Microsoft pulls $321 bait and switch. Small claims court?

Long messy story, but let me summarize:

• 2 year old Xbox One dies. Bought a new Xbox One S at Best Buy.
• 3 month old Xbox One S dies. Contacted support.
• They offered to replace as part of the Advanced Exchange Program. I agreed.
• New unit serial number shows up in "My Devices" list on website prior to actually receiving replacement.
• "New" unit arrives. Serial numbers don't match with newly added unit in My Devices.
• More importantly, the unit is DEAD. And scratched up. Nice, eh?
• Despite numerous exchanges with support people on chat, they would not comp me towards a new Xbox One X.
• I decide to send the DOA unit back that they originally sent me. I explain that I'm concerned that since the serial numbers don't match, there will be a credit issue and I will get charged (as the unit they receive will not match any in my account)
• They reassure me (I have copies of the emails and chat) that this would not be the case.
• I sent unit back. Unit was received by dock worked in Texas. I have proof of delivery.
• 3 weeks later, I receive an email that they haven't received unit and threatening to charge me.
• Infuriated, I contact chat, they assure me this is in error and they have closed the case (also have emails).
• 1 week later, I receive a charge to my bank account for $321.
• Contact support again, same excruciating explanations. Tech assures me this will be handled in 1-2 days.
• 4 days later, not a peep. And I'm still out $321.

These "accidents" are very suspect, and at the very least speak to how poorly the support department is run. I'm drafting small claims court paperwork to recover countless hours of support conversations, along with my original $321 that I was charged.

Anyone have any similar anecdotes, and how you went about resolving them? It's quite a little racket they run, especially considering you can't escalate it or speak to anyone in charge. I'm shocked at how they can be so marketing heavy, and so support deficient.
This would NEVER happen at Amazon, and if it did, I'd have the money in my account in hours.

:)

 

Bait and Switch

Whoever told you at the time of purchase lied to you. Microsoft publicly announced that the Kinect would not be required to utilize the console a few months before the release of the product, and was very public regarding this if you followed the latest
news. However, they also stated that the way they designed and marketed the console was that "Kinect" is part of the console. There are a lot of reasons for it, but the biggest one would be, making sure that everyone has the capability to utilize Kinect
commands so that developers are a lot more free to include those options in the games they make without alienating the people without "Kinect".

The short version, The console plus the Kinect "is" the Xbox One.

 

Bait and Switch

Yep I have to agree with Midnight on this one they said months before release that you didnt even have to hookup the kinect. What they said was the experience was built around Kinect not that it was required. You should be happy they are lowing the price
because lower price means more sales, more sales mean more games. You paid 100 extra but got to play for almost a year more so hey choose your battles.

 

Yes, that sounds like a horrible joke. The fact that you get a refurb back is scandalous. I know not everyone could do it, but if i ever had to send a console in for repair I would just buy a new console. I have no faith in their repair centers.

Hopefully your next console works and I hope you get your money back.

 

Hey PoopLaser5000,

Very sorry to hear about the experience there, and I'd be happy to take a closer look into that with you.

To clarify further, when was the last time you were in contact with our chat or phone teams regarding the possibility of refunding that charge? What sort of expectation did they set regarding contacting you with more information?