Will it Return?: Best Buy refuses to exchange blended camcorder

You gotta hand it to those sadistic bastards from Will it Blend?: not only have they struck viral marketing gold by playing to our innermost voyeurs, they clearly have a wicked sense of humor, as evidenced by their futile attempt to return the completely obliterated camcorder that got sacrificed in the last segment. Luckily for us, Team Blendtec decided to secretly tape their exploits (video after the break), and while the salesdrones do seem slightly shocked at the product and ridiculous story that goes along with it, they certainly do Best Buy proud by keeping their cool during a clearly provocative encounter. There's also a lesson to be learned here: not only does the regular manufacturer's warranty (and the BB return policy) laugh in the face of such situations, if you thought that the flimsy "extended service contract" you bought covers gadgets in powdered form, well sir, you'd be out of luck.

[Thanks, El_Capitan]

[Joshua Walters @ Apr 14th 2007 1:46AM]

You know what, I love them, and that just makes it all the better!

BTW They are kinda dicks when you return WITH the accidental, I dont think they would have taken it either way lol

[John Jardine @ Apr 14th 2007 1:43AM]

ROFL. Good job.

[Eric Pham @ Apr 14th 2007 2:10AM]

Im surprised how calm the best buy guys stayed. Props to best buy even if they are evil price switching bastards.

[Panathas17 @ Apr 14th 2007 2:10AM]

Good One! Wish i was there to see it all live! lol

[rainygrass @ Apr 14th 2007 2:34AM]

you know, 2 months ago i went to bestbuy to grab myself a window vista copy. There's an indian girl working there bring me a OEM copy. i asked why the package's like that. she answerned:"the software's all the same!" i thought about it for a while and refused her offer. just before i was gonna step outside the bestbuy, i saw a guy with vista tag on his chest, so i asked him again the same question. he said :"sold out? u kidding?" then we came to a big cage (yes, a cage locked hundreds of windows vista copys inside) ...my point is, those damn guys was trying to sell OEM edition at the regular copy's price...well, later i found out it's only 100 buks for students at my college bookstore, of course i got one there...and went bace to bestbuy to return the software (another story like this video till i got my money back)...

[john russell @ Apr 14th 2007 2:39AM]

They should have thought to purchase the accidental coverage beforehand. That might have made it a bit more interesting.

[matt @ Apr 14th 2007 3:21AM]

anyone notice the girl catching the hidden cameraman at the end of the clip?

[Fortyseven @ Apr 14th 2007 4:09AM]

Hehe, I didn't notice that the first time. :)

[ob1 @ Apr 14th 2007 3:36AM]

I'm wondering about the hidden cameras myself. They were rock steady the whole time. Little wireless cams placed around the store? Steadicams are usually pretty big, pretty obvious. That and a pair of guys standing in one spot the whole time, pretty focused on the action would have been a bit unsettling/noticeable. I wonder about it...

[Jake @ Apr 14th 2007 3:53AM]

Hilarious. Best exchange:

BB Manager: 'Was, ahhhh, one powerful blender...'

Blendtek Guy: "Yeah, well, or a poorly made camera, one of the two...'

I'm still laughing at that one.

[Liosandro @ Apr 14th 2007 4:13AM]

At the end of the video the girl finds one of the hidden camera...

[Marc @ Apr 14th 2007 5:07AM]

So... people expect to be compensated for their own willful abuse, or at least to make from from its entertainment value?
I just can't see the funny side of it.... not while there are kids starving in the world.

[Grant @ Apr 14th 2007 1:57PM]

oh boohoo.
did you even watch the video?
or even visit willitblend.com?
it's all a big joke.
i think it's sadder that you don't have a sense of humor than that children are starving.

[Josh @ Apr 14th 2007 6:12AM]

Is it me or is the manager blurred out? What's with that, like he's ashamed of working at Best Buy or something?

[Dean Lowe @ Apr 14th 2007 6:15AM]

Smells like it was preplanned. Was would the guy ask the brand of the blender and get the guy to repeat the name 2 or 3 times.

[Mike D @ Apr 14th 2007 7:32AM]

yeah this is a set up between the manager and the "returner" .. dumb

[J Ozer @ Apr 14th 2007 10:35AM]

Check out about 20 seconds before the end. One of the return girls notices hidden camera #1. Immediately the camera view switches the camera #2, but you can see the girl pull the manager aside and point out the first camera (hiding behind a low wall or isle). Somebody got into a lot of trouble, but at least we know it wasn't staged.

[Aron Trimble @ Apr 14th 2007 10:59AM]

They could have gotten away with it if they really wanted to... They needed to use the approach of "This is how it came in the box, I am outraged"

When I worked in cameras we used to GIVE them away to people who would return boxes they bought that were supposedly "empty" at purchase - it was insane!

[Jesse @ Apr 14th 2007 12:10PM]

Walmart would have taken it, those idiots will take anything.

[Cupajo @ Apr 14th 2007 4:27PM]

I was just about to say the exact same thing. I have pulled some high-level return shenanigans on WalMart.

[Pedro @ Apr 15th 2007 5:17PM]

haha my thoughts exactly when i saw this! It's best to return stuff there and most other stores during the holidays because of the idiot temp workers, they will return anything!

[Tom @ Apr 14th 2007 1:19PM]

It wasn't a setup. The reason the manager was blurred was he didn't sign a release but the girls did.

The Blendtec guy was kind of an idiot. The manager was feeding him great stuff about how powerful the blender must have been, how it must not have been an ordinary home blender, and both times he trashed the blender. Moron.

What I want to know is what is the video service feeding that clip? The resolution is so much higher than YouTube! (Check out the sharpness on the low angle camera!)

[k0a10 @ Apr 14th 2007 2:38PM]

I can understand how projects like "willitblend" can be successful, but let's face it, they're pretty dumb and something anyone could do if they bothered, to amuse all those bored people. I can imagine a lot more imaginative projects, I mean any candid camera program is ten times funnier, and even Borat sometimes has a point, or you could try handing some tech to people who wouldn't normally have access to it with different themes (some might even have a point, heaven forbid) and see what happens. But, blend it up, sell products and ads, whatever.

[CapWKidd @ Apr 14th 2007 3:54PM]

That's a funny video... I think they should of purchased the warranty, that would of upped the hilarity for sure :)! Oh, and I hate best buy, long live Fry's! :)

[CapWKidd @ Apr 14th 2007 4:07PM]

Aron, where did you work?

[KC @ Apr 15th 2007 11:17PM]

Oh, wasting everybody's time. Can you imagine if you had a valid reason to return something, and some idiot is trying to return a blended camera, making you wait 20 minutes longer?

[J @ Apr 18th 2007 3:43AM]

Darn! They removed the video, anyone have a link to it somewhere else?

[Jamie Cansdale @ Apr 29th 2007 9:05PM]

http://www.clipstr.com/videos/WillItBlendVideoCameraTheReturn/