‘Best Buy could not offer a refund’: Best Buy customer places $2,000 order. It never arrives

A Best Buy customer is going viral on Reddit after alleging that a $2,000 package never made it to him.

In the r/BestBuy subreddit, u/Runningthruda6wmyhoe says an order he placed with the electronics retailer in early February still hadn’t reached its destination. He says he placed the order on Feb. 2. 

“As of [Feb. 5.], it was supposed to be on a FedEx truck for delivery. It was never delivered,” he wrote. “Best Buy says it’s ‘on the way’ and will be delivered today every day for the last 2 weeks. It seems like the item is lost.”

Since he never got his item, u/Runningthruda6wmyhoe said he wanted to get a refund. But he said Best Buy ultimately wasn’t helpful. He says the store told him to contact local law enforcement, suggesting that the package might’ve been stolen. 

The Redditor didn’t say what the item was. However, he added in his post that the value of the package was roughly $2,000. 

“I can’t just walk away from this,” he wrote. 

Can the Best Buy customer get a refund? 

Best Buy’s website says customers can receive reimbursement for items—but only if they’re returned to the store first. Instead of a refund, it noted, customers can also make exchanges for the same item.

In their Reddit post, u/Runningthruda6wmyho wrote that Best Buy’s online store policy “says Best Buy is responsible for the item until it’s marked as delivered.”

This might be true. It’s also the case that Best Buy is supposed to alert customers if their package takes longer than initially anticipated to arrive.

Its website says, “If for some reason an item you've ordered is taking longer than expected to arrive, we'll let you know by email and give you a new estimated arrival date. You can also Check Your Order Status any time to see the estimated arrival date and any available options.”

It’s likely the Redditor never received an email update. His post suggests that he didn’t speak with a Best Buy customer service representative or manager in person. Rather, he contacted someone via the store’s chat support. 

As a result, he might need to visit Best Buy in person to see if he can get his item there. Or, at the very least, get a refund for it.

What is Best Buy’s typical return policy?

Once you have your product, customers can initiate exchanges and returns. That's assuming they had their product for fewer than 15 days. You might get more time (such as 30 or 45 days) if you’re a Best Buy Elite and Elite Plus member. Or, if you’re not getting rid of a major appliance or tech gadget—such as a cell phone or tablet.

This policy does not apply to items marked as “Final Sale,” though. Best Buy’s website says that all Final Sale merchandise are non-returnable. Items such as personalized items, prepaid cards, and sexual wellness products are also non-returnable.

With a few exceptions, Best Buy will reimburse you for returned items in the same way you paid for them. Customers can initiate the return process online or in-store. It needs the credit card used to make the purchase, a packing slip or receipt, and a valid photo ID to start in order to do so.

Online order lost in transit being refused refund
byu/Runningthruda6wmyhoe inBestbuy

Viewers recommend escalation paths 

Several commenters recommended methods to get around the store’s existing policies to get the Redditor his well-deserved refund. 

One commenter suggested skipping the chit-chat with store employees altogether and going directly to the top—to Best Buy’s CEO. 

“I would write [an] email to the CEO to get in contact with the executive team and let them help you,” they advised. “I’ve had to do it in the past and had a great experience with them.”

Others suggested speaking with non-Best Buy workers, too. 

“You could report it to the police as a ‘scam’ or you need to contact the higher-ups… because technically they’re robbing you of your money,” another Redditor says. “If we’re speaking technically, they stole from you because you never received the item.”

The same commenter added that the affected customer could also seek legal advice. However, they noted this might take additional money, resources, and time.

In the comments, though, u/Runningthruda6wmyhoe says they’ve already filed a police report. This is because it is the second FedEx package that hasn’t made it to him. 

“I’d rather Best Buy just refund me for an obvious lost in transit package like every other online retailer,” he wrote. “I’d file a chargeback long before I tried to go to the legal system.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to u/Runningthruda6wmyhoe via Reddit direct message and to Best Buy through email.

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