I initially couldn't decide whether or not to give Amazing Heroes a 1- or 2-star rating. The extra star would have been for the outstanding selection of video games they carry, for both collectors and casuals. (The first time I entered, I was impressed by the rarities and solid organization in this little hidden "gem" of a store.) I've settled on a 1-star rating, though, because there's still a bad taste in my mouth from the truly horrid customer service displayed by the unprofessional owner.
(TL;DR below the novella)
I had made a few game purchases from Amazing Heroes when my third fat PS2 in 12 years died out from normal use. AH has great prices on used systems, so I figured, "Why not?" I was also guaranteed at the counter that each used system sold was cleaned and tested before sale. "Great!" I thought. So I took the system--which came in a standard USPS Priority Mail box (looks like they get their supply via mail from a third party), one of many in a stack on a shelf--and left.
When I got home, I found the system was cosmetically acceptable, though no beauty, and I immediately went to work testing some DVDs, PSX games, and PS2 games (mostly new-to-like new with no notable scratches, and previously tested and working fine on my last PS2). The system, unfortunately, had about a 40% success rate in reading discs, so I decided to exchange it for a reliable one.
I went back to swap it, and I was more skeptical about cosmetic quality this time, so I asked to open the second one and have a look at it. The system they pulled out for me was cosmetically defective (missing its HDD port cover, damage to the case, the controller severely beat up), so I asked them to grab another. The employee, clearly annoyed (either that she had to make the effort or that I expected a quality product), did as requested, and the next system looked fine to my eye.
However, the moment I took the system out of the AH building (which smells strongly of drywall) and into my own, smoke-free home, I noticed my mistake. The system had a strong cigarette smoke smell that I neglected to check for earlier. It worked, but I felt nauseous using it or the included controller.
I was pretty tired of returning these at this point, and I could tell the owner was tired of having to deal with me when I came back to AH again. I advised him of the smoke smell, and, without making eye contact with me once, he mused aloud about 'Why I brought the first one back, then, as it was in fine working condition when he tested it.' I was taken aback by his rudeness, passive aggression, and implication that I somehow either wasn't competent enough to have tested it on my own or that I had lied about its condition.
Instead of an exchange for another "cleaned and tested" PS2 at that point, I (understandably) wanted to get a refund or store credit. I could get a new slim PS2 at Fred Meyer down the street or Amazon for less trouble.
I asked him as calmly as I could (while seething inside) if I could just have a refund or store credit to buy a different product and be done with it. He pointed to a small sign next to the register that said that sales were final and refunds wouldn't be provided. 'That was acceptable,' I said, 'but what about store credit so I could let him keep the money and not have to deal with faulty PS2s anymore?' 'You can't have a refund just because you decided you didn't like it,' he told me.
Wow. He had created a narrative in his head about why I was returning these, and he was sticking to it. Rather than refute him, I gave in and asked for another PS2 off the shelf, making sure to get a nice one before I left the store for the last time. In maybe the longest ten minutes of my life, I worked with his employee to find an acceptable one while he stood a few feet away, watching like a hawk. We opened two with serious cosmetic issues before I found a nice-looking one that smelled fine, and I agreed to take it home. Before he let me go, he made sure to test it personally on a TV in his makeshift den behind the counter so we could both see that it worked. It did, and I left.
And I definitely won't be going back again.
TL;DR: Amazing Heroes sold me unreliable/dirty used equipment, and its rude, passive aggressive owner chose to accuse me of dishonesty and defer to an unadvertised return policy limitation to save a few bucks in the moment and lose a customer in the long run. read more