Unbelievably Bad Purchase Experience

MS331 · ‎29-08-2022

Long Post Warning - This has been crazy

I ordered a Bespoke Refrigerator around the 12th August and then was called out to work out of the state so I wouldn’t be there for the estimated delivery date. I called well in advance of that to just change the delivery date. I spent, not at all an exaggeration, 5 hours of my day dealing with this issue.

Online Chat Support: I was moved through three different agents to “get me to the correct one.” The final rep said they were Ireland Samsung support. So I was pushed off until I was routed overseas. I gave up on that.

Text Message Support: Was told I needed to call a number.

Phone Support: It took 10 min of just navigating a bot to let it finally let me speak to someone. They took 5 min or more to just verify me before even asking what was the issue. I told them and they said, “Sorry I can’t help with changing the shipping date. Let me transfer you.” I was transferred to another rep after a decent wait time. Spent another 3-5 min verifying. Then they told me they would look in to it. Then stated they couldn’t help. They transferred me. The last rep I stopped from verifying and simply asked if they were able to help. They stated they weren’t sure but after me verifying all info again would “Look into it”. I I then politely informed them that this was the fourth rep who required me to fully verify name, email, address, phone, and order number. (Side note; any name or email must be stated phonetically, so it takes a While to do this). This rep was actually helpful and said they would handle it and then went on to state that apparently Samsung is unable to just change a shipping date even 1+ weeks out.

I had to cancel, then start a refund on the first charge. They then sent me a text of the new order and new delivery date. I was then sent a link to put in new payment information and again was charged for the new order. Then the rep, who was in the phone still, apologized that they had accidentally messed up something on that order. That order was then canceled and that refund process started. I then was given a new link with the appropriate promotional attachment which would allow for me to get four free glass panels for the Bespoke Refrigerator. The stipulation for those though was that I had to register the fridge on arrival. All seemed set up.

Delivery: The refrigerator did show up on time. Although I was out working, I did have my girlfriend at the house to receive it. I had selected to install the new and remove the old fridge yet when the two delivery men showed up they stated that since ours was a “custom” fridge they didn’t know how to remove it and that they wouldn’t assume the liability. They then attempted to leave the new fridge in the front door area. There are stairs that lead into the kitchen. My girlfriend made sure they at least placed the new one in the kitchen area. That afternoon her step Dad came over and they simply pulled out the old one like a normal fridge. Awful delivery experience. The Bespoke panel fridge looks just awful without any panels on it so I immediately registered it.

Online Registration: Very frustrating. When asked to upload a copy of my receipt (all I have is one from Shop Samsung and the registered account emailed receipt) so no physical one from a store. When clicking the link to “upload”, it just opens your phone’s camera.

I called the Customer Support number and when I finally got to a rep, and re-verified, I had managed to screen shot a copy of their Official Receipt emailed to me, and then airdrop it to my IPad to then take a photo via their upload link (are you kidding me…) I told the rep that in no receipt I had ever been given was there any sign of the serial number of the fridge. This is required to be included on any submitted receipts. The rep assured me that it was fine because I had input all information into the registration and that the serial number I had input was in fact in my name. I was given a link where I could input my registered email address for my account to check for the promotion to be approved and applied. That took several days. I then see “pending” now turn to a status of “rejected”. The reason being “Does not show serial number on receipt.”

Just now I spent another hour + speaking with 3 reps online chat to finally get to one who sent me a link to resubmit documents. I stated that aside from actually taking a photo of the SN inside the physical fringe that no receipt anywhere that I was given shows a serial number. So the rep then stayed they would escalate this to a “level 3” issue and that I am supposed to be getting an email within 5 days with some link to allow me to upload multiple documents to verify because the upload is stuck to one picture and not any way to simply upload a file or saved screenshot. It again was stated to the rep that at NO TIME had I been given any receipt that has any serial number on it. So now, after the 25th of August delivery, I need to wait up to five more days to just resubmit any and all receipts I have gotten along with physical photos of the inside of the fridge where the serial number is.

This has been the most unbelievable experience to date, at 40 years old, with any form of customer service. The man hours that must be lost through inefficiency and incompetency must be incredibly high per year within the current Samsung customer support apparatus.

It is a long post but I wanted to step by step show the never ending process this is turning into.

All the above was just to:

1) Change a delivery date.

2) Redeem a promotion.

And the story goes on…

#Bespoke Refrigerator

bespoke refrigerator · ‎18-06-2023

I am having the same kind of problem. I ordered a bespoke refrigerator on 10/18/22 at Lowes - we were told it would be delivered in december. It was delayed a few times and arrived 3/31/23 - BUT WITHOUT PANELS - so it has rough aluminum plates on the front - NO PANELS. I was told panels would arrive in a couple weeks - several times. It is now over 7 months and we have NO PANELS - not the ones we paid for - or - the "free" panels they fished us with by saying we got a rebate. Rebate did not define what you got - it said $400. So we ordered them online - and when the website was quirky about putting the order in, we spoke with samsung online sales. The sales person scammed us into buying a water filter. She said she couldn't place the rebate order without us buying something. So we said we’d take a water filter and provided our CC. She said the panels were available RIGHT NOW - and we must push the button to reserve them. So we did knowing how much in demand they are. So now we are supposed to get the "rebate" panels and a water filter. A box was delivered - but it was a suction cup and not a water filter. When we called to tell them we were sent the wrong thing they told us to call the police - yeah right! It was not stolen from our porch - they sent the wrong thing. I had to escalate it to explain the problem - the supervisor sent me a return form - we returned it and did not get the refund for over a month. I had to call AMEX and put in a complaint before I got the refund – AMEX made good on the water filter / suction cup mess. Dealing with samsung customer service is a nightmare. Sent an email about the panel issue to the CEO twice - it was not responded to by the CEO office - instead it was sent to escalated support - and she (Michelle Dili) is worse than the supervisor in regular support. They do not listen - they read from a canned response. We have been told many times that panels will arrive in a couple weeks and given dates - NONE of the panels have arrived. I want to know how to escalate this situation and have Samsung own up to the problem - and provide the products that we have paid for. This is unacceptable - and I feel like it will never be resolved. This company sucks!!! I will never ever ever buy anything from them again.