Spook Central: The Ghostbusters Companion - Important Notices

Spook Central: The Ghostbusters Companion - Established August 1996 By Paul Rudoff

COMPUSA

5/23/2007 - CompUSA is a national chain of stores that sells computers, accessories, software, and other electronic goods. If there is a CompUSA store near you, AVOID THEM! Shop at MicroCenter for all of your computer needs (they have a better selection and better prices than CompUSA anyway). If there isn't a MicroCenter near you, and you don't want to shop online, seek out the nearest Best Buy, Circuit City, or whatever store in your area sells computers, accessories, software, and other electronic goods. Just stay away from CompUSA. They deserve to have ALL of their stores closed!

The Short Version

I have a scanner and a CompUSA TAP Peripheral Carry-In Replacement Plan for it. I needed to make use of that plan, but the only CompUSA store even remotely near me has gone out of business. So last month I called the TAP department at their toll-free number (1-877-520-8324) to find out what to do. I was told by Mary Ann that CompUSA would not send me out a box, presumably to do the replacement through the mail. Instead, I was told that the only way CompUSA would honor the plan is if I made a very time-consuming, expensive trip, at the risk of my personal safety, to not just another county, but to another island altogether.

Obviously this is out of the question, and quite frankly, it's appalling that CompUSA would not put the convenience and safety of their customers first. So I told Mary Ann that I have no other choice but to cancel the now-useless plan for a full refund. Knowing full well that I live in the state of New York, she gave me the address to which I needed to send a letter and a copy of my receipt to get a refund. So on April 7th I sent my letter and receipt.

A month later, on May 12th, I received a letter in the mail from Cheri Sanders, Refund Coordinator of the CompUSA TAP Accounting Department stating that my refund request was denied because "The service program is non-cancelable in the state that it was purchased." I could bring up the fact that Mary Ann, the TAP phone rep that I spoke to at the beginning of April, knew that I lived in New York and still told me to ask for a refund, thus making me spend money and time typing up a letter, making copies, and paying postage, but that's a moot point.

The real issue is that I paid $25 for a plan that CompUSA is refusing to honor via a safe and convenient method, or even provide a refund (full or not) for that plan. It's not my fault that they closed the only store near me, and that they refuse to honor the plain through the mail.

The Long Version

I have a CompUSA 2-Year Peripheral Carry-In Replacement Plan on a Xerox Documate 6400 scanner that I bought (receipt number: 0347 18 0080 142704) less than two years ago (on May 29, 2005) from the CompUSA store in Garden City, New York (store #347) located on Long Island. I have been having problems with this scanner since day one, but I tried to give the scanner a fair chance. Besides, I don't have a car, and the Garden City store isn't exactly around the corner from my house (it's quite a trip). I was going to bring the scanner in to the Garden City store to have it replaced with a scanner that functions better (and doesn't crash or reset itself so often - as the Xerox one does).

Imagine my surprise when a friend called me up to tell me that he found out that ALL CompUSA stores on Long Island are closing very soon. It would have been nice if CompUSA had told all replacement plan holders of this, letting them know a few months in advance about the store closings and to give them a deadline that products can be brought back to those stores. If he didn't tell me, I never would have known and would have went to the store, only to find them closed.

Since I can't bring the scanner to the store for a replacement, I called up CompUSA's Technology Assurance Program (1-877-520-8324) to find out what I could do. On April 4th at 12:57 PM EST (after waiting on hold for almost 20 minutes) I spoke to a representative named Mary Ann. After telling her of the situation, she said that I'd have to take the scanner to the Manhattan store (presumably Store #707 located at 1775 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 - according to the CompUSA website) as she can't send me a box (presumably to mail the scanner back in) as I live less than 50 miles away from the nearest store that is staying in business (according to her I live 24 miles away from the Manhattan store).

Ok, let's think about this for a minute. CompUSA closes ALL of its stores on Long Island, and wants a customer to travel to ANOTHER island (Manhattan) - and a VERY congested one at that - just to get a replacement for a $150 scanner. Obviously CompUSA doesn't value its customers or it would realize how inconvenient and expensive that is. Let's say for a minute that I had a car. Do you realize the cost in gas, tolls, and parking to travel to Manhattan from Nassau County? Not to mention the massive amount of time it would take to get to and from the store in the congested New York City streets and bridges. MapQuest.com estimates a 44 minute trip ONE-WAY, and that's on a good day.

Of course, I don't have a car, so I'd have to resort to public transportation. That doesn't make it any cheaper or less time-consuming. For example, the cost of a Peak ticket (bought on board the train) on the Long Island Railroad to go from Nassau County to Penn Station is $14 one-way. That's $28 round trip - more than the cost of the replacement plan! And that only gets me as far as Penn Station. I'd have to pay for additional transportation (cab, train, or bus) to get from Penn Station to the store, or walk the 24 blocks to the store (according to MapQuest's maps). All of this WHILE carrying around a $150 heavy, bulky scanner! Yeah, I could easily see myself getting mugged, if not killed, while in the city. It's nice to know that CompUSA cares about the safety of its customers.

It was hard enough getting to Garden City store without a car. It's impossible to get to the Manhattan store without it costing me more than the replacement plan, and maybe even more than the scanner is even worth.

So, upon hearing of this from Mary Ann, I told her, "In that case, I'd like the $25 back that I wasted on this replacement plan." She said that that is not her department and that I'd have to FAX or mail a copy of my receipt, along with my name, address, and the other information contained in this letter to the Cancellation department (Administrator, 14951 N. Dallas Parkway, Dallas, TX 75240, Attn: TAP Accounting Group), and that they'd give me a pro-rated refund for the remaining time left on the plan (less than two months).

Of course, a pro-rated refund will not cut it. I want a full refund in the amount of $24.99 since it is CompUSA's fault that I have to cancel this plan in the first place. Of course, CompUSA had no plans to give me ANY refund, even for $1.00! A month later, on May 12th, I received a letter in the mail from Cheri Sanders, Refund Coordinator of the CompUSA TAP Accounting Department stating that my refund request was denied because "The service program is non-cancelable in the state that it was purchased."

I could bring up the fact that Mary Ann, the TAP phone rep that I spoke to at the beginning of April, knew that I lived in New York and still told me to ask for a refund, thus making me spend money and time typing up a letter, making copies, and paying postage, but that's a moot point. The real issue is that I paid $25 for a plan that CompUSA is refusing to honor via a safe and convenient method, or even provide a refund (full or not) for that plan. It's not my fault that they closed the only store even remotely near me, or that they refuse to honor the plan through the mail. Heck, the Garden City store wasn't exactly nearby, but at least it was on the SAME ISLAND, much less in the same county as I live.

All of this wouldn't have even happened if they didn't have this bullshit "less than 50 miles away from the nearest store" rule. As for me, I bought a new scanner from one of their competitors (see the list at the top of this webpage).

By the way, This page will remain online until such time that they give me my $24.99 back. Since that will never happen, this page will never be taken down.