I just bought an item from a highly reputable seller. Bought it for $119.95. Bought it because it advertised "Free Freight!" (exclamation point theirs, not mine). When ordering it and other items for my shop I noticed a $29.95 freight charge. I went ahead and ordered it anyway, expecting that this could be cleared up with a phone call. They were on holiday. Today I spoke with someone. What I was told is that in their contracts is an "Oops" clause. Meaning if they misrepresent something they're not responsible. I fully expected them to honor good customer relations and refund the $30. But because of their Oops clause they don't have to. "Truth in Advertising" is no longer a thing. It went away and I never noticed it till today. Thank you politicians.

I'm just hot and need to vent. You can join in the rant if you like. In the end I told them to remove me from their catalog list and email list. I will never buy from them again. Even if they have the better price. All they have to do is "Oops" you and they're within their rights. Boy I can't believe that. If I said I'm selling something and including a free water melon then I had better include that water melon for free. I would imagine someone could take me to court and say "He advertised a free water melon. I want it. FREE!" I can see the judge saying "Give him what you advertised the way you advertised it. Even if you made a mistake."

 

I just bought an item from a highly reputable seller.

Or reputed to be " a highly reputable seller. "?

 

Or reputed to be " a highly reputable seller. "?

Not in my book anymore.

 

The last email I sent them said "Never again will I buy from ••••••". They replied, we're refunding you the $29.95. Guess they figure that since I spent $1800 a few months ago and $2600 a few years ago that they might want to keep me as a customer.

And with that I'm satisfied.

 

I always vote for the particular political party, they always promise pot in every chicken.

 

Wha does your experience have to do with any political party?

 

I always vote for the particular political party, they always promise pot in every chicken.

I respect everyone's right to choose which side they tend to vote for. And I've been known to both across lines because I liked a candidate from the other side.

Wha does your experience have to do with any political party?

The political party I refrain from naming is responsible for repealing the Truth in Advertising law. I'm all for a chicken in every pot but I'm also for affordable pots for those chickens.

This isn't a political post - at least that's not my intent. My rant is due to the idea that someone can get away with not honoring their advertisement.

 

Wha does your experience have to do with any political party?

Maybe the CCP is what he's talking about.

 

I respect everyone's right to choose which side they tend to vote for. And I've been known to both across lines because I liked a candidate from the other side.

The political party I refrain from naming is responsible for repealing the Truth in Advertising law. I'm all for a chicken in every pot but I'm also for affordable pots for those chickens.

This isn't a political post - at least that's not my intent. My rant is due to the idea that someone can get away with not honoring their advertisement.

You must be young. Last time I checked that "law" could have been reinstated a thousand times over the years but money talks and BS walks no matter what party.

 

Actually, truth be told I have been known to occasionally vote for the not too particular party.

 

I always vote for the particular political party, they always promise pot in every chicken.

 

Actually, truth be told I have been known to occasionally vote for the not too particular party.

I approve that message.

 

They replied, we're refunding you the $29.95.

I won! They caved.

 

I won! They caved.

Never mind...

 

Got this today:
Stephanie S. (Grizzly Industrial)

Jan 5, 2024, 10:18 AM CST

Hi Tony,

We have issued a $32.09 credit for outbound shipping and applicable tax for order 11542299. This credit will be issued to the original form of payment used on your order. These refunds typically take about 2-3 business days to post to your account.

If you require any further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to serving your tool and machinery needs.
Stephanie S.

Not afraid of posting the business I was working with since I'm no longer "out to get 'em". Took some fighting but at least they honored the customer in this case. The fact that I had to fight doesn't bode well, but at least they did the right thing.

Still wonder about "Truth in Advertising". Far as I'm concerned, it should be a permanent law. If you say it - you do it!

 

In Britain we have "Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974" which makes all credit card transactions into hire-purchase agreements, in which both the lender and the supplier are "jointly and severally liable" for the product.
So, all that would be necessary if it happened here is to contact the credit card company who would have to refund it.
(I presume that they would then deduct the amount from the money they send to the supplier)

 

It's certainly a case of the integrity and attitude of the company.

Mistakes happen. I certainly get that. What matters is what is done to make things right. If some outfit is going to make me fight and jump through hopes for a $30 mistake, what would happen down the road if a $300 mistake were to happen?

I generally assume that the people I do business with are going to act with integrity -- an assumption that has bit me pretty hard a few times, but one that I have, overall, found to be valid in most cases. So while they start out with the benefit of the doubt regarding how they will act when and if a mistake happens, they lose that benefit very quickly if they don't respond properly when one does, no matter how small. No matter how little they think they need my business (a point which I am more than willing to acknowledge), the simple fact is that I need to do business with them even less.

I just signed my daughter up for the required driving lessons and the driving school has a poorly updated website. When you purchase the lessons, they are $75/hr, which is stated in several places. But in one place they have a "package" of the 6 hours for $360, but when you select it, you are charged $450. So I called and pointed that out and they immediately went to the web site and confirmed it and honored the $360. This is the same place that, when she did the required online course a year ago, their website said $50 but their price is actually $75. Again, they immediately honored the advertised price. As near as I can tell, it is a simple matter of whoever manages their website doing a piss-poor job of making sure that everything is updated -- and a shining example of having a system that is over-defined -- the prices should be obtained from a single data entry and then every place that uses it should be keyed to that entry. The website management is not done in house, and it's a national company, so the local franchise schools have no control over it. But instead of giving me a song and dance about that not being under their control, they simply immediately honor the price. I don't know what, if anything, they are trying to do to get the situation corrected, but at least they are doing right by their customers.

 

As near as I can tell, it is a simple matter of whoever manages their website doing a piss-poor job....

You are very generous in your assessment. Actually, for every person who raises the issue such as yourself, and gets the better price, there will be many who don't (such is human nature). So they will make a nice margin from 'failing to keep their website maintained'.

 

You are very generous in your assessment. Actually, for every person who raises the issue such as yourself, and gets the better price, there will be many who don't (such is human nature). So they will make a nice margin from 'failing to keep their website maintained'.

If I remember correctly, that strategy didn't work so well with the Hoover brand of vacuum cleaners.

 

... that strategy didn't work so well ....

A different strategy - Hoover were making an offer they had to honour, but these guys are just charging more for the defined service, then waiting for (a few) customers to complain.