Crutchfield

Horrible. I place a order over the weekend and monday I get an email saying to contact them. I call and they say they need a land line with my name on the bill to contact me and verify who I am. I had different billing address from shipping as I was sending it to work so it doesn’t sit on my porch all day and potentially get stolen. They then question the ship to and I explain the issue. I give her the work number and said do not call you can not reach me there and gave my personal cell number as a contact. They then call my work and bother my corporate bosses to «verify employment». Doing so pulls my boss her assistant and myself from doing our job costing my company money. I call from my work cell phone and they still can’t verify because I did not call from the generic line. I don’t understand why since you had me on the phone twice you could not verify or why you need to verify in the first place. Send it where I ask it to be sent. So the guy on the phone goes silent and I tell him to just cancel the order. I must say he was all to happy to cancel the order without verifying who I was. Could have been a random person cancelling my order.

I would like to take the time to thank Lefty and the rest of the Crutchfield technical support team for being an example to the rest of us business owners of how to conduct business in a proper manner. KUDOS!

Best site for electronics! Great site with lots of info. Their tech support and chat features really set them apart. Easy returns as well, especially for an online site. Love the 3 day shipping to CA from back east. I don’t trust most of the places in NY and Crutchfield is the gold standard for home electronics.
Surprised and disappointed to see the negative reviews. It would be pretty solid for someone at Crutchfield to address those concerns inline and see if they can resolve some of the issues. I see other Unilocal owners reach out to customers, especially given many customers are long time buyers here. This site is not Amazon and the buyers are not the masses.

What a great site. Everything you need for installation is delivered quickly. Wouldn’t shop anywhere else for my audio equipment.

This is my very first Unilocal post, but I was so outraged by my treatment at Crutchfield that I wanted to share my story. I should have read the reviews about Crutchfield’s poor customer service and questionable installation before driving 200 miles to get a navigation system and speakers installed in my van.
I had asked the installer to take out some existing wiring that was hanging out of a panel in the van that used to be connected to a CD Changer while he was doing the new installation. Yet despite having the van for four hours, the installer just left the wires hanging. When I complained, the installer took the van back and it came back a few minutes later looking like it had just been ripped out of the paneling.
Then I noticed black caulk around the speaker grills on my cargo doors. When I touched the speaker grills they fell off. Apparently the installer decided it was easier to rip out the speaker grills, breaking all of the tabs on the grills, rather than taking the door panels off to replace the speakers. When I asked about this, the installer insisted that the speaker grills had already been damaged and he was nice enough to fix them for me by his black caulk job. I pointed out that the speakers were original and no one had ever tried to replace them before. I also asked how the speaker grills could have been on the door at all with the tabs broken (and they were very tight on the door because I had checked them myself). No explanation.
I asked the Store Manager to get me some new speaker grills or discount the sale to allow me to purchase them. He absolutely refused saying that his installer did nothing wrong and that the only thing that he would do is have the installer take out all of the equipment. So I bought the speaker grills myself today — $ 36.56. And this was too much for the Store Manager after I spent $ 1547.46.
Beware of the non-​existent customer service at the Harrisonburg store. And I would be wary of having any installation work done there as well.

Crutchfield sucks. There tech support is horrible and their customer service is horrible. All they did was waste my time and treat me like I’m an idiot. They did not send the correct harness for my car. The advisor I spoke to did not even have the correct information. Fortunately I was able to look up the wiring schematic for my car and purchase the correct harness from best buy. Definitely do not order from these people. They make mistakes and insult you when you call them out on it! They just lost a long time customer. I will never do business with them again.

Have had many cars upgraded and latest tech installed by crutch field and always happy with the service. The staff remembers you and provides good service. Will soon be taking another car there to have a better sound system and have my Toyotas terrible satellite radio reception fixed. Dealers tried replacing things, done w them and going to the real experts.

Horrible customer service! I called regarding my interest in purchasing a 4K TV. The Crutchfield rep provided a minimal amount of information and he clearly had no interest in helping me make a selection. I have purchased several items from Crutchfield and always had great service. I don’t know what’s happened to this company as it appears that customer service is a low priority. I will not do business with them again.

I purchased a $ 1300 dollar Denon amplifier from them. It arrived fine, but within the 60 day price protection period, the price dropped by 500 dollars to 799.99. When I contacted them about it they refused to honour the price protection guarantee because I contacted them after 61 days, even though the price drop occurred during the period. What’s even worse was that they initially said they would, kicked off the process and then emailed me back later saying they were not going to.

Oh, I forgot to mention I got my receiver installed at the Harrisonburg location prior to the awful experience below and the guy who was doing the install came out and I told him I have all the equipment and I just need it to be installed. He was really not a very nice guy and seemed like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He didn’t smile or say anything positive to want to help.
The sales people on the other hand were much friendlier and accommodating. I was getting my head unit installed and it came back after about 45 minutes. There was a constant buzzing noise and after doing some research in the parking lot I found out that the signal was too strong going into the amp. The installer at Crutchfield said that there was nothing they could do to fix this and that I needed to replace the amp. So I decided to live with it for now because I didn’t want to have to deal with that installer anymore (which segwayed into my previous review).
Today, I finally spoke to some people on a car forum about my buzzing noise and it turns out that the installer was not supposed to used the amp’d signal and use the pre-​outs to connect to the external amp… the members on the forum quote said: «If a pro installer did this job, you should’ve taken that shit straight back to him and called BS, cause this is an amateur mistake and he should know better.»
Since there is no way in hell I am taking it back to either locations of Crutchfields, I decided to take the liberty to do it myself. Only to find that the install job he did was complete and utter shit. The right bracket was missing a screw to hold the head unit secure and he didn’t tuck away the cables neatly at all so that it had caused my fan redirection nob to not be able to turn correctly (was wondering why that was happening) and he had plugged int the USB extension into the secondary USB port (which doesn’t allow me to use CarPlay or update firmware via USB). I had to fix all of this myself.
Bottom line is Crutchfield is ABSOLUTElY AWFUL. They may seem cheaper cause they charge 50/​HR, but I bet a blind monkey could do a better install job than they did.

I knew I’d run into trouble installing my new car stereo and when I had decided on the model I wanted and called Pioneer for help, they gave me this Company’s name. I called and after a short wait was connected to a sales rep who asked all the right questions to which I gave wrong answers. I decided that the information I got was more helpful than I would have gotten from the big online store and I placed my order on Wednesday last week. I was told my package should be delivered to Hubbardston, MA on Friday but a promise could not be made. My package arrived on Friday. I was planning a 250 mile trip today (which got postponed, but that’s not their issue), and I wanted to get the installation done by Wednesday this week.
I removed the old radio from my 2006 Ford Explorer on Sunday and saw at once that I was in big trouble. I called Tech support and after a very short wait I explained to the Tech what I saw and he told me what I had. He then sent me out to my truck to confirm what he already knew. I had the wrong connectors. He told me what I needed and arranged a next day shipment which would go out on Monday to be delivered on Tuesday. My package with the correct connectors arrived by noon on Tuesday.
I figured it should take about a half an hour so I set aside 3 hours to install on Wednesday morning. I had only one issue that I couldn’t figure out for myself. Pioneer’s vision of red looks very much like orange to me, but the pioneer instructions said a red wire with no mention of an orange wire so I was able to resolve that on by myself. By the way, those screw together connectors are wonderful. Much better than wire nuts. The problem was that the sub-​woofer RCA jacks on the back of my new radio were red and white. The RCA plugs on the connector were green and purple. I called again and after a short wait (emphasis on short) was connected with another Tech who said that for a sub-​woofer, it didn’t really matter which went where, but he sensed that that was not the answer I desired. He then told me to connect the purple to the red and the green to the white.
I then put the new radio into my truck and looked around for a new faceplate and the only one I could see had a plastic bar across the middle. Time for call number three. The next Tech I spoke with patiently told me to read page 8 of the instructions where it clearly states to «cut the bar out». I did that and re-​installed the radio and now it looks great and works. I’m still in the process of translating the operating instructions from Pioneer, but that’s a whole ‘nother issue. I figured out how to set the clock, preset my stations and how to use the USB port. I love the USB port! The rest I’ll figure out by the time the truck drops dead.
Out of a possible 5 stars I rate the Crutchfield Team 6 stars.
The only thing I didn’t think they could help me with is where the damn screws went when I dropped them. Does anyone happen to have David Copperfield’s or Chris Angel’s telephone number?

Crutchfield has been my source for all my home and pro audio gear ever since my older brother (a studio engineer at the time) introduced me to them over 20 years ago. They have always been and continue to be the most reliable people to buy audio equipment from (and this is a category with many unscrupulous vendors). Indeed, I just bought a new set of studio monitors from them today! I have found their prices to actually be quite low, especially considering the free two day shipping they offer, the return policy, the great customer service, and the rewards points program. Plus, if your are not in VA, you do not pay sales tax.
In the rare cases when I have had to return something, they stand behind their products in a way that is truly uncommon these days. Their tech support I found to be very competent and knowledgable. Even when I called at night on a holiday, the guy who answered the phone was not (as at some other companies) some lackey that you have to waste time with before talking to someone who knows what they’re doing, but an actual pro who understood the technical terms straightaway. Imagine that!
In short, a great company with great prices and service. What more could you want?

Not good anymore!
It has been several years since I have bought speakers from Cructhfield but back then they were excellent — everything they sold you fit and if it needed adapters you were sent the correct ones. NOT ANYMORE! I placed an order which was selected by the sales advisor and specifically asked him if I had everything I needed to which he replied everything you need is in your cart! So I got my order, and proceeded to install the rear speakers which requires removing the back seat and a lot of trim and the rear dash panel — a real pain. When I went to install the speakers, the did not fit the existing holes so I looked for the adapter that I obviously needed. It was not there! I called tech support and the guy said I did need the adapter and the computer should have included it right away but he would send it out to me immediately. This was Sunday — it did not arrive until Wednesday. I took one look at the adapter and it was a 6X9 format for a 5 ¼ inch speaker! It wasn’t going to work — they messed up AGAIN. I called tech support again and this guy said they don’t have an adapter and told me I should go to ebay –excuse me but I purchased from Crutchfield for an all in one order complete, as they say with everything needed to install. WRONG! He was no help nor was the tech support supervisor who also insisted there was no adapter available and that I would have to drill holes to fasten the new speakers with screws. When I asked how I do that with the slanted rear windshied on the Toyota Corolla that I was working on – he said maybe you will have to dril from the trunk somehow! He did explain how I was supposed to match up the speaker mounting holes on the top from the trunk underneath. They left me with a — gee sorry that happened — nothing else that we can do!
A quick search of the internet shows that Amazon carries the adapter I need! SO why does Amazon but not Crutchfield — the car stereo experts??? I would suggest that if you want a hassle free installation, you take your money and RUN far away from Crutchfield and buy somewhere else!

My first and my last purchase from this site. I purchased an open box Denon AVR-​E300 for my home theatre needs and I was skeptical with the open box item but it is for an extremely simple 2.1 setup and I was looking for the cheapest and simple networked receiver. After calling and reassured by the costumer service rep that the open box receiver was quality controlled checked, I made the purchase. Connected all the systems and speakers and had no sound or video from any sources. I connected my old receiver and have full functionality.
I called and simply asked for a replacement and was told the item is no longer in stock and the next model is $ 100 more if I want to pay the difference. Essentially have a paperweight that I need to now drive a half hour each way to the nearest repair center twice and hope they can fix it or I have to go through the warranty claim process. I give Newegg and B&H at least 4 – 5 purchases a month and every time an electronic has failed and is no longer in stock, they simply just give you the next comparable item. I wouldn’t touch this company with a ten foot pole for my next electronic purchase for myself or my business.
On the plus side, your customer service reps are some of the friendliest I have experienced. At the end of the day, it’s lipstick on a pig.

My initial experience was great with a helpful staff member assisting me with finalizing my purchase of under $ 3000.
However, that was about as close I ever got to enjoying my new television and sound system. Not sure why a reputable company as Crutchfield decides to do business with a company as UPS that does not offer weekend shipment, very inconvenient for someone who works very long hours and does not have the option of taking off from work; nevertheless, had a family member wait at my residents between the hours that UPS stated would be present, Friday 5÷2÷2014 between 12−5pm to be more specific never showed up and no note left behind. Contacted UPS with same stating they attempted and a note was left behind, how’s that possible when someone was standing by between the hours of 12−5pm.
Crutchfield, I am very very disappointed with your delivery company of choice when other’s have weekend availability, how is this providing a good experience for the consumer.
Your staff members are very nice, but little to help.
I have decided to cancel my purchase, after a long week at work, I really was looking forward to this weekend to setting up my TV and system.

Purchased a antenna adapter which did not come with specific wiring instructions. Also purchased installation services from Crutchfield. Crutchfield does not stand behind product which had NO instructions.
C. Francer

This is in regards to the online ordering. When i arrived to the website it had a huge banner stating «3 day shipping to CA». Nothing on the site to note anything that would cause this to take more then 3 days. I was willing to pay a little extra to have it in 3 days as opposed to other sites that offer 7 – 10 business days.
Fasforward 8 business days later for the TV to be delivered. When i contacted customer support in regards to this, they were passive aggressive and unfriendly. –1 point for unfriendly customer service.
I used to purchase car stereo equipment 10+ years ago, and always found the customer support to be friendly. Last time i buy from them.

Crutchfield is awesome in all respects. I frequently order stereos, speakers, navigation units, and DVD entertainment units from them for the customers of my dealership. 99% of the time, everything needed to do a professional install is right in the box along with their detailed instructions.
The only issue that I have ever had was with Navigation unit going into a 2014 model car that had just come out. Apparently there had been some changes between between the 2013 and 2014 models. I spoke with their tech support and sent them a few pictures. Two days later I had everything that I needed to complete the install.
I will continue to do business with them and recommend them to all.

This place is the standard in support, pricing and all things awesomeness as it relates to car audio.
— Their total cost to pricing is the LOWEST when you add in the details of install and accessories (as it pertains to car audio).
— Free shipping can generally be had.
— They give you instructions.
— They give you the wiring harness.
— The give you the adapters.
— They give you conversion kits, e.g. double DIN to DIN installation.
— They pick up the phone when you call and answer questions smartly, plus efficiently.
I love this place and saved near $ 200 on a car stereo installation vs the local big box place colored blue. The cost for the unit itself wasn’t the bottom dollar, but after you factor in the items noted above it was 10−15% less expensive. You know what was the best:
The peace of mind that you ordered the right parts the first time – no back and forth.
That’s as good as it gets. Thanks, Crutchfield.

I’ve been searching for a car stereo for my latest project for months. Sure, they advertise good prices with complimentary instructions that even a burrow could follow! Well, I picked multiple options for my slab to the tune that this deck/​device would not fit.
I wanted the total package being a double din navigation receiver, but realistically and in terms of price I ended up picking what I actually needed. I have a Garmin and my cell phone has free navigation so I concentrated on a rear USB to keep the cords away, bluetooth for hands free driving.
Pioneer offered several options; but according to the website some didn’t fit. Well, this week I went to the local authority on car audio Custom Sounds in Austin, Texas and got my choice installed without issue. Thing is I can’t really lower the stars too much for Crutchfield.
I know I overpaid at Custom Sounds. Buy a deck for a GM automobile and the get free install gear that you’ll need like the wiring harness, dash kit, and antenna adapter. Also, that $ 150 chime adapter is half price if you buy it all at once. So I could have bought everything for $ 322 and installed it myself; Custom Sounds price $ 630. Hopefully they have better fit data for the speakers.