Couldn't the customer could remove the negative feedback, and then leave new feedback, saying that they were now happy, because Ritz had payed them off?

@CumaeanSibyl:
You mean "very good".

And yes, she was asked to lie, by erasing her previous true statement. An honest response would be something like 'follow-up, they have now fixed the problem and done X and I am happy with the transaction.'

(And then I got pregnant and it's NEVER my turn!)

To inject a little humour here, there really is a difference between a ship and a boat. A ship has a captain. A boat operates by mutual consent.

Just because in the context of a courtroom "bribery" has a specific meaning doesn't make it so in the rest of the world. The same is true of ship/boat, seagull/

Save "Black's Law Dictionary" for when it's appropriate. Maybe for folks like you it needs to have a notice on the front. "Not to be used outside of a court of law".

Off topic: It appears most of this reponse thread has squiptipadoogleboinkaflopped. A dictionary is not "the only ways a word may be used" but instead a newspaper of how words have been used. Just as a newspaper reports stories that have occurred rather than command how stories may occur, a dictionary is merely a record of common past usages -- not fodder for, "I looked it up and it can't be used that way," rationale.

In fact, as soon as I saw "Ritz Camera" and "Photo frame" I expected the story to progress to "and the (brand name) frame was out of stock but they offered me a no name frame at a higher price." Color me unsurprised when that's exactly how it played out.

My car dealership tried to pull this crap with me. They offered me a free oil change if I gave them a perfect rating when GM called me to evaluate them. Since they charged me $90 for a fuse without my prior consent, that wasn't going to happen. Not only did I slam them, but I continue to tell everyone I know not to do business with them.

I strongly suspect that to most people, bribe is the right word, and the company's actions stink.

that is until i nagged him to DEATH for a month.

next time i'll just leave the comment where it is and see if the inducement increases.

@SUNY_SteveDave:
I got 3 video credits in the iTMS by commenting on the txtspk that the customer service agent had used to email me.

I'm the kind of guy who calls Coke when he gets a bottle that tastes kinda off just so he can get free stuff, though. (aka I'm a jerk)

That was really funny.

@liz.lemonade: \
Because $50 is "Dollar 50" $50 Dollars is "Dollar 50 dollars" but 50$ is "Fifty dollars"

I had placed a $60 order through Amazon buying from some candy company in Arizona. The candy was shipped ground with no ice packs or anything, and when it got to me it was pretty much all melted. I left a review saying that you'd think with their location they'd throw an ice pack in the box, since all my candy was melted. I got an email within an hour saying "we will fully refund your order and ship a replacement for all melted items if you remove the negative review." Since I needed the stuff, I accepted.

I'm pretty sure everyone does that. Hell, that's the reason resellerratings and the BBB exist,isn't it? So our negative comments get the problems fixed (and we get free stuff,w00t)?

To me, the email reads like the author mashed it together out of pieces of several different forms and then didn't read it over for flow before sending it out. My guess (given the mix of stilted language and colloquialisms such as: "We just need another chance...") is that it was someone who's just starting to get the hang of the customer service "voice." All these things are understandable, but the bottom line for me is that it sounds thoroughly unprofessional.

@liz.lemonade: I think it snuck in with other sloppy e-mail/texting grammar issues as the technology became widespread. My own personal theory is that the trend is for people to text/e-mail parallel to how they speak. Thus, "50 dollars" is "50$".

I offered to fill Consumerist's Wikipedia page with only platitudes in exchange for a star, but they didn't bite.

But the implication is very different.

Contract drafting lawyers think they cover their bases with this kind of thinking.

But litigators have won cases with far less.

@snowburnt: I'm not buying that "end of cycle" excuse. The big photo trade show - Photokina - just took place in September, and that's when most new cameras are introduced. Certainly Nikon and Canon have each released new DSLRs in the very recent past. Also, my boo works for a locally-owned and operated photo shop and I've not heard any mention of this. Now the "bad planning on Ritz's behalf" I have no problem with.

This is, of course, the same camera chain who was still attempting to sell Polaroid Mio cameras less than a year ago, when the film was discontinued in 2005. And who charged me something like $11.99 to process a roll of 36 exposure color film, even though it was only $6.99 for a 24 exp, and extra prints were going for 25 cents.

I think they finally stopped bundling brand name (D)SLR bodies with their (reportedly poor quality) off-brand lenses, but I refuse to go near the place.

Never shopped with e-bay since, even after they removed the ability of sellers to neg buyers.

That said, I don't think "leave positive feedback if you had a good experience!" is a problem. It's only when they offer threats if you leave negative feedback, or offer to only fix a problem if you change your feedback.

I like systems that won't let you edit your original complaint but WILL let you append to it, so you can post an addendum if the company later resolves the issue to your satisfaction. That seems fairer.

(In fact, one of my very first marital arguments revolved around assault vs. battery. We're both lawyers, and I'm very clumsy. I went to stand up from the couch, lost my balance, and while windmilling my arms cartoon-style, whacked my new husband in the chest. In mock-offense he says, "Assault me, why don't you!" I burst into tears and sobbed, "I didn't assault you -- I BATTERED you!")

The OP's girlfriend probably has never had this happen before. Sorry if they can't replace your DISCONTINUED item with one of better quality. I wish tech specs were included so that a good comparison of a comparable product could be made. I am willing to guess that $100 off a different frame would have gotten her just as good of a deal or even a bigger size.

It is sorta bogus that they are asking to remove the feedback.

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of a feedback system?

T.

When did it become common to put the dollar sign after the number, i.e. "50$"? That's akin to nails on a chalkboard for me.

I hope your professors don't read this blog

I've noticed supply issues like the OP pointed out at a number of their stores. One of their managers explained to me that most of the models of at least the cameras are at the end of their product cycle and new models are due out in January. Due to bad planning on Ritz's behalf they didn't stock up enough of the old models to meet the demand. Its unfortunate and understandable there.

What is bad though is Ritz's web half acting poorly, being misinformed or lying and then attempting to bribe off bad press.

Also in my experience the prices are the same in store as online. Plus if they have it at another store they will overnight to your store free of charge to you.

But, yeah, shame on Ritz.

Also this is hilarious. It reminds me of how obsessive eBayers are about feedback.

@fantomesq: "Bribery" is a common English word that can be used quiet accurately and unsloppily outside of a legal context. The word "damage" can be found in a Dungeons and Dragons glossary, but no-one would suggest that it only be used in the context of bashing a half-elf over the head with a +2 bardiche.

Too bad she declined a $100 frame over a $50 mistake. I'd like to be in her shoes if that's the worst customer service she has ever experienced.

Okay, I can see your point, too. It seems like an area for grey matter. DOes the right price, in theory, actually change the consumer's opinion, or is it the price to just change what they are willing to say? Hmmm....

Well, one of the points most of us are ranting about here is a matter of ethics. If she plays along, which she's certainly entitled to do, that changes the story a bit.

Get real.

2 good sources for travel are the Insiders Guides and Unofficial guides for travel. They have no relationships with any vendors, and when I have asked businesses if they are proud of their recommendation, they usually don't even know about it.

The feedback submission was the beginning of a negotiation and submitting it gave the OP a substantial bargaining chip on her side. The retailer responded by offering $20 in exchange for removing the feedback which the OP could do if she was now satisfied by the result. She chose to reject the offer as she was free to do.

She was not asked to lie. Lying would be a request to change her feedback to something more positive. Removing the feedback after a situation is rectified was always an option on her plate and a growing consumer power in the online world.

That's not uncommon, nor all that unethical. Lots of companies encourage you to leave feedback in various forms/locations. But, I'd agree that it gets a bit creepy at times.

What's different in the Ritz case detailed here (and others like it) is that the vendor is encouraging you to leave a potentially dishonest review and offering a cash reward to do so.

Bribery's a legal term... my definition comes from Black's Law Dictionary. Any other usage is sloppy and inaccurate. Consumerist's headlines have been a little sensationalistic lately. Legal accuracy is important when making public accusations

@fantomesq: A good company would have made this right prior to it resulting in negative feedback.

BTW, I have a dictionary too and it mentions nothing about "bribery" requiring a connection to "public or legal duty". We all know what a bribe is, and m-w.com's 2nd defintion, "something that serves to induce or influence" appears quite (quiet?) apt.

Unfortunately companies have to do this stuff because one poor Amazon review can kill their sales. Amazon in particular has no vetting process so reviews are filled with shills posting fake positive reviews, competitors posting fake negative reviews, and zero quality control over the "truthiness" in these reviews. There are thousands of "reviews" on Amazon from people who freely admit they don't even own the product or have ever seen it. But somehow they still feel qualified to write a review. Unfortunately Amazon lumps everyone together into a 5-star system which can be completely gamed.

• Errors happen, it's in how a company deals with them that sets the company apart. When Melissa called the first time, that's when Ritz needed to go "above and beyond." They didn't. Shame on them for that.

• Brenda Jones is not offering to fix the situation. She is offering Melissa $20 to lie. How does that reinstate confidence? I'm dying to know.

I woulda taken the $100 frame for $50, all other things being equal. It's not like brand name really matters with LCDs. But, after all this, I think we'd all agree that Ritz gets no more of our money.

FAIL RITZ FAIL

Feedback on Amazon is way more powerful than eBay though because it's about the product AND the seller. You browse to a product and see its feedback, but you can also click the seller link and see their feedback.

Another thing is that you can actually leave a review on a product even if you've never purchased it. And guess what? If only one seller offers it, your review reflects badly on them as well.

Melissa should have added that Ritz offered the off-brand frame in her post. They didn't "refuse" to fix the issue, she just rejected their (crappy) offer.

Brenda's email is really bad. "...will contact us at the earliest." Earlieset what? Week? Day?

I'm sure that some of us here would really love to see Ritz attempt to enforce their 'terms and conditions of feedback bribery'

@Sanspants:
Or security thing or whatever it was?

Didn't the same thing happen over Spore's DRM?

Annyways, that "bribery" has got to be against Amazon's ToS, no?

It sounds like something that two guys named "Vinnie" might say.

Awesomely timely post. I was just perusing Ritz Camera for a birthday gift for my mom, the photographer.

I cruised over here for a second, saw this post, and immediately closed my Ritz browser window.

Inventory and Supply Chain issues are one thing, but this bribery email is beyond the pale. (Grammar and "power of positive thinking"/jedi mind tricks tone notwithstanding.)

Note to Ritz: Once you've screwed up to the extent that you've lost a customer, it's too late to try to wiggle out of it. You had your chance through the appropriate CSR channels.

In fact, in this case, you've alienated another customer who didn't yet have a chance to click the "Process Order" button.