Best Buy Reward Zone - Beware - Big Scam

Best Buy Reward Zone - Beware - Big Scam

Several fineprints that the cashier did not mention when he sold us our Best Buy Reward Zone membership.

1. Certificates have a short life after they are issued even though the membership is one year. In fact, the cashier made it sound like we'd get credit on the reward zone card and could apply that credit anytime during the year. He did not mention anything about certificates. He could have been ignorant of the program.

2. Certificates seem to default to delivery via email which we never wanted anything via email.

3. Certificates are valid for in-store purchases only.

4. According the the website " Certificates will be delivered 6–8 weeks after in-store purchase, delivery or order fulfillment. " and " Each Certificate expires and must be redeemed within 90 days from the date it is issued. "

We did not receive the certificates after 9 weeks so I checked the website, saw where it said they were issued, and called customer service. They opened a case and promised to reissue the certificates. I also asked to receive paper certificates. Three weeks later, still no certificates. We may have to wait a few more weeks though I do not believe that their promise will be kept.

Also, the back of the package says we will receive a welcome pack. We never got that either.

So here's what I learned...

After speaking with customer service, I understand that certificates are ISSUED 30 days after the transaction is completed. You are supposed to RECEIVE them in 6-8 weeks after the transaction is completed. So that means that if you receive it in 8 weeks, you only have about 60 days left to use them.

I'm calling this a scam because of it's intentional vagueness, short expirations, and limitations.

Bottomline is that Best Buy is making it difficult so that consumers lose out. They are betting on people forgeting they have the membership. Not much different from rebates. If you snooze you lose and they make $10. Actually worst than rebates. At least with rebates, you can spend the cash anywhere (if you remember to cash the check).

If you still decide to or have already bought the membership, I strongly recommend visiting the website regularly to keep up with your account.

rewardzoneonline.bestbuy.com

H. Le

Alabama

Click this link to e-mail the above consumer: Email User Consumer

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I received an email that I had $55 worth of reward certificate on April 11. At the same time the e-mail told me the certificate will expire April 12. I agree there is something dishonest going on even if its not illegal.

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The same thing is happening to us we never got our reward points and then thye said it was to late. We are not going to buy from best buy again no matter what sales they have...

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Rewards are a ripoff they say 1 percent back on all dining and grocery purchases i have been getting .50 for a year about 20 different places i use4d it !!! they said its because the way the place that execpted it put it in , every purchase is that way !!!!

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I don't understand why you are complaining. It is a Rewards Program. You don't pay anything to join into it. I have been with Best Buys Reward Zone since the beginning and I have received all of my certificates. It's free money why whine about it. If it expires it expires. Use it before that time not that difficult.

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To the other responses people are posting about this complaint, I could be reading this wrong but it looks as if his complaint was posted in 2005. If that's true, then the Reward Zone program was a bit different back then, if I recall right.

On to MY complaint:

I've been a reward zone member for many many years (get my certificates in e-mail the way I want, it was nice to get something back everyone once in a while since i'm a casual buyer). Finally I made Premier Silver this year.

They let you bank your points and reserve them for higher certificates. The more you bank, the better the certificate you get.

I figured, what the hell, let's sign up for the MasterCard they're always promoting and get even MORE points to put in there!

WRONG!!!

If you have a Premier Silver account and sign up for the MasterCard, you are now the new owner of a second basic account! They cannot/willnot merge the two! Nor is there anyone you can speak to about this problem and false advertising.

And on that point, bring up the advertisement end of this and they tell you the ads are correct. If you spend using the MasterCard, you DO get more points than if you put it on your Premier Silver account.

What a crock of sh............

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I dont understand why youre saying they are valid only in store. You can use them online you just put in the number on the certificate. Also you are complaining about free money, personally i dont have a problem when a store is giving me money to use. Honesty get your facts straight then talk.

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Boo! I'm not sure what you are whining about. Look, in this day and age if you don't use the internet to continue to get the best deals you are a fool. I don't know what reward zone you joined, but I never had to buy anything to get my membership, it was free from day one. Now I don't buy everything at Best Buy because sometimes, they aren't the cheapest, but when they are I get the points. True, the service associated with the reward zone program does suck, but it's free money for you just for buying the stuff you wanted anyway. Track your points online. Get your I.D. and password and forget about the mail gift certificates, just go online and print them yourself. That is what I'm going to do right now. I've got $25 worth that is going to take the edge off a new PS3 game. Learn to work the system, it's not a rip off or a scam, they just aren't going to make it easy for you to get free money.

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Well, I had finally reached the Gold level and was happy to now get 2x points for the next 2 years. Now today with out any warning they dropped the Gold program and changed my status to the new Silver at 1.25 points per dollar.

The agreement stated reach gold and enjoy 2 years of 2x points.

So they took my money on the promise of what amounts to a 2% ongoing rebate then only will be giving 1.25%.

I feel a little screwed.

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This is the biggest scam I've ever encountered: no one at the store (I've shopped multiple) can help you; the online service is terrible; the "live" customer service drops your call as they transfer you to the RewardZone representative. I've spent over $12,000 in the past 18 months at various stores and have nothing to show for it. I'm surprised the Better Business suits let this type of charade persist at the national level.

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I totally agree.. Though I have been purchasing from Best buy only but after this experience no more....I have been trying to get my certificate never received it cannot log into my account. Customer service only gives you more promise and do not deliver anything else. Disgusting and frustrating experience with Best Buy.. do not fall into the trap.

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I disagree. I have had no negative experience with the rewards program. In fact, I'm a frequent Best Buy Customer and and it has saved me quite a bit of money over the years. If you only got to Best Buy every few months, I can see where there might be an issue. However, for those that go more frequently (When new movies/music come out, etc) it's actually quite good.