bought a new HP-dv8280us- bad experience -please help!

Hi
I bought a demo/display HP laptop dv8280us from compusa store as it was not available in stock nor online.
I liked the features for the money when compared to sony's AR series which has quite a elegant look but not loaded with features.

I had such a bad experience at the store that I wish to report to BBB. Will any benefit come out of it? Can I post my experience here to request suggestions?

Other than that,
since it was a display model, the computer says registered to compusa. How can i change that? and registered the windows under my name?

any help please?

thanks,

drb

 

What was the bad experience? Of course you can post it here.
Do you like the laptop? Are there any problems with it?

I don't know if you can change the registration. Did they register it with HP? That doesn't make any sense. You might try and do a recover or reinstall.

As for the BBB you might try the corporate office first. Explain what happened in the store. The thing that stinks is if you return it to CompUSSR you might only get a gift card as a refund.

 

Thanks. Here is my story:

I was sold this laptop (demo model) 100$ less than the original price 2199. While leaving, sales rep said that he is offering 3 yrs warranty for 249$ and can take of some more if I am interested. Actual price is 349$. But he could not. During the checkout, I tried to clear the counter without warranty, but manager (lady) kept insisting. So I asked for 200$ instead of 249. She said 225. I was OK.
But when they entered in bill, they took off 25$ off from 2099 and added 349 for warranty. I asked it was supposed to be 249, but customer rep said they cannot reduce warranty charges and it was for 2 yr. I asked the sales rep, he said he may have misquoted. he also said that 100$ off (earlier being a demo model) is part of the warranty bargain. But don't that make warranty 449 actually? I asked them to remove the warranty charge from my bill. Manager, sales and customer rep got annoyed and with angry face said that my sale is final and cannot return the laptop if it is defective (21 day policy is withheld). They stamped 'final sale' and 'warranty delcined' on my receipt and let me go. I asked the sales rep, why am i being denied 21 day return policy, he said, manager decision final.

I walked out embarassed.

I am not planning to return my laptop, but the whole experience left me so embarassed and cheated. What if truly the laptop is defective and I want to return within 21 days? Its been just a day since I bought the laptop. It looks OK to me.

What should I ask BBB or compusa? I just want to return this and get similar one with all policies intact. I don't know how to find if they registered with HP or not. But windows it says, registered to compusa.

thanks,

please suggest.

drb

 

Sounds like they're trying to take advantage of you big time. I'm not sure of the procedure, but if you paid with a credit card you may be able to contact your credit card company, explain the situation, and perhaps refuse payment on it (of course you would have to return the notebook). I'm sure there are other people in these forums who are more knowledgable on this situation than I. I would not put this off for too long though.

 

I wouldn't take this BS from CompUsa. You should have declined to buy this laptop right there. Come on, you are in the US not in a third world country.
Go back and tell them you need to return it. Ask to see the manager or his/her manager. Explain the treatment you received and thee should be able to help.
I'm sure someone in this forum know how to escalate inside compusa if the manager is unwilling to help.

 

My dad also had a terrible experience at CompUSA and reported it. I think however he got ahold of a higher up who was in the Dallas area through a bit of research. He was rewarded a bunch of gift cards and the employees he named (supposedly) were under supervision for ttrying to cheat customers. Some kind of harddrive problem, he went in to buy it and they said htey didnt have any. Then he seen the employees walking out with them. They were denying customers store inventory because they wanted it for themselves (not allowed, employees get what is left over at a discounted price. you cant hoard it in the back.)

 

So wait a minute--they didn't charge you for the warranty, but at the same time they are refusing to honor their 21 day return policy?

Wow, that's a load of crap--it would be even worse if HP is not covering your NB under their own warranty policy, in which case you're really SOL.

My advice would be -- call HP, ask them if this notebook is covered under their standard 1 year warranty. If not, then ask if they offer their own extended warranty through HP ( I believe it's $149 for 2 years, which is a STEAL compared to CompUSA). If HP is not offering you any warranty, then flat out return it to CompUSA.

If CompUSA refuses the return, call your credit card company and dispute the charge, they'll likely want a written explanation in detail as to what happened, but you shouldn't let anything deter you from getting your hard earned money back!

If HP DOES offer to warranty your notebook, though, you'll want to do it through them anyway. Good luck!

 

http://www.theeldergeek.com/modify_registered_owner_and_organization.htm

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys!. I will followup wiht higher officials and see.

BBB:
I contacted the local BBB, they said they cannot do anything about it, because it was already discounted sale (100$ off) and manager had said final sale. so nothing can be done. But sales rep made me to buy promising 21 days policy if defective as it was a display model. (honestly compusa is not a popular store here, I hardly see cars in their parking lot. hence i knew the system would have sparingly tampered with).

These sales rep people suck big time. I know what I am buying. I have bought 3 desktops and 2 laptops so far. Never bought a warranty.

Hope this does not happen to others.

 

I was almost in that similar situation. I've always had a bias against buying any open-box or demo electronics because of that added risk that someone may have put the component(s) under undue stress.

Thing is, this is what I found on their website for online clearance items:

I would hit the corporate offices with a registered letter or the likes, and cc the store. Describe what happened as well as the individuals, by name, that you dealt with and made you feel what you did. If your receipt doesn't say anything about clearance items being sold as-is and the associate didn't say anything about it, you could bring that up.

You might also try escalating things by contacting your local TV station. I know most stations usually have some sort of consumer rights persona. Maybe they can help in bringing a case like yours to light.

 

I would try to get this story out to as many people who are willing to listen. Make motions of removing compusa from the approved vendor lists at any organizations that you are in. Schools, universities, ect. Tell Compusa that you are not satisfied and that if this is the standard of treatment for customers, you should make those motions to remove compusa as a vendor on the lists. Post this in every forum. Go to the compusa corporate offices.

 

my worst fears came true today!!.

I did not use the system until yesterday (bought on 11th). I pressed F11 while booting up and made destructive recovery using E drive recovery files. I did that inorder to register windows and HP under my name rather than compusa as it was a demo model.

Installation went fine. no problems.

But after booting up, within a minute or 2, system freezes up. touchpad/keyboard nothing works.
Everything stands still. had to shut off using power button.

This happens every time system is booted up and not a random event.

Tommorrow I am going to the store to return and buy a differnt one. Business manager called me 2 days back and apologized for the behaviour of his employee (he responded to my complaint lodged online in compusa site). He asked me to correspond to him in future if there are any issues or new purchases.

thanks for all the feedback guys.

I live in CT, US

drb

 

At least you got hold of a manager that was willing to fix the problem. The return and exchange should be error free. Good luck!

 

Sorry a little correction. It does happen at random (system freeze).

Is it fixable by myself? or should i return it back. Unfortunately the store from where I purchased do not have a replacement in stock. I may have to go for Sony AR150G which is far worse in features when compared to HP and cost also.