iPod - Take Three

I took my iPod back to Best Buy tonight. I started in customer service before I was sent to the Geek Squad window. I explained to the resident Geek that my iPod wouldn't turn off. I went through the entire saga giving him the entire history since the problem started last Friday. It was sort of a catch-22. Since it wouldn't turn off, the battery was dead. The Geek got out a charger and plugged it in. He turns it on and off. Gee, I could have done that. I told him take it off the charger and then try it. He looked at me with an odd expression on his face. I sensed the man was thinking 'you dumb blonde'. I added to my original saga that since I work in an IT environment, not only did I run the device through every percievable (futile) exercise that Apple's support site had to offer, I asked my work Geeks if they had any ideas. I think my respectability went up at least one notch at that point. But since I was a little irritated, I asked him if he wanted me to take it home, charge it up and then bring it back so he can see it won't turn off. By then it charged a little, he removed it from the connection and agreed that it wouldn't turn off. Phew.

So he takes it in the back room. Now I'm feeling like I'm at the car dealership where they pretend to check with their manager whether or not it's OK to make the deal. He comes back out without the iPod and asks for my paperwork and if I had the extended warranty. I'm thinking to myself, what difference does the extended warranty make...it's not old enough for the original warranty to have expired. I handed him the paperwork and he barely glanced at it, so I don't know what that was all about.

Then a young guy came in with his broken iPod. I'm thinking gee, what a surprise! So I'm trying to listen to his story as Resident Geek takes the iPod in the back. At the same time Jeff is concerned that they now have both iPods back there. He asks me if the serial number is on the device. I told him not to worry, it's clearly marked and since I have the box we can match it up if necessary. Resident Geek comes out with my iPod in hand, gives it to me and says take it over to customer service and they will get you a new one.

We walk the ten steps back to the customer service representative and tell him I need a new iPod. He sends me over the to the sales floor. Of course (like last time) they didn't have my model in stock at this time. BUT the prices of iPods have dropped so I could trade my 2G for a 4G for $20. I hemmed and hawed then decided to take the bite. I just couldn't imagine a day without the damn thing. Now the tough part, picking a color. There was silver, black, pink, green. I thought and thought. Jeff wondered why I didn't just grab the pink one. I explained it's a bright, ugly pink and I don't like it. I chose the silver one. Plain and simple. Truth is, I kinda liked the green one. As the salesman takes the silver one out, he says the most popular one was the green. I told him I can see why, it's the one I was debating.

I went back to the service desk to complete the transaction. I explained how troubled I was over choosing a color, the clerk says 'speak now'. I asked Jeff to go get the green one and handed him the silver one. He comes back and says that the clerk said 'I knew it!'. Perceptive guy. I got out my credit card, and the clerk says no charge, they are even up. Wow....I'm thinking hurry, let's get out of here before they realize their mistake.

As I sat in the car reviewing the receipt I realized it wasn't a mistake, I did pay the same amout for my old iPod. It's just that I got a discount after the original price, so the clerk took the same original discount off the new one. How nice. It felt better knowing I didn't get away with something bad. I don't like guilt.

The new iPod is cool. I am happy with Best Buy. I just wish I could say I'm happy with Apple products.

I've replaced my iPod for the third time. It's getting ridiculous. Thank goodness for Best Buy's extended warranty. I've had it with these things.