This a letter explaining my experience with Futureshop:
On Apr. 2, 2009 at approximately 11:00am at you Barrie, Ontario location, my husband and I perchased an Acer Desktop, an HP Compaq Laptop, and Epson Printer and various accessories along with a 3 year warrenty on both computers.
I asked before the final sale if the warrenty covered everything, and the salesperson(I can’t remember his name but I do recall he was a heavyset gentleman, his name should be on the bill of sale) said that everything was covered including parts and labor along with a free replacement if its too expensive to fix and even a loner. We purchased our items and left.
I got it out of the box, installed the items and it crashed to a blue error screen. It did this about 8 times in the next 3 weeks, I was a little frustrated and thinking I should take it in a have the guys look at. Knowing I had 3 years I took my time.
On Apr 29, 2009(Yes, less then a month) I was playing with my daughter on my laptop and without warning she got sick all over it. We immediately turned it off, unplugged it and took out the battery. We cleaned it up and I immeditely went for the phone. I thought no big deal I have a warranty. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
The next day, after lettign it dry out we turned it on. Everything was running, hardrive, disk drive, fans, even the internet connected. The only thing that wasn’t working was the moniter.
I took it Futureshop and explained what had happen. I was told that physical damage wasn’t covered under warrenty.
I asked the tech, “What do you mean, I told everything was covered.”
He then told me, “I’m sorry you were under that misunderstanding but there is nothing we can do.” His attitude made me feel very stupid, which made me ver irrate.
I asked him “What did I pay $200.00 for. I’ve only had this for a month.”
He said, “It just covers manufacturing defects”
Well thank god for small favors. He then said for my trouble, he would waive the administration fee when they submitted it for repair.
I then asked how much it would to repair. He told me that it could cost up to 900.00 to fix. I almost fell over. “I just handed you guys 2500.00 3 weeks ago and you want me to give you another 900.00!”
He said it might not cost that much they could get a quote.
I asked”What happens if I can’t afford to repair it?” He said we could get you a futureshop card and give you a deal on a new one. First, I can’t get approved for a futureshop card, and second if I could this does not change the fact that I was cheated out of 200.00 and am now being forced into another 900.00
I said no dice. He then said he could hook me up with a monitor and I could turn it into a desktop. Ok, but I bought a laptop.
So that aside for now, I asked him well what about my warrenty. He told me that when I buy a new machine he would transfer my warrenty on to that one.
So I submitted my machine and the employee then tested one more time and said that I might be in luck. We both looked and saw a bit of the start screen when before it was just black. He said it could be the cable that goes to the monitor which is a 40.00 repair. Finally some good news. I was a little better but still feeling the sting of the “Sucks to be you” attitude that I recieved from both the employee and the manager who had joined us. Just a suggestion, demand better attitudes from your employees.
On May 7, 2009, I recieved a phone message from Karen x7111 from the futureshop service centre saying the there was water damage on the hard drive, motherboard, optical drive(disk drive) keyboard top cover, bottom cover, and main board. and the quote was 649.00 + tax. If all those things were damaged, the machine would not work at all. We opened the disk drive there was NO water in WHATSOEVER. We cleaned the keyboard and saw for ourselves that the keyboard was sealed completely, so how could the water damage it. If the motherboard was damaged there would be no way that it would connect to the wireless internet, no way the hard drive would work, no way I would get any kind of a start screen, and no way the fans would work. The top cover still had the plastic on it for god’s sake so you tell me how that’s water damage. Add everything and she is telling me that I need to replace the entire computer! What The HELL!!!!!
I realise that water damage is a physical damage event, but my daughter is 5 years old. There is no warning or avoidence. You can move a coffee cup, decide not to take it out in the rain. But a 5 year old in fine one second and the next second she’s damaging your laptop. If you are going to sell warrenties under the premise of “EVERYTHING IS COVERED” then you should at least honor it. I had to save up my money, I researched for weeks to find just the right store to spend my money at. I chose the perfect machine, although is it have some bugs, I was happy with the decision I made.
And here I am just 3 WEEKS LATER, out a laptop, out 900.00, and extremely frustrated.
After receiving the message, I called back and informed that there was no way I could afford that. I then called the Futureshop back. I asked for the tech department and talked the Brian. I told him the situation and politely asked what I should do. He told me that I should take it to an independent repair shop who might be able to fix it for cheaper. I told him fine, I will need to have my warrenty refunded since I will not be able to use it once some other company touches it. Brian forwarded me to Fadi, the store manager. I asked for the refund. Fadi said I need a reciept. I told him it’s been a month and I lost it. He told me sorry there was nothing he could do for me. He told me that if I come in and buy a new machine in the next 14 days he could transfer the warrenty to that one. WHAT!!!!!!! I told him I couldn’t afford that and I was told by the tech guy that it was transferrable when I was ready to buy again. I am then again told “I am sorry you misunderstood” mmmm starting to feel really stupid now. He told me that it’s only transferrable if it’s stolen or if it’s claimed under insurance. (Let’s play the run around game again shall we) I told him that I want my money, he said he couldn’t do anything without the receipt. MY reciept is in YOUR computer you can print 2 copies. He said sorry but no. (Take my money and run) So fine. I’m totally out 900.00 for something that was out of my control.
I made calls to independent repair shops, and the consenses is: If the computer was working in the condition it was when I left in your techs so called capable hands there is absolutely no way it would cost 650.00. one of the direct quotes was “I was being snowballed”. Which I had a gut feeling anyway.
I will be taking my brand new laptop to another repair shop to find the REAL problem and the will guarentee FREE 100% physical damage, spillage and anything I want to do to it.
If they deem it unrepairable they are honoring my heartache by buying it off me on consignment parts. My Brand New Laptop may now have to stripped down and sold for parts. But the very nice and very understanding technician said there is something that should be done for me. I even got a surprise, about 5 mins later I got a call from the store’s owner personally and he wanting to first apologize for what I have gone through and he wanted to do everything he could to make me happy. I will be buying my next laptop and any other computer products them as they are handling YOUR customer service.
You should be ashamed of yourselves. Now I am not expecting to get my money back or my computer fixed, but I will tell you this. If I get my computer back in a condition other then what I left it at or my computer store opens it up(He is really itching to get his hands on it to see what’s actually needed to be fixed) and finds that someone has tampered with it I will be calling my lawyer and laying charges.
If one thing is learned, if you even are interested in this email, I suggest you lay into the Barrie Futureshop employees. Tell them to stop lying to the customers before someone charges every department of the company for fraud as people are in BC and Quebec already. I know Big Box stores like don’t give two craps about little customers, but since this has happened, my brother in law, sister, parents , and two of my neighbors are never entering your store again for fear of being ripped off like me. If I thought you would even care at all, I’d go to news with this. But the only thing you all care about is $$$$$$ and how you can sucker as much of it out of us. I’ve had better experiances from Walmart for god’s sake. I will never stop shopping there because even though they are a big box company you never get a hassle on returns. They stand behind there products, warrenties and there customer service is efficient and polite.
You will not receive another red cent from my family at all. My husband is even contemplating taking back everything else we bought that day. We are not satisfied with our products at all.
P.S. I have tried to email this letter to service@futureshop.ca twice today but it keeps coming back if anyone knows of an email that works please let me know.
Sorry to be the one to say this, but you’re absolutely in the wrong. What kind of warranty covers physical damage? If that was the case, I, and alot of people, would just buy the warranty, and throw my laptop in the bathtub every time it got out of date.
Now, if you bought the laptop on credit, check with your card company, since many cover purchase protection which covers accidents such as this for a certain period of time.
Left by bb_b on June 1st, 2009