Problem Solved: Best Buy won't pay promised refund

I contacted Best Buy again, and this time, a representative said they would not issue a refund because it was outside the return and exchange window. But the reason it was outside the window was because of Best Buy's delay. Can you help me get the $150 that Best Buy promised me? — Francis Clark, Hudson, Mass.

A: If Best Buy promised you a refund, it should have followed through. Normally, businesses will price-match a product at the time you buy it, but not afterward. But at the time you had already purchased your appliance, Best Buy's policy was to price match before your purchase and during your return window.

It's not clear why Best Buy didn't honor its agreement. You had the promise in writing. You did a nice job of keeping a paper trail. (You should always keep a record of your correspondence with a company, especially when it comes to a refund.)

You asked for a refund twice — the first time when the price fell by $100 and then again when it fell by another $50. That may have confused Best Buy's system, which had already authorized one refund. It looks like they may have canceled each other out.

But that wasn't the problem. Best Buy then treated your case as if it was brand new. You waited patiently for your two credit card cycles to end and then asked again, and that's when Best Buy told you it was too late.

This seems like a case of one hand not knowing what the other is doing, which happens often at big companies. An email to one of the executive contacts at Best Buy might have cleared things up. I list the names, numbers and emails of the customer service managers on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

You reached out to my consumer advocacy organization, and I contacted Best Buy on your behalf.

Best Buy responded to you the next day. A representative contacted you and promised to fix the problem. "Today, I see the correct credit on my card," you reported. "Thank you!"