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CompUSA TAP Plan

Nancy of Coventry CT (4/9/05):
Purchased anIPod for $299 and a 2-year replacement policy for $44.99 at CompUSA on 3/23/04. Ipod began malfunctioning (scrolling through song list independently and unable to stop it or turn it off until battery died). Took it back to store. They first said I didn't have a 2-year replacement policy, I had Apple Care. So I went home and tried to fill out the forms for Apple care on the internet and my IPod was not registered.

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I found my original receipt which has proof that I purchased replacement policy, took it back to store. They made me take it over to repair area where they filled out a form for it and said their manager had to review it and they would get back to me. 8 days passed. I called today and they said they would refund me $230 since my Ipod is 15gb and they are no longer made. A 20gb Ipod is $299 (the same price I purchased mine for). I feel that they are required to either refund me $299 or give me a 20gb to replace it. The manager was supposed to call me again this afternoon but 8 hours later no call.

If I purchase a $44.99 2-year replacement policy and I am told "If you have any problem with it bring it back and we give you a new one, no questions asked," I don't understand how they think they can get away with trying to give me $230 back on an original investment of $365.66 (IPod,replacement plan and tax). What a rip off!!

Ernest of Fontana CA (1/5/04):
I bought an iPod with the TAP total asurance plan. The saleperson stated if it failed it was a carry-in replacement. When it failed I took to the store. The tech person said he could not issue a replacement since the that model was not made anymore. He called the manager. Melissa said they could not replace the model and TAP would send out a gift card.

The gift card was in the amount of about $168. The plan promise was a replacement. The iPod sells and I paid $299.99 for it. The said since that model was no longer made they would only issue that amount. That is not right. Almost every piece of electronic equipment will superseded by a newer model over a short time. The salesperson told me it would be replaced with a new model of equivelent value if that model was not avalable. I will never make any future buys from CompUSA.

Suzanna of Maynard, MA, writes:
We purchased 3 laptop computers with three TAP replacement plans from CompUSA in August of 1998. These are travel laptops used by the engineers and sales teams, the people who make our company work. Within weeks of each other all three laptops broke in the same place, at the hinges. (Poor design)

I called CompUSA and was told that a box and a service order woukd be sent out to us and we could return them and they would be fixed or replaced. We sent one back because we could not afford to be without all three laptops at once. They determained that it was un-fixable and it would have to be replaced or a credit would be issued for it.

We went for the credit but, first we had to get the laptop back to remove data. That took two months because the service center moved to a new location. Before they moved they took the laptop apart and it was now in diffrent boxes they had not unpacked yet.

A month later it arrived back in MA. I called to set up three service orders to send all three back at once and get one big credit to buy three new, more expensive laptops at once. They only sent one box and when I called Dallas to find out where the other two were they didn't know what I was talking about and said that I would just be better off taking them to a store.

And as for the amount of the credit, I spoke with Karen and even though the receipt states that $1501.00 is the TAP, they would not, and still will not honnor that amount; they will only give us $1048.00. She then told me that I had to go through the store and fight it out with them because the sales person who sold us the TAP said that it would cover the $1501.00 amount.

I sent a Purchace Order for 3 new (more expensive) laptops to the Brighton, MA location where they were to order the machines and charge us. I called a few times over the past week to see what the status of the order was and got answers ranging from no one has ordered it to, it will be here in 3-5 days. I waited 11 days & finally found out that it needed to be ordered by the Direct sales department.

Now because they waited so long the model we wanted is no longer available. And I had to call to find this out!! Noone could make the call. So I had to order something similer. I had to send in a credit application. I have been waiting for Financial Services to contact me with the terms of the purchase. The laptops are on back order and they don't know when they will be in. So, for the past 3 months we have been without our old laptops and they can't get us the now ones and I still have to fight over the money.

And to top it off after all of this they tell me that they will not extend the 3 yr. TAP's to the new machines when we paid for it. After five months of this I have sent a certified five page letter with return receipt to the C.E.O. Jim Halan.

I have spent more that enough time with them. No customer should be treated like this. I have been hung up on, told that I have a lot of nerve calling and asking for a fax number. I have been put on hold for 1.5 hrs. I can't believe that a company can stay in business when they treat customers this way.

Adam of Astoria, NY, writes:
I bought a Toshiba laptop in September 1998 from CompUSA. The salesman convinced me to buy an extended warranty. He used the phrase, "It's a laptop, you know", meaning that #@!$# happens. I presumed he knew what he was saying and bought it. Nothing came with it but a CD that I honestly never viewed.

In December, I dropped the computer from my bed and it never lit anymore. I took it to CompUSA to have it fixed. I explained the case and left the computer there.

After 3 or 4 weeks someone called me saying that the screen had to be replaced and it would cost me $980. What about the extended warranty? The techie said the warranty did not cover the screen since I had dropped the computer.

I should have lied. I was very sad and asked them not to change the screen.

When I picked up the computer they charged me $49 for labor. I asked what the warranty was for and the clerk/technician answered it was for parts and labor. I asked, "Isn't it labor???" He said, "No."

Desolated I went home and wanted to dump the laptop but did not. In May I decided to call Toshiba. I explained the case, the fall and everything. They recommended another place on 7th Ave.

The technician was extremely careful and fixed the light of the screen that had burned out because of the fall. However, when he received another light from Toshiba he realized that part of the screen was defective. It would not light up. He then recommended that I go to another place where they might have the part in stock, for he did not. I did.

My Toshiba is as good as new and the whole thing cost me nothing. I was covered by Toshiba. Would CompUSA use that warranty and pocket the $980??? What about the warranty I have paid for?

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