I had a deeply disappointing experience with Best Buy’s corporate customer service regarding a faulty Shure MV7 Plus microphone. I bought it in mid-August, but only opened the box 10 weeks later (because of my wedding, honeymoon, and setting up a home studio). When I did, it didn’t record any sound — it was clearly broken.
I called customer service and was told I was outside Best Buy’s 15-day return window, so there was “nothing that could be done.” I then drove to the Germantown, MD store and spoke with the store manager, who was kind and tried to help. But because I didn’t pay for Geek Squad or an extended service plan (I only have a free membership), he said he couldn’t replace or repair it. He even joined a call with corporate customer service, but neither side would lift their policy: both said, “there’s nothing we can do.”
I reached out to Shure, and they were willing to repair or replace the mic — but I had to pay ~$30–40 to ship it. And spend 2-3 weeks waiting for the microphone to be returned to me.I declined to go that route because I expected Best Buy to provide some support. Instead, I was basically told: “Go take a hike… Beat it, bud.”
What’s more, Best Buy’s membership and protection model is very costly. To even have a shot at repair beyond the 15 day window, you often need to pay for their paid membership or Geek Squad coverage — which, for serious audio gear, makes the risk of buying through them much higher.
I now buying all of my high-end audio/video gear from Sweetwater, B&H Photo, or similar retailers. For example, Sweetwater offers a free two-year warranty on most gear (no expensive membership required), plus a flexible “easy pay” payment plan, and a 30-day return/exchange policy. Their support and warranty terms are far superior to what I experienced with Best Buy.
Because of this, I no longer trust Best Buy for my creative tech purchases. Their policies, as applied here, left me feeling abandoned and frustrated. I hope other customers think twice, especially for pro-audio equipment. I am left with a brand new, fresh out the box shure mv7+ microphone that does not work. And instead I have to ship off to Shure headquarters for a 30-40$ shipping cost and wait the 2-3 weeks for the verdict! Be ware you shoppers!