A reader who would like to be called CrazyNJConsumer writes in with another one of those “mismatched serial number” PS3 stories. The scenario usually goes like this: You buy a PS3. It’s broken. You return it. The store checks the serial number and finds that it doesn’t match. They accuse you of swapping your old broken PS3 for a new one and refuse to take the return. You are very sad.
My husband received a brand new PS3 for his birthday from my (very generous) sister on April 2nd. The next night (April 3), my excitedly retired our PS2 to the closet and set up his new toy – the packaging was PERFECT, the machine was not. We weren’t surprised we had received a used machine but WERE surprised that it did not work – games wouldn’t register, Blu-Rays wouldn’t play. His new PS3 was just an expensive piece of garbage.
I called my sister who had both her receipt and the debit card she used to purchase it and we agreed to meet the next day (April 4) at our local Target which is NOT the Target she purchased it at but is closer to my house, so screw her. I politely informed the CSR that the PS3 was not only used but broken and we wanted an even exchange for the new machine. After opening the box and examining it with a member of the Electronics team, she noted that not only was the console used but the serial number did not match the serial number on the box – essentially, someone had beaten the system and we were the patsies with the POS machine.
She was as helpful as she could be but still had to call the GSLT (I think that is the acronym) to the front of the store to process the return. When Y. (male, evil) came to “help” us, he immediately told me the PS3 was not returnable. My non-confrontational sister prepared to eat the $400 but I persisted. Y. informed us that because the serial number on the console did not match the serial number on the box, there was nothing he could do to help us. I politely informed Y. that, come hell or high water, we were getting a refund. It was just a matter of how long it took. Y. politely responded, “I imagine you already got what you wanted. There is nothing else I can do for you.”
I asked him to scan the box and take a peek into the PS3′s history – had it been returned before? When had it been received in the store? All I wanted was the benefit of the doubt that we might have both been taken advantage of. He refused. He specifically stated that it was not returnable, it was our problem, and started walking away. When I asked if he was the story manager, he replied, “I’m in charge right now.” (Which means no). He rolled his eyes when I asked if he would please call the Fairfield location and see if they would be able to help us. After wasting 5 minutes arguing with one of the most stubborn women on the East Coast, he agreed. He walked about 3 feet away (for privacy?) and picked up the big red phone to call the other location – obviously I was eavesdropping. He gave the GSLT(?) of Fairfield, Ryan, the rundown of what was happening and the impossible happened. Ryan actually wanted to see the situation resolved fairly. Ryan traced the PS3 and was able to see that it had been returned a few days before my sister purchased it. He was also able to see that the serial number on the console was NOT checked against the serial number on the box (scary what a computer can tell you) and told Y. that it was a legitimate return.
I have never seen a “manager” so angry after solving a problem. Y. told us that it was Ryan’s decision if Fairfield would accept the return but it was HIS decision if Clifton would accept the return. And he had already made up his mind – no. After a 45 minute drive to Fairfield (which is about 5 minutes away – don’t you love Route 3 on a Friday?), we were finally able to meet the charming Ryan who processed our return in – seriously – less then 3 minutes. It was unbelievable.
I consider myself to be a fairly informed consumer. I keep my receipts, I watch my statements, and I play by the rules – but it never would have occurred to me to open a box, remove the packaging (seriously, this PS3 was perfectly wrapped. I want the thief to come to my house and clean because he/she is METICULOUS) and compare serial numbers. It also never occurred to me that Target would accuse me (in a roundabout way) of dishonesty and fraud. All in all, it only took about 1.5 hours of my life to solve the problem but the experience has left me with a terrible taste in my mouth (or is that lunch?)
Thanks for your story, CrazyNJConsumer. We’re really glad to see that you were able to work it out with Target (thank goodness for nice managers like Ryan!). Often when we get letters like yours they end with “now I’m stuck with a $400 paperweight,” and we have to start using the “c” word. (Chargeback. Don’t be gross.)
For the rest of you out there, please check the serial number of all the electronics you buy before you leave the store. You will save yourself a lot of headaches.
(Photo:Imasuperhero)
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I manage a small video game store, so I deal with PS3/X360/Wii sales on a daily basis.
The problem is going to a store to purchase a major piece of electronics which is staffed by under trained and underpaid high school kids is this sort of thing WILL happen, and the managers are under a lot of pressure to keep their return numbers low.
Try buying from a specialty retailer next time.
This would never have occurred in my store as we don’t resell decks that have been opened at all and have staff intelligent enough to tell if the seal has been broken, and if in doubt process it as damaged back to the manufacturer.
This is why I have never once had a situation like this.
I think the person… and in fact all consumerists should POST THE ENTIRE NAME of the bad service personell they encounter. Nothing says “take that!” like knowing some idiot is gonna get called into the office because his manager just got reamed by corporate.
@idip:
Thank you, I have seen this done as well, so I don’t understand the problem…
Dreamcasts were the same…
This is the OP – I’m currently working on a letter I plan on sending to Target praising Ryan and mentioning the… less then positive experience I had with Y – who I referred to by his full name in my e-mail. I totally understand that Consumerist doesn’t necessarily want to be responsible for any backlash of posting his name on the site, considering I gave his job title and the location he works at.
I learned a valuable lesson from the whole experience – I’d rather look crazy by check check double checking my merchandise then look dishonest when attempting to remedy a problem.
And CCdude – you’re right. Snarky comments in my email were unnecessary and… well… snarky. But I was all sweetness and light to Y – you catch more flies with honey, and all that good stuff.
I purchased my PS3 at the end of January. I’ve been reading consumerist religiously since January of last year and when I read a similar story prior to buying my PS3 from target, I made sure the serial numbers matched on my receipt and the box before I left the store. Yes I did get some funny looks at the electronics counter, but knowledge is power.
Why on earth wouldn’t you give your name or the full name of the manager?
Idiots deserve public ridicule, not anonymity.
If you would get that GSTL’s name, wait the next day and talk to A. an Executive Team Leader or B. the STORE team leader and give him a rundown of what happened you could possibly get that kid fired, or at least get some sort of compensation.
I worked at Target for 2 and a half years. If I found out one of my Team Leaders did that, he would have been gone. He had no right to refuse that return to you no matter what he may have said.
Oh and he lied to you. NEVER would a GSTL be on duty without at least an Executive in the store. They aren’t the managers they just run the front end. You could have told him he was lying to you and if he didn’t get the leader on duty(always an executive) you would call corporate.
@idip: The PS3′s do NOT have a window on the box. We had to return ours because of a blu ray glitch, and the check out girl had to take it completely out of the box to scan the console. She even commented to us how much easier it was to take back the stack of xbox360′s behind her because she could leave them in the box.
This just happend to me. I bought mine at Costco and tried to take it back. The manager just said that he can’t do it and said it was me trying to return an old PS3. I can’t beleive this would happen to me on my birthday! I can’t believe a holes that cheat the system get away with it, while people like us have to pay for it. I WILL NOT stand for it!
As a security officer at Target, I do feel sympathy for your situation, but you have to understand it from our perspective. The PS3 comes in multiple memory configurations, from 40gb to 120gb. Unscrupulous customers were buying 120gb PS3′s and taking the memory core out of them, and replacing them with the nearly worthless 40gb cores. (Imagine taking the engine out of a ferarri and selling it…and replacing putting a ford engine in it’s place and trying to return the car)While it sucks that you had difficulty returning the product you bought, Target can not return PS3′s to Sony if the serials don’t match, causing huge losses to Target. Technically, the GSTL Ryan who granted you the return bent the rules and should be written up for causing Target a loss, as should the idiot who processed the original return without checking the serials first.