shaw.ca/asheng/Im002409.jpg
Garrett_thief2
01-16-03, 08:29 PM
Thats funny.....i am also a rockcrawler too.....i have an 85 Toyota 4x4...4.3 TBI Chevy,700r4,4.7 t-case,5.29's,detroits,35" boggers...
Codeman05
01-16-03, 08:58 PM
Its a '91YJ that I've slowly been building up on a college budget hehe. 6" SOA w/ 2" body lift, ford 8.8 rear, 4.56's, Detroits, full custom cage, 35" BFG MTs that I'm trying to wear out so I can get some 37" MTRs, ect ect.... Hopefully I'll be slapping in a Atlas or 4:1 kit in this summer. I have alot of fun with it :)
If you guys wanna come down to Tx in March, theres going to be a CalRocks competition that should be a lot of fun.
Here's a blowup of my avatar, this was the day before we started on my cage hehe and good insperation for it.
http://www.jeepyj.net/images/july4th/Me/airtime2.jpg
You live in thunder bay.. my sister lives there. Are there lots of good rock trails around there? From winnipeg the only rock is about 2 hours north east, otherwise it's just prairies.
Nice truck Codeman. My 87 Samurai consists of the following: 33x13.5-15 Super Swamper LTBs, 15x10 wheels, lock right locker front, welded rear, custom bumpers, YJ 6 pack leaf springs all around in 5.5" SPOA, shackle reversal, custom front dshaft, custom rocker panel guards, removeable doors, 2" exhaust, Gm 100Amp alternator, and other little things. I just removed my dual transfer case setup, and will be replacing it with 6:1 gears so it is road worthy. I'm upgrading the axles to 1984 Toyota pickup truck axles, very strong.
The YJ leaf swap is quite popular for the Samurai's, they flex like crazy espicially in s/r.
OC Noob
01-16-03, 10:21 PM
Originally posted by Dios67
That sucks man, i have never heard of futureshop they don't exsist around Purdue or around Chicagoland. But if i ever did find one... i sure as H*** won't buy anything from one
Futureshop...i.e. Best Buy. BB bought the Futureshop chain not too long ago if I'm not mistaken
Garrett_thief2
01-16-03, 11:39 PM
We have rocks here....if you know where to look......not alot though.
K.Snail
01-17-03, 12:01 AM
Hello I work there..
and...
1)Yes the cards and systems we sell are way overpriced.
2) Most of the staff have no ****ing clue what they are selling and if you ask them a technical question they will not have an anwer.
3)I hate dealin with the warrenty cause it causes some major headaches, but some times i get a good deal when i buy and part and it *ahem* "breaks", but hey if you can get a deal on a better part meh, why not
Don't think i'll be working there to much longer though.
Its funny cause the store i work in most of the guys have no idea how to put together a pc. and when they get asked a technical system question they just shrug and walk alway.. <note> See me laughing on the ground when that happens </note> :)
Originally posted by OC Noob
Futureshop...i.e. Best Buy. BB bought the Futureshop chain not too long ago if I'm not mistaken
Yep. The new Future Shop stores look just like Best Buy . . . I still like Best Buy better, however. Even if the closest one to me is 45 minutes away . . . :)
K.Snail
01-17-03, 06:32 AM
ya they were bought out months ago.
Just actually moved into a new store a couple o months ago.
I like how even though FS is owned by best buy they still attack the sales style of FS in their ads. "No pressure Shopping environment"
LOL
K.Snail, do you happen to know how Future Shop's 5 year warrantee works on computers? About 1.5 years ago we bought a new computer there, an HP pavilion. At the time I knew nothing about computers, so I didn't realize how much I was getting ripped off. The sales person talked us into purchasing the extended 5 year warrantee (it wasn't cheap). So now we have this computer that is slow, uses poor quality components, cost a lot, and has a 5 year warranty on it.
I started buying parts to upgrade, like new case, motherboard, hard drive, etc. So far I've only installed the new hard drive and a PCI video card, so my warranty shouldn't be voided. After reading this thread, I've had second thoughts about tearing this apart and building a better system using whatever parts I can salvage. My question is, what does it take for the Future Shop to give you a whole new system? It's not like this system is still in perfectly good working order. Since it was bought I've noticed performance decreases. The original hard drive is slower and much noisier than before. A fan (not sure which one) is going, you can hear it making different, irregular sounds, etc. Pretty much everything runs slower than it did when it was purchased (and yes, I do defrag and or format the hard drive often, and reinstall o/s).
So do you know what they'd do if I took it back right now and started complaining about the problems with it? Would they do something immediately or would I have to wait months for them to determine the problems and get it repaired?
What would I have to do to this computer for them to give me a new, better one? I might as well get the most out of that expensive extended warranty before I upgrade :D
K.Snail
01-17-03, 05:41 PM
They system as far as my understanding goes is that it has to be none functional. and i think that ripping out the MObo for another pretty much is not covered by the warrenty if it fries, seeing as it wasn;t the original part.
The old warrenty program as far as replacements goes "60 days for repairs Max" or else they will replace the system under warrenty. some stuff like vid cards, HDD, CDroms etc, will either be ordered directly from the pc maker, (I guess so that the same part goes back in) but i know if a drive fries and its to small to replace then it gets upgraded.
there should be some clause about "performance" in the warrenty so if you took it in saying it was running ass slow they would give the system an examination and determine the issue and fix it accordingly.
IF you bought the five year warrenty plan you would most likely have to have a total systems failure (i.e Mobo toastes) and if they can't replace it in the amount of time specified in the warrenty then they would have to look at options that are available.
at least thats how it should work, but i bet they would be able to solve the problem in less time then the guarenteed return time
Originally posted by K.Snail
They system as far as my understanding goes is that it has to be none functional. and i think that ripping out the MObo for another pretty much is not covered by the warrenty if it fries, seeing as it wasn;t the original part.
The old warrenty program as far as replacements goes "60 days for repairs Max" or else they will replace the system under warrenty. some stuff like vid cards, HDD, CDroms etc, will either be ordered directly from the pc maker, (I guess so that the same part goes back in) but i know if a drive fries and its to small to replace then it gets upgraded.
there should be some clause about "performance" in the warrenty so if you took it in saying it was running ass slow they would give the system an examination and determine the issue and fix it accordingly.
IF you bought the five year warrenty plan you would most likely have to have a total systems failure (i.e Mobo toastes) and if they can't replace it in the amount of time specified in the warrenty then they would have to look at options that are available.
at least thats how it should work, but i bet they would be able to solve the problem in less time then the guarenteed return time
OK I dug up an old customer satisfaction plan check off paper thing from Future shop. To get a replacement the repair would either have to take longer than 60 days or cost more than its worth. I did also get the no lemon guarentee, which states that if the same part fails 3 times they will replace it.
So I guess this will be my course of action:
1) Remove my fast hard drive, and good video card, take it back and complain about performance.
2)Take advantage of the replacement guarantee. I could unplug any fans, put a heater facing the motherboard, and put a blanket over it all, that should mess it up :rolleyes: Hopefully this will ruin the cpu, motherboard, and hard drive.
3)If not #2, I could take advantage of the No lemon guarantee by frying the CPU 3 times and demand they give me a new computer. any other ideas?
Garrett_thief2
01-17-03, 08:38 PM
Ya....we should all do that.......buy a system.....wait until its outdated, then destroy it......then whine and cry at the manager of some store to replace it......
Sorry guys....thats not what this thread is about.If you want to commit fraud, do it in your own thread, some other place.
This thread is not a 'screw the future shop' thread.It's about how i got screwed, and how i resolved it.
If you want a new, fast computer, then get off your backside, get a job.....and build one.Don't steal it. Or, reformat your old one, and sell it to offset the cost of your new system.
K.Snail
01-18-03, 11:56 AM
Exactly
Garrett i understand your points completely through out this entire thread.
and i feel bad that they make you go through all this **** for a vid card when the warrenty should have been taken care of as soon as you came in the store the first time and not had been given all the bull**** they put you through
Garrett_thief2
01-18-03, 08:14 PM
It was a big hassle, but in the end it worked out. I won't be spending any of my money there.
As a side bonus i made some friends who run a small local store, who really like my money.I'll be spending alot of it there.
Ok. I read the first 5 or so posts on page one then skipped to my reply so I hope this isn't out of touch with how the thread has developed. Here's my two things that you might find interesting (I won't call them my suggestions so I have no liability, sorry) anywho...
1) Call their corporate 800 number and give names of the people at the store you dealt with and put things as severly in your favor when you explain what was done to you. You can get the number by calling a different store and telling them you need to get someone fired from a store, but not theirs. The store you call should be willing to help. I had to do it once before when my landlord bought a oven for me and they refused to deliver it. After the HQ got through with the SOB he didn't talk down to me like dirt, instead he called me up and politely requested the opportunity to have the appliance delivered. I still wish he had gotten fired and I did try my best but apparently he wasnt. But I put the fear of me into him damnit!!!! :mad: :D :D :cool:
2) Take off your pants and run screaming up and down throughout the store, jumping on everything, every appliance, every computer part, everything.
addendum: My girlfriend has horror stories that will take mucho time to detail but suffice it to say that in our region women are apparently second class citizens in Future S***. "Ladies, make sure when you go in that the store personel look at your eyes when they speak to you."
K.Snail
01-18-03, 11:42 PM
haha your second suggestion will do a few different things
1) have you thrown out of the store and maybe arrested for indiscent exposure, depending on how far you wanna take it.
2) have the staff either laughing their asses off. or gasping trying to find a manager to call up the cops.
3) Scare little children playing on the computers/video game consoles
LOL but either way if you choose to do that then great.
I'll be laughing on the floor if you do :)
Originally posted by K.Snail
haha your second suggestion will do a few different things
Originally posted by eobard
I won't call them my suggestions so I have no liability
:D :cool:
skahtul
01-22-03, 11:56 PM
Future Shop came to my town for about 8 months, then it went out of business, I wonder why?
Lukozer
01-23-03, 12:22 PM
LOCATION: Future Shop, Bayers Lake Retail Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia
TIME: Approx 2pm, December 30th, 2002
SCENE: I am at the counter asking a Future Shop salesman about my video card upgrade. He is standing right infront of a glass cabinet filled with various Radeon cards.
SALESMAN: Hi, how can i help?
ME: Can you give me an ETA on the new Radeon 9500 Pro video card?
SALESMAN: Erm... what's a Radeon 9500 Pro?
I think this sums up Future Shop staff pretty well, and yes this IS genuine.
K.Snail
01-23-03, 04:43 PM
Me behind counter asking my department manager.
when are we gonna get the radeon 9500?
Him: "uhh.. let me contact the inventory manager about that and get back to you."
some of the managers there don't know **** and the selection is weak!
I had a simmilar experience with "them." I bought a r9000pro for $230cdn but it only performed at 50% of its average performance. Brought it back, complained for an hour or so, and got the card inspected for free. Took two weeks until they admitted I was right. Bought a radeon 8500le for $130cdn (on sale). The le performs much better.
My advice is to make a name for yourself in the store. Use your knowledge to counter their attacks and just do a better job at helping people that need help with their PCs (in the store of course).They will be scared of you after that. I got much more respect the next time I walked in.
K.Snail
01-23-03, 08:57 PM
haha I just quit there and am going to an actual computer store
Xception
01-24-03, 02:41 AM
Whoa what a horror thread. We used to have a FS around here but they went out of business after taking 2k plus $300 for extended warranty for a comp that at the time was a top of the line Compaq 200mhz. Been awhile back I liked the store though you really needed to know who to talk to about tech stuff.
murdoch
01-24-03, 10:23 AM
Yeah I hate hearing stories like this. I mean really why does a guy like Paul care unless the store leverages and trains him to act this way.Its similar ethics to insurance companies arguing claims with cancer victims so long that the patient dies.It should be viewed like racial stereotyping.Its illegal and unconstituional. Just cause he's black doesn't mean he has will or is going to committ a crime.So should it be that just cause your returning a product you should not be treated as though you are commititng fraud or be fined by it(restocking thats bull).Its a way to make money.Any store selling you a maxtor hardrive with 3 year warranty sold after oct.31/2002 is lying to you. Or maybe they will but if they are? aren't they themselves putting the possibility of a loss. The manufactures warranity is 1 year. After that the dead product is worthless if the honor the return its out of there pocket. Its here where things get grey. A company makes a claim like this knowing full well 1) We will do whatever we can to not honor this or 2) We will average out all returns with a restocking fee so as to account for our decision to over extend a warranity we can't afford to cover. Don't blame restocking fees on fraud its not. Restocking fee thats rust proofing just asked Putty what that really is lol. Its to make money by boosting there advertising claims and additional profit from all waranties still valid by manufacture. Business commit more fraud than is committed against them. Heres one for all who lease should know. Some of these lease agents slip a life isurance policy(can you say commission,I knew you could) in the many pages you are signing that in the end costs you 1000-1500 bucks so check your contracts again,some of these guys will slip it out and keep it in there desk till you try to break it and out it comes. Also I wonder how many families were even aware of this that could have made a claim but haven't simply cause they didn't know? So who benifits?
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