To whom it may concern,
Here is how you lose a customer for life. Fool him twice.
When we last spoke, one of your sales reps at the Manhattan location of W. 23rd St. & 7th Ave, sold me a flash card that was listed on the rack at $35 and told me it was on sale for $25 when in fact the receipt revealed that it $15 with a $10 warranty. It was so smooth, that I told you I wasn't even mad, but that I found it kind of amusing. When you contacted me back, you offered me my $10 back. I even declined, telling you that I've been a faithful customer and would not let one little snafu drive me away. I told you that I don't care about the $10, I just wanted you to know that this was happening. You promised me this wasn't the way you practiced sales and I took you for your word.
Shame on me.
During my latest unforgiving adventure in Christmas shopping, I decided to buy my mom an 8GB iPod Touch for the holidays. I went to your 42nd St. & Madison Ave location. So close to work, so convenient. Best Buy was down the block, but I said "screw it, lets use my Radio Shack card and rack up some more debt! They'll take my money!". I entered the store and said "One iPod Touch please!". To which the sales rep was more than happy to get for me. He informed me of something grand as he went to get it. "Sir, since you're purchasing an iPod Touch, you can get this cheap plastic case valued at $25 for only $5." I thought "Wow! That's a steal! I'll take it!". And take it I did, home to wrap for mom for Christmas. Having not learned my lesson, I never looked at the receipt. Then, today, as I went through the various receipts in my wallet, I looked over my Radio Shack receipt to see the return policy for "just in case". Well wouldn't you know it, I wasn't supposed to get a $25 case for $5 after all. I was supposed to receive a $20 Radio Shack gift card. The most interesting thing about it is that the receipt CLEARLY states "Must Have $20 RadioShack Gift Card on same sales ticket as iPod Touch.".There is no gift card to be found the said receipt.
When I spoke to the DM from the previous complaint, she seemed genuine in her stance that this was not common practice. She went out of her way to email me back and even call. I'd like to even say I believe that she was being genuine and these were greedy store managers trying to make more sales for their store. But seriously? 2 locations doing almost the same exact stunt. I must be wearing a sign on my head that I can't see that says "World Class Moron".
I have filed a complaint with the Department Of Consumer Affairs this time. I'm not as amused as I was after the first incident. I'm honestly furious. This letter will also be going to The Consumerist, who is quite aware of what these sales reps do and will not hesitate to make this story front page news, as well as my blog.
The biggest thing you could possibly do to offend me is offer me the $20 gift card. Unless you plan on paying for the iPod itself, I'm not interested.
Thank you for your time,
William Millender
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You did get your $20 gift card.
ReplyDeleteYou used it on the "cheap plastic case valued at $25 for only $5"
That's how it works, the gift card takes $20 off the accessories.
Apple will not allow discounts on the Apple product, but the giftcard program lets RadioShack take $20 off accesories.
Yes, they should have explained it better, but in the end, you did not get ripped off, you got $20 off the "cheap plastic case valued at $25 for only $5"
Hope you have a great holiday season.
Oh, but I beg to differ. I didn't get a Radio Shack Gift Card because, as I stated in the post, there was never one on the receipt. What is on it is a $20 credit that states the terms of the promotion which again clearly states that the gift card could not be used on the same purchase. Regardless of the fact that I received a product of the same value, that is not the promotion. So technically, you're right, I didn't get ripped off per se, but Radio Shack then committed fraud.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree. They seem to hire one asshole salesperson after the other to try to rip you off. . I havent shopped there in quite some time. I remember wanting to buy some USB cable charging $15 or $20 bucks and i got it somewhere else for half the price. You would think the store brand items would be cheaper than name brands but they charge the same or sometimes more .
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