GOODe Grief: This post does not come with a warranty... or at least one worth anything anyhow.

READER WARNING: This mama ain't happy and this post is not exactly positive... except in the fact that I am POSITIVE I am mad. So, feel free to skip if you would like... I will be back to my usually GOODEness tomorrow... but for now I have couple GOODe pieces of advice for you as a consumer and would like to give HHGregg a GOODe piece of my mind.

A year and a half ago I bought a lovely Toshiba laptop from HHGregg.

I HEART my Toshiba laptop.

Truth be told, I love HHGregg too... which is why I am so spitting mad right now.

I love how HHGregg's salespeople are so knowledgeable--like when you go to a GOODe camera store. They know their stuff and the really GOODe ones don't try to sell you stuff you don't need... but rather help you find what you need. HHGregg is full of wonderful employees that --quite frankly-- I enjoy making my purchasing decisions with... which is another reason I am so spitting mad right now.

I was thrilled the other day to learn they were an Indiana based company. Made me a little proud... which is ANOTHER reason I am so spitting mad right now.

Ya see, despite all of the great things I love about this company, as of today they have lost my future business and I am sad.... and you guessed it-- REALLY MAD-- spitting mad even!

When I bought my lovely laptop at their lovely store, their salesman sold me a 3 yr warranty--against my better judgement. I bought a $699 computer with a $299 warranty... crazy huh?

Yep. It was.

Some GOODe pieces of advice I wish someone would have told me are:

GOODe Advice Tip #1: When their salesman tries to convince you that between routine maintenance, battery replacement and full accident coverage that a warranty nearly 1/2 the price of the computer will clearly pay for itself... tell him: "No Thank You"

If he presses you... ask him "How much is my time worth to HHGregg?"--this will be an important point in the future.

GOODe Advice Tip #2: When their salesman tells you that you could drive over the laptop with your car at the end of the warranty and they would replace it... tell him: "I am not in the habit of running over my computer with my car but thanks."

If he presses you... ask him "But what will you do when your repair guys break the computer?"

GOODe Advice Tip #3: If you ignore 1 & 2... don't feel bad-- I did too. But, when you have spent well over a month:

Shuttling your computer in for minor repairs.

They fix your minor repairs, but break it--big time.

UPS loses it.

UPS finds it.

It is broken.

They tell you it is the battery.

You know it isn't and tell them it isn't.

They send you a new battery.

It doesn't fix the issue... gasp!

You send it back in.

They have it for 2 weeks and can't tell you what is wrong or when it will be fixed.

You call all parties numerous times.

HHGregg tells you they are going to do right by you and replace the sucker.

You wait and wait and then FINALLY they give you an authorization code to go pick up the replacement computer.

You drive 1/2 hour to the store to pick it up...

DON'T EXPECT to actually walk away with a replacement computer. Nope. That would be....um.... well... customer service.

DON'T EXPECT the manager to "be able to do anything about it" despite the fact the warranty people are on the phone saying that the manager will "be able to do something about it". Nope. That would mean someone with the ability to help me you at HHGregg would actually have to...um... care.

Ya see, this is really all my fault. I should have kept my $299 and not purchased the warranty. Then I would have never sent in my lovely computer for minor repairs. Then your repair guys would have not been able to break it. Instead I would have taken that $299 and saved up another $400 and voila -- I could buy a new computer (quite likely from HHGregg) and not had to deal with this mess... and waiting and waiting... 10 days here, 2-3 weeks there, 10 days there, 3 to 5 days for a call back here... 3 to 5 days for a replacement code there... ya see when I bought the computer I expected to use it 365 days/yr... silly me.

But what's done is done. I don't think I can go out with you anymore HHGregg... sniff. I think we are going to have to break up. It was GOODe while it lasted... 2 Computers, Large Screen TV, Video Camera, My Beloved Dyson... and numerous other things over the years. But, ya see we have had some deal breakers going on this past month.... You wasted my time... A LOT of my time.... and as of today... you lied to me. This busy mama doesn't have time for these kind of games. So, once we get this settled... I am out. I will sincerely miss you...and I am totally bummed... but I respect myself too much to stay with you.

And, like in any GOODe break-up... I want my box of stuff back HHGregg...Just sayin'