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Hi Teamliquid, after years of being on the internet and on Teamliquid I have finally succumbed to write my first blog.
I feel used. I feel violated. I lost.
About 8 months or so I bought some headphones in Radioshack. I knew they weren't very good quality but I just needed them for the time being. The headphones cost $50 + taxes. And since I knew they might break down, I decided to get the replacement plan, a 2 year replacement plan. Little did I know that I had already lost the game.
Fast forward to November and my headphones stop working.First what started happening was you would lose sound from one of the sides. If you moved you head just barely, boom no sound from a side. You had to jiggle them a bit for them to start working normally again. Annoying, yes, but I could live through it. And then the usb connector started to fail. If the cord moved just a tiny bit the connection would be lost and I would have to reconnect them to the usb slot. I don't know about you but I move my head when I listen to music or play SC or whatever. My headphones were broken. But I had a replacement plan. And I intended to make use of it.
I do my homework and figure out what I need to do to replace my headphones. After getting my auth. number from their website I had to send the headphones down to Texas so they could diagnose if they were indeed broken or If I had broken them. Everything clears and they tell me they will be replacing my headphones. Woot, I am a happy boy.
Radioshack tells me I will receive a gift card in 7 to 10 days. It's Christmas time so really I pay no attention to this since I wasn't using my PC much at the time. 20 + days pass and still no gift card. So I call them up and they said the gift card was already delivered. Sigh, can't anything be simple? After talking for a while they cancel the gift card and decide to send me a e-giftcard which would take about 24 hours to get to me... 24 hours for an email? whatever.
This is the day! I have my e-giftcard in the mail! I have just printed my e-giftcard! I am walking to Radioshack with a jump in my step. The world is a fine place, a beautiful place. Chicago's winter coldness doesn't seem to bother me.
I arrive at Radioshack. Where are my headphones? Oh there they are... what? My headphones now cost $15 dollars more. Surely there is a mistake. I take my headphones to the cashier and show her my gift card. She tells me I have to pay 15 dollars more. I show her my old receipt with the replacement plan. She says It only replaces the 50 dollars and not the actual headphones. I get into an argument with her about how it's not a replacement plan if it doesn't replace the item. I speak with the manager and tell him how this is a scam and how they take advantage of people with their phony "replacement plans"
tl;dr
Bought some headphones for $50 some months ago with a replacement plan. Headphones stopped working. Headphones cost $65 today. Can't replace them using the replacement plan I bought. Rage.
Poll: What do you think about the replacement plan?You got screwed (86) 83% Working as intended (18) 17% 104 total votes Your vote: What do you think about the replacement plan? (Vote): You got screwed
(Vote): Working as intended
 
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Well, I suppose it is working as it's intended.
I guess asking about what the replacement plan entails is a good idea before buying it.
But generally, one would think that "replacement plan" means exact replacement of the item, right?
Very odd.
Buy better headphones with the money. /shrug
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How the heck did the headphones go up in price?
Otherwise, refunds are always issued at the purchase price. If the price is now higher then you need to pay the difference.
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On January 11 2011 09:27 darmousseh wrote:
How the heck did the headphones go up in price?
Otherwise, refunds are always issued at the purchase price. If the price is now higher then you need to pay the difference.
When new things come out on the market, they'll often lower the price so more people will buy them, and if they're good quality/awesome, that means good reviews.
Good reviews mean more people will buy them, and they'll up the price because of that. ;3
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Instead of wasting time and money on cheap shit, get these steelseries. They are on sale at newegg.comSteelseries Siberia
But they are not noise canceling (which is the way I prefer). But Id stick with steelseries in general, great products. Or go to Best Buy and get some Skullcandy's. They are decent alternatives.
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Are you allowed to spend the 50 dollars on something besides the headphones you originally bought?
Also, I always thought that these replacement plans actually replaced the broken merchandise... o_o;
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On January 11 2011 09:31 DyEnasTy wrote:
But they are not noise canceling (which is the way I prefer). But Id stick with steelseries in general, great products. Or go to Best Buy and get some Skullcandy's. They are decent alternatives.
Skullcandy are low quality compared to other headphones you can get at the same price.
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Did you try to send corporation an email? Maybe they would email you another 15 dollar gift card because that replacement plan seem to be sketchy.
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On January 11 2011 09:31 DyEnasTy wrote:Instead of wasting time and money on cheap shit, get these steelseries. They are on sale at newegg.com Steelseries SiberiaBut they are not noise canceling (which is the way I prefer). But Id stick with steelseries in general, great products. Or go to Best Buy and get some Skullcandy's. They are decent alternatives.
Ahh those look really nice, are there any with a mic? My broken headphones had a mic t.t
On January 11 2011 09:31 synapse wrote:
Are you allowed to spend the 50 dollars on something besides the headphones you originally bought?
Also, I always thought that these replacement plans actually replaced the broken merchandise... o_o;
Yeah I can spend $50 on whatever I want in radioshack
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I believe the Steelseries Siberia headphones come with a clip-on mic.
EDIT: Wow seriously, go get those Siberia headphones. They are really fucking good, and a 65% price drop is insane on a Steelseries product... o_o (the product specs on newegg say it comes with a mic, so...)
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Actually I think you just ended up in the one situation where you don't benefit from the way it is. Most of the time with these plans it ends up breaking after the next generation has already come out and at the same price so you actually end up getting something newer for free basically. Or, at the very least, you get the same thing for the same price or a little lower. Very rarely does it ever end up that the exact same thing would end up costing more around a year later unless it was some ridiculous niche pair of headphones or something. You didn't get screwed at all bud
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There are two different versions (I think). But mine came with a clip on mic, I think the other one has a mic on the headset. These headphones are sooo comfortable and my wife even thinks they are sexy. Which they are.
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On January 11 2011 09:33 Raeleigh wrote:Show nested quote +On January 11 2011 09:31 DyEnasTy wrote:
But they are not noise canceling (which is the way I prefer). But Id stick with steelseries in general, great products. Or go to Best Buy and get some Skullcandy's. They are decent alternatives. Skullcandy are low quality compared to other headphones you can get at the same price.
Mine were 15 bucks?
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Sorry man... but thats how those plans work. I feel your pain considering I worked in an electronics store for 2 years... everyone complains about being screwed and how its not what they paid for. The real problem is how the sales people and the actual name of the plan sound and make it seem. The plans do only cover for the original costs *now* because it used to be a straight replacement and in some cases it still is but normally it just covers the original cost.  sucks to be on your end of it and it sucks to be on the recieving end of a P.Oed customer but thats the problems with some of these plans and working in electronics
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I worked at Radioshack for 2 years and got promoted to manager very quickly because most people who work there are idiots and failures at life. The manager not giving you a 15 dollar customer satisfaction discount is bullshit. I'd go over his head, there's no way the district manager would be stupid enough to not let you replace your same set of headphones. Besides, shit should be getting cheaper over time, not more expensive, that's ridiculous.
Bottom line, go over that dumbass's head. The district manager will definitely replace it for you and get pissed at the store manager for eating dicks too, win win.
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On January 11 2011 10:20 Hautamaki wrote:
I worked at Radioshack for 2 years and got promoted to manager very quickly because most people who work there are idiots and failures at life. The manager not giving you a 15 dollar customer satisfaction discount is bullshit. I'd go over his head, there's no way the district manager would be stupid enough to not let you replace your same set of headphones. Besides, shit should be getting cheaper over time, not more expensive, that's ridiculous.
Bottom line, go over that dumbass's head. The district manager will definitely replace it for you and get pissed at the store manager for eating dicks too, win win.
On January 11 2011 09:28 Raeleigh wrote:
When new things come out on the market, they'll often lower the price so more people will buy them, and if they're good quality/awesome, that means good reviews.
Good reviews mean more people will buy them, and they'll up the price because of that. ;3
Things DO get more expensive over time, though. D:
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btw in my store, people who bought extended warranties and the radioshack credit card were treated like gold. I know that shit is pretty much all a corporate scam so I'm gonna be damn sure to reward people who trust us enough to go for it every way I can. Someone buys an extended warranty on anything in my store and it gets instantly replaced out of store stock no questions asked. NEVER make a customer jump through hoops when they have already paid extra money to you specifically to avoid jumping through hoops. God epic fail by that manager =[
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On January 11 2011 10:21 Raeleigh wrote:Show nested quote +On January 11 2011 10:20 Hautamaki wrote:
I worked at Radioshack for 2 years and got promoted to manager very quickly because most people who work there are idiots and failures at life. The manager not giving you a 15 dollar customer satisfaction discount is bullshit. I'd go over his head, there's no way the district manager would be stupid enough to not let you replace your same set of headphones. Besides, shit should be getting cheaper over time, not more expensive, that's ridiculous.
Bottom line, go over that dumbass's head. The district manager will definitely replace it for you and get pissed at the store manager for eating dicks too, win win. Show nested quote +On January 11 2011 09:28 Raeleigh wrote:
When new things come out on the market, they'll often lower the price so more people will buy them, and if they're good quality/awesome, that means good reviews.
Good reviews mean more people will buy them, and they'll up the price because of that. ;3 Things DO get more expensive over time, though. D:
New products sure, but the old products should be gradually dropping in price. The whole time I worked at Radioshack I don't think a single old product ever increased in price. New products coming into the store would be more expensive than the old product they were replacing, sure, but that's it.
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Also, don't blame the employees. For the most part, employees really do want to help you and make you happy. There's nothing I hated more when I was an employee working for a shitbag manager who automatically hated and distrusted every customer walking into the store was being told not to make the customer happy over some little BS like this =[
In the end I went over his head and got transferred to another store because the district manager liked me and liked the fact that I actually wanted to help people not just screw them and get their money. Like I said, most District Managers in my experience at Radioshack were good and reasonably intelligent people. Store managers could be super hit and miss though.
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FINE PRINT BRO
https://w2.assurant.com/ADRadioShackPRP/docs/E51_SERV_FW23990805_v5-1007_CCF02501.pdf
7. REPLACEMENT OF PRODUCT
7.1 We will provide you with one of the following, as determined by Us in Our sole discretion: a RadioShack Gift Card; product of like kind and quality replacement; or a cash settlement. The amount of the cash settlement or Gift Card shall not exceed the original purchase price of the Product plus sales tax paid. If You are issued a Gift Card and You choose to purchase a product with Your Gift Card that is less than the amount originally issued on the card, you will not receive cash for the remaining balance. The remaining balance will stay on your Gift Card for any future purchases to be made through a RadioShack store. If You choose to purchase a product that is over the amount that is issued on Your Gift Card, You are responsible for the difference. If You refuse the Gift Card, We will pay to You, the CUSTOMER, a cash settlement. If You refuse both the Gift Card and cash settlement You have the option of receiving a new or refurbished product of like kind and quality if reasonably available.
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On January 11 2011 10:25 Hautamaki wrote:Show nested quote +On January 11 2011 10:21 Raeleigh wrote:On January 11 2011 10:20 Hautamaki wrote:
I worked at Radioshack for 2 years and got promoted to manager very quickly because most people who work there are idiots and failures at life. The manager not giving you a 15 dollar customer satisfaction discount is bullshit. I'd go over his head, there's no way the district manager would be stupid enough to not let you replace your same set of headphones. Besides, shit should be getting cheaper over time, not more expensive, that's ridiculous.
Bottom line, go over that dumbass's head. The district manager will definitely replace it for you and get pissed at the store manager for eating dicks too, win win. On January 11 2011 09:28 Raeleigh wrote:
When new things come out on the market, they'll often lower the price so more people will buy them, and if they're good quality/awesome, that means good reviews.
Good reviews mean more people will buy them, and they'll up the price because of that. ;3 Things DO get more expensive over time, though. D: New products sure, but the old products should be gradually dropping in price. The whole time I worked at Radioshack I don't think a single old product ever increased in price. New products coming into the store would be more expensive than the old product they were replacing, sure, but that's it.
Unless they were doing what I said. They can sell new items for cheap, and once they're older, they pump up the price because the reviews are good, so they're able to sell it for more because people want it.
I've seen it a lot online and in the store I work in. ;o
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Wow, you know what man, I'm 100% behind you. That's some fucking bullshit. Thanks for putting the TL:DR version as well  .
Although at the same time, if the price had gone down then you would be the winner?
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Radioshack is overpriced in the first place. Never buy anything from there unless you absolutely have no choice. And it's small so their selection sucks anyways.
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Radio Shack is a great place to buy stuff BUT when something goes wrong you are in for the ride of your life.
I purchased a $10 headphones. All I needed it for was to listen to the TV at the gym. No music so this was a perfect purchase.
So they crap outabout 4 months later. I didn't even use them much.
The store didn't do crap. I tried to get hold of the distrct manager Thomas Mayer from Sound Beach Long Island New York. Guess what? He never did crap. They took my money and the extened replacement plan means crap. They stole my money and I can honestly say that Radio Shack is a SCAM.
I feel bad for those who got scammed for a lot of money. The way that they are going I will say that if they shut down and go out of usiness that wouldn't surprise me.
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EPT
