Circuit City review: misleading customer service! 25

Exactly what had happened to me. Element FLX 3120 LCD TV manufacturer and warranty is a joke.

I have been attempting to contact Element customer service for over 1 week. When I do get a representative on the line they walk me through irrelevant troubleshooting steps that have nothing to do with my problem and then try to accuse me of having defective products. Apparently 4 external devices with 4 different video cables may have all gone bad but definitely not their product.

The agent was reluctant to provide me any warranty claim information and then finally provided me a fax number that apparently doesn't exist. I called back and was able to get hold of a male who then told me to contact Polaroid and provided me a phone number (which turned out to be a fax number) for Polaroid. The TV set is to go through Provision for service but they can't or won't assist. I am contacting the phone number listed on the Element website for my product model and no one can seem to tell me how to get the TV set repaired. 4 agents have walked me through troubleshooting but none have been able to tell me what I need to do to get this issue resolve. The agents also have the poorest customer service skills that I have ever encountered. They are too busy wanting information for creating a call log that once they have that information all else is disregarded. Element Customer Service is the WORST customer service of all time. I am currently waiting on hold for them to answer and have been on hold for over 45 minutes. They open at 8PST and it was 8:05 when I called. WTF!

I have the same problem with Element Customer Service. Tv broke after only a few months! I finally got in contact with someone who said they would ship me a box, with return shipping information. This has been weeks now, now box, no shipping information. Just like someone had commented, i call 5 mintues after they open, and i wait for an hour. and eventually i have to go. For a week the number was simply disconnected. I know this is a cheap company, but it was still $600 dollars and should last more than 4 months. If anyone has any advice on this matter could you please email me.

I purchased an Element FLX32 FHDH television from Circuit City which has now gone Bankrupt! The television won't turn on without unplugging it and plugging it back into the socket. You are right they don't have the first clue as to what a manufacturer's warranty means in English Language! I have been going through the same bull for two weeks now! Now I have been told to file a claim with the Bankruptcy courts to try and retrieve the money spent on this set. All I want is to get it repaired so that we don't have to unplug and replug each time we want to watch the darn thing!

I have been attempting to contact Element customer service for over 1 week.
I have the same problem with Element Customer Service

Wow, I just purchsed a 19" Element Plasma HDTV for my daughter in Nov. of 08'. Two weeks ago right after the announcemt of Circiut City bankrupcy...my tv went black. All i can hear is the sound. If anyone get any reults from Element. Please e-mail me.

I think the billion dollar LCD industry and the manufacturers and the retailers of the LCD TVs are not trustworthy. I purchased a 32 " Sony LCD TV from PC Ricardson & Son in New Hyde Park, NY 11040 on 01/01/2009..( what a day to buy a defective TV) The sales person delivered the TV in a sealed box, did not even open the box and plugged in the tv that it is working condition. I was waiting for the cable and it was installed on jan 9th and i plugged in the tv on jan 20th ( the day of barak obama's inauguration) and found that the TV was damaged and the LCD panle was broken. The TV was takne back to the store and they said that we have to call the service center and some one will come to look at that. In meantime I called SONY - THE SO CALLED GREAT MANUFACTURER - and they told me to send the pictures of the TV and they said that the LCD panel is broken and the lcd panel is never covered under the warranty. PC Richardson said the same thing too. I have the TV in my office and it is like a hardware sitting there with apparent no use. I do not know whether any one can help me. I am really surprised to hear that neither the manufacturer nor the dealer is prepared to take the blame for a defective tv...

Same thing happened to me. I've been trying to contact Element since December 2008 when my LCD 26" HD TV malfunctioned. I was told they would open a ticket number and send me a box for repairs, but that I had to pay for shipping and handling. It is now February and I have not received such box or any information. I finally took it to Sears TV Repairs and had to pay 32.46 for them just to look at it. I got it back today with a pink slip that the parts are no longer available. So here is a $600.00 TV that didn't even last a year, and no way to repair it. At least we can all write it off in taxes since it is a major purchase loss.

I will never buy Element again!
El Paso TX,

I too have gotten the same response from Element. I called them because the television repair man I took the TV to, said he couldn't get the parts. I called and got a response in about 2 weeks. I was shocked. She told me the information she needed and for me to call back and leave a message. I did, and haven't heard from them since. I finally called them back Friday and told them not to worry about calling me back, that I would be contacting the Better Business Bureau. I can't believe a TV is meant to last 1 year and 1 week.

Sure wish we knew about these issues BEFORE we spent our hard earned money! Here is the information I have...our HDTV also went black, no power at all, right after we purchased it. This was 10 months ago. we called this number: [protected]. We were able to get a return # that had to go on the outside of the box. Thats all they said I needed. I got my own box and sent it back to them. 2 weeks later it was sent back and actually worked! They had to replace the screen... Here is the address I sent it to: Proview; 7373 Hunt Ave.; Garden Grove, ca. 92841 Now, here is the situation with me today: The same TV just went out again! I just started calling the number yesterday so I am not even sure the same information will work. Good luck to you and I will forge ahead as well!

I have an element electronics tv through Circuit City and it has never worked right. Throughout our programs we get a blue screen saying program blocked, then the picture comes back for awhile, then it happens again. Very annoying.

How funny, I just got shafted like everyone else on my 32 inch tv. It wont turn on anymore, what kind of crap is that. Then I called customer service and she took all my info and then she wanted to hang up on me. Wow, this place is a toilet!

I have had an Element ELCHS321 for almost 2 years. I bought mine at K-Mart on sale for $399 which at the time was very cheap. I have had absolutely no problems out of my Element. I have moved the TV so many times it is ridiculous without so much as a hiccup from it. It sounds like your problems arise from Circuit City mostly. Every TV manufacturer has TVs that go bad before their time. It is unfortunate that you had this problem but it is your fault for not buying a warranty. As broke as I was at the time of purchasing my TV I had at least enough sense to buy the 2 year extended warranty. Mainly b/c I had never heard of Element TVs. I have a Sony 46" that has given me nothing but trouble, and by looking at the Sony forums, Sony has to have more lemons than Element.

Bottom Line: You should have bought an extended warranty on a TV you knew nothing about. You also should not have dealt with a company that was going out of business and expecting a warranty to be honored by them. They couldn't keep their doors open much less give you a free TV. Element TVs have been good for me. I'd buy another in a heartbeat. Circuit City sold lemons to "bargain hunters" before going bust. They worked hard to take your hard earned money and you allowed it. They also stamped "stupid" on your forehead before emptying your wallet. Blame Circuit City, not Element.

I hate to hear all the problems everybody is havin with their Element Tv but I have to say I bought a 37 inch Element about 4 years ago and it has done great. We have not had to do anything to it up until about 8 months ago but that was only because lightning hit our house and the internal speakers went out on it. Our home owners took care of it though.
Just had to say some good since everything else was bad but 1 other customer

I just got off the flippin' phone with these clowns. Its been 2 months since i had to pay 75 dollars to ship them my piece of crap Element TV. They still haven't fixed it and they are clueless about the status of the repair every time i call. They tell me we will call you back by the end of the week and every week its the same story, i end up calling them. DON'T GET AN ELEMENT TV IF ITS FREE! THEY SUCK AND THERE CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS EVEN MORE!

My Element FLX 3210 lasted a little longer (since Aug 2007), although I didn't use it much at all. First the HDMI connection went out a few weeks ago, so I finally got a VGA cable to continue watching Netflix and guess what? I watched Netflix last night with my VGA cable, and now the whole tv won't go on anymore. Must be really poor electronics in this thing. Ugh. Probably related to the people who make the Emerson microwaves.

Just got my Element TV and all it says is PROCESSING... then when you hit a random button it says ''UNDISPUTED MEDIA DRIVE'' This product is garbage. It doesn't even turn off, you have to literally unplug everything to get it to turn off, so it won't just be a blue screen on the t.v.

Add me to the list of suckers, Target had a 42 inch 1080p Element TV last Summer for under $400 when the cheapest ones anywhere else were over $500, kept it in box until my 37 inch Olevia gave out, but when it was still fine after four years said what the heck and swapped it for the Element. Couple months into the Element(but out of warranty because I bought it in Summer of 2010), half a picture, then none, then awful burning smell..In CRT TVs, Symphonic was considered by techs (including my son) the worst of the worst, in LCDs I think Element has a shot at the crown..

Still going on 04/21/12 This is a disposable t.v . Last a year and throw it away.
Stick to the better known electronics, such as L.G. Seem like they always mak e good products

I bought an element 32" in February, 2012
It made a loud cracking noise then went out.
I was able to talk to customer service and use my warrant. I received a claim number and had to pay for shipping to an address they gave me. I used e-mail for correspondence and UPS for shipping so I have proof that the tv made it to them. Now I'll see how long it takes to get the new one and whether or not it is defective or not .

We didn't get our Element TV from Circuit city we made the mistake of using WalMart (FallApart would be more appropriate) we bought in 2009 after July and the unit was manufactured in July 09, over a month ago it stopped working. Hit the on switch and it comes on and immediately shuts off. I have gone to the Element website and direct to Fall Apart with no success as I got email for them that they would get back to me. Earlier this week I said it they didn't get something done I would put a letter in our paper telling people how they treated me and also how poor Element is with service and their unit didn't even last 3 years. We don't even have any service in our town of 13000+ for flatscreen hd tvs. Wish we could buy the good ol built in the USA products instead of China's junk.

I bought my Element 50 inch LCD TV from Target back in August 2012. It works fine most of the time but every once in a while, when you turn it on it starts flashing. Today it did it again and the flashing continued for 2 or 3 minutes which is the longest so far. I am trying to contact the company to report the problem but cannot find a Customer service number that works. Can someone help?

I have an old Element 32" tv I bought out of a bar after they had it on all day for two years. It has a better picture and sound than my much newer 46" Samsung tv and has not given me one problem over the last four years. I know people that have bought tvs considered top of the line when it comes to brand names and have had trouble with those tvs from the beginning. Mass produced electronics can be good or bad. Extended warranties are a good investment because it guards you from the flubs made by the people that put the electronics together on the line. My warranty was through Walmart and they bypass the manufacturer and I deal directly with their service dept. Element has a very spotty customer service record, but in my opinion, based on the use I have gotten out of their tv, I would by Element again.

I HAD MY ELEMENT TV FOR 10 MONTHS AND 2 FUZZY LINES APPEARED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN! I TRIED ENTERING MY MODEL NUMBER ELCFW327, AND THE WEB SITE SAID THAT MODEL DOESNT EVEN EXIST! THE 326 DOES, BUT I CALLED FOR 2 MONTHS BEFORE MY WARRANTY RAN OUT AND THEY KEPT TELLING ME THEY WOULD HAVE SOMEONE CALL ME.TWO MONTHS HAVE WENT BY AND I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM! THIS IS THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER SEEN! NOW MY WARRANTY HAS RAN OUT, AND I AM SCREWED FROM THE MONEY I SPENT ON THIS PIECE OF CRAP! IM CALLING THE BBB ON THEM! DONT EVER BUY AN ELEMENT PRODUCT!

ELEMENT SUCKS! I HAVE WAITED A MONTH TO GET MY TV REPAIRED AND RETURNED. IT COST ME $50 TO SEND IT TO THE "SERVICE CENTER". I'VE HAD CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS HANG UP ON ME. I'VE HAD REPS NOT HAVE AN ANSWER TO WHY ITS TAKING FOREVER TO GET A REPLACEMENT TV. I EVENTUALLY FOUND OUT THAT I'M GETTING A REFURBISHED TV! I BOUGHT A NEW TV, IT BROKE WITHIN MONTHS AND NOW I GET A OLD TELEVISION. OH YEAH, NO REFUND. HOW DOES THIS "BUSINESS" EXISTS? I HAVE NO CLUE! THANKS ELEMENT FOR TAKING A HARD WORKING SINGLE DADS MONEY!