WTF happened to honesty in advertising???

[GMT]

All depends on local laws, and not local to you, but to the company you did business with. In the uk we have a sale of goods and services act, which would protect you in both cases. We also have a distance selling act, that means you can return anything you buy online within 7 days for a full refund (inc postage costs). But if you buy from china, its their laws that count not yours.
Have you checked NIC.com to find out who owns the website? It normally lists their phone number. Perhaps a few phone calls to the guy who actually owns it rather than just works there may help. Even if they have to be at 4 am.

 

[Stress_test]

It's a disposable world...

When I was a kid Tupperware was brand new and accounted for just about all the plastic in 99% of homes. Things were built to last then, even businesses.

Nowadays if it lasts longer than a few tanks of gas or battery changes; it's junk and disposable.

The online stores started out very honest because they had to convince people that buying online was safe and dependable. Now they get enough volume that a few cancelled sales don't matter much; they can just change their name and register a new website and keep fucking people over.

But hey that's how life is. People are accepting and passive and are willing to allow being raped and abused so they get away with it.

Same reason marijuana is still illegal...

 

[Dudesome]

It's a disposable world...


The online stores started out very honest because they had to convince people that buying online was safe and dependable. Now they get enough volume that a few cancelled sales don't matter much; they can just change their name and register a new website and keep fucking people over.

But hey that's how life is. People are accepting and passive and are willing to allow being raped and abused so they get away with it.

sounds like a ton of work with SEO and IM... It's much easier and cheaper to do good costumer service and logistics....

 

[supermanlives]

that ship has sailed. now its all about volume and who cares about the customer.

 

[Zonker]

Has there ever really been such a critter as truth in advertising?

 

[Anti]

I have good success by not taking "whatever" for an answer.

For instance, my bank added an "automatic overdraft protection" to my account. I thought i had $6 in my account and I bought $5 worth of items using my debit card. Turns out I actually had $4.90 in my account. Without my automatic overdraft protection, the sale would've been declined and I would've bought something else. Because of this "protection" the sale went through and for "loaning" me $0.10, my bank charged me a $25 fee!

I called up customer service and the first guy on the phone gave me the run around. "It's for your own good. If you were out of gas on a highway somewhere wouldn't you want us to let you overdraft your account for a small fee?"

After arguing with him for about 5 minutes and getting the same run around, I simply escalated. "Give me your supervisor." I had to hold for 5 minutes and then the supervisor started giving me the same run around. I held firm, said I never asked for this protection and that I never would've bought $5 worth of snacks and beverages if I knew it was going to end up costing me $30. I had to get pretty angry (and ask for HIS supervisor) but eventually they cleared it up, apologized, refunded me the $25 fee.

If at first you don't succeed, move up the chain. Eventually, the guy on the phone will care about wasting his time appeasing you (and give in) more than he cares about screwing you over on your purchase.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

I'm not one to buy mail order shit on TV but I made an exception for the Bell and Howell mini cam. It advertised a 30 day money-back guarantee so I figured I'd check it out.

Rather than calling the toll-free phone line, I ordered it straight from the web site. I didn't like the fact that the phone number field was required but filled it in anyway.

A few days later, I got a call from the order company. The rep let me know my camera was on the way and all that. Then she tried to sell me a bunch of other shit. I laughed and told her that's why I didn't order over the phone.

Everything she had to sell was discount coupons for 'thousands of your favorite brands and products'. Even though I knew this was all bullshit, I managed to get sucked into one discount offer that awards $100 worth of free gas-vouchers. I get the vouchers whether I accept the offer or not. So I gave it a shot.

I checked my account a few days later and saw the $1 charge for trying a so-called discount program that awards $100 worth of free gas. No harm, no foul. However, the first, monthly automatic deduction of $29.95 was deducted from my account three days earlier than the contract stated.

I called the number on my bank statement. I didn't waste time complaining I hadn't received the offer, the free vouchers, not to mention the fucking camera I ordered two weeks prior. I simply asked for my award account to be canceled. The rep was unusually efficient and polite, acknowledging a credit before I even had to request. I got exactly what I wanted with zero bullshit.

I waited another week for the fuggin' camera. I forgot to keep my e-mailed invoice so I googled the website with a string search. The first hit was a site dedicated to peeps being ripped-off by this fucked-up camera offer. Many complaints said the camera was never received... always on back-order. The ones that were received complained of shitty quality.

About the time I read one of the posters claiming the crap camera is a ploy to sell crap discounts, I located the web site, got the rep to find my order and inquired about the delivery. Was told it was on back-order, lol. I canceled the whole fucking thing. Again, a no-questions asked order cancellation w/o even so much as an inquiry as to why I was cancelled.

Several days later, I get the discount envelope I assume has $100 worth of so-called gas vouchers. I don't care if it's a little here and a little there. $100 is $100.

Anywho, I opened the envelope and read a statement to contact www.whatever.com to receive my $1000 worth of... you guessed it... more discount coupons. The only reference to gas vouchers was the header that says "CONGRATULATIONS... here's your free gas voucher information."

I looked at the package of coupons my $1 trial delivered. Have you ever filled out the consumer product questionnaires that come in the mail for free? You get free coupons if you're willing to fill out the form indicating what products you're most likely to buy. It's only a bad deal if you wouldn't buy the stuff otherwise. But it's grocery items, (something you're likely to buy) not some retard in bumfuck selling SMC dust collectors, lol.

But the crazy part is this shit's available for free and these bastards are changing $29.95/mo. I always knew better but had to be reminded. I hate it when they make a deal appear risk-free and the deal never materializes.

 

[In~Plain~Site]

that ship has sailed. now its all about volume and who cares about the customer.

No shit.

The days of 'signing your work' have long since past...shit is literally everywhere.

Caveat Emptor

 

[Stoner4Life]

I'm not one to buy mail order shit on TV but I made an exception for the Bell and Howell mini cam. It advertised a 30 day money-back guarantee so I figured I'd check it out.

Rather than calling the toll-free phone line, I ordered it straight from the web site. I didn't like the fact that the phone number field was required but filled it in anyway.

A few days later, I got a call from the order company. The rep let me know my camera was on the way and all that. Then she tried to sell me a bunch of other shit. I laughed and told her that's why I didn't order over the phone.

Everything she had to sell was discount coupons for 'thousands of your favorite brands and products'. Even though I knew this was all bullshit, I managed to get sucked into one discount offer that awards $100 worth of free gas-vouchers. I get the vouchers whether I accept the offer or not. So I gave it a shot.

I checked my account a few days later and saw the $1 charge for trying a so-called discount program that awards $100 worth of free gas. No harm, no foul. However, the first, monthly automatic deduction of $29.95 was deducted from my account three days earlier than the contract stated.

I called the number on my bank statement. I didn't waste time complaining I hadn't received the offer, the free vouchers, not to mention the fucking camera I ordered two weeks prior. I simply asked for my award account to be canceled. The rep was unusually efficient and polite, acknowledging a credit before I even had to request. I got exactly what I wanted with zero bullshit.

I waited another week for the fuggin' camera. I forgot to keep my e-mailed invoice so I googled the website with a string search. The first hit was a site dedicated to peeps being ripped-off by this fucked-up camera offer. Many complaints said the camera was never received... always on back-order. The ones that were received complained of shitty quality.

About the time I read one of the posters claiming the crap camera is a ploy to sell crap discounts, I located the web site, got the rep to find my order and inquired about the delivery. Was told it was on back-order, lol. I canceled the whole fucking thing. Again, a no-questions asked order cancellation w/o even so much as an inquiry as to why I was cancelled.

Several days later, I get the discount envelope I assume has $100 worth of so-called gas vouchers. I don't care if it's a little here and a little there. $100 is $100.

Anywho, I opened the envelope and read a statement to contact www.whatever.com to receive my $1000 worth of... you guessed it... more discount coupons. The only reference to gas vouchers was the header that says "CONGRATULATIONS... here's your free gas voucher information."

I looked at the package of coupons my $1 trial delivered. Have you ever filled out the consumer product questionnaires that come in the mail for free? You get free coupons if you're willing to fill out the form indicating what products you're most likely to buy. It's only a bad deal if you wouldn't buy the stuff otherwise. But it's grocery items, (something you're likely to buy) not some retard in bumfuck selling SMC dust collectors, lol.

But the crazy part is this shit's available for free and these bastards are changing $29.95/mo. I always knew better but had to be reminded. I hate it when they make a deal appear risk-free and the deal never materializes.

all of the above PLUS the camera is NOT an actual Bell & Howell product, go to their website & you won't find that camera listed, the REAL Bell & Howell website btw not the one used in the ad.


The fact is B&H leases their name for TV items that don't compete w/their own inventory, whereas they may sell cameras they don't sell one just like the one you ordered nor in the same price range.

 

[BlueBlazer]

Has there ever really been such a critter as truth in advertising?

Not that I've noticed.