Circuit City Sucks!

[PhillyPhanInDC]

[vent on]

Went on their website to purchase the latest and greatest version of tax software ( I used H&R TaxCut '05, good stuff), selected the products (TaxCut and the Virginia state add-in) I wanted, and added them to "my cart". Proceeded to the checkout portion, first page asks for your address and card info, I enter that and click "Next", and it charges me, giving me no chance to use the gift card I had. "Screw it I think, I'll fix that later", and then it redirects me to some other company's (DigitalRiver.com) webpage to download my software. The TaxCut software is there, but it has the West Virginia snap-in, not the Virginia version I requested. Pissed, I click on the Customer Support, and after drilling down through five other links, it tells me I have to wait to get my confirmation in my e-mail to come. That comes 24 hours later (Wednesday night), and I then try to go back through customer support, and I can't get a number, or even an e-mail address, just a little form to fill out and submit. I do this, politely, giving the whole story. Another 24 hours pass, and no reply in my e-mail or a phone call. So again, a little more agitated this time, fill out the form. Another 24 hours pass, no response. I go to Circuit City's page (they don't have a contact number or e-mail either), and fill out their customer-assistance-farging-form, and figure screw it, I'll do my state tax return separate of my Federal. Well, tonight about 30 minutes ago, I get a call from some guy overseas, asking about my problem. I give him the whole story, and he informs me that because I used a portion of the software (never installed or downloaded the State snap-in), that A) They won't give me a refund, and B) they won't allow me to download the correct state snap-in. I ask for a supervisor, and dude puts me on hold, which after twenty seconds disconnects.  farg 'em
They can keep my fifty bucks, but I am going to do my best to direct as much business away from them.
[/vent off]

[The BIGSTUD]

Keep pestering them. Eventually you should get your money back. I hate them too. They always show in their commercials how customer friendly they seem, but every time I go in a Circuit City, they are the most uncustomer friendly of stores. Their sales people are never at their registers, they never stop to help you with anything, their stores have terrible organization and everything is so hard to find, and when you finally do find someone to help you they are always acting like it's a big chore.

I hate them.

[Diomedes]

I bought a flat screen monitor for my mother for Christmas.  Circuit City.  The sticker on the shelf said $70 mail-in rebate.  Then, after I paid for it, the clerk gave me four receipts.  In fact, it was three different mail-in rebates, totalling $70.  And they each require differnet info, and you have to photocopy some and send the original for one of them, etc.  Great pain in the ass.  I filled it all out and everything, but that's a lousy way to treat your customers.  I won't go back.  There are other options.

[The BIGSTUD]

I went to buy a play and charge kit for my Xbox 360 back in december. It's 20 bucks so you figure you walk in, grab it, pay for it and get out in 5 minutes? Nope. I was in there for a good 35/40 minutes. I called before hand to make sure they had them in and they told me they did. When I walked in the first 3 registers I passed by to the video game department were empty with no one there. So I started looking myself. I looked through all the accessories and couldn't find any play and charge kits. So I walk around the store looking for someone... anyone to at least tell me where I could find them. Every single employee that passed by, either ignored me or told me they'd be right with me and I never saw them again.

After a good 25 minutes pass by I started to get annoyed, so I grabbed an employee by the arm like your grandpa used to do to get your attention and I said look I called and someone told me there were play and charge kits here, can you tell me where they are? The guy tries to get away but my grip was too strong so he goes over to the computer and types it in. He says they have two in stock. I said I looked at the 360 accessories and none were there. He told me he didn't know what to tell me and left. Finally by the stroke of luck when another employee went to ring up some other people he opened up a drawer for something and I saw him pull 2 play and charge kits out. Why they were in the register drawer I will never know. One of them was bent up and looked tampered with and the other was perfect. I went up and asked him if I could have it after the people in front of me spent 15 minutes paying for like 15 CDs and games and finally paid for it and got out of there.

So for a 20 dollar play and charge kit it took me 35+ minutes.

I'll never go back to that store, and that wasn't the first time I had trouble at Circuit City. I've gone through similiar situations like that before and other people I've talked to have had the same things happen. I'll never support that store ever again.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I haven't purchased anything from Circuit City in a while.  Best Buy is the lesser of two evils if you have to buy from a place like that.  However, I try to avoid both.

[Wingspan]

if i worked in one of these places, and someone grabbed my arm and would let go, i kick them out of the store.

i dont mind circuit city, or best buy. so i'll still go to them when i need something. no use going 15 20 minutes outta my way.

[The BIGSTUD]

Only the manager has the authority to kick people out of stores.

You obviously misunderstood what I meant. I didn't walk by and grab his arm and pull him over. I went up to him and kinda put my hand over his arm like grandpops do. A lot of people have a habit of doing it while talking, and if he tried to kick me out over it I just would've laughed at him and walked away.

[LBIggle]

incorrect, any employee of a store has the authority to extend to you a tresspass warning. if you choose to ignore it, then further action can be taken.

anyway, the problem with circuit city is they don't give salesmen any commission.

on top of the fact, i don't think i've had any good customer service in the past 3 years.  banks, electronics, etc.. they all pull that same shtein when u ask for a supervisor, someone who might actually be able to do something for you, they put you on hold and disconnect.  when  u call back and ask for the jack-off who hung up on you, there's magically no one by that name there.  i was on the phone with wells-fargo, a bank out west here, and the retard had the nerve to say there was no supervisor working after i asked for one because cash i deposited into my account wasn't available 48 hours later.  i especially love when u can't understand what their saying.  that makes it all the more pleasurable to call these places.

like i stated in the what computer should i get thread.. someone i know got a toshiba that broke twice in 9 months.  after she finally got someone who spoke english, and someone who could actually do something, not only wouldn't they exchange the computer, but they wouldn't even extend the warranty. they gave her one free fix on the next time it breaks.  needless to say i called back and sold them a bunch of shtein for almost 2 hours and got the warranty extended, as if it costs them anything.

moral of the story, you pretty much have to be a fleshpop, and keep going up the foodchain (asst. manager, manager) to put the fear of losing their jobs into people so they finally farging help you.

[Father Demon]

LBI hit it on the head -- there is no such thing as customer service in the service industries.  It's a huge pet-peeve of mine, and totally pisses me off.  Mrs. Demon keeps telling me to relax about it, but I can't get over how basic things such as manners and courtesy have gone away.   I wish I knew how many times a cashier simply took my stuff, rang it up, and swiped my card without so much of an acknowledgement.  Then, if I say Thank You (I try often to remind people that basic manners aren't completely dead) I get either no comment, or a Your Welcome.  Wait -- I'm welcome that they decided to wait on me with crappy service?  I'm thanking them for this experience?  Customer service today flat out sucks. 

Oh yeah -- you should have gone to TaxAct.com.  It's the bomb-diddly.  You can enter all your info in over the web to see what your return/payment will be, and that's free.  Their deluxe software is about $20, and includes your federal return with a free e-file, plus your state return (although the efile for state is $8).  It's very simple, and very easy.  I have used it three or four years running.

[The BIGSTUD]

The thing that annoys me most about customer service is that a lot of employees act like it's this big chore to do something. Like some pizza places if you go in and order a slice of pizza and he's about to put it in and you say, hey excuse me can you make that a pepperoni slice? You see this big sigh like it's this big chore.

These people act like their jobs are so hard. They are cashiers. It is not a hard job. I've been a cashier before, and yes you have to put up with some annoying people now and then but it's a pretty easy job.

I've never had a problem with best buy though. I always get friendly customer service when I am there. A lot of the blame should be on the managers hiring these people.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

TurboTax is still the best.  Period.

[Rome]

I don't even bother with mail-in rebates anymore.

I mean, if it's significant, I'll do it, but they always seem to find a way to weasel out of sending you the check, so why bother?

Just assume the cost of the rebate won't be refunded to you when you're doing a price search.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I don't remember ever actually NOT getting a rebate, but if they say "takes 6-8 weeks", that means "exactly 8 weeks or maybe even slightly a little bit more".

[Butchers Bill]

TurboTax is still the best.  Period.

I used to think that until this year...having some major issues with their client service people right now.  The program is pulling in a bad number into my state return (the figure is so high, its 40% higher than what we actually made). There is clearly a glitch, but to figure it out I have to spend another 29.99 to talk to one of their tax speacialists.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Weird.  This year's ran more smoothly for me than the last couple previous.