Best Buy Panasonic Complaint - Panasonic plasma tv gone bad after 10 weeks!!! - Panasonic TCP42S2 - 42" 1080p plasma HDTV VIERA

Posted by Tonkey on 2010-10-09:

Did you purchase the service plan through Best Buy? If you didn't, you need to go directly through Panasonic. People always balk at paying for the service plan, but when it the time comes for it to be used they want to blame Best Buy. Best Buy has a 30 day return policy, and if you fall out of this time period you need to take up your complaint with Panasonic. If Best Buy did a return on that television outside of the return policy, it is now responsible for the repairs on that TV, and that is not a cost it should have to bare.

Posted by Prince-Caesar on 2010-10-09:

Wow, thats rediculous. 10 weeks, and now you have to deal with this? What ever happened to customer service and reliability? I would be mad as hell if I had to wait weeks for my TV to be fixxed! Sounds like a piece of junk!

Posted by trmn8r on 2010-10-09:

You are in the warranty period, so you are entitled to a warranty repair. Usually that does not include a replacement or a loaner. Repairs on these flat screen tvs seem to often take weeks to a month or more. Maybe they have to get the parts from overseas. I have resisted replacing my behemoth Sony CRT tv because the flat screens don't seem reliable enough yet. Maybe this year - the prices are way down. But I wouldn't want to go through your experience.

Posted by Prince-Caesar on 2010-10-09:

Its rediculous. 10 weeks and your TV is already broken. I have a 25 year old TV in my spare bedroom that works perfect, never had a problem. Sign of the times of the JUNK being produced today!

Posted by bcd on 2010-10-09:

“A long time dissatisfied Best Buy/PanaSonic customer!”

Why would a longtime dissatisfied Best Buy/Panasonic customer purchase a Panasonic product from Best Buy?

Posted by Mike in FL on 2010-10-09:

On the date of purchase, you had ample opportunity to buy one of the Black Tie Protection plans, which cover the sets for between 2 and 4 years depending on which policy that you buy. Best Buy's return policy is 30 days for standard customers and 45 days for Silver level Reward Zone customers. 10 weeks is well outside the 30 day return policy. At that point, Best Buy is under no obligation to you in any way, although Panasonic is through the terms and conditions of their warranty.

Likewise, Panasonic on the whole is a good company with an overall good record for product quality. That said, occasionally a bad product slips past quality control and gets into retail distribution. That's why the warranty exists.

Best Buy can not be held accountable for Panasonic sending them a bad unit. They have no way of knowing if a given TV is defective or not until the unit is out of the package and up & running. In your case, it wasn't until you were outside the return policy that the device failed.

I'm sorry to tell you, but those are the breaks and it's not Best Buy's fault.

Posted by Venice09 on 2010-10-09:

Prince, you know I agree, but I'm afraid we're fighting a losing battle. That's why I'm holding on to everything I already have instead of replacing it with new junk. At some point, we're going to be stuck with junk, too.

Posted by Raederian on 2010-10-10:

I regret that my grammar was incorrect! I have shopped at Best Buy for a long time and have spent thousands of dollars there. I meant to say that I am NOW a dissatisfied Best Buy customer. I had almost decided to purchase my TV from Costco but decided in favor of Best Buy. Had I purchased the Panasonic Plasma from Costco they would have refunded me my money on the spot after only 10 weeks, no questions asked. I made a mistake in buying at Best Buy and in buying a Panasonic. Costco has excellent customer service. I have purchased Apple products that were defective and they replaced them on the spot (Apple Store)with a new unit. They also have excellent customer service!

Posted by Prince-Caesar on 2010-10-10:

Maybe apple needs to start making televisions! I would like to find an electronic company that STANDS BY their products and doesnt make you have to jump through hoops to either get a refund, replacement, or not making you wait 2 months to get your BRAND NEW television fixed.

Posted by Prince-Caesar on 2010-10-10:

You know, I find it interesting when people will defend these companies. I would love you all to take a second and put yourself in the OP's shoes. He/she spent their hard earned money on an expensive piece of electronics that should, at the VERY LEAST have a basic 1 year warranty. 10 weeks and POOF. Its dead. Now you're televisionless until panasonic decides to fix their television, unless you pull out your old TV set to hook up. I would be pretty POed if I was this OP

Posted by Venice09 on 2010-10-10:

Agreed, Prince.

Posted by Tonkey on 2010-10-11:

I understand being mad, but Best Buy didn't make your television. Panasonic did. Complaint should be with them.

Posted by HonestForSure on 2010-11-20:

First, let's clear this up: whether or not a black tie protection plan was purchased is irrelevant. The mfr is responsible for the warranty period no matter who you buy it through. No store/retailer is going to take liability for the product under someone else's warranty. That said, my Panasonic is 1.5 years - old - no issues - I purchased it for the same reason - highly rated. If you look at Consumer Reports repair rates in the first few years of ownership, you'll see a 3-5% rate - this is the percent of people to had a significant problem during the first four years of ownership. So, unfortunately, you are in the 3-5%. You did not have to take it to BBY. You could have used any Panasonic service center as directed by Panasonic. I'd rather not deal with BBY.