Reports of replacement Galaxy Note 7 units catching fire and exploding while charging just like their predecessors are still popping up all over the world but Samsung is yet to issue an official recall of the device. While the South Korean tech giant is still investigating all reported incidents and obviously isn’t willing to make any rash decisions before it’s absolutely sure it finally got to the bottom of this, wireless carriers and retailers aren’t willing to sit on their thumbs while they’re waiting.
The one retailer which absolutely jumped at reports of replacement Galaxy Note 7 units burning is Best Buy which is now exchanging and refunding Samsung’s latest phablet in an unprecedented manner. Namely, Best Buy published an announcement on its official website which categorically states that new Galaxy Note 7 phones “may not be safe” and urges customers to stop using their devices, power them down, and return them. The retailer asserts that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has identified additional potential issues with Galaxy Note 7 batteries and describes Samsung’s latest flagship as a potential safety risk.
Therefore, customers which still own original Galaxy Note 7 devices and those who got their replacement units from Best Buy after September 21st should now once again return their phones at any Best Buy store. Note that Best Buy isn’t replacing Galaxy Note 7, it’s only offering returns, exchanges, and refunds, citing the aforementioned safety risks. So, for the time being, you can return your Galaxy Note 7 at any Best Buy store without being charged the standard $35 restocking fee. In addition to that, Best Buy states that you can keep all of your Note 7 accessories and free bonus items such as the Gear VR headset even if you’re returning the device after the regular 14-day return period. Last but not least, the retailer specifically stated that it will honor all Note 7 returns, exchanges, and refunds regardless of the condition of the device.
Of course, if you still want the Galaxy Note 7 to be your next Android smartphone, you can just return the device to Best Buy, wait for this whole thing to blow over, and likely get your third replacement unit once it does. However, there’s still no way to tell how long will Samsung take to sort this mess out, so you may be waiting for a while.