I bought a new memory card for my digital camera at Radio Shack last summer while on vacation; I also purchased a "replacement plan" for the card for $5.99, that the clerk explained would allow me to get a replacement within a year or two if the new card malfunctioned. The card died, so I went to a Radio Shack near my home town to replace it.

I was told I had to call customer service to get an authorization number. Because the customer service representative did not think that the original sale had been scanned correctly, the best she could offer was for me to return the memory card, then wait to receive a gift card to use for a replacement. Well, since I didn't sell myself the card, I wasn't responsible for the original error! And I didn't want to send in the memory card, because it had pictures on it that I had used on my blog--they were published, and they were MY pictures. After I left the shop, vowing never to spend money at Radio Shack again, I had the sudden flash that by making it hard to get replacement memory cards, Radio Shack is probably making money twice--on the original sale, and on the second sale when people who can't wait for a replacement just give up and buy the replacement while they are there in the store. Not me. I went to Sears, found the card I needed, and my blog and I are back in business and I will NOT be shopping at Radio Shack again any time soon. I think they are misleading their customers with the "convenience" of this type of replacement plan. Isn't capitalism wonderful? :-(

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