Reddit user jchemma recently bought a PS4 Pro last weekend in his local Walmart store. However, when he got home and opened the box, the Redditor was surprised to find a regular PS4 instead of the Pro that he purchased in the first place. What happened next is what every customer’s nightmare would be. He went back to Walmart to have the console replaced, and the store told him that the console was shipped directly from Sony and that he should contact the manufacturer himself. As jchemma contacted Sony, the company representative he was able to talk to said the same thing, and advised him that since he got the console from a retailer, there is nothing they could do.
“Today I chatted with a representative from Sony and they told me that because I got it from a retailer that there was nothing they could do,” the Redditor explained. “I don’t know what to do anymore so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to post in 4/PS4 for any suggestions if this happened to anyone else. Thanks for your time.”
This situation is a prime example of bad customer service. Walmart and Sony shouldn’t have passed the customer back and forth and should have helped him identify the reason why a regular PS4 would be placed inside the box of a PS4 Pro. My guess is that another person probably bought a PS4 Pro from Walmart and switched the Pro console with a regular PS4 and returned the console to the store, who probably failed to check the item first before returning it on the shelf. The situation would have gone better if Walmart tracked the purchased item first if it has been returned before and replaced jchemma’s purchase with the correct one instead of doing nothing.
“I went to Walmart after work and I got the same manager who told me the same thing. I could’ve called corporate at that point but I decided to save my energy and do a charge back on my credit card,” he said in his update on Reddit. “I’m also going to file a complaint on the manager as some of the commentors suggested.”
Hopefully, Walmart would take the necessary actions to correct the situation as buying a new console is a big investment for gamers. I understand Walmart if they are not quick to replace the unit since they have to make sure that what the guy is claiming is true. However, they shouldn't just ignore his complaint and wish it would go away. They could have easily verified and investigated the situation instead and started to take the necessary actions from there. As of now, the case is yet to be resolved, we will be keeping an eye on this story and update the article as needed.
What would you have done if this mix up happens to you?
