Bait and Switch - Alive and Well!

from JoeUser Forums

I recently had the opportunity to take my mother computer shopping. Now for those who know me, don't faint! Yes, my mother now has a computer! For those who don't know, my mother is soon to be 75. She spent her entire career working on big iron! But in her retirement, she has refused to have one! Just plain refused. Until now.

While visiting with her, she found an Ad for a laptop at Office Depot. $329! Now that is a damn good price! So I took her to get it.

We got there, and were looking for this great bargain. It was nowhere to be found. So finally, Mr. Bait N. Switch walks up and asks if he can help. Sure! Show us this laptop! "We do not have them here. You have to pay $50 to have it shipped in, and it will take 3 weeks." - Say what? You advertise it (it was advertised in a local advertisement) and you don't have it, and then you want to charge more?

"But we do have some of these nice machines for $479 you can have today." - yea, right! $479 is not a steal or deal. You can get them at that price almost anywhere. But the shyster did not stop there. Then he tries to sell my mother a $180 "package". What does this package contain?

 - Enhancements to the warranty (righhhtttt! - they repair it? I think not)

 - AntiVirus Software Suite - It was Symantec, and not one I would recommend now anyway, and can be had on the Internet for about $35.

 - A Clean Machine - they remove unwanted programs.

 - "Other Goodies" to protect you like malware protection.

So I tell my mother - it is not worth it. I can clean up the computer in a little time, I would recommend AVG for the cheap and McAfee for the peace of mind folks, and the rest are either freeware or not needed.

But Mr. Shyster continues trying to tell me that it is needed! Yea, right! "Your warranty does not cover you fully" - Uh, yes it does - especially if you get a dell dummy! On and on for 15 minutes this cretin spouts off his limited knowledge that a first year tech student can see he does not understand or comprehend. So Finally, I tell mom - let's go.

Apparently they do not have a reputable selling policy in this chain! As we leave, I tell the clown - I will match initials behind my name with you any day of the week, and will not be recommending your place to anyone after this bait and switch schlock job!

As it turns out, I was not able to get mom a computer before I left. But we found one at Circuit City for $549 that included the router, All-In-One printer, and AV software suite. My brother took her to get it. He knows more about computers than the clown at Office Depot.

Now I have to get a subscription to LogMeIn so I can help her without the 12 hour drive to Florida. I would get Mason to do it, but he is gone too much. ;)

23,408 views 35 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Typical. If a store doesn't have something they advertised I don't buy anything at all there.

Oh, by the way, lose your "Enter" key? No paragraph breaks :LOL:
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Oh, by the way, lose your "Enter" key? No paragraph breaks

Always check your work! - No, I used Live Writer and then did not check it after posting it.  Just checked it after my call to Netapp.  Ugh!  It was ugly!  Hope it is easier to read now. ;)

Object Desktop - Get all of our enhancement utilities in one suite
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
 X-( Listening to computer talk reminds me of going into a bar in Saigon...I just knew the conversation was something I should be aware of...but those dinks all spoke greek. :D 
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
all spoke greek.


Bilingual! ;)
+1 Loading…
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
:LOL:
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
I am glad you didn't let yourself get bullied into anything you didn't want to get.

Congrats to the new computer owner! ;)
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Congrats to the new computer owner!


Now we have to make sure she uses it! I think we found the key. She is getting tired of the 3-5 phone calls a night since her operation (from us kids) and maybe we can convince her that we will email her instead of calling her - so she can respond at her liesure. ;)
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Congrats to your mom for being brave to get one of them darn things!LOL!  Gosh, I can't tell you how many times that bait and switch goes on around the state!  It's horrible!  Good thing you didn't fall for it!  They should be held accountable, unfortunately they aren't!

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

That is very typical. You think you're coming in for a sale, and by the time you're finished, you've spent a hundred extra dollars. And THAT'S before you know if the computer works well.

Incidentally, I did respond to your comment. It was fairly lengthy, actually.

Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gosh, I can't tell you how many times that bait and switch goes on around the state! It's horrible! Good thing you didn't fall for it!


If I did not have more initials than names, I might have fallen for it. But as that is my chosen career, I can see through the BS. Guess I should have worn my awards around my neck for the clown to see. ;)
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
And THAT'S before you know if the computer works well.

Incidentally, I did respond to your comment. It was fairly lengthy, actually.


Really!

I will read your comment soon. I have been busy cutting down trees today. Well, at least it was fun being outside. ;)
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

The worst offenders in my books are the car salesmen. Used car salesmen. A friend of mine was looking to get a decent used car for a reasonable price. Nothing fancy, the kind of vehicle that won't break your wallet and you're not ashamed to be seen in.

So we look around a bit and find a 2003 generic with good miles and a really decent price. Almost getting into the "too good to be true" category but not quite. Only thing is, it's being advertised by a dealership in a town that's 4 hours away. Carfax (I think it was carfax...) search comes back clean so we call the dealer for more info.

Dealer assures us that the price is not a penny more than advertised, no additional fees tacked on. He tells us if we show up with the sum advertised in the paper (I think it was 9 grand or something) the vehicle's ours.

So the weekend comes and we make the trip to the dealer. We get there, dealer is nice, promptly gives us the keys for a test drive. My friend likes the car, we get back and tell the dealer let's sign on the dotted line. Suddenly, the price goes up by $ 1500.0! He upped the main price by 1000.0 and then threw various fees on top. 

We say WTF?!?! He says that the price has now gone up because we expressed interest. Although he didn't say it, you could tell by his body language that he figured he had us by the balls because we had an 8 hour round trip and probably didn't want to go home empty handed. So we say no thanks, see you later! His reaction was a hurt look and saying that he didn't understand why we wouldn't stick around to wheel and deal for a better price.

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

Furniture stores do the bait and switch all the damn time.

Rose and I were looking for a new dining room table. We will see a nice one in the paper and everytime they will be out of it and try to get us to buy something else. I told them I was never going to their store again. Maybe I went a little overboard but still.

Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top

This type of advertising sucks.  I too have been a victim of it, with the store using the excuse 'oh, we've run out of that item'.  I'm betting they never had it in stock to begin with and just used it to suck people into their store.  The bastards should be done for false advertising.

I'm pleased your mother got a good laptop in the end anyway.

Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
We say WTF?!?! He says that the price has now gone up because we expressed interest.


I think my expression would have been a bit more extreme than WTF! A 4 hour wasted trip would have really burned me!
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
I told them I was never going to their store again. Maybe I went a little overboard but still.


No you did not. You did the exact right thing! If we dont start hurting them in the pocket books, they will just continue to do it.

Once they understand we have choices - and are ready to use them, maybe they will stop. Office Max and Staples will get my business, but Office Depot never will again.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
The bastards should be done for false advertising.
I'm pleased your mother got a good laptop in the end anyway.


I am sure they had "one or two" in stock to protect them from the false advertisement claim. They are deceptive, but not stupid (the company - I cant say the same for the salesman).

As for my mom, yea. I did not get a chance to install LogMeIn yesterday, but will today. I had an Acer desktop years ago. It was fine. A couple of people I know have the laptops and so far so good! So I am guardedly giving them a thumbs up for now.
Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top

Everyone should say see ya later when they pull this nonsense.

I'm glad  your mom got set up either way. Now, when she learns e-mail she is going to learn forwards! :LOL:

Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm glad your mom got set up either way. Now, when she learns e-mail she is going to learn forwards!


:LOL:

Nah, she has seen her sister do it, and I doubt she will. My aunt is in the forward stage (and has been for years), and my mom has been saved by the lack of a computer. However another sister has not been spared, and now hides her email address from the still emailing sister. ;)
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top

I definently will not let a computer sales person bully me around period. If they keep trying to sell me something I do not want I will kindly tell them that I will shop elsewhere where they do not force me to buy something I do not want.

Reply #21 from Stardock Forums Top

I have a Dell laptop and have had it for well over 12 months.  I really enjoy the portability of it.  Of course, Dell have a great record for being able supply what they say advertise.

Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top
I definently will not let a computer sales person bully me around period. If they keep trying to sell me something I do not want I will kindly tell them that I will shop elsewhere where they do not force me to buy something I do not want.


That is why I love shopping on line. The computers never bully you. ;)
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
I have a Dell laptop and have had it for well over 12 months. I really enjoy the portability of it. Of course, Dell have a great record for being able supply what they say advertise.


I bought my oldest daughter a Gateway when she went to college. That was the last Gateway I bought or will buy. I prefer Dells, but the one my mother got (It is actually an HP now that I can see it with LogMeIn) looks pretty nice! And one thing I really liked about it? I went in to remove all that "freeware" that all computers come with - guess what? There was not very much!

I will be giving HPs a closer look.
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top
I went in to remove all that "freeware" that all computers come with - guess what? There was not very much!


Well, in Dell's defense (my verdict: I like Dell laptops, would prefer to build my own desktop), while they DO have bloatware, a simple wipe and reload fixes THAT problem. So while I don't like that feature of Dell, it's easy to deal with.

But yes, I have seen the new HP laptops and I like them.
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
But yes, I have seen the new HP laptops and I like them.


So far so good for me. I have always liked "HP" boxes, but not Compaqs. They may make me re-evaluate my stand if this one holds up. It has only been 13 years since they shafted me - I guess I can change. ;)