What a racket!!!

[flutterbee]

easy child used his Christmas money and gift cards to buy Rock Band for PS3 tonight. It's not cheap. It's $180. It comes with a guitar, drums and a microphone (and yes I do giggle everytime there are 4 16 and 17 year old boys in there playing like they're in a band. My favorite is when they have the window open and one of them is singing.)

Anyway, he just got it tonight. Hooked it up and the guitar doesn't work. The guitar from Guitar Hero III works with the system, but it wouldn't work either because the problem is the adapter part, not the guitar. So, easy child gets online. To get a replacement adapter, the whole guitar has to be replaced and you have to have a credit or debit card. I don't use credit cards, just a debit card. They send a new guitar and a box with a prepaid shipping label on it. They also put a $125 hold on the card until they get the original guitar back!!! If they don't get it within 28 days, they collect the $125.

Oh, they'll get the guitar back right away and you better believe I'll be tracking it to see when they get it. But what a racket. $180 for the game, it's defective and then hold more of your money in the interim.

I'm writing a letter. Not that it will do any good, but it will make me feel better.

 

[JJJ]

Any chance he could just exchange the whole thing at the store he bought it at???

 

[mum2JK&TH]

Can you not exchange it from the store because it's defective? husband is inpatiently waiting for it's release here in Canada (next two weeks I think). However I have to admit, we are all enjoying Guitar Hero, lol!
I hope you can get it fixed! Sounds like a fun game :smile:

 

[flutterbee]

Like with any video game, once it's been opened it can't be returned. They don't want people pirating copies, although it seems silly with a game like this that comes with exclusive controllers.

 

[klmno]

Well, that just *&#*&(*. difficult child has a PS2 and I've been trying to get Rock Band Bundle for it- for his birthday since it wasn't released in time for Christmas. I had heard the instruments break easily but not working when they are first bought is a different story. Then- they expect you to put a deposit down for a replacement and the deposit is twice as much as the original?? They've gotten carried away with this. You're probably not the only one sending letters- I hope they're bombarded with them!

 

[flutterbee]

Well, Rock Band was put out by EA Games. That explains a lot. :future:

I swear, EA Games took a few pages out of Microsoft's playbook. I'm going to do some digging and see if Microsoft owns them. That would make a lot of sense.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

At first I thought you meant racket like a huge noise... apropos in a sense, talking about teens, drums, and guitars.

I agree that it's outrageous. You shell out big bucks for a defective product, and they treat you like you're trying to rip them off? Unh-unh. :nonono:

Sometimes, especially with electronics, the store can't or won't do an exchange. I had a defective monitor which the store had in stock and could have replaced but they said they had to ship it back to the manufacturer. Took four weeks, after they said "one to three weeks".

I didn't write about that, but I have written on a few other occasions when I was sufficiently angry. Sometimes I've gotten very good results. Home Depot sent an apology hand-signed by the store's manager, a $50 check, and promised to use my letter in future customer service training sessions. Nextel wrote off and agreed to remove from my credit report a bogus $400 charge (not after I wrote to them, which accomplished nothing, but after I wrote to the Illinois Attorney General's consumer fraud division). On the other hand, American Airlines sent me boiler plate "we're not to blame" letters twice, each time completely ignoring the detailed evidence in my letter that proved that they were in fact to blame (do not fly AA if you can possibly avoid it).

(Lest I sound like a crank, I will mention that I have also written letters of commendation when they were earned for exceptionally good service. I've usually received replies that they appreciate it when customers write to tell them what they did right.)

 

[flutterbee]

I write letters of appreciation, too, and always cc the BBB or other appropriate agency when I do. Happy customers tell 3 people; unhappy customers tell 10. I figure if I'm really happy I should do my part.

Actually, video games can be exchanged if they are defective (I was really annoyed earlier and didn't get my thought process out). However, this game comes with a warranty and you have to go through the company's warranty dept. Some warranty, huh?

I had to laugh when I got to the tech support section. It read something along the lines of: if you have a problem with any of our highly tested and durable products.... Ha ha. easy child's friend also has this game (less than 3 months) and the guitar no longer work. That's how we know the guitar from Guitar Hero works with it. :wink:

 

[flutterbee]

Oh, and the airlines...that's a racket for you. They get so many handouts from the government they might as well be another branch.

In what other industry could you double-book and then tell people, "Sorry, we sold someone else the same seats and they got here first. You bought your tickets 6 months ago? Well, if you'd just gotten here 15 minutes sooner.... Oh, you're connecting flight - one of our planes - was late? So sorry. We'll try to get you on another flight...if it's not booked. Why don't you just camp out here in the airport for say 36 hours and we'll see what we can do?"

Don't get me started. Oops. Too late. :grrr:

 

[witzend]

I would write a letter to the Better Business Bureau. They tend to keep things moving right along in favor of the consumer.

 

[flutterbee]

Well, I would except they haven't done anything outside of their normal practice, yet, so the BBB won't do anything. They do tell you it's a hold, they do warn you that if it's a debit card the funds are actually held and you could incur overdraft charges if you don't account for it. It's just a lousy business practice, but probably considered perfectly ethical.

If they snatch that $125 I will be writing to the BBB as well as the Attorney General's office of whatever state I find them to be in (I think it's California). Cause I will be tracking the return of the guitar and will know what day they receive it.

Otherwise, this is just one of those things that won't change until enough people stand up and say they won't go for it and take their business elsewhere.

 

[mrscatinthehat]

I think I might spaz out about $125 being on hold. I think we would have to find another way around that. I mean really how many folks can just say ok you take your time with my money when you screwed up.

Beth

 

[flutterbee]

There is another way. They send you a box, you package up the original guitar and send it back. They receive it and send a new one. Takes about a month or so.

But, he just bought this game and can't play it at all. If it was just the guitar, he could use his guitar from Guitar Hero and we would have gone that route. But it's the adapter that's attached to the guitar. Hopefully. Watch it be something else. :faint:

Regardless, I think it's a lousy way to handle the warranty. I would be more than willing to fax them the receipt so they could see we JUST purchased the game and that the guitar wasn't broken from misuse or whatever.

 

[klmno]

How's this going? I got one for difficult child's b-day (2 1/2 weeks from now so don't tell him!) and am wondering if you're getting any real help from them or have I wasted my money-

Thanks!

 

[totoro]

Crud!!! I am sorry!!!
But husband got a big smile on his face when I told him your son got one!!! He wants one so bad!!!
He thinks we would have fun playing it??? He played one at Best Buy... Help me!!!
He said he has never felt like such a loser!!!
He said all these kids were around him Jamming and he just S-u-C-k-ED!!!
HEEE HEEEE!!! I had to laugh!
I have to see this thing in action... I want the Brain Game...
Well maybe it won't take as long as they say??? It could arrive in shorter time... maybe?

 

[Hound dog]

Heather

I know it stinks. But it's because so many people would make the claim and the company wouldn't receive the defective guitar. (because it wasn't they're just wanting another one.)

Usually EA Games is pretty good about this sort of thing.

Only major thing they irritate me with is that for their computer games....well, God forbid they put the game code inside the box/case the game came in. No! They have it on the back of the manual. You wouldn't believe how easy those manuals are to lose! And then if you have to reload the game onto your computer for some reason, and you've lost the book...... Well, you get the idea.

Thankfully Travis knows how to get the codes off of my computer before we uninstall. Cuz Nichole is good about losing those darn manuals. :rolleyes:

 

[Kjs]

I totally agree. what a rackett. difficult child just got XBOX360. Thanks to all here who helped me understand that I had to get a router, drill holes in my floor, wire it up to his room so he could play it when he got it. Wireless is not as dependable and have a list of wireless routers that are compatable. Then come the second controller, batteries or charger. Geez they get you one way or another.

My kids have Guitar hero III. difficult child wanted rock band. Thankfully a neighbor boy bought it and difficult child doesn't like it. Says the other is much better.

I would write a letter. After all the money..The kids take out their frustrations on the PARENTS.

good luck. Let us know if you hear from them. Maybe they will send you a free game...lol...wishful thinking.