2 days after Christmas the wife gave me the go ahead to buy the monitor I've been looking at for about 6 months. It was on sale at Best Buy for $70 off so I went and got it on the 27th. It's a 27" Samsung LED with a 2ms response time. Looks great and I have been having fun firing up all my games/sims and changing the resolution and checking things out. Last night while I was testing Mig Alley, it started blinking on and off at a car blinkers pace. The power light was solid and not blinking, so it had to be something internal. I did all the usual things, unplug it for awhile, factory reset, etc. but it was still "on the blink". Even with the computer off you could still see the digital/analog search box blinking so I know it's not my computer or video card.


I had thrown away the original box already so I just grabbed the monitor and the power cord and headed off to Best Buy. Long story short, I had a new monitor on my desk in 35 minutes. When I got the new monitor, I gave my son my old 22" Samsung and gave a visiting friend his old 19". So if I had ordered this online, would I have been high and dry for a week...or two? My wife always chooses the cheapest (ie longest) shipping option so is that the pace that my monitor is sent back to me after they receive the faulty one? Just seems like a big hassle to box something like that, send it out, and be computer-less for a week or two. Even if the nearest store to you is an hour away. isn't it better to get a replacement in 2 hours instead of 2 weeks? Anything I have ordered online has never had to be sent back so I don't really know the ropes as far as that goes, just seems like a PITA.

Best Buy is alright. Glad they let you exchange w/o the box, Circuit City years ago wouldn't. Seems simple enough...

Cudos on the passing down the old stuff.

That's a nice series - Samsung has nice stuff, TV's too.


I just took three old CRTs to the Eco-Cycle - two 21" and a 19". Last time I will ever carry those monsters again, but now they are out in the cold on a pallet in The Peoples Republic Of Boulder, never to turn on again, sad but true.




WC

One of the mpnitor's capacitors blew. The blinking power light regardless of what you do is the clue. Odd for a new one, though.

Anyway, yes, returns are a PITA. You have to send it back by taking it to a drop off point. I have a UPS Store next to my supermarket, so I'm there once a week no matter what. I ship stuff then. As for waiting, I just cross ship. Instead of returning for a replacement, you just get a refund on the broken one and order a new one. LOTS faster. I had to do that with a Viewsonic I bought 5 years ago. The VGA port worked but it wouldn't connect DVI. So I got a new one, it worked fine for 5 years. Then...blinking power light!

As for brick and mortar stores, I need no bricks and would only need mortars in a war condition, so I have no need of them.



The Jedi Master

I've been lucky so far in that I've not had to return any hardware that I've bought online. However, I've heard from people that the DOA process with Newegg (where I buy all my pc hardware from) is very prompt and easy to do. As for brick & mortar stores I avoid them unless it's some place that sells stuff that I won't buy online like a supermarket or auto repair shop. I buy ALL of my software, electronic hardware, dvd's, books and cd's online.

You don't buy auto repairs online? It's easy! Just pack up the broken area, like the transmission, ship it out, and get it back in 3 days all fixed!




The Jedi Master

Yeah, those wooden stores are far too draughty.

I would think you guys in the UK still have some of those.

The monitor power light was steady( as I said?) The whole screen was flashing, desktop,black,desktop,black,etc. I saw 1 review on New Egg by someone who had the exact same problem. I hope I have better luck with this one, but if I don't, I can return it to the store within 30 days.

I had a microwave from Best Buy that went froggy 3 days short of its first anniversary, and just under the warrentee time. They wavered a bit since I didn't have the box, which for me is rare, I save them in the garage overhead usually. I suggested that if they would kindly provide me with the exact replacement, thankfully still in stock, I would unbox it and repack the broken one. She thought a moment and declared that a fairly game idea. It is a smaller model and carried out with new receipt nicely.

Yep, for critical items I prefer real world stores.

When my SSD crapped out I unmounted it, went to the shop and was back in under an hour with a new same capacity SSD. No fuss, all under warranty. Try doing that with Amazon...
We actually have some stores here (Saturn) that will occasionally exchange opened software as long as you don't make a habit of it.