Factory Direct

I’ve been coming here for small stuff regularly since I was a kid. If you need some speakers or a screen and you aren’t picky about the particular product then the prices alone makes this store worth visiting.
Also the couple times I needed help the staff really went out of their way for me.

So I posted below about how I bought a dvd/​vcr. They finally made me pay to ship it to them, remember this thing never worked from the day I got it. It finally came back with a note that they had replaced the faceplate as a courtesy only, implying that I had damaged it.
So. now I have it back. I transferred about a dozen tapes to DVD no problem. Yeah!
Then I left it alone for some time and was going to loan it to a friend. I wanted to make some easy to use instructions for them so set it up again.
I put a VHS in the machine and the machine shut off. I turn the machine back on and the VHS ejects. I try other VHS tapes, but get the same reaction. OMG Really?
Now I have to pay again ??? to send it in???

Just purchased a clearance item (portable air conditioner 12 000 BTU Haier). IT’s scratched, the remote is not the one that goes with the AC, I checked the filter, it seems to be new. The sales associate said to wait 5hrs before turning it on, so even though it’s not the time for AC right now, I will do so, just to see if all I need to go back for is the remote.
I don’t recommend this store for electronics (when I thought I was getting a new model, I get a scratched up one). I’m going to demand a refund if everything does not work. I’ll update after usage.

Avoid buying any technology at Factory Direct. In particular, avoid the new store on Bloor West near Manning. In fact, if you are thinking about buying a refurbished smartphone, iPhone or Blackberry from Factory Direct, here’s what you should do.
Take the money you would pay for it and change it into 10’s and 20’s and stand outside their front door and toss it in the air.
Or here’s another idea. figure on how much you are saving by purchasing a refurbished smart phone and divide that up by hourly minimum
you figure you will save about $ 200.00 tops. Divide that by $ 9.50. That’s 21 hours… now figure on how many hours you will invest driving back and forth to Factory Direct every time the phone stops working (on average 4 – 5 trips per year). Then figure in the cost of parking, if any. Do add in the cost of gas getting there and back. Then, and this is important, calculate how much time you will have to wait in the store for the chance to speak to the useless manager after having to speak to the wildly uninformed tech staff who do not really know much about technology, but will nonetheless pretend they know and speculate what the problem MIGHT be.
Then add in 45 minutes while they «fill out the necessary paperwork and try to get head office on the phone to verify» whatever they have to verify to allow you to send your phone in under warranty. Then, IF you actually qualify to get your phone fixed (and remember, it’s a refurbished phone to start with…), then calculate the 4 – 8 weeks you will be without a phone and the twice-​a-​week calls you will have to make to see if your phone is returned YET. if they replace your phone, which is what they do, but it takes them 4 – 8 weeks to make that decision because there is no profit at there in to fix an already refurbished phone, make sure the new phone is truly unlocked for the carrier you use. Sometime they claim it is, but it isn’t and then you have to argue further to get a phone that is what they advertise it is.
Trust me. This will all waste WAY more that 21 hours of your life and life is too short. Avoid Factory Direct. Buy your phone new from some place that does normal repairs and knows how to deal with customers. Actually, buy your technology from anywhere BUT Factory Direct.

Have to agree with the other reviewer. I thought
would be a better experience. The store is very unorganized and the prices in many cases where not competitive with Canadian Superstore or Walmart.
Also, all sales are final for items under $ 100. When I am shopping for deals in Canada, I will go to Winners or Marshall’s, which have a much more generous return policy. Return policies in Canada are still way behind the United States. Many American stores allow 90 day returns with the original receipt.

I didn’t have much expectations for most Factory Direct places anyway. I’ve been to the Kennedy store way back and did have a decent experience however despite the shoddy customer service, so perhaps this store would be about the same.
Upon entering the store, you’d notice it is somewhat disorganized, particularly the rear. The TVs on display were hard to see on considering the shape of the store unless you stand way back. However, I didn’t come for the TVs; I came for the CDs that were located behind the cashier counters.
There were about three people in line including me when I was there, the first two dealing with employees. However, both of them look confused, and overhearing their conversations it seem the employees don’t know much better about their products. At the end I had to wait over 20 minutes for one of them to finally serve me, get my product, pay, and exit the store. Did I mention, all of this, without a single please, thank you, or any sort of apology for making me wait long?
I probably won’t go out of my way to come back unless there’s a specific product where only this place has it in stock.

I get most of my electronic accessories here, especially memory cards. It doesn’t have the best layout as you can get stuck in an aisle or need to step over things to get by. Yet, it always has the items I want in stock. I’ve only seen in busy on the weekends so during the week in the evening is the best time to go and peruse the racks at your leisure. The salespeople are not the most helpful if you have questions about a certain product; but if you know what you want, they can get you in and out fairly quickly.