Service with a smile! NOT!
Aug 30 '01
The Bottom Line Very lacking in care for their customers, and given the competition out there, why is anyone walking into this place? (including me!)
I was excited when CompUSA first arrived into the neighborhood. I was used to the small computer stores (such as the now bankrupt Egghead Software), as well as the mall stores (Software Etc, Electronics Boutique, etc), and seeing a "one stop shopping" store for computers was really a great idea.
However, I have yet to have them impress me.
From simple price comparisons, I don't find them terribly cheap, but I'm sure those vary depending on what deal is currently going on at the time.
But for me, service is really the most important. And this is where CompUSA is really lacking.
First, I've always found it hard to get someone to talk to me, even if it's something as simple as having trouble finding a specific product. I either get a "not my area" or "I don't really know" or "I haven't seen that in here before". If they wind up directing me, they don't bother to ask if I have any questions about the product.
(I used to work for Egghead, and we were ALWAYS told to help out the customer). One time when I did have one person's ear, I asked him a question about a drive, because I wasn't 100% sure about something. He then decided to talk about it to my friend next to me because "you seem to have more of a concept". Hello...I have a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, and work as a Network Administrator at a local firm...I think I have more of a concept than he does. I almost called a manager over that, but decided against it.
My second beef is their return policy. They don't have much of one. Software can't be returned if opened (unless defective), yet there are still other stores out there that will take returns. So either hope it works, or that you will indeed like it, because you're stuck with it.
For other items, they have a stated policy of charging you a 15% restocking fee...which I find rather appalling. It does not cost them 15% to take something back. They do seem to label things defective and ship them back...maybe they incur their own costs that way (I returned a perfectly good working A/B switch, and they sent it back...luckily I managed to avoid the 15% fee...my guess is if you complain loud enough, they'll waive it). The not-so-friendly clerk made a snide remark about me returning it too. I felt like calling the manager, but decided against it too.
My third displeasure is how they handle their "gift cards". It really seems to me that they like to take your money, then don't want you to use it.
I received, as gifts, several gift cards from my wife's parents, in various denominations. When trying to purchase that A/B switch before, I wanted to use a $25, $10 and another $10 card to purchase the $39.99 switch. This was too much for their "system" to handle, as it only takes two forms of payments, and it couldn't take two gift cards (which are treated as debit cards). After a little arguing, the not-so-nice clerk (This was the same one who took it back as stated above) behind the counter opened up a book and called in to try to combine them. 15 minutes later they were combined and I walked out of there, with $2 and change on one of the cards (no, you don't get the remaining balance in cash).
For my next purchase I wanted to use my remaining card balances. I had left a $25, $10, and the $2+ card. My purchase was for $29.99 + tax. They would only combine the first two cards, since it would cover the transaction, even though the 15 (yes, again) conversation they had with their phone rep made no mention of the purchase price. So I now am lugging around two gift cards...one for $2+, and one for $3.69. Of course, when I go back, I will have to again wait another 15 minutes for them to combine those two cards so I can knock off ~$6 of my next purchase. I almost called for a manager, but decided against it (I have to stop deciding against that!).
To add insult to injury, those cards were ALMOST 6 months old. On the fine print on the back of the cards it states that the card will lose $2.00 in value each month after 6 months of inactivity. So, not only do they have use of your money for 6 months (gaining interest), they now will start keeping it permanently. That doesn't sound like a company I really want to do business with.
I really question how a chain such as this can survive with such poor customer service.
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Epinions.com ID:
marrone
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Reviews written: 54
Trusted by: 38 members
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