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CompUSA

CompUSA • Advertised specials • Financing • Rebates • Returns • Customer service • TAP • Tech support --- News • CompUSA Settles FTC Rebate Charges

Not too long ago, what's left of CompUSA was acquired by Systemax, which also owns Tiger Direct. The company tells us things have changed and customers will be a lot happier. Perhaps. Here are a few of the more recent consumer comments we've received:

Katrina of Winchester, KY June 11, 2009

My laptop was just over a year old when I began having trouble. It would freeze up, shut down or both. It finally got to the point when it shut down, it no longer attempted to reboot. This was September 2008. I sent it in under my TAP plan and they replaced the motherboard. Same problem happened again in December 2008. I sent it in, they replaced the motherboard again. The same problem happened yet again in February 2009. I sent it in and they replaced the motherboard...YET AGAIN!

In March of 2009, I began having somewhat of a different issue where the images on my screen would go green and then it would freeze up and shut itself down. It usually recovered from this but what a hassle. Finally it dumped all my files (including pictures of my children) and never recovered. I sent it in and they replaced my hard drive. I used it for 2 weeks and it did the same thing again. I called and then requested for a new laptop (since the one I have is obviously a "LEMON"). They instead replaced the harddrive again. Seriously?

I have called and complained to SO MANY PEOPLE! A floor supervisor told me he couldnt do anything about replacing it until the same part is in service to be repaired for the 4th time. THE 4TH TIME? 3 motherboards and 2 hard drives are simply not enough. I recieved this computer back with the sencond hard drive and it booted up and ran for 10 mins...then it dumped my files again and shut off!

They think I need to recover my operations system (even though on the check off sheet they sent back stated they did this). They said that this will fix the problem and if not, then they will replace it. So, now I have to purdchase this CD (that didnt come with my computer when I bought it because it is partitioned into the hard drive). I think HP computers are a joke as well as CompUSA and the support center they offer. I have had use of my laptop for 2 months out of the past 12. Definitely didnt get my money's worth.

Jack of Knoxville, TN May 12, 2009

CompUSA's TAP plan on warranties is b/s. I bought a 100 graphics card from CompUSA and had it installed into a new computer. When I bought it I was asked if I would like to buy a one year EXTENDED warranty past the manufacturer's warranty which was also one year. A little over a year later the graphics card withered away...no surprise there right? Well when I called to get another card since I bought the extra one year warranty then connected me to customer service because they said that my warranty no longer existed.

When I talked to the customer service representative not only was he very rude, but it was like he wasn't even listening to what i was saying or taking it into consideration. I said no one in their right mind would by an extended warranty that covers the exact same amount of time as the manufacturer's warranty which comes free with the product. Then the customer service representative said that possibly the extended warranty was there to cover things that the manufacturer's won't...he said "like a power surge". I was charged 36 of a 100 graphics in case of a power surge? By this rudeness and high-strung attitude, I could tell he was just mouthering off from the top of his head. In conclusion don't trust warranties from CompUSA because they are nothing more than a SCAM!

Kimberly of Longwood, FL May 19, 2009

Purchased son's Macbook Pro 1999.99 5/4/07 for his high school graduation. CompUSA said 2yr warranty for 379.99 began after 1 yr. manufacturers warranty..hence, 3 yrs. Disk burner has been broken a couple months, but couldn't send off because my son needed it as school was wrapping up and he was preparing to graduate with his associates degree in photography. Graduation wasn't until May 11th. Tap says there is no grace period until the end of May and the warranty has expired. TAP mentioned that since I hadn't called them before..there is no grace period??

CompUSA told us to take laptop to Apple..Apple told us to take it to CompUSA where we were first told to call Tigress (?) which I did. They said they weren't the one to call. Completely irritated in myself for not calling before 5/4/09 and giving them a heads up, which is apparently what I should have done, and for the apathetic brush off I received from CompUSA and TAP Insurance. 379.99 completely wasted. No surprise CompUSA went bankrupt with the misleading information they tell their customers.

TJ of West Palm Beach, FL May 3, 2009

I am writing regarding a notebook and extended warranty I purchased. When asked by the cashier if I would like a 2 year extended warranty for my notebook, I expected it to be just that 2 years beyond the manufacturer's warranty (there were no informational packets available to read prior to purchase, all the packets were kept behind the registers). I purchased an extended warranty in confidence that if I encountered any problems with my notebook I had adequate coverage and protection.

Once my computer began to malfunction I went to the current CompUSA store for assistance and they advised me that they were not the same company and then provided me with a number to call regarding repairs. I phoned this company the following day (April 16th) and it was then I was informed that the extended warranty had expired due the first year running concurrent with the manufacture's warranty. I spoke with a manager by the name of Annette ID# RMOXU (Incident #13247179), who informed me that this warranty expired on March 23rd of the previous month. Although this was not a month past the warranty they would not service my notebook merely for customer satisfaction.

Again, when I purchased this warranty it was not explicitly communicated that you are actually receiving only one year of protection outside of the manufacturer's warranty. It's also poor practice not to be willing to somehow compensate a consumer in some form or fashion who has paid for a service that was never utilized in the amount of 250.

Essentially, the consumer is being swindled out of their hard earned money under the guise of protection for their purchases. I am requesting that my notebook be repaired, replaced, or a refund of the money charged for this service. I am without a computer which facilitated in work, home, and business matters.

Caliatra of Portland, OR April 9, 2009

Had a promblem with my moniter. i had paid for extended warrany. Called many times. After I got a copy of reciept they said they could only find calls so far back which happen to be just one day after warranty expired. Come on! I have no logs of calls about promblem. I paid top dollar for te moniter and it should not be out. Never agagin will I use Tap. Dont trust them

Had to buy a different moniter

Danny of Hayward, CA April 1, 2009

On 2/16/2009 I placed an order online for an Acer AOA150. The order number is W5911637 - delivery to be signed by me or my sister. COMPUSA contracted with UPS to deliver the package, but we never recieved the package. The UPS tracking info stated that package was delivered on 2/24 and that a J. Martin signed for the package. I contacted COMPUSA regarding this and was told that an investigation will be completed in 10 business days. An investigation was opened up from 2/25-3/10. UPS also interviewed my sister at the shipment residence on 3/13. The UPS delivery guy stated that he had never seen her before and that he did not deliver the package on 2/24 even though the delivery was on his route. My sister also signed a statement on 3/13 acknowledging that UPS completed an investigation.

On 3/10, I contacted COMPUSA & Milton empID 5828 confirmed that a 2nd laptop will be expedited on 3/16 to be received by 3/18. We still did not receive our shipment, so I contacted supervisor Frank empID 5976 on 3/18 to get a status. Frank stated the investigation was closed on 3/10 and UPS denied the claim. This is inaccurate information because UPS admitted to my sister on 3/13 that they may have not delivered the package. It is also unclear to me why COMPUSA closed the investigation on 3/10 when UPS was still conducting an investigation on 3/13.

No 2nd laptop was ever shipped out even though the notes in the COMPUSA system from Milton on 3/10 stated to make sure to expedite shipment. Frank could not and would not give me a timeline on when this issue will be resolved. Frank stated that a 2nd investigation was opened and will be completed in 10 days. I also received an email from a John from CompUSA stating that the investigation will be completed in 10 days.

On 3/31, I followed up to request a copy of the 1st & 2nd investigation. Nick empID 5810 stated that info cannot be provided to the customer. When asked about the status of the investigation, Nick stated that there was no status & there was no guarantee that the investigation will be completed in 10 days. He told us that we just had to wait. It has been over a month since I placed my order.

COMPUSA has stolen my 351.95 & there is no end in sight to the resolution of this matter. It is poor business practice in the way COMPUSA is handling this incident. I have never dealt with a brand business so full of incompetent and rude employees and supervisors. It is appalling that they are allowed to treat customers this way
They took our money and we never received our product.

Kerri of Jacksonville, FL April 1, 2009

I purchased a what was called a universal charger for my husbands laptop. The charger was not universal because it did not work for a Dell nor HP. My husband returned the charger with reciept. Because the purchase was made with my Debit Visa card and he did not have possesion of the card when returning item Compusa. Therefore, Compusa issued a giftcard for the amount of the universal charger. Well roughly a week after the giftcard was issued my husband attempted to use.

The giftcard had a balance of 0.00. After discussing with the manager the resoulution was to contact the store in a few days to allow some research. My husband and I have been in the store 4 times to try and get this resolved. Between the manager that will not speak to any customers and the clerk behind the desk rolling her eyes nothing to date has been resolved.

M of Virginia, VA March 27, 2009

I ordered a barebones computer two weeks ago. The web site said it was in stock. Several parts shipped right away and another part shipped a couple days later. Two parts were backordered (again, it indicated in stock for everything when I placed my order). Then I get an email saying they have cancelled the computer case -- what good is a bunch of memory, hard drive, CPU, etc. without a case! I call them an explain that you can't just cancel part of the order and leave me with 1/2 of a computer.

They offer me a case that has a 20% lower price for the same money. I explain that if they are giving me a less expensive case, I should get at some some money back. I spoke to two different very rude and arrogant people from two different departments on the phone who didn't seem to understand that giving me a less expensive case for the same money (or no case at all) isn't right. When I told them to cancel the whole order they said I had to pay for return shipping! This is crazy. Please be very careful with CompUSA -- you can end up getting yourself caught up in the same mess I did!

James of Norristown, PA March 19, 2009

I purchased a two year TAP replacement plan for a laptop computer in Feb of 2007. I was told that the warranty was for two years after the original 1 year warranty had expired. When I did try to use the warranty in December I was told by CompUSA that I needed to send the laptop to Acer since it was still covered and the TAP plan wa to start after the orignal had expired. Now, I need to used the TAP plan and the company Assurant Solutions, is telling me that it was for two years from purchase and it doesn't matter what the associate at CompUSA told me. Why woul somebody buy a two warranty when it is covered for one of them by the manufacturer?

I now have a 780.00 notebook and a 139.00 warranty that is useless.

Ricardo of Guaynabo, OTHER March 19, 2009

I was requesting a quote for my company, and three peolple asked me to help. When I told them that I wanted a quote, they told me that I have to wait for the commercial services clerk. I've waited for 20 minutes, and then he walk me and ingnored me, knowing that I was the one waiting for him (because the other clerks said him). he walked to the other side, and I was expecting that he will help me anytime soon. I waited 10 more minutes, and when I walked for him he ignore me again.

Compusa lost 700.00. Very bad service. Very bad attitude. Bad experience. Then he told me that J. Rivera was the Store Manager and walk out like nothing happened. this was at Plaza Caparra Store in Puerto Rico.

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