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Best Buy printed an ad this last week, with the following offers:
* Free Heroes Season 1 HD-DVD with purchase of an XBox 360 HD player at $180.
* 5 free HD-DVD movies (mail-in rebate) with purchase of any HD player.
* 2 free HD-DVD movies on the spot (limit $34.99 price tag each) with purchase of any HD player.
Here's the actual print ads:
Note the Toshiba player deal for 300 and Bourne Identity free with the player, in addition to the other deals already mentioned. It becomes important later.
Andara and I saw the deal. We figured out the value of the items we'd be getting in the deal. We decided that we'd be stupid not to jump on this deal, because the total value of just the movies was over $200.
I went in to buy the deal. I wandered around the store trying to figure out where everything was, and asked a few employees, who each directed me to a different area. Finally, I'm directed to the Computer/Console Entertainment area, and I am greeted by a salesman. Let's call him Tod, for simplicity's sake, and because that's not his name.
I explain to Tod what I'm there for, and he takes me to the cage where they have the consoles and expensive peripherals locked up. He explains that the store is out of the Heroes HD-DVD set, but that he could write me out a rain check. We go up to the service counter, so that another clerk - we'll call her Sally - could see if I qualified for a credit card (I'd be buying a complete 360 package, if I did), while he went to write up the rain check.
Credit card app is declined, alas. So Tod gives me the rain check, and I start to go to the cashier. He walks me up there, XBox 360 HD-DVD player in his arms - good security, which I applaud. As we're approaching the counter, I mentioned the two free DVD offer, which to that point, I'd misunderstood - I thought it was the two movies packed in with the Toshiba player, and that it applied to all stand-alone HD-DVD players. He frowns, says he's not sure, and goes to get a copy of the flyers. While he's gone, I mention the deal to the cashier, who hasn't heard anything about it. I pay, I get my receipt and the automatically-printed rebate form for the five free by mail deal, and the deal is pretty much done. Or so I thought.
Tod comes trotting back across the store. "Yes, it applies," he tells me. "Just go pick out any two HD-DVDs off the shelf, take them and your receipt and XBox to the service counter, and they'll process it as a return." Much heartened by this, I go to the rack, find a few movies that Andara and I will want, and head to the service counter.
I get up to the service counter, explain what I'm there for to Sally, and she shakes her head. "Sorry, I had that with someone yesterday. That only applies to HD-DVD players, and the XBox thing is a console accessory."
Now, if she was the first person I'd talked to, I would have taken that as gospel, and left without any further fuss. However, a floor salesperson had told me that it DID apply, and that causes some friction. At that point, I pulled out the copy of the flyer that Tod had given me, and read it carefully. I pointed out the sections of the flyer, and Sally insisted that I'm not entitled to the two free movies, but that she'd call a manager, if I insist. I agreed that would be the best idea.
The two important lines:
*Free Heroes HD DVD instantly, when you buy an Xbox 360 HD-DVD player. No problem there.
* Get 7 free HD-DVD movies - Get 5 free HD-DVD movies by mail, PLUS get any two more FREE instantly, when you buy any HD-DVD player. - Here's the problem.
The manager arrived - let's call him Bob. I explained my position - the ad said that I should get two free movies on the spot, Tod said that I should - and I also pointed out that if Tod was wrong, I wasn't upset at Tod, since it was clearly a breakdown in corporate training and instruction somewhere - so I wanted to know how he could resolve it.
Bob steadfastly declared that I wasn't entitled to the deal, but that he'd try processing it, and if the computer accepted it, we were good to go; otherwise his hands were tied, he couldn't just give me the movies. I'm certain that he already knew about the deal and that it would refused, but that he was humoring me.
He instructed Sally to ring it up as a test transaction. It came up with something weird - what, exactly, I'll never know, but it made them both frown at their side of the screen. Bob suddenly looked at the flyer, said, "I'll be right back," and trotted across the store.
He came back a few minutes later with a DVD player box under his arm. "This is the player that gets the two free movies," he declared. It was the DVD player in the ad - the one that came with 300 and the Bourne Identity packed in the box free.
Having just reread the ad myself, I pointed out that he was misunderstanding the ad, and confusing two completely separate offers - the two free that come with that specific player, and the two free with any HD-DVD player. He continued to insist that what I bought was not, in fact, an HD-DVD player, and was really just a console accesory. I produced the evidence that the box itself - and even Best Buy's own ad - declared it to be an HD-DVD player. He produced the evidence that it could not be hooked directly to a TV; that you had to connect it to something else, as well (True - it can be hooked to an Xbox 360, a computer with XP with some downloaded drivers, or a computer with Vista - but that's not really relevant).
At this point, I could see that we were not getting anywhere. He wasn't going to budge, and neither was I. I asked to speak to the Store Manager; Bob told me that he wasn't there today, but that I could call Corporate, and that Bob would provide me with the number.
Just as we're wrapping up, and I'm about to go home to make a phone call, he asked, "You did get the Heroes deal, right?" I explained that they were out of stock, and that I'd been given a rain check. He said, "I'd swear I just saw one on an end-cap - I'll be right back." He trots off across the store again, and comes back with the Heroes set.
I thanked him, and took my leave.
At no point was I abusive. At one point, I was mildly rude - when I said that Bob wasn't actually READING the ad, because he was stating something distinctly different than what the ad stated - but I don't feel it ever got to a "suck" level.
I went home, called Corporate, and was told that I had to call between certain hours for the sort of call I was making.
The next morning at work, I called. I spoke to a woman who knew what I was talking about. She informed me that the XBox DVD player was not supposed to be eligible for the 2-free-instantly deal, but that the ad had not been properly proofread before being printed, and that it would be honored - and that a memo had been shot to all stores that very morning about it. I felt heartened.
After work, I went back to the store, marched up to the Service desk, and after about 5 minutes, Sally spots me. "This isn't about the same thing as yesterday, is it?" I assured her it was, and explained that Corporate had told me that a memo had gone out this morning. She got a VERY nervous look on her face, and raced off across the store. She returned with another man in tow, who I presume to be the store manager. "He has to check his email," Sally explained. 5 minutes later, without so much as a word of explanation, Sally takes my receipt, and starts processing the "exchange."
Long story short - I did indeed end up with the XBox HD-DVD player, the Heroes Season 1 set, 2 more movies (TMNT and 300, if anyone cares), and the 5-free-mail-rebate deal. Total value, estimated at around $470, for just over $200 after tax.
Was there any suckitude there, or is my displeasure at the runaround - and Bob's inability to read the ad, and instead try to come up with semi-logical reasons why it doesn't apply - the only reason I'm a little sour on the whole thing?
* Free Heroes Season 1 HD-DVD with purchase of an XBox 360 HD player at $180.
* 5 free HD-DVD movies (mail-in rebate) with purchase of any HD player.
* 2 free HD-DVD movies on the spot (limit $34.99 price tag each) with purchase of any HD player.
Here's the actual print ads:
Note the Toshiba player deal for 300 and Bourne Identity free with the player, in addition to the other deals already mentioned. It becomes important later.
Andara and I saw the deal. We figured out the value of the items we'd be getting in the deal. We decided that we'd be stupid not to jump on this deal, because the total value of just the movies was over $200.
I went in to buy the deal. I wandered around the store trying to figure out where everything was, and asked a few employees, who each directed me to a different area. Finally, I'm directed to the Computer/Console Entertainment area, and I am greeted by a salesman. Let's call him Tod, for simplicity's sake, and because that's not his name.
I explain to Tod what I'm there for, and he takes me to the cage where they have the consoles and expensive peripherals locked up. He explains that the store is out of the Heroes HD-DVD set, but that he could write me out a rain check. We go up to the service counter, so that another clerk - we'll call her Sally - could see if I qualified for a credit card (I'd be buying a complete 360 package, if I did), while he went to write up the rain check.
Credit card app is declined, alas. So Tod gives me the rain check, and I start to go to the cashier. He walks me up there, XBox 360 HD-DVD player in his arms - good security, which I applaud. As we're approaching the counter, I mentioned the two free DVD offer, which to that point, I'd misunderstood - I thought it was the two movies packed in with the Toshiba player, and that it applied to all stand-alone HD-DVD players. He frowns, says he's not sure, and goes to get a copy of the flyers. While he's gone, I mention the deal to the cashier, who hasn't heard anything about it. I pay, I get my receipt and the automatically-printed rebate form for the five free by mail deal, and the deal is pretty much done. Or so I thought.
Tod comes trotting back across the store. "Yes, it applies," he tells me. "Just go pick out any two HD-DVDs off the shelf, take them and your receipt and XBox to the service counter, and they'll process it as a return." Much heartened by this, I go to the rack, find a few movies that Andara and I will want, and head to the service counter.
I get up to the service counter, explain what I'm there for to Sally, and she shakes her head. "Sorry, I had that with someone yesterday. That only applies to HD-DVD players, and the XBox thing is a console accessory."
Now, if she was the first person I'd talked to, I would have taken that as gospel, and left without any further fuss. However, a floor salesperson had told me that it DID apply, and that causes some friction. At that point, I pulled out the copy of the flyer that Tod had given me, and read it carefully. I pointed out the sections of the flyer, and Sally insisted that I'm not entitled to the two free movies, but that she'd call a manager, if I insist. I agreed that would be the best idea.
The two important lines:
*Free Heroes HD DVD instantly, when you buy an Xbox 360 HD-DVD player. No problem there.
* Get 7 free HD-DVD movies - Get 5 free HD-DVD movies by mail, PLUS get any two more FREE instantly, when you buy any HD-DVD player. - Here's the problem.
The manager arrived - let's call him Bob. I explained my position - the ad said that I should get two free movies on the spot, Tod said that I should - and I also pointed out that if Tod was wrong, I wasn't upset at Tod, since it was clearly a breakdown in corporate training and instruction somewhere - so I wanted to know how he could resolve it.
Bob steadfastly declared that I wasn't entitled to the deal, but that he'd try processing it, and if the computer accepted it, we were good to go; otherwise his hands were tied, he couldn't just give me the movies. I'm certain that he already knew about the deal and that it would refused, but that he was humoring me.
He instructed Sally to ring it up as a test transaction. It came up with something weird - what, exactly, I'll never know, but it made them both frown at their side of the screen. Bob suddenly looked at the flyer, said, "I'll be right back," and trotted across the store.
He came back a few minutes later with a DVD player box under his arm. "This is the player that gets the two free movies," he declared. It was the DVD player in the ad - the one that came with 300 and the Bourne Identity packed in the box free.
Having just reread the ad myself, I pointed out that he was misunderstanding the ad, and confusing two completely separate offers - the two free that come with that specific player, and the two free with any HD-DVD player. He continued to insist that what I bought was not, in fact, an HD-DVD player, and was really just a console accesory. I produced the evidence that the box itself - and even Best Buy's own ad - declared it to be an HD-DVD player. He produced the evidence that it could not be hooked directly to a TV; that you had to connect it to something else, as well (True - it can be hooked to an Xbox 360, a computer with XP with some downloaded drivers, or a computer with Vista - but that's not really relevant).
At this point, I could see that we were not getting anywhere. He wasn't going to budge, and neither was I. I asked to speak to the Store Manager; Bob told me that he wasn't there today, but that I could call Corporate, and that Bob would provide me with the number.
Just as we're wrapping up, and I'm about to go home to make a phone call, he asked, "You did get the Heroes deal, right?" I explained that they were out of stock, and that I'd been given a rain check. He said, "I'd swear I just saw one on an end-cap - I'll be right back." He trots off across the store again, and comes back with the Heroes set.
I thanked him, and took my leave.
At no point was I abusive. At one point, I was mildly rude - when I said that Bob wasn't actually READING the ad, because he was stating something distinctly different than what the ad stated - but I don't feel it ever got to a "suck" level.
I went home, called Corporate, and was told that I had to call between certain hours for the sort of call I was making.
The next morning at work, I called. I spoke to a woman who knew what I was talking about. She informed me that the XBox DVD player was not supposed to be eligible for the 2-free-instantly deal, but that the ad had not been properly proofread before being printed, and that it would be honored - and that a memo had been shot to all stores that very morning about it. I felt heartened.
After work, I went back to the store, marched up to the Service desk, and after about 5 minutes, Sally spots me. "This isn't about the same thing as yesterday, is it?" I assured her it was, and explained that Corporate had told me that a memo had gone out this morning. She got a VERY nervous look on her face, and raced off across the store. She returned with another man in tow, who I presume to be the store manager. "He has to check his email," Sally explained. 5 minutes later, without so much as a word of explanation, Sally takes my receipt, and starts processing the "exchange."
Long story short - I did indeed end up with the XBox HD-DVD player, the Heroes Season 1 set, 2 more movies (TMNT and 300, if anyone cares), and the 5-free-mail-rebate deal. Total value, estimated at around $470, for just over $200 after tax.
Was there any suckitude there, or is my displeasure at the runaround - and Bob's inability to read the ad, and instead try to come up with semi-logical reasons why it doesn't apply - the only reason I'm a little sour on the whole thing?
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