This blog post is definitely a rant and after you read it, hopefully you agree. It was a day of shopping which should have gone quickly. Unfortunately all it did was raise my blood pressure, cause a few scenes and outbursts, and made me angry.
Let’s set up the back story so you understand.
Last Christmas, I asked for the Xbox 360 Kinect and Kinect games. Well as you know, I just used my xbox kinect because my laptop is currently broken. I figured that this was a better time than never since I haven’t used it yet of course. My parents bought me a few games with it which included Kinect Sports, Motion Sports, and a few others. There was one game though that I couldn’t even imagine using and I thought it was my parent’s way that I have gained a beer gut – The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout.
That brings us to yesterday. I’ve had this game sitting, in its wrapping and all and I had errands to run. I thought: perfect time to get rid of this and replace it with something I want. Naturally, I grabbed it and went on my way. I had to check out a sound system for a client who wanted help with his. Instead of getting my game first, at the last moment, I decided to turn around and help him out.
I go in expecting this to be quick and easy. All he wanted was Pandora One running in their store to allow them to play the music they and the customers enjoy without having competitors’ advertisements playing as well. Imagine you are in your store and you hear that your competitor’s ad come on and you lose business. Definitely not what anyone wants. I go in the shop and check out the system.
After looking at the system for ten minutes, I realize that it is a simple auxiliary cable that would connect to his computer. I explained to my client what he would have to do and hearing this, he immediately shuts the idea down. Confused, I asked him why and he told me that his computer can’t handle it and he thought he could play it out of his iPod. What he didn’t realize is that his iPod isn’t an iTouch nor an iPhone, so the computer was the only way.
That all said, I wasted approximately a half hour. Normally, I wouldn’t have cared about the time spent away and could have spent forever. Well, yesterday was different. First off, my friend was down for the day only and wanted to see me. Second, my family was in from Texas and I have been trying to spend every day with them for as long as possible. A half hour is a big deal as I only had two hours planned to buy a used game, a few cables, buy a t-shirt, replace The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout, and pickup dinner for the family. I had this all planned out and I was supposed to spend only an hour with about another half hour travelling. This would have provided a good amount of time to allow me to do everything and see everyone.
This is where my day went to shit and my blood pressure shot through the roof.
I leave my client’s place and head directly to Best Buy to replace The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout. I remember that my parent’s bought it there, so I decided to go there first. Note: this is where you might decide to tell me that I am an idiot or tell me that you would have done the exact same thing. I did not have any receipts being that it was from Christmas and it was a gift. Personally, I thought it was no big deal since it was completely wrapped. It is literally brand new still, so what does it really matter?
I walk in and head for the customer service. I stand in line behind all these foreigners which annoyed me. It wasn’t the fact that they were foreighn that bothered me, but the fact that it took so long for me to get situated since the people working there couldn’t understand a word if it was on a billboard and screamed into their ears with a megaphone. After waiting what seemed like forever, I got to the woman. She looked at me briefly and listened to what I said.
She looked at me some more and then said: “We don’t do that anymore. Go to the Video Games Section.” Puzzled, I inquired what she meant. She said that all video games are taken care of in that area. I really wish I really knew a Best Buy employee to clarify if I was crazy. Ok, so all returns BUT video games are taken care of in the customer service. WHAT THE FUCK? Either way, I turned around and went to the video games section. I spent a good five minutes walking around only to find two employees sort of hiding and flirting with each other. If I weren’t in quite a hurry I would have flirted with her too. Instead of cock blocking, I asked both of them only to see whoever would help me.
I told them that I would like to return and/or exchange my game. This is where he looked at me at like I was crazy and told me to go to customer service. My blood pressure goes up right here. I explained to him that I just came from there and all I wanted to do is get rid of the damn game. He got on his walkie talkie and brought me over to customer service for the second time putting me back into another long line. This is where I start to get angry. You can tell by my tweet:
She explains to him that it is his job and he comes up with some bullshit excuse on why he shouldn’t do it and she would. Obviously there is quite a bit of miscommunication in the staff. We then head back to the video game section for him to look some stuff on the computer. He starts typing some random bullshit on the computer, asks for my license, and spends a few minutes hitting buttons. This is where it gets me angry. After about five minutes, he looks at me and says that he’ll give me $18 for the game. I look at him with the dumbest look on my face.
As soon as I get over the initial shock. I say to him: “That’s it? Seriously. It is a brand new game basically. It even has the wrapper on it and all. How the fuck did you get that?” He explains to me how the computer has an algorithm based on when it was purchased and such as well as the fact it still has a wrapper. Also, that this is based off of no receipt. I then told him: “This is absolute bullshit. This game is still the same fucking value as it is when it was purchased for me. It was a gift. Give me the fucking game back. I have a better chance of shoving the game up my ass and hoping I shit out what I want for more than the $18 they would give me. I grabbed my game and license and left. He tried apollogizing for walking me back and forth and such, but I told him to shove it up his ass and that the girl wasn’t interested in him and off I left.
Sure, he didn’t deserve it. He was just doing what he is told to do, but when you complain about your job, not help me out by letting me exchange the game, and walking me around…you are going to hear it from me. I got off in my car and immediately went to Game Stop since it was in the same the same plaza. I walk in with my game and stand in line. This time behind a Quadriplegic Olympic athelete and some mom trying to buy a shitty Wii game. Luckly, the line went extremely quick and I went up and asked if I could exchange this game I had received as a gift for something I wanted. They asked for a receipt and once again I explained how it was a gift, but this time made up some bullshit story of how it was from my grandparents who live in Florida.
This time, I was rejected right away. Once again, I was bewildered and asked them to explain why. They told me that they can’t accept anything without the receipt. I was telling them that I do not want to return the game, but all I was asking was to exchange. I was then told some absolute bullshit by the one guy explaining how that the state of New Jersey created this new pawn law that didn’t allow them to return items without a receipt. I instantly knew this was absolute bullshit, so I called out him out. He then went on to tell me that his colleague could tell me in more detail. Of course, I turned to her and asked her. Knowing that I was calling them out, she smiled and told me that they can’t and to leave. I stormed out. I should have said something along the lines of fuck off or fuck you, but there were children.
Hoping that third was a charm, I decided to go right to Target hoping that I could get rid of the game. It was in the plaza as well, so what the hell? To shorten this one up since it was a quick stop, I walked right in and directly into the customer service area. The line was disgustingly long and I was already frustrated beyond belief at this point. I turned to my right only to see their return policy. It wouldn’t allow really any returns with video games without a receipt.
I ran right out and sat in my car screaming. I just wanted to get rid of this damn game. Once I started screaming, I decided to do something logical for the first time. I took out my iPhone and went onto everyone’s favorite website, Google. I searched: “Returning Video Games without a Receipt.” To my obvious surprise (much sarcasm), there were many other people who had the same issue as me. It turns out that everyone returned their games at Wal-Mart. Why the hell did I not think of that? Before I did go, I decided to stop at Modells to see if they had the t-shirt I wanted. For your information, I was looking for a Philadelphia Phillies player t-shirt; Cole Hamels to be specific. I went in both stores and neither had him.
Onwards, I went to Wal-Mart. I sat in their customer service for a bit because people are trying to unload their shit. After about 10 minutes, I was able to get a gift card for the game in FULL price and I was the happiest child. If the woman was decently attractive and not four times my age, I might have kissed her. I skipped down to the electronic entertainment area and went to find the game I wanted: UFC Personal Trainer The Ultimate Fitness System.
So I scoured the video game cases for it and I found it! I was extastic. Then, I realized I should look for the HDMI splitter that I needed since I was tired of switching the cables. Low and behold, the switch was there. After looking at the box for about 5 minutes, I realized I needed another HDMI cable. No big deal; except the fact that the cable was locked as well.
I thought that was no big deal. So I search all around for an employee. None to be found. This seemed a bit odd. I am in perhaps definitely the most expensive part of the store and I can’t find a single damn employee to ring me up. After about 10 minutes, I see someone wearing a Wal-Mart team t-shirt and I ask him for help. He explains to me how he is off the clock and is busy. Now does that seem like the Wal-Mart way? Absolutely not! He could have helped me since he worked there or better yet, help/call someone in to help me, but instead, he walked away. VERY RUDE.
My blood pressure is now back where it was when I was trying to return the damn game and now I can’t buy it. I go back to the register and see the photo guy busy with some couple trying to exchange photos or something stupid. Finally, there was another guy selling a piece of shit laptop to more foreigners. They were doing that for a half hour. What was worst, the guy who fucking blew me off was with them. All I wanted was to get what I needed and get out of there.
I patiently waited thanks to my iPhone and the games/Facebook and had the guy get me everything. I spent the money on the gift card and bought the cable and switch. All work great and the game, unfortunately I have not played it due to my stomach virus. I ran out of there, bought dinner for my family and went home. I was unable to see my friend at the beach, but I did spend time with my family. Mind you, I did spend about 3 and half hours doing all of this; if not more.
Overall, I have had it to my wit’s end with all these businesses: Best Buy, Game Stop, Target, and Wal-Mart. Each one of them angered me, so I am not going to any of them unless I really have to. I rather deal with them online so I don’t have to even face another incompitent employee, but mainly I am going to purchase all my items via Amazon. It was quite an adventure and I do not want to go through any of that again.
PS. Small side story coming tomorrow.
