Massachusetts woman gets refund for defective GE oven after I-Team reports
After I-Team reports about a Foxboro, Massachusetts woman's frustration with her GE gas range, the company has agreed to give her a refund. "I'm thrilled," Susan Barry said.
The home baker had been trying to get the company to replace her GE Café series gas range that she said was defective.
Company sends check for $4,074
"This is the check that was hand delivered from GE this morning when they all came to remove the old stove and it's for $4,074 even," Barry said.
The money represents the original price of the range adjusted for inflation and includes what Barry paid to have it installed.
"I'm really blown away they finally did the right thing," said Edgar Dworsky of Consumer World. "Sometimes you have to get someone like you who's got the dogged determination to try to get companies to do the right thing. It's a win right now for that consumer."
Barry is a home baker and has been complaining about the uneven oven temperature since she got the pricy appliance.
Emails mistakenly sent to I-Team
GE Appliances initially told the I-Team Barry's range was out of warranty. Their spokesperson mistakenly sent the following email to WBZ-TV's Cheryl Fiandaca:
"I'm still back and forth with this aggressive reporter and they are going to run a story. Making sure that we have our own trained technicians in this consumer's area before I bite back."
The email went on to say:
"I don't want them to run this story without the offer of a service visit to assess at our cost. It's an important viewing area and a big audience for us to get a smear in but I'm also not willing to give her a replacement to make this go away yet."
GE did send their repairmen out and Barry said they told her the range was defective. GE refused to replace the appliance.
It wasn't until the I-Team's second story aired that the company told Barry it would give her a refund.
"It's really terrific that you stuck with it," Dworsky said. "I think so many people would have probably stopped, OK you know the piece aired, they've been duly embarrassed, they haven't come around on their own, sorry this consumer. But you did it so congrats."
"You guys have been great, Cheryl was wonderful," Barry said. "I can't tell her how much I appreciate what she did. I've been a lost soul without my oven through the holidays. So, I can't thank her enough."
In a statement, a GE Appliances spokesperson said they resolved the matter with Barry and are taking her range to their testing lab in Kentucky.
