Hidden camera investigation: Best Buy electronics (Marketplace)

This is your Market. How the hell did this get on the market? People sell these devices hoping that customers won't notice. This is not a product that I would call refurbished. Big mistake, big mistake. Shocking revelations in your Marketplace. We go incognito. And here we go. Testing one of the biggest names in consumer

electronics

, Best Buy. This is definitely underway. Great technologies often come with a high price tag. But does a big online breakup carry risks? The thing is, Best Buy says its refurbished devices can be more reliable than new ones. They are "Grade A" vetted products.

But not if you ask these customers. There is no quality guarantee there. We were pretty pissed off. Be careful when you're in the market for this kind of thing. Your market is going to shop Best Buy's online

marketplace

to see if we can find any lemons in our batch of refurbished phones, laptops, and tablets. And we also go to the store to see what the employees tell us. It's Best Buy's renewal reading. We'll give you all the information soon, but first, in the summer of 2019, Joanne Nixon and her partner Richard Horst visited

best

buy.ca to get a new tablet.

She wanted more than just her phone to use and connect to the Internet, so she was looking for an iPad as a birthday gift for her. They arrive at a refurbished iPad pro and like the $800 price. As far as I'm concerned, I was on Best Buy's website at the time, I didn't think it was a third party seller. They were buying on the

marketplace

, which means it's from a third-party seller. After a few months, Joanne and Richard run into some technical problems. So, you'd go to turn it on and it wouldn't look like anything, it would just show the plug sign on the screen, and then I'd hand it to Richie and say, you know, work your magic, He'd restart it, give it back to me, it would work for a couple of days and then did it again.

They try to get a refund, but the 90 day warranty period is over. They do not receive help from the seller. How did you feel? We were quite angry and... -Annoyed. -Annoying, yes. It's not a fortune, but 800 dollars, you pay that for a product and you think it will last at least a couple of years and it breaks down quickly, someone is going to do something about it. Nobody here was willing to do that. We are on the case. We started shopping for phones, tablets, and laptops on Best Buy's site and bought four of each from 12 different third-party sellers.

We then send them to tech experts to call 411 to find out if they are in tip-top shape and actually working. That's where we bring in Alex Sebastian. His company repairs and sells phones and tablets. -Here we are. -Hi Alex. -Hello, Asha. -Nice to meet you. -Happens. -Nice to see you. Alex has been in the business for seven years and knows the technology market well. What are the advantages of buying refurbished technology? I mean there are actually two, the first is the price, a two year old phone does everything you or I want it to do, and can be half the price or less.

And the second is the environmental component. If you buy a used phone, we don't re-mine those rare earth minerals, we avoid all that. Extending the lifespan of these devices is generally considered a good thing. But Alex, who sells on Best Buy's site, says the refurbished market has some bad actors. Would you say some sellers are taking shortcuts? Absolutely. What's happening? Either the seller is releasing a phone that has not been rigorously tested and leaving it to the user to figure out what is wrong with it, or the seller may be doing some low-quality repair work or using low-quality parts while that phone may Initially it works, it won't last.

Interesting. Explain how they will test our devices. So there are actually three components. The first is a fairly simple cosmetic evaluation, the second set we do are 28 core functionality tests. Does this phone work as expected today? And for the final set of tests, we're actually going to take a look under the hood, which means removing the screen and looking inside for evidence of shoddy repair work or shoddy replacement parts. When you say you have a set of standards, did that occur to you or is that something that happens across the board? I mean, there's no one setting a standard that everyone adheres to in this business, so revamped language is used a lot and depending on when it's purchased, it will mean something different.

So, it's over here. Let's meet our second technology tester. Hello, Maaz. -How are you? -Good. Maaz Kamani is taking care of our laptop search. His family has been repairing computers for more than two decades and they have seen it all. What's the craziest laptop repair you've ever had to do? Well, actually there are many of them. So one thing that comes to mind is that a customer threw his laptop down the elevator shaft, six floors down. -That?! And he was able to get it back? He recovered it, brought it back and luckily we were able to get it working again.

You're like the laptop whisperer. I'm aware of. How will you test these laptops? We'll see... if the specs match the internals of the computer, to see if the physical condition of the computer is good, and we'll just run a basic test to make sure all the parts are in good shape. As testing begins, we head to Fredericton to meet with Chris Dunstan. I am doing it right. I'm not so bad. I have a working phone. In December he visited Best Buy's site to buy a new phone and found a refurbished iPhone 7 that is "certified," meaning repaired and tested by the seller.

And yet, he immediately has problems. When I called my mother, she was the first person I called. I'm talking and she should say, "I can't hear you. I can't hear you." Then I took out the SIM card, put it back in my old phone and it was able to hear me without problems. Maybe it was bad luck. So Chris buys another phone but then... I tried to call my dad for once, my voice was distorted, broken. Chris returns it for a third phone. The fingerprint scanner didn't work. Three failures from three different sellers and the hassle of dealing with returns.

I have a disability there. If I break down my car, it's not like I can get out and walk somewhere. One phone I bought, I bought it from Best Buy Marketplace and returned it to Best Buy. I took it to Best Buy and they wouldn't accept it. So, I came home, the seller emailed me a shipping label, and I had to take it to a Purolator warehouse. He comes to us with his concerns. Many of you too. One viewer says he thought he was shopping directly at Best Buy. Best Buy has cornered the market and is so big that it can get away with anything.

Another says her refurbished headphones stopped working after a few months. Best Buy won't do anything to help me. Another complains about a refurbished phone with a bad battery. I'm pretty sure they don't check them before selling them. Remember, these are products that Best Buy says might actually be more reliable than new. Our results are available. It's time to connect with Alex. So, you looked at all the devices we brought you and checked the aesthetic condition and functionality of it, you also opened them and looked inside. -MMM. Do you think all refurbished devices receive that kind of scrutiny before they get into the hands of consumers?

Almost certainly not, and I think the results of what we find here will prove it. Let's start with the phones. As for the cosmetic condition, when it comes to the Note 9 and the iPhone XS, what did you find? We found them to be in excellent cosmetic condition, very close to mint. What about the iPhone XR and J3 Prime? So the iPhone I mean there are some noticeable scratches on the back. That matters? If a customer receives that device and looks back and for some reason is very obsessed with it, I think he certainly has a basis for saying that it is not in a condition consistent with a refurbished one.

And what about the XR? So the XR has quite a few more marks on the screen, which I think was clearly left in the non-refurbished condition. But take a look at the website...there is no mention of scratches in the listing. The final conclusion about our phones? I don't think they did a proper cosmetic grading before putting them up for sale. It turns out that two of our four phones do not meet their standard. Will the rest of our technology pass the test? Next, secrets from inside Best Buy. Do you have a story you want us to investigate?

Write to us. [email protected]. This is Best Buy's renewal reading. We have a selection of refurbished devices from one of the country's largest players in

electronics

to see if they are as good as new as the company claims. So far, half of the phones don't make the cut and we have more results. But let's meet Barbara Otter from Prince George, B.C. Her story at Best Buy begins in 2020 with an iPhone for her daughter. You buy it, you get it, and then what? We bought it in September. It arrived within a few days, worked perfectly well, until the end of January.

That was after the warranty expired. And it was very, very physically hot and it didn't hold any weight. There is more. The surprise was when I took it to an Apple certified service provider and the guy ran the diagnosis and said, oh, according to Apple, this phone should be off the market and taken out of service. They basically told him it should have been destroyed due to a previous defect! A shocking revelation for Barbara. They tell you that the phone is out of service. I mean, what was going through your head about her? So the question wasn't so much if the battery died, but how did this get to market?

How many of them really exist? That's why I approached Marketplace. We've got you covered. And we have more results from our technology tester, Alex from Orchard. So far, two of the four phones we bought do not meet the cosmetic condition requirements. But do phones really work? Better news there, I mean there was a clean sweep, all phones were fully functional. All phones also look under the hood. Let's talk about tablets. So, we have the iPad, two Samsung Galaxies, this one is bigger, and then the iPad Pro. Cosmetic status, what did you find with the tablets? So in this case, all the tablets pass in terms of their cosmetic condition.

What about functionality? As for functionality, we discovered a couple more problems, specifically with the iPad Pro and the Galaxy Tab A. So tell me what's wrong with the iPad Pro. The screen itself is of very good quality, but the workmanship when was replaced is problematic, and the

best

way to demonstrate it is by clicking here. -I hear it. And what happened here is that the glue that attaches the screen to the frame was not applied correctly and that is why you hear that movement. If this iPad is dropped because it is not securely in that frame, there is a risk that the screen may come off the body of the iPad over time.

That doesn't sound safe. It is not secure, nor is it a good user experience, no. No. Let's move on to the larger Samsung Galaxy Tab A. Again, this tablet had the screen replaced. When finished, some pressure was applied to the back of the screen and that caused the discoloration. It is shaped like bright dots. Here's the final scorecard for our phones and tablets. All devices work. But two of our four phones don't meet the aesthetic standard. And two of our four tablets have screen problems. Do you think there were adequate checks and balances then? I think people sell these devices hoping that customers won't notice, and they may not notice, but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

Now let's look at our results on those four laptops we got. Maaz from ASK Computers is ready with our reveal. Hello Maaz, good to see you again. In addition. So, let's start with the cosmetic condition. The ASUS probably had the most scratches, but there wasn't much, just minor scratches, the screen itself was fine. There is mention of "possible imperfections" online, but there are multiple scratches and scuffs. The specifications are also verified, so we get what was promised. The only minor detail is what we saw with HP: some keys didn't work, but we found that it was just a minor software issue.

So all you had to do was update the software. Update, fix, fix. When we talk about hardware, you know, you open them up, you look at them and what does it look like? So the ASUS specifically here had some minor motherboard repairs done, but the other three didn't have any repairs done. So in our group of 12 everything works, but it's definitely not "A-rated" across the board. Two phones with scratches. Two tablets with screen replacementscareless. And a laptop that has some rough edges. So, will Best Buy help us with these shoddy devices? Well, just listen to what Joanne and Richard say they heard in the store.

Then we went to Best Buy in person and talked to the people who worked in the store and they all said, oh, never buy from Marketplace, big mistake, big mistake, they're third-party sellers and you never know what you're getting. . We're going into five stores to get some answers. I wonder what will happen when we tell them our problems? Hidden

camera

s are recording. And what do you know, we got the same warning as Joanne and Richard. Marketing professor Markus Giesler specializes in consumer research, especially as it relates to technology. The risks traditionally borne by Best Buy are now shifted forward, to sellers and consumers.

And that is never good news. We want to get your results and show you our problem phones. Should they have sent this to us? I would say not. Many bumps and scratches on the front screen. Wow, yes. Again, this is not a product I would call refurbished. And check out our problematic tablets. There are bright spots on the screen and our expert thinks it could be that whoever refurbished and fixed it was putting pressure on it while they were replacing the screen and maybe that's what caused this. This is the kind of thing you can't see on a website or even when you first unpack the product.

Do you hear that? Yes. Yes. Again, I'm in shock. I'm disappointed. Then check out our laptop. You can see up close here on this screen how many scratches and cosmetic issues there are on the lid. Absolutely intolerable. Below, watch our

hidden

camera

video of what Best Buy employees tell us about their market. The message here is that you are basically alone. Did you know? You can do whatever you want. I would not do it! But if you think this is safe and right for you, go for it. I would not do it. If Best Buy's own employees don't have faith in the proper functioning of the Marketplace, then I should probably stay away, just like a consumer.

This is a very problematic situation that we hope Best Buy looks into. Professional advice directly to you. And Marketplace comes into action. Get more market. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at cbc.ca/marketplace. This is Best Buy's renewal reading. Your Marketplace gets detailed information about refurbished technology on the company's online marketplace. Does it live up to its “grade A” promise? Here's a look again at the final scorecard. Two phones with scratches. Two tablets with sloppy screen replacements and a rugged looking laptop. We have heard from customers. I felt betrayed by Best Buy. It changed my perspective on Best Buy Marketplace, big time.

But it is a pity that the phone has not been on the market. Experts... Best Buy needs to do better. And even Best Buy employees. Now we want to hear from Best Buy. We share our results with them and request an interview, but they don't speak on camera. In an email, Best Buy tells us it is committed to "operating at the highest standards," and our

investigation

sparked another round of scrutiny. They say they are training staff and developing better product descriptions in their marketplace, so customers know exactly what they are getting. As for the third-party sellers in our research, we received a variety of responses, some offering refunds, others questioning our findings... others saying we got what we paid for.

But look, buying refurbished can be good for your pocket and the environment. That's why we have some pro tips for making smart purchases. Do your homework on these brands that sell products, if you can't find anything on the brands that's a big red flag. If there is a review where someone had a very bad time, take it very seriously. Look broadly, you know, try to attract as many different markets and suppliers as possible. Keep in mind that what you are promised will not always be fulfilled. And if you have already purchased a device. You can potentially download a manual, and the manual can sometimes show you that there are self-tests you can perform.

With computers that don't have anything, what I would suggest is that they can download free software, those tests usually illustrate how strong or effective your computer is. And always make sure you know how long the return and warranty periods are. Also keep an eye on shipping and restocking fees in case you have to return something. Joanne and Richard wish they had that advice before purchasing this fried iPad. How do you feel knowing what you've been through in the last year? Well, it's frustrating. Maybe we should hide it so we don't have to think about it. Joanne, why did you contact us on Marketplace?

If we can help other people not get scammed, that would feel good, at least there would be something good that would come out of it. Well, they feel pretty good right now. After telling Best Buy about their case, the company agrees to give them a new iPad!