[mightydave]

So, being the TiVo fan I am, and having already one Series 3 in the house, I ordered the TiVo HD on Tivo.com the day it was announced. I noticed that almost as soon as I placed the order, the order status showed that it wouldn't ship until mid-August. I let this go for a week or two before I decided to break down and start looking locally.

So, on our anniversary, my wife gave me the go ahead to place the order online with Best Buy and pick it up at one of the local stores. I placed the order, received my confirmation email, and then finally received the "come get it" email. So, I drove into the city to pick it up. I walked in, signed the receipt, walked out with the box, and headed home.

After avoiding the temptation for about an hour, I finally cracked open the box (even though I didn't have the cablecards yet from my provider). I mainly wanted to see how the design of the box differed from my Series 3. I pulled out the remote, then the box. Low and behold, a Series 3! I checked the box (identical box to my Series 3) and noticed it says TiVo HD on the top and sides - which probably confused the person picking the item from the shelf. I checked the receipt - charged for the Tivo HD. So, I have a second Series 3 though I ordered the TiVo HD.

I won't mention what I've chosen to do, but I'd like to hear what you'd do if that situation were to present itself.

Just curious.

 

[bizzy]

A less reputable person might flip it on ebay or craigslist, and buy another Tivo HD

 

[swinca]

I would keep it and be happy about it.

 

[AbMagFab]

You sure it's really a S3? The TivoHD says Series 3 all over it, but it doesn't have the same black-laquer finish, nor does it have the OLED front display (which you can't really see when it's off).

 

[coreyt]

Oh that's funny.

 

[dianebrat]

gotta say.... I'd be really tempted to keep it, and I view myself as an honest person.

It's just that I have been screwed over so many times in the big chains, bought something "new in the box" or "just demo'd on the floor, never sold" and then found out it's been used, abused, and returned.

Ok, so my moral compass has some gray areas, but I admit them.

Diane

 

[moldymac]

bestbuy did someting similar to me, I ordered and picked up at the store a western digital 750gb hard drive, they had 2, a cheap one for $219 and one for $300 that had firewire too. I picked up and when I got home, found they had given me the better one with firewire! Congrats on your purchase.

 

[ldc3000]

You sure it's really a S3? The TivoHD says Series 3 all over it, but it doesn't have the same black-laquer finish, nor does it have the OLED front display (which you can't really see when it's off).

Since he stated that he already had a Series 3, I think he can tell the difference between the two.

As for keeping the unit, it might present a problem if the unit breaks down and you tried to get it fixed under the factory warranty and your receipt doesn't match the unit.

 

[drcos]

It would be hard for me to "do the right thing" and return it to an establishment that has no qualms whatsoever about screwing unto others.

 

[Eitel]

This almost happen to me at Circuit City. I paid for my Tivo HD on one of the floor registers and was told to pick it up at the Customer Service Desk. Went there to pick it up and all of the sudden they send a Series 3 Tivo out of the rail. The lady was grabing it to give it to me when another one of her co-workers stopped her and told her that was the wrong unit. They then send out the right one.

Close, but no cigar.

 

[Wheens]

Interesting, but to me sad, to see "situational ethics" at play in this thread.

We've come a long way from the precept that "honesty is the best policy". Or, in the case involving big, bad business that the tenet "two wrongs don't make a right" is somehow negated.

 

[raiden256]

30 minutes ago I was in Best Buy for an in-store pickup. The customer service guy called back and asked them to bring a unit up because I had come fast enough that they didn't have it up there yet.

So after like 5 minutes I asked if I could go pick one up myself. He hesitated then said sure. So I walk back and pick up a box that said TiVoHD on it, but realized after a second that it was a Series3. It was a good 15 seconds as I stood there pondering whether or not the Customer Service guy would figure out the difference, and whether or not that was something I would be comfortable trying.

Finally a rep asked me if he could help me, and I put the Series3 down and asked him to get me down a TiVoHD from the shelf. (He momentarily tried to convince me that the box I was holding was a TiVoHD -- as if trying to make my moral decision harder)

It was the right decision, I know, but damn that was tempting...

Edit: No, I'm not expecting congraulations for not illegally defrauding a company.... just germane to the topic.

 

[jrm01]

Put me in the camp of those who would pack it up and take it back immediately. A mistake was made, and I would ask for a Manager so that I could explain it to him.

However, I must admit that I work at BB in their home theater department (part time 1-2 days per week).

I'm surprised by those who say that they have been taken advantage of with an "open iem" purchase. Our store is so strict that we are not allowed to have any tape in our department (company policy). If we find a box that is open for any reason (sometimes just happens in transit) we have to take it up to our service department, they inspect it and put special tape on it ("inspected by BB). Then it has to be sold as an open item at discount.

All of the "open items", whether in a box, shelf display or returned item have the same 30 day return policy and full warranty as a new item. We try to explain to the customer the situation with each item (no manuals, no remotes, scratches, etc.), but many times we don't know if it was a shelf display or returned item. In any case, they are always protected by the 30 day return.

 

[dianebrat]

However, I must admit that I work at BB in their home theater department (part time 1-2 days per week).

I'm surprised by those who say that they have been taken advantage of with an "open iem" purchase. Our store is so strict that we are not allowed to have any tape in our department (company policy). If we find a box that is open for any reason (sometimes just happens in transit) we have to take it up to our service department, they inspect it and put special tape on it ("inspected by BB). Then it has to be sold as an open item at discount.

jrm01, While I've had my BB issues in the past with products, (several wrong items in boxes that claim they are more expensive models); nothing beats my HP PC story from a well known national computer and software chain. I bought an "open box/demo.. "but not sold to a customer"" PC, I was assured many times of that.

Issue 1: PC had been sold, and warranty registered by the original owner
Issue 2: Aforementioned retailer swapped the motherboard to one that was "mostly correct"
Issue 3: Mostly correct motherboard meant the board was for a different model, and recovery CD's for that unit would never work, this was all solved by sending the unit to HP where it was swapped for the same model, but a complete unit with the correct components.

This kind of thing happens enough to those of us that are heavy consumer electronics purchasers that we get jaded, and if that retailer made a mistake in my favor, I'd not even think twice about considering it "even" to help equal out all the errors in their favor.

Diane

 

[CheezWiz]

I was screwed by Best Buy and it took 6 months to get it resolved. Had to file a complaint with the BBB on their Corporate HQ. I had ordered a Hitachi Plasma with a free under-cabinet LCD TV and DVD Player. Drove 250 miles round trip to pick it all up and the free item was a used return. I called them to complain and they told me to ship it back and they would either refund the value or send a new one. I got neither. The store refused to help. I filed a complaint after going round with their online support and various levels of local management. They all said too bad for me. Filed a complaint with American Express and they BB online provided false documents saying that I had purchased the item but returned it at the store. Amex said that since the item appeared on the receipt as a free item, they could do nothing. So screw them over for me!

In the end, I got a gift card for the value of the item. But they said the situation was my fault! That took 6 months, countless calls and frustration and elevated blood pressure. They refuse to let you go up the chain of management. They refused to give me any contact information. I asked the at the store and on the phone what address I would send a small claims lawsuit to and they either asked me to leave or hung up on me. They deserve to get screwed.

 

[bizzy]

In the end, I got a gift card for the value of the item. But they said the situation was my fault! That took 6 months, countless calls and frustration and elevated blood pressure. They refuse to let you go up the chain of management. They refused to give me any contact information. I asked the at the store and on the phone what address I would send a small claims lawsuit to and they either asked me to leave or hung up on me. They deserve to get screwed.

For all the people whining about the erosion of morality on this thread, chew on this.

BB like many huge retailers, has spent considerable time and money ensuring that their customers are rendered as powerless as possible to resolve any sort of error or wrongdoing on BB's part.

Why should I or any other customer lift a single finger to assist them when the error is in our benefit and not theirs? If they wish to resolve the issue, they can contact my accounting department (in writing) within 30 days of the event. (Sorry, I don't have the address of my accounting department available. It should be available on the website.)

 

[jrm01]

BB like many huge retailers, has spent considerable time and money ensuring that their customers are rendered as powerless as possible to resolve any sort of error or wrongdoing on BB's part.

It is interesting to see how different things look when witnessed from different viewpoints. As I mentioned before, I work part time for BB in Home Theater. I've only been there 7 months, and I've been a CE buyer for 40 years, so I've experienced it from both sides.

I have been amazed at BB (at least the store that i work at) at how lenient they are on product returns. I've had customers buy a $3500 plasma TV and return it 2 days later, saying it reflected too much light of the screen, even though they were cautioned that this would be a problem. They will return it without the manual, without the remote, and in some cases without the power cord, yet we accept it and refund their full purchase price. Then we have to sell it as "open item" at a 15-20% discount.

I have no doubt that there are horror stories from the other perspective as well. I truly believe that it is BB's policy to resolve any complaints as quickly and fairly as possible, but I'm sure that there are managers and other employees who don't always abide by this policy.

 

[MsRoboto]

I have a friend that bought a DVD at BB. He opened it and surprise it was empty. He tried to get it taken care of and is still out one DVD because that's the BB policy.

So if BB wants us to be considerate of their mistakes then they need to we equally honest in their dealings with us.

I know the value of the DVD is considerably less that the value of S3 vs Tivo HD but they think it's okay to screw the customer so they deserve no consideration.

 

[dig_duggler]

Keep it or flip it. BB's dubious business practices (from classifying customers who take advantage of rebates as 'devil customers', to gettting sued for pretending in store 'intranet' kiosks were internet ones in order to deny pricematching and online sale prices, not to mention personal experiences )do not really give them a moral ground to stand on in this instance. You can take the high road, but they never will.

 

[megazone]

I would call the store and ask them how they want to handle it. Now it is an open box item - so they can't legitimately restock it for full price. And they have the cost of dealing with a return. So they may just let you keep it with a clean conscience, or they might split the difference and ask for the difference between what was paid and the open-box price for the unit. (If they didn't, I might propose that myself.)

The other day I was driving home after a movie and suddenly wanted a coffee and donuts, so I hit my local 24-hour Dunkin' Donuts. Now, I know from experience that one of the women who works over-night there doesn't speak English well and also doesn't have any math skills. And she's on *alone*. So it makes it interesting when she's it. Sure enough, she was the only one there. I once went it trying to buy a half-dozen donuts and ended up with a couple dozen and I think she may have charged me for a dozen - she kept screwing up, couldn't void the sale, and charged me too much - so she just stuffed a bunch more donuts into boxes and handed them too me and waved me off. I tried to pay, she was too frustrated and just wanted me gone I think. I ended up driving to my old college and finding kids in the student union and gave them all the extras.


Anyway... So this time I got a coffee and a couple of donuts, and the total came to like $4.74 or something - just under $5. I gave her a $20 - she gave me a ten, two fives, and 26-cents. I dropped the change in the tip cup, noticed the extra five, and went to hand it back to her - and she put up her hands and said "too much". Like I was trying to tip her $5. I had to stop and hold up all the bills, one by one, and then it clicked and she took the five back.

Yeah, I'll actually make an effort to return too much change. Conversely I won't blink if some fast food drone shorts me a nickel or something. ;-)

Friday night at my local bar, the bartender forgot to charge me for a burger - so the next beer I reminded her and paid for both. I could've had a free burger - but Sarah is cool and I wouldn't do that.

I'm no saint - and I have taken advantage of stores mistakes or stupidity in the past. Generally only when they've been dicks and pissed me off, so I have no goodwill and I don't feel guilty about taking advantage of their own ineptitude. I still have a top hat I walked out of a store with back in 1996. I was renting a tux for a wedding and I decide to buy a top hat, just because. It was a silly thing to do, and I felt like being silly. But the guy working that day was a snotty jerk, and he also copped more than one feel when measuring me for the tux, so I was not feeling charitable. Then when I went to pay I had the hat in my hand and held it up to pay for it - but he charged me for the rental and dismissively shooed me towards the door like an ass.

So I shrugged and just left.

The hat was my fee for groping. ;-) I was in there with a friend - we were both groomsmen for a friend - and he got the same treatment. I don't feel guilty about it at all. And it is fun to have a top hat to wear at inappropriate times.