As someone who spent 15 years in retail management, I fully understand how difficult it can be to get through the busy holiday shopping season and how demanding customers can sometimes be. I always strive to be respectful and patient with retail employees, even when circumstances are stressful.
That’s why my experience at Best Buy today was so disappointing. I recently purchased a television on sale, primarily because it included free next-day delivery, saving me a 45-mile round trip and extra money on gas. When the TV was delivered by Roadie, it was left propped against my front door in a concerning position. As soon as I saw the box, I noticed a significant crease down the side, and upon opening it, discovered the screen was shattered and the frame was warped.
When I called the store, I was told to bring the TV in for a replacement. Although it was inconvenient, I made the long drive to the store to resolve the issue. The return process seemed straightforward until I realized that because I had used a reward certificate on my original purchase, I was now expected to pay an additional $5 out-of-pocket for the replacement due to a processing delay with the certificate refund.
While I understand mistakes happen, I don’t feel it’s right for customers to incur additional costs when the original problem was completely outside of their control. The manager (John, in a bright yellow/green shirt) seemed more focused on correcting his employee in front of me than actually helping resolve my issue. Despite explaining my situation, I was told there was nothing they could do and I’d just have to wait for the certificate to be refunded.
What bothers me most is not the $5 itself, but the principle—and the lack of concern shown for the inconvenience and extra cost I was forced to bear as a result of receiving a damaged product. If the store is going to hold itself up as a top-tier retailer, it should take ownership of issues like these and do what’s right for the customer, especially when the error was on their end.
Despite my understanding for how demanding retail can be, I walked away feeling like my concerns didn’t matter. This experience will impact my future purchasing decisions at Best Buy, and I hope management sees this as an opportunity to improve—not just for me, but for other customers who may find themselves in similar situations.
Good prices, good services.
Amanda F
November 10, 2025
Everything is easy to find.
Shout out To Gabe Daniels for A1 customer Service 👏 🙌