Holiday Spirits: Get Out Of The Way

I hate shopping at this time of the year. This is essentially when I feel like online shopping was truly invented for me. I would rather sip my coffee, point and click and order than go anywhere near a mall in December.

I have already had my car backed into. Watched a lady get rear ended. And, if I listen carefully, I can hear all kinds of honking. Drivers are not patient, they are crazed and just want you to get the heck out of their way. Fast.

Beyond the parking lot, are the lines full of anxious shoppers. Today, I thought a man had only one item, I asked if he would like to go in front of me. "Thanks," he said, and proceeded to go in front of me and ask for something out of a special cabinet. I know, because I had to wait with my three lonely items on the conveyor belt while they got his "special" tequila out of the back cabinet.

Now, generally, if you know me, you know I appreciate good tequila. Please don't, however, accept to go in front of me in line if you are going to take 10 minutes finding your item while I wait for you. Not cool.

That tale tell energy is out there again. People are crazy, impatient and kind of mean. Ladies seem incredulous if I hold the door for them. Salespeople are incredulous that I'm not yelling at them about charging me for someone else's avocados.

Ugh. I do love hibernating this time of the year. Stay home, bake cookies and dream about the good old days with Web Van, that sounds about right.

Feeling the Amazon Burn

I am a pretty experienced online shopper and a pretty loyal Amazon aficionado. I love typing in exactly what I want and have it pop right up within seconds. I can comparison shop, I can have it shipped in two days with Amazon Prime, and I am usually very happy.

This is until my last purchase and thanks to one of Amazon's secondary suppliers. We all know to read the fine print, but gosh, really do read it. I bought a toaster recently, thinking nothing of clicking on the purchase button.

It was being supplied by an outside supplier--not being shipped directly from Amazon fulfillment. It was a toaster. I've bought many toasters in my life. Never had any problem. However, this fancy, semi-expensive toaster was a problem from the word go.

It burned every piece of toast. Even on level one, it burnt the toast like it was a flaming marshmallow over the open campfire. Never once did it "pop" up before I had to press the cancel button to save our home from a kitchen blaze.

I notified the seller. I could return it, sure. I only had to pay to ship it back, then pay a 15 percent restocking fee and pay the seller back the "free" shipping that it had been sent to me with. All of a sudden, my $60 dollar toaster was costing me about $33.00 once I returned it, and I ended up with no toaster!

Friends, returns to Target, Williams Sonoma and Crate and Barrel are free. Buyer beware.

Not the BEST BUY 2

Well, Best Buy has done a number on me. In this world of customer service and internet ease, I ordered a tv online. I researched and reviewed and finally found the perfect television. My biggest requirement, it had to fit into our built-in entertainment unit.

I measured my space to the "T" and cross referenced with the Best Buy online specs. I had one quarter inch to spare on each side of our cabinet. I pushed purchase on the website, and my TV was on it's way...free delivery.

It took a week for my TV to arrive. The gentlemen were nice, arrived early, and took one look at the cabinet and told me there was "No way" that the television was going to fit in "there."

"But, but, but, the specs..."

"Lady, never go by the specs online."

As the delivery men put my tv back onto a white, unmarked truck, I had a sinking feeling. Not only was I bummed that I had no new TV, my TV was disappearing without a trace. Duh, Deb.

The delivery men assured me it would be no problem. I called Elena at the Distribution Center. She assured me it was no problem. I spoke with Shirley at Best Buy Costumer Service. She also cheerfully said "no problem, I would be totally refunded."

Wanting a new TV, I went into our local Best Buy store and met Max. He helped me to pick out a new TV that would actually fit in my space. I told him I had to wait for my refund to purchase the next TV. He said no problem, it was Tuesday and the TV was on sale until Saturday.

Days later, no refund, I spoke with Best Best Costumer Service again. This time Liz seemed surprised that I had heard nothing and she had no record of the TV being returned. She transferred me to Michelle on Friday afternoon.

I called my friend Elena at the Distribution Center again, she didn't remember even talking to me. After jogging her memory, she went into her records and made some notes and assured me that everything was going to be fine.

Then I got an email saying that my return was cancelled. No, EVERYTHING WAS NOT GOING TO BE FINE!!!!! I kept my cool, called the 1-800 number again and was on hold for 15 minutes AGAIN and spoke with Angelica. She got me a reference number and made some notes and told me not to worry.

On Monday, I get a phone call notifying me of the truck arriving between 12 and 2 to pick up the TV. What? What? I called and was introduced to Ashley at Distribution and she said something about an old system and a new system and not to worry.

As I was writing this on Tuesday, a white truck pulled up to my house, "We are here to pick up your TV."

I immediately called Ashley. She gave me a new number to call. It was out of service. I dialed my generic usual number and then spoke with Zack, who listened to my long story with aplumb and couldn't help me either.

Customer appreciation? Customer support? Trying to keep a costumer? Ahhhh, don't worry Big Kahunas at Best Buy. The economy is fabulous and there must be a lot of other people out there to buy your big, expensive TVs. Why would you want to make one little costumer's life a little easier and happy?

Get your act together! That's all I have to say. For all I know those delivery guys took the TV home and are watching it right now.

JUMP TO 3 WEEKS LATER...

My next calls to customer service involved being told that my transaction was under investigation. I almost asked the random, faceless, useless customer service rep if they were aware of the Best Buy hate sites on the web. Apparently, I am not the only one that has had their problems with this company.

Just where was this TV? No one seemed to know what was happening or had happened. I kept getting the run around like I was with snakeoil salesmen. Now you see the TV, now you don't. Was it under this box? At the delivery facility? On a truck? At Ron's house so his friends could watch football this weekend?

My business savvy husband said, "They are just holding your money for the legal 30 days, earning interest on it, then they will refund it to you."

Could it be that Best Buy has an elaborate ladder of slight of hand to hold onto my money? By the end of 29 days, I felt like my part time job was calling Best Buy Customer service. My VISA card customer service wouldn't get involved until after 30 days.

All the while, the folks at Best Buy, pretended not to be able to help me? If they don't know where a 4 figure TV is, and they are talking to me for at least 20 hours on the phone, what is going on with their business?

30 days to the posted transaction date on my VISA statement, Best Buy refunded my money. I am glad that they did, but they put me through such a grinder that I feel little joy.

I feel like the little guy. They are the playground bully. They insulted me and lost a customer.

I have to tell you I went to Costco, bought myself a new TV, got the Costco complimentary extended 2 year warranty and am happily watching TV again. The next time I'll be shopping at Best Buy is, uh, like, never.