If you have RedBox DVD rental kiosks in your area, please keep my story in mind.
When you return your movies, please keep an eye on your email account. I rent from them almost daily, so I've got all kinds of RedBox messages showing up in my email. I haven't really paid attention.
If you don't get the "Your Recent Return" email from RedBox confirming your rental return, that means their system shows it wasn't returned. This is a red alert so watch out!!
RedBox will wait 20 to 25 days or so in silence and then they'll gig your credit card account for an extreme price on the rental(s). You get no warnings that they think you've not returned the movies late. For that matter, if you do keep your movie say for three days, they charge you for the late fees only after you return the movie in the machine. So, if the movies don't get credited (returned), you'll never know until you get hit with the full price of the DVD. In my case, they put a charge through for two BluRays for $72.10.
To make things worse, they will not try to discuss it or work with you if you call. They will say how sorry they are and how they understand your frustration but "The movies show as not being returned. . we have technicians that check the machines once per week, if the movies are found, we give you credit. In your case, you never returned the movies and they show as not being rented to anyone else".
Level 1:
My first offer was for one night's free rental for a DVD for my trouble - and to go away. Considering you're guilty until proven innocent with RedBox, the guilty will take the bait right?
If you continue to press them (why wouldn't you if you've returned their movies?) then they will offer you a $15 credit if you claim you returned it. If you insist that they're crazy and now they're stealing from you for something you returned, then you'll have to go to the next level. Btw, the next level person is never available or so they say. Someone who actually lost the movies might see this as a good deal and get off the phone. Not me. (I know what you're thinking, every criminal in jail is innocent too). Off we go to the 2nd level after continuous insisting that I get to someone that can help me resolve this satisfactorily.
Level 2:
The next level (2) is more serious. They repeat the canned speach on their computer screens but if you continue to press them, they'll offer you for a $20 credit to make you go away. It doesn't matter what you say or if you claim to have video footage of you returning the movies into the machine, they don't care. I was beginning to wonder what my chances of fair treatment were going to be at this point.
Not being happy, I continued to ask for somene that could help. If you ask the 2nd level person for their supervisor, they will put you on hold and come back and say that a supervisor isn't avilable. Really? So on we go. If you interrupt them in their canned speach, it makes them think on their feet. When they can't respond to logical questions and you don't take their offer, only then will they send you will go to the 3rd level but you have to keep insisting.
Level 3:
The 3rd level is akin to the comical TV commercials you see where a customer calls in and you get the "super customer support person". It's like talking to Mr. Kimble the county agent on Green Acres (you old timers will get this reference). You're talking to a wall. They've been trained to make you go away and to parrot back all the things you've heard before. After all, you're the one stealing movies from them right? Do they really have three levels of support? Me thinks not. Each person was just as trained as the others. No one knew anymore than the others. It must be some sort of infinite customer loop.
They've set it up so you don't go higher, you go in circles, and they will not offer to make things right. They won't send you to anyone above them because they claim it is against company policy. It is setup for you to lose. They will stay on the phone as long as you like, but it does no good. They are trained to delay, stall, and not offer a resolution. A refund for the charge? Forget it. When you get to this person, you've given up all the little deals you've been offered along the way <u>to go away</u>.
WARNING to all of you: The 3rd person said that if I did issue a chargeback with my bank for my credit card, that they'd continue to charge me for the full amount until it was paid. Nice threat ReBox.
Giving up:
After making my case and spending 48 minutes on the phone, they chipped in a max of $25 per DVD credit for the two movies to simply get off the phone with them and go away. I have to wait for a credit. They will end up stealing $22.10 from me in the end.
It's like I was admitting guilt on a speeding ticket by giving in. At this point, they still took some of my money, but I was weary. It would have cost me more time to dispute the charge, then fight with RedBox even more over a period of weeks or months. I told their 3rd level support person that their boss should pat them on the back because they kept me from going further, they kept my money, and I'm going away.
Real nice RedBox. If you want a video rental company with customer service that wants to keep you as a customer, it's not RedBox.
In the end, they lose a customer. Big deal to them. They have the rest of you. If you rent from RedBox and you have a problem, a serious problem, I wish you the best. Hopefully, you will know what is in store for you if call.
updated 2/1/2012 to correct the Green Acres reference
Modified by F150owner at 1:46 PM 2/1/2012
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