Best Or Worst Buy
According to Shawn Pierce, on 2/6/02, BestBuy.com offered a VisionTek Xtasy GeForce4 TI 4600 graphics
accelerator for a “Special Pre-Order Price” of $129.99 while proclaiming that
the “Savings is a $200.00 Value.” After several hours, the price was changed to
$399 and all customers who ordered the video card for $129 were given
cancellation notices and were told that they could re-order the card for $399.
These cancellation notices claimed that a “systems error” or “database error”
had caused the price to be $129.99 and that all orders were cancelled.
Subsequent correspondence to Best Buy CSRs resulted in more automated E-mail
directing customers to Best Buy's online Terms of Service (TOS) disclaimer.
There are several facts that contradict the “database error” or “systems error”
excuse and prove that these customers actually purchased a card at a “Special
Pre-Order Price”:
(1) The $129.99 price was advertised on several pages of the Web site, including
the front page.
(2) The $129.99 price was accompanied by the statement “Savings is a $200 value.”
(3) The $129.99 price was confirmed at least twice by phone, by a large amount of
customers.
(4) Every user received a confirmation number and receipt for the video card.
Credit card funds were reserved by Best Buy for days and were unavailable for
use.
(5) The first cancellation notice included the statement “A recent systems error
on our web site allowed you to purchase the VisionTek GeForce4 Ti 4600 Graphics
Card at $129.99.” Better Business Bureau and FTC regulations are in place to
protect customers who have, in Best Buy's own words, made a “purchase.” These
same regulations indicate that online Terms of Service disclaimers have very
little real-world value.
(6) As of today, print ads exist at select Best Buy locations with low pricing.
Scans of these ads exist. Several Best Buy “brick and mortar” locations still
have the $129.99 price in their system.
(7) Of further concern is the fact that over 1400 customers had their personal
information including name, credit card number, address, phone number and E-mail
address taken. By Best Buy's own admission (TOS disclaimer) this information is
not considered private.
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9 Comments
Anonymous
February 11th, 2002
at 12:28pm
Sounds like a (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/23/23892.html) Kodak (or http://www.kodakcamera.co.uk) to me. If the Kodak response was any kind of precedent, Bestbuy will - and should - honor the price advertised. Particurlaly if someone's card was charged.
There were several similar Buy.com fiascos until they learned to be more careful…I understand why Best Buy doesn't want to eat $200 a card, but online retailers need to understand that mistakes - like in B&M - cost money.
Anonymous
February 11th, 2002
at 2:55pm
I have a sneaky suspicion BB was going to sell them for $130 and started to, nVidia or a distributor up the line said, no you can't do that and made them stop so as not to undercut other retailers.
Anonymous
February 11th, 2002
at 5:32pm
Looks like they mixed up the GEFORCE4 TI 4600 and it's stats with the MX version, which is much lower in pref. If you look at BB's website, it lists 2 MX cards at 129.99 and 179.99. Both prices were the ones being quoted for the TI.
Just a little mess up, but they SHOULD honor their prices for their mess up… had I ordered one, I would one the TI at that price!
Anonymous
February 11th, 2002
at 10:36pm
I first got their visiontek GF3 when it first came out and maybe I'm biased against them now, but that card was a bit flakey and stopped working properly after about a week of regular usage. Had to return it, but good thing the return policy at my retailer's was great.
Anonymous
February 12th, 2002
at 6:01am
Best Buy has some shady practices anyway. I used to work there and the way they treat their employees is horrible. I was denied breaks and lunches, even forced to stay late if I didn't sell enough of those damn service protection plans they push on everyone. Give those a read sometimes, you'd be suprised what they don't cover.
Also, there was a big case last year where they were accused of not paying employees for all their hours worked. I was one of them and got a check in the mail over one year after I quit to pay me for time worked.
I try to avoid them at all costs anyway, and this is just another reason why.
Anonymous
February 12th, 2002
at 1:26pm
I LOVE bestbuy, but after hearing some of this stuff for the first time…well…EEEK! Cant be good! If i paid $129 for the card i would be gettin it for 129!! thats false advertisement and its illegal and should be honored. I would take them to court on it if i had to.
Anonymous
February 23rd, 2002
at 10:29pm
I hope they give everyone the cards they deserve. If you make a mistake, step up to plate and fix it. Don't try to hide behind some hidden exit clause. A website that accepts credit cards is a STORE that is exposed to millions of people via the internet!! They need to quadriple check every price posted!! They're probably paying some minimum wage idiot to do data entry!! So you skimp on quality (workers) you have to pay the price for their mistakes!!!
ron demarco
May 27th, 2007
at 8:02pm
Best Buy also falsifys, that they match whatever price their competitors
advertisement price is.They now say that they do not accept that also there is a mail in rebate, yet there is no posting anywhere in the store saying such. Oh we haven;t done that for sometime.The store CIRCUIT CITY advertisement says their final price is $39.99 including instant and mail in rebates.BEST BUY SAYS THEY DO NOT RECONIZE THE MAIL IN REBATES???????? IF I WANTED TO BUY THEIR kINGSTON CARD IT WOULD COST ABOUT $64 WHAT A RIP OFF!!!!!! I PLAN TO CONTACT THE FTC.
michael mooney
October 3rd, 2007
at 2:45pm
link for “thesecancellations notices” does not go to article.