Question about Radio Shack karaoke machine

[Suzanne Lanoue]

Well, I took my karaoke machine in to Radio Shack a few weeks ago to be repaired.  My machine was a Vocopro Duet that I bought at karaoke.com.

I just got a call from Radio Shack that Fedex damaged the player beyind repair in shipping.  Fedex claims the Radio Shack manager packed it incorrectly...whatever.  

Anyway, Radio Shack is replacing my Vocopro Duet with
RadioShack Hi-Power CD+G Karaoke System
http://support.radioshack.com/support_games/doc66/66019.pdf

If anyone knows about karaoke machines or knows about this type of player, please let me know if you think it is good or a piece of junk (especially compared to the Vocorpo).

I don't normally buy things at Radio Shack because I don't like their brands and don't trust them (they are often incompetent, but I don't have anyone else in town who will repair stuff like this).  I really liked the Vocopro, how it recorded my voice. I am supposed to pick up the new one tomorrow. I am grateful to be getting a new one, don't get me wrong, but it better be as good as my old or I am going to be tinkled.

I heard the store manager on the phone tell someone that it costs $1200, and she told me it was their "top of line" player.  Trouble is, I don't know if they even make or sell them any more, or if that price really means anything. I only paid about $450 for my Vocopro, I think, and it was about 3 years old.

Well, I'll let you know how it goes!!

[Lonman]

I don't care for either brand personally but it looks to be pretty comparible overall.

[Suzanne Lanoue]

Well, I went down to the Radio Shack.  You wouldn't believe the piece of junk they wanted to give me!!  It was a floor model (they claim it is a 2004 model, but it sure was big and heavy, like something from a decade ago...you know how most electronics get lighter and cheaper-plastic-y the longer they are out?) with no box or manual.  It was all scratched up and parts of the outside were tearing off.  The CD+G player is not top-loading and I didn't see any multiplex button. I said, no way....so they gave me the district manager's office in Birmingham so I could phone him.  He is in a meeting and I am expecting him to phone me back.

The clerk there, that I know pretty well now from having gone in there so many times...first he said he, I know you are going to be shocked (which didn't bode well)...then he brought it out, and the first thing I said was, "it doesn't look new". He confided that he was supposed to fix it up to look new.  I thought they were giving me a new one.   The manager told me it sold for about $459. Apparently I had heard the wrong thing on the phone when she said to someone that it was $1200.

It may sound petty, but I would never buy a floor model or a Radio Shack to begin with. Mine may have been a few years old, but aside from a couple of minor things that needed to be repaired, it was in much better shape than the one they showed me.

karaoke.com doesn't sell the Duet or even the Duet II any more (they are out of stock) but I found it at other places online for about $300. I'm hoping the manager will either give me money or buy me a Duet somewhere..or have some other viable alternative. My guess is, he will either say "take it or leave it" or give me a store credit (neither of which will help me).  But we'll see...

Wish me luck!

[K_aiman]

Hello Suzzanne, I know you probably just want to wake up from this nightmare, but my recomendation is for you to find the same item on line( the one you took in to get fixed) and have a print out ready of at least 3 different places where you can buy it and have the printouts ready to fax to the radioshack distritct manager. You should tell him exactly what you want for example:

1. for him to buy a unit for you from the list of units you found online.

or

2. have radioshack write you a check for the amount of the unit so you can buy it yourself ( you can go with the unit that cost the least, your unit was damaged to begin with so you would still be ok). consider the cost of shipping in the total amount.

either way, they will agree, but only if you sound firm and upset. I use to be an electronics manager for Silo (like a  Circuit City), and when something like this happens believe me we had to bend over backwards for the customer. So be "VERY FIRM" and make sure the district manager knows that you will not put up with any runaround. But remember, be very FIRM.

I hope this works for you.

[fromadistance]

Surely either fedex or radioshack had shipping insurance on this.there is no way i'd settle for anything less than a comparable replacement that you are happy with,not what radio hack shack is happy with.
might even consider throwing out something about small claims court.once they received the item from you they took responsibilty for it.
good luck

[Suzanne Lanoue]

Thanks, you guys. I am being very firm about it.  They just are so incompetent up here.
The local Radio Shack manager just took over so she doesn't know what is what yet.  She thought the district manager was going to take care of it, so I spent the last two days playing phone tag with him.  Now finally they have told her to take care of it, so she is going to argue with Fedex about the money or insurance (I have no idea, I don't ask, I just let them handle it).  She is going to call me tomorrow after she speaks to Fedex.  She asked if I had a receipt for the original sale, and I laughed at her. I said, I bought it 2-3 years ago from karaoke.com, no I don't have a receipt! Geez. But I told her if she goes to Google and searches for Vocopro Duet karaoke.com than she will find their page for it. I also told her they don't sell the Duet any more, only the Duet II, which is out of stock, but I did find both in other online stores.  I think she just needed something to show the general value of it so she can tell Fedex.

I looked around on the net and it looks like I can get a good replacement for around $350.  Here's hoping it will work out by next week sometime! I sure am tired of waiting.

[K_aiman]

Managers and Distric managers usually handle complaints  in two ways.

1. They drag for ever in hopes that the customer will get so tired they just give up.

2. They find a solution to the problem ASAP

What makes the difference?

Your persistance and firm attitude. Don't give up and don't let go. keep on bothering them every single day, I would give them no more than a week before to solve the problem before I go directly to the corporate headquaters.

Good luck

[eben]

I run in to problems like this often and one of the quickest way to get it resolved is to involve media. I don't mean call the reporter and say print this story. Usually you local newspaper or TV/Radio station has consumer assistant program. For me, both my local newspaper and local TV has a dedicated person who does nothing but take complaints from people and try to resolve the issues for them. They may not suceed all the time but you will be surprised to see how quickly things get resolved once they get involved, even the city goverment. Good luck with it.

[SwingcatKurt]

Tell them you simply want them to CUT YOU A CHECK FROM FT. WORTH CORPORATE OFFICE. Since District Manager is giving you the RUNAROUND--you simply need to go up the FOOD CHAIN----next step it THE REGIONAL MANAGER! (RSM) . If that person wont help---then contack the DIVISION VICE PRESIDENT.
What area are you from? Usually you only have to mention the 3 MAGIC WORDS----WHOSE YOUR BOSS?? and they start steppin  and fetchin real quick.

Stand firm. This was not FEDEX who damaged your machine. It was the INCOMPETENT UNCARING CELL PHONE SELLING SHARK employee who didnt pack the item carefully originally.  DEMAND a CHECK FROM FORT WORTH. RATSHACK junk doesnt even compare w/VOCOPRO(not that I care so much for vocopro products). Negotiate an amount and demand a check. Ratshack junk is just that--junk---particularly KARAOKE machines---they are notorious for being RENTED for a night and then RETURNED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! That is what that unit was that they brough out from the backroom. A "RENTED" and RETURNED repeatedly unit that they saw an opportunity to UNLOAD ON YOU.


AND PLEASE PLEASE dont BITE on any offer of DOUBLING the WARRNTY or PREMIUM WARRANTY!

Now how do I know all this and why am I so negative on RATSHACK--simple-- I used to manage Ratshack stores for about 10 years.

And no Im NOT MAKING THIS STUFF UP.

Go here:

www.radioshacksucks.com

Make sure you LOG IN and then explore the boards and Im sure you find REAMS of posts about RENTED KARAOKE MACHINES.

So after all of this--LESSON LEARNED---NEVER DEAL WITH RADIO SHACK!

And always remember---theres always SMALL CLAIMS COURT-since were talking maybe 2-300$ here?

[Steven Kaplan]

First Radio Shack damages your system, then they pull this ?

Quote:

first thing I said was, "it doesn't look new". He confided that he was supposed to fix it up to look new.

Assuming you're assertive, you have some leverage  

[Steven Kaplan]

Who actually builds the karaoke systems for Radio Shack ?  Unless things have changed over the course of the last 5-10 years, Radio Shack just put their name on other manufacturers products; perhaps with a few exceptions but not many. GRE, Sangean, and a few others companies built their SW Radio's,  Casio made their "Concertmate" keyboards. Shure, as well as one or two other makes built their microphones for them.

ALONG time ago "Moog" actually made one or two of their synths, and if you bought a police scanner, CB, SW or SSB radio you were getting a decent product. Yet 50 years ago the Ham radio operator was the person they catered to. In the 60's, and 70's they were more specialized and some of their products weren't horrendous. RS was always relatively expensive, yet  some of their "Optimus" speaker line sounded decent.  As soon as they attempted to cover a broader segment of the consumer electronics market, they started going downhill...


"You've got questions, we have dishwashers"

[SwingcatKurt]

The whole operation shifted to where the CELL PHONE SALES PIRATE became the entire emphasis. Scanners were always top-quality products. The MINIMUS-7 small speakers were the BEST on the market. The LINEAUM speakers were ALWAYS superior. But those days are now gone. Its all about HUSTLING cell phones-hence anytime you go into an RS your BESIEIGED HARRASSED AND HASSLED about buying a Cell phone. They could care less about the parts guy or other products.

And since they ADMITTED to trying to clean the machine up to "look new" that SCREAMS fraud to me.

Again get them to CUT YOU A CHECK!! And you might mention that theres now a thread about this on KS public forums!!!  

[Steven Kaplan]

Quote:

And you might mention that theres now a thread about this on KS public forums!!!  

Needless to say, that this is the exact reason Lafayette, Allied, Knight and Heathkit  electronics stores all ended up going out've business.

(only use this as the ace in your back pocket of course, it'll scare the Radio Shack DM to shreds)  

[SwingcatKurt]

"Ace in your back pocket"

EXACTLY!!!!