Amazon Dupes Consumers with Misleading Offers of Free White Glove Delivery

Deceiving customers is a trademark of the internet. A lot of companies will deliberately miss-word offers to this end.
My favorite is the small unknown companies that advertise product they don’t have (stating it’s in-stock). You place an order and when they get enough orders, they do a large quantity purchase with their source to get a cheap price they can make money on. Sometimes the customer has to wait a month before thier product actually ships.
Then there’s the companies that take your money and don’t ship at all, companies that ship something different from what you ordered, and companies that ship refurb and/or defective product.

I’m sorry this happened to you Julie but I’m not sorry for you. You work covering this industry and yet you made such a purchase - is there really no good A/V shops in your area you would support and/or give your business too? You admit to getting things from BestBuy all the time, do you like the service you are getting there?

I have a ‘tirerack.com’ distribution center right down the road from me. I can go and purchase tires for really cheap prices there. I choose to go to a local dealer and pay nearly double the price for the same tires, simply because of the service. Do you think I believe tirerack.com would/could take care of me if I had a problem with those tires?

I really don’t understand people’s purchasing habits anymore. I can understand somewhat young people not having learned thier lesson yet, when it comes to looking at the overall picture and being lured by low prices. I just can’t understand everyone else.

I’m reminded of that famous saying from that ice cream shop in CA - “There are customers to whom price is the only consideration. There are other people who will provide a shabby product at a very low price, and those customers are these people’s lawful prey.”

Yeah, I took a risk posting this story. I’m going to get a lot of crap, and deservedly so!

Go ahead, bring it on (cringe).

I’m not surprised that an internet retailer did this. I look forward to Amazon’s response or non-response. Next time, buy from a local A/V dealer who will gladly give you white glove service without charging you.

Yup, Ann! I’m going to hear it from all my dealer friends in the Twin Cities.

Being a A/V dealer for home and office we get the same story from customers , I found the same product on the net for $100 less. I give them the pitch as We are here, we live here you have a issue we have a issue.  I think buying local, banking local, is good for all. We made the mistake of buying a few monitors from a internet site for a customer all 3 have issues I loaned them 3 other monitors so the manufacture remans them and shipps them back.  I had no wholesaler to make it there issue.  I net is a good place to reserch and buy airline tickets.  Buy local and trusted sources and get the service, unless it’s a slow news day.

Since you bought from Amazon, you used a credit card.  Call the card company.  Tell them your story.  They will happily let you dispute the charges, which will require Amazon to take you seriously.

Nathan, didn’t you hear what Pauldee said? I didn’t by it from Amazon, I bought it on Amazon!

Seriously, great idea, but TigerDirect was the merchant, so there’s no recourse against Amazon.

Who needs the hassle anyway? It’s just a matter of principle, and a great way to impart the lesson BUY LOCAL, HIRE A PRO!

Julie, Julie, Julie.  “BUY LOCAL, HIRE A PRO.”  I am confused.  You stated you were going to buy it from Best Buy, right?  Is this local?  Sure they have a store, but they are a national chain.  I am amazed that you are a writer for CE Pro and yet choose not not select a truly local installer that would have been not only able to deliver you display but also properly configure it as well to give you the best possible picture.  I say shame on you and I will probably cancel my subscription to CE Pro.  Why should I support your organization when you do not even support ours.

I’m working on a blog post of my own on related issues, but in the meantime I’ve got a question Julie: why are you, of all people, buying retail, online or otherwise?

Someone with your eminence in the CE trade media ought to be able to get a TV from a manufacturer or distributor at their employee pricing.  I’m sure Mitsubishi or whoever would have been pleased as punch to sell you a TV themselves.

Besides that, aren’t you friends with at least one quality integrator in your area who would cheerfully install it for you for time and materials?  Maybe even just for a case of beer?

Ouch, Dave!

Believe me, I hired a couple of great pros the first time around to do my installation and configuration, and I intend to hire one again for round 2. We’re sort of broke right now so I’m just going to plug the thing into my crappy old Media Center, and plug that into my plain old cable service.

It is replacing a 10-year-old 50-inch Mitsu rear pro that is about 2 feet thick.

Baby steps.

But, yeah, I deserve the grief.

Julie - You didn’t mention trying to go to Amazon corporate. The best chance of getting satisfaction is when you start at the top, and I mean at the top. Do not expect to get paid for “time and aggravation”, but do expect that Amazon will provide what they [clearly] advertised. If they refuse, then it is up to you to pay someone else to do the job. If that happens, you can sue them and be reimbursed in what will most likely be small claims court. Word to the wise; keep good records and notate dates, times and names of people you speak with.

As an internet retailer, I take issue with stereotyping all internet sales organizations as dishonest. At both our web stores, we take great care to word our promotions in terms that are clear, legal, honest and morally upright. Here is but one example: When we show the price of an item, we show the “MSRP” (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) and then show our selling price, so that the customer can see their true discount when buying from us. Our so-called competitors show a “Regular Price” (which is typically 10%-20% higher than MSRP) and show their selling price at or about our selling price. I guarantee you that they have NEVER EVER sold that item at their “regular price”, but it still leaves the “illusion” that the undiscerning customer is getting a better deal at their store than at ours. This unscrupilous practice is just as egregious and reprehensible as your experience with Amazon’s “White Glove Delivery” service. I don’t understand how my competitors OR Jeff Bezos can sleep at night with these kinds of things going on, but as far as the Amazon CEO goes, I assume that a bazillion bucks in the bank acts as one awesomely powerful sleeping pill.
I too was tempted to buy my Sony Brevia 50” widescreen TV from Amazon last Christmas when they were closing them out. I was even attracted by the offer of “White Glove Service” by Amazon but instead chose to award the business to my local A/V dealer, Sherman’s. They had a competitive price (not the lowest I found, but fair) and although I had to pay a nominal fee for inside delivery and setup, I knew that - IF I had a problem after the sale - there were folks who live and shop right here in the community that I can go to until whatever is wrong is made right. For commodity items like patch cords and blank CD’s and print cartridges, sure - if you can get a better deal online - it is almost risk free. But with big box items - ESPECIALLY A/V - a local A/V dealer or professional integrator is your safest bet.

Lee, I asked several manufacturers and distributors about buying B-stock or anything, and the deals weren’t much better than online. I didn’t want to trouble them just to save a couple hundred bucks.

I don’t mind taking discounts from mfrs—I’ve bought plenty of product at cost—but I would not want to slight an integrator.

Ed, Amazon’s chief counsel Michelle Wilson got an email from me this a.m. I guessed at her email address and it didn’t bounce back, so I suppose it got there.

Tim, I agree there are some great online retailers out there (including Amazon except for this bit of fraud).

Fair enough Julie, but those guys at the manufacturers are your professional acquaintances, maybe even personal friends of yours.  If your TV goes kerplooey, who’s more likely to help you out, your friends or Tiger Direct?