This was the first ever Black Friday shopping I have ever attempted (at age 24). I felt a little silly, knowing that I should have arrived earlier if I wanted to have the slightest chance of beating the crowds. Knowing that Fry's is a huge store, I humored myself and stayed in line to at least see if how quickly it would move once doors opened. To my surprise, from doors opening to me getting inside only took 10 minutes.]]>I was in, and I was excited.
On the top of my list of purchases, I was hoping to score a very good deal on a Samsung 52" LCD TV that had been part of the Black Friday Ads.
As I am a frequent buyer from Fry's, I headed straight back to the TV section, and found the TV. It was perfect. I looked around for a sales associate to help me, not realizing another line had formed inside the store for the same purpose. By the time I figured out what was going on, the line was easily 150 people long. Knowing my chances were slim, I decided to wait in line anyways. With how crowded the store was, it seemed as though Fry's had done the impossible; kept a fairly good operation to keeping things orderly and organized. The line was moving fast, and I wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.
I finally made it to the front, and asked the sales associate if they still had the 52". He responded with a smile, and a "Yes", and he handed me a ticket! I felt like I had won the lotto! After I got my ticket, I waited in another line to be checked out, so I could head to the cashier to pay for my new TV. I was so excited! Upon arriving to the front of that line, I asked the sales associate if I could pick up my TV later in the day. Again, he too responded with a smile and a "yes!". Everything was going my way!
After I checked out with him, I headed to the front of the store, with invoice in hand, to pay for the TV. I arrived at the cashier's, and told him I would like to pick up the TV later. He told me he would have to ask his supervisor if that was okay. The supervisor said that I had to pick it up right now, as they wouldn't be able to hold it for me for the day. Still somewhat on a high, I said "Not a problem", and called a friend. After a little persuasion (As this was 5:30 am, and he was still sleeping), my friend responded he'd be there within the hour. I told the cashier what I had found out, and told him I would be looking around in the store for some other sales while I waited.
After 20 minutes of looking at more things I could buy, he called me back and said he was in the parking lot. I was surprised at how quickly he had got there, so I headed back for the cashier's to pay and pick up the TV. The line had gotten to about 400 people long by now, and I was surprised at how long it took to get through. Twenty-five minutes later, I purchased the TV and headed to pick it up. I went up to the pickup Sales guy, handing him my receipt. He looked at the product I had bought and responded "Oh no, not another one".
To my surprise, about 10 people in front of me were all waiting for the same thing. The store manager came up and said that they oversold the TV. and that we could get refunds at the refund desk. One of us asked if they were going to give us rain checks as all of us had already paid for the TV, and he told us with a smirk on his face, "No". He then walked off, not making himself accessible to anyone for questions. We all paid for a TV we were not going to get.
I have never felt so betrayed by a store. I walked around with a false sense of security, as giddy as a kid in a candy store, only to be told that I wasn't going to get what I paid for. I understand mistakes happen, but it would have seemed wise to me to solve the initial problem (call back to the TV department to make sure they weren't handing out more tickets), and then make right with the few of us that waited in multiple lines, over several hours, who PAID for their TVs.
This is obviously a violation of corporate policy. They don't give tickets to people and tell them they are getting a TV, charge them for the TV and then smirk and say "too bad."
I would take a wild guess that some Fry's employees decided they wanted some TVs too.
Honestly, if they accepted payment for the TV at that price, they owe those customers a TV. How is this any different from those websites that accidentally listed an expensive item for $1.99 or something like that, and had to fulfill all orders? If those websites had to honor those customers, so should Fry's.
]]>I use to shop here regularly but the sales tactics of some of their reps are very deceptive. I've been lied to countless times by sales reps just to get a sale (I returned all those purchases wasting time and gas money).
]]>Also, there should be some reasonable expectation of time for someone to purchase the item after receiving the ticket, as well, since this is Black Friday and the individual may be purchasing other items in the store before leaving. If they're not going to hold off on selling more TVs that tickets handed out within the first hour or so, then why have a ticket system in the first place? Since he purchased it in a reasonable amount of time (and the transaction went through) and then immediately went to go pick it up, the TV should've been available.
Come on. Use common sense before you speak. It's employees that think like you are that cause the problems in the first place.
]]>I headed to the Anaheim, CA Fry's location after not having much luck finding anything to my liking at a nearby Best Buy. Within the Audio / Video section, I found a Samsung 46" 120Hz LCD for $899. Great, I said, and asked the salesperson if they had the TV in stock. He said the system showed 1 in stock and printed up a quote - mind you, the salesperson is not supposed to provide customers with a "quote" unless the product is in stock (Fry's fuck up #1). He said he would send someone to look for it. I told him I would go and pay for the TV while he goes looking for it. No objections. He said fine.
I go pay for it and wait. And wait. The TV never shows up. 30 minutes has passed. The cashier who was helping me check. He gets the news that they are out of stock. Why the hell did they sell me a TV they don't have in stock? (Fry's fuck up #2) I go to the customer service department and talk to several people, none of whom seem to have a clue. I tell them that I just want a credit for the non-existent TV they sold me so that I can just apply it to another TV they have in stock and get the fuck out of there. They tell me they have to do a physical count of the TV before they can process it. (Fry's fuck up #3) I ask, "That's YOUR problem. I never received my TV so why are you making me wait for you to cover YOUR ass regarding this?" They don't budge. Two associates go do this supposed physical count. They come back and tell yet another customer service manager that the TV doesn't exist in inventory. The idiot comes over to me again and tells me he has to verify things based on the order of the store manager. So he goes and does yet another "physical count" (Fry's fuck up #4).
It has now been more than an hour since I paid for the original TV. Another 30 minutes pass. I guess they give up and finally give me the credit for the non-existent TV. I pick up another TV and leave.
In summary, Fry's:
- Inventory management / control system is completely ineffective / outdated / useless
- Employees and management, for the most part, are completely imbeciles
- Doesn't give a shit about the inconveniences it causes its customers, only about "loss prevention"
- Should focus on stupidity prevention on the part of their operations and customer service
Sure, I'll purchase at Fry's for pricing but I sure as hell not shopping there for knowledgeable advice, customer service nor sheer consideration for PAYING customers.
]]>First, I waited in the customer service line for 10 minutes to get to an employee. He then repeatedly asked me why I was returning it while unpacking and scrutinizing the item and the packing. He then brought over a supervisor who repeated the process exactly, down to the unpacking and repeated questioning. Then, unbelievably, a third supervisor came over and scrutinized the register receipt and inquired as to why I didn't like the product.
I said, "Never mind, give me the d*** thing back and I'll take out in the parking lot and bust into pieces." He finally said, "No, we'll give you a refund." I replied, "Thanks and you won't have to do it again as I'll try not to shop here anymore." Then, "yada-yada" on both sides and he gives me a ticket that I now have to go get into the check out line to cash in to get my money back.
So, I don't shop Fry's unless I have to and it's always with the understanding that taking it back isn't an option.
Who DOES that? Who has enough money to pay for a TV like this but not enough sense to plan?
How did he or she even GET to the store in the middle of the night? Maybe the busses run all night there, dunno, but that's just wacky.
Even so, I'd have paid for the TV and sat on it if I had to (well not really) and called a cab or something. Get it, get out. None of this namby pamby "I'll come back for it later, sigh!" stuff.
]]>Watching the cashier's stunned reaction would have been priceless.
]]>A lot of things start out as "simple mistakes"; it's how the company responds to them that turns a "simple mistake" into "horrible customer service".
]]>Or I'd refuse to shop at Fry's for any reason, which is the option I've selected instead. Bunch of crooks.
]]>Not true. I've been in this situation myself at a Circuit City a few years ago, and I did exactly what I suggested the OP should have done - stood my ground and refused to leave until I was satisfied. I ended up with a 46" Samsung for the sale price of a 40", all because they sold me a TV that they couldn't produce when I tried to pick it up.
When a retailer accepts money for a good or service, it's at least implied that they're going to fulfill the order. If they don't or can't, they pay a price for that. If I bought a TV from them and the check bounced or the bank refused payment on the credit card, they would still expect their money, and rightfully so. If the retailer makes a mistake, they're no less responsible.
]]>This really irked me, since the cashier had just checked my ID in order to use my credit card, and she could see that I lived three thousand miles away. I suspect that she was trying to bait and switch me if only because she knew that I lived in a market without this chain, and was not in a position to readily return the item to the store.
]]>"After 20 minutes of looking at more things I could buy, he called me back and said he was in the parking lot. I was surprised at how quickly he had got there, so I headed back for the cashier's to pay and pick up the TV. "
He would have gotten the TV if he hadn't waited around for his friend. But during that 20 minute time frame, the TV had sold out. And the cashiers have no way of verifying inventory when he actually went up to pay. The invoice is not a guarantee. It's just a way for the sales people to track their sales and commissions.
Better luck next year for Jeff.
]]>-Those TV's were gone before he even got into the store.
BTW, the store extensions listed below work for the home office also. Want to reach the Corporate Director of Audio and Video? Change the last two digits of the Home Office number to 50.
http://consumerist.com/2007/07/departmental-phone-extensions-for-every-frys.html
http://consumerist.com/2008/07/updated-frys-electronics-home-office-company-directory.html
The fact the sale went through was because the system thought there were more TVs than there actually were. And why would that be?
Human error - typing in the wrong number when the sets were put into inventory.
Though I believe it's this one:
They had plenty of sets in stock. Let's assume they had 20 sets allotted for BF, but they actually have another 30 or so locked up in the back. They sold 30, but found out their allotment was already oversold after a few got through the register..
This is a 50" fricking TV though. Necessarily the box is very large and heavy. Also, this was apparently a doorbuster. I call shenanigans on any notion that the store had any uncertainty as to the inventory of this item on-hand that morning. Given those facts, the idea that they could be excused for overselling the item is completely preposterous to me.
The store has X number of TV's. They should have handed out X number of wristbands/tickets/whatever. Exchange 1 token for 1 item. No token, no item. It's not that hard.
]]>overselling should be illegal
]]>It's called 'planning ahead'. OP-> Epic Fail!
It's not the store's fault that they sold out of tv's after they SPECIFICALLY told you 'no holds' and you proceeded to try and have them hold it while you arranged transportation.
]]>but it does what it is designed for, it gets hundreds of people to the store and when they don't get the door buster, there likely to buy other more profitable items from the store.
it is bait and switch and it cost time and money of the customer as they have go go all the way to the store, often miles and early in the morning which makes them more likely to buy something so it doesn't feel like a complete waste of time. It should be illegal
]]>"The item you ordered is not available for pickup at the LYNNWOOD WA Best Buy store #477.
If you still want this product, call us toll-free at 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) to check product availability at a different store or to have the item shipped via free standard shipping. Please contact us within 8 days to choose one of these options. For faster service, tell us the order number when you contact us.
If you no longer want this product, you do not need to take any action. we will cancel this order in 8 days and your credit card will not be charged. If you paid with PayPal, your PayPal account will be credited. If you used a Gift Card, your card will be credited. If you used a Reward Certificate, points will be reissued to your Reward Zone program account within 3-5 days.
Item details are listed below.
Thank You.
Best Buy Customer Care"
Uh...I ordered the item, you sold me the item, and now you won't fulfill the order? Why should I ever buy anything from you again?
I called them to let them know that I still wanted the item, but the online sales rep spent 22 minutes fighting with their software system, ultimately giving up. She helpfully suggested that I call back and speak with another online sales rep. I did, but was hung up on while on hold. Then I called a third time, waited on hold for 20 minutes, and spoke with a phone sales rep. She helpfully told me that the item is sold out, and that I should keep checking the website to see when/if stock is replenished. I informed her that I had already successfully placed the order. She repeated her advice.
These companies deserve to fail.
]]>He didn't listen. I can't vouch for the Renton store, but the store that I work at, and the four others I've been to during Black Friday, you will literally have the sales associates, supervisors, and managers, literally yelling at the crowd to form a line in a particular location (i.e. aisle 10) for a certain product. When the customer are in a line, the sales associates start to hand out tickets for doorbusters.
The OP should not have waited so long to buy the item. Since on BF items aren't held for the entire day as they normally would, if the product is not sold in a couple hours, it *may* be released to another customer.
Fry's also does not allow purchase of an item and then providing housing for it as well. Once it's paid for, it is now the customer's responsibility to take the item. I suppose this is a liability (and convenience) factor.
I'm not saying that Fry's is in the clear here...the manager could have acted in a more respectful manner, but I find the OP's story a little hard to believe considering that perhaps releasing one or two items to other customers may be possible, BUT seeing how all the stores were crawling with corporate officers AND that managers intentionally keep several items on hold JUST FOR situations such as these, to me, it seems as if the OP is bitter he didn't understand how the line system worked (probably due to a lack of sleep + haste of getting to the dept + excited BF atmosphere) and is blaming it on Fry's for mistakes that he made along the way.
That being said, I hope he ends up with something decent for his troubles.
]]>Ok, so you MIGHT have the nonexistant item (as to the buyer) but they DIDN'T attempt to switch him to another (let alone, more expensive) item, so they gained no benefit and there is no bait and switch
]]>The bigger issue to me would be how the guy is getting his refund. Debits (from debit or credit cards) are always instant, and refunds never are. The OP doesn't mention it, so I guess he's the kind of person that can afford to front that kind of money. Me, I'd be furious unless they gave me my money in cash.
]]>Companies shouldn't be allowed to take your money now, then check on inventory later. Especially in this current day and age of credit card transactions, the refund could be held up for a few days, depriving the customers of their money for that same period of time.
This isn't a mom and pop shop here. Fry's corporate can tell you how many Roombas they sold in 2008 on Tuesdays in June. They should be able to track how many TVs they have in stock and have their POS systems hold up additional sales once they get close to running out.
The fact of the matter is retailers are not interested in solving these problems. If they were, there wouldn't be countless reports of this same thing happening year after year. Giving them a pass and saying 'oh, simple mistake' doesn't give them any additional incentive either.
]]>Sorry. A line just to receive a ticket so you can go to another line to pay for the crap and then ANOTHER line to actually get the crap?
No Farking Way.
]]>Instead, he stepped aside, called a buddy and waited for him to report from the parking lot (at least 20 minutes later) before returning to line and waiting an unspecified but lengthy amount of time to buy the TV. By the end of that process the store had already run out of stock but had enough time to mistakenly sell this make-believe television to 10 other customers.
See, you missed the whole part of the story where there was at least 20 minutes gone by where all the stock sold through. The gentleman may have received his goods at the original time of attempted purchase. That's why folks are saying he needed to go ahead and pay and then sit against a wall guarding his prize like a hungry dog with a cow leg until someone with a conveyance capable of housing this screen of legend could arrive.
]]>If there was not a disclaimer that quantities are limited on the advertisement in which the OP found the price I'll buy him the television myself.
]]>It is nice to see so many other attorneys on Consumerist. Odd how they all seem to disagree with me.
]]>Fry's made an Offer to sell you a TV. They led you through the cattle lines, gave you an invoice, etc.
You accepted the offer.
Fry's received consideration for the offer when they received your payment.
After that - all they get to do is fulfill the Offer they made to you, which you accepted, and which they received consideration for. If it ends up costing them more to do so - tough cookies for Fry's.
They had the absolute opportunity to not take your consideration at the cash register - YOU don't manage the stock levels of the store. THEY DO. That they did this to 10 people and the cashier said "Oh no, not another one!" tells me that you weren't the first person this happened to. There's no "oops, oh shit... two orders came in at the same time and you're the only guy oversold" - there were 10 other people this happened to.
I'd do a few things:
1) Call Fry's - explain what happened. See if they'll give you a similar or BETTER TV at the same price. Better yet, let the schmucks ship it to you and install it for no shipping charges.
2) If they refuse - sue em in small claims court. Sue for the cost of the TV, the difference in cost between the price of that model on Black Friday and what it normally lists for + tax + mileage to/from the first store and any other additional stores you'll have to order it from (or shipping, whichever) + your time to stand in the lines at all the stores involved + court costs + filing fees + processing fees + ATTORNEY FEES (even if you represent yourself "Pro Se", most Courts will let you claim some amount - take your annual salary, divide by 2000 (typically 2000 hrs in a year), and that's your hourly).
File the case. If they don't show - DO NOT ALLOW A CONTINUANCE. Motion for a default judgment - they had ample opportunity to show up, and chose not to. If you get the default judgment, then go file it with the Clerk immediately. Then send a copy of it to Fry's general counsel along with a demand for the amount of the Default Judgment + fiiling fees + fees to release the judgment + your hourly rate + parking + mileage to release it.
The only way companies learn not to pull these antics is by having it cost them time and money. They wasted your time, so return the favor.
]]>Bait and switch is when they don't have and never actually intended to have the advertised item.
The world is not a grand conspiracy.
]]>However his wasted time is unfortunately not something for which he can expect to recover monetary damages from the store. It is simply not done.
You also have to take into consideration for the 10 people that didn't get the television because of some error on the part of the store, 150 (or 400 depending on which number the OP used is correct) did get the TV and are quite happy.
It is hard to find a politician with an approval rating over 50%, given 10 out of 150 are not happy with the store, that is an approval rate of greater than 94%.
Not everybody is going to be happy because not everyone will get what the item for which they shopped for in the wee hours of the morning.
I don't see a grand conspiracy here, I see at most an inventory mistake. He will probably get some token from corporate to appease him, but I don't see much more than that.
]]>My mom went this morning, gets in the store. She asks an employee: "Where is the electronics section?" He points.
She gets down to the electronics section, asks another 'associate': "Which line is for the DS games?" "Oh, the line on the left", the employee says.
She waits in that line. When she gets up nearer to the front, she realizes this line is for a freaking TV. She did not want the TV. She asks that same employee "I thought you told me this was the line for the DS games?" Employee responds "Ooooooooooooh sorry I meant the right line".
She goes over to the other line, the very back of the line, and finally gets to the front and the only DS games left were some weird yoga ones or something. She was LIVID.
]]>We offer an informal mediation service to consumers whose disputes with businesses fall within our jurisdiction. Through this process, we contact businesses to determine their response to consumer complaints. If a firm refuses to respond or to make an adjustment, we cannot compel them to do so. We inform consumers of alternatives if our mediation service is not successful.
The Attorney General's Office is authorized to bring legal action only in the name of the State of Washington, and is prohibited from serving as an attorney for individual consumers. We are further prohibited from giving advice, rendering opinions or interpretations, or conducting research on behalf of individuals or businesses.
They do provide an informal mediation service, but as I said they cannot act on individual cases. Certainly you are correct that a letter from the AG does get attention, in fact I use the mediation of the County Court occasionally for just the same reason. But I really don't see what there is to mediate here. The customer has experienced no loss. Sure it was a pain in the neck, but he is not out any cash.
]]>Standing your ground and demanding you be given a TV that simply is not in stock is not going to be particularly fruitful.
Certainly he could complain to the corporate office, and I would be surprised if they did not give him some token for his inconvenience.
-- It's typical Black Friday tactics for all stores to have limited quantity of advertised items. I usually assume a store has 5 in stock of each item in the ads. LOL.
-- And as someone else mentioned, Jeff did not actually buy the TV when he thought he did. As a former Fry's employee, I can tell you that when a salesperson generates an invoice, it doesn't mean squat. It's just a way for the salespersons to track their sales/commissions.
The product is yours after you bring your invoice to the cashier and pay up. Jeff's mistake was calling his friend and waiting for him. Instead, he should have paid for the TV first and then called his friend.
]]>"I went up to the pickup Sales guy, handing him my receipt. He looked at the product I had bought and responded "Oh no, not another one".
To my surprise, about 10 people in front of me were all waiting for the same thing."
So ~10 other people did what the O.P. did by walking away to arrange for transportation? Not likely.
]]>But at the end of the day, it's all about the experience. Now that you've actually experienced this situation, you would probably think about going there early next time and making sure you actually get your product. Yes yes I know you paid for your TV, but nothing is every guaranteed.
]]>But I do agree that the ticket, checkout, pickup thing is a little weird and probably causes more problems than solves them. Although I feel like that about Black Friday as a whole.
]]>None of that is relevant. It's certainly a shame that some people are struggling, but that simply doesn't matter for the purpose of this conversation. Some stores do things like this intentionally knowing that at least some customers will roll over and spend money anyway. That may or may not have been what happened here, but either way, the customer is entitled to the product he paid for. Given that he confirmed multiple times that the TV was still available, he was hardly at fault.
He should have stood his ground and demanded the TV he paid for.
]]>I was there this morning about 45mins after opening to pick up a netbook and watched the line of "ticket holders" for a $177 Gateway netbook that they had advertised get told that, gee, they were awfully sorry, but they only had enough for folks up to the balloon marker on the line (which was maybe 20 people) but, gosh, they sure do have some great deals going on other netbooks and laptops. Why don't you all go check them out?
I wasn't there for the Gateway, so I didn't realy care, but a few folks looked about ready to murder one of the sales clerks.
]]>And while on an anti-establishment level I'm jazzed up by the idea of forcing the store to honor the sale and refuse to accept the money back after they've taken payment, I don't think that's viable. Being obstinate won't somehow produce another TV in stock, and the only other thing they could do is offer a different TV of similar value. But all they're obligated to do is give you your money back if they can't fulfill your purchase. I think there's a difference, though, between accidentally selling one TV that's out of stock, and selling at least ten. That *is* a failure of the store and in that instance I agree that the store needs to take action to make this right.
Makes me glad I don't live in a part of the country served by that chain.
]]>Ask for the number for the Corporate Office and ask for Customer Relations... Those complaints are directed to the store managers but corporate follows up on how well they are handled so also usually produce results.
]]>Do you people with your lawyer, attorney general, and BBB on speed dial really think that stores would intentionally oversell a product? Doing that would never be beneficial to the store. What the store should have done in this situation is at least give a raincheck or better yet, give a similar discount on a similar TV. What should the OP have done? Arrange to borrow the buddies truck on Thanksgiving day so that the OP could go and get the TV the first time through the line, load the TV up, go home, and get some more sleep. I would never expect a store to "reserve" a doorbuster item for me so that I can pick it up hours after the purchase.
]]>The right thing for him to have done would be to go ahead and take the TV right then and there, even before calling his pal. That way it's in his hands, physically paid for and on a cart, and he can then wander around the store or head out into the parking lot and wait.
He probably didn't realize that the first ticket he got didn't guarantee him a TV all day long, whenever he felt like picking it up, and the inventory system didn't -1 just because that first ticket got printed. It only takes the unit out of the system once it goes through the register at the very end of the line. Someone should have told him this, and I think that's the only part of the story that Fry's is liable for.
]]>Drove by there on the way to T-giving dinner yesterday, the Fry's parking lot and one for the Target across the street were completely filled with camping customers.
]]>We flagged over a sales person and asked if they had the PC's in stock. He said yes. We asked him if they still had the LCD's. He said yes. We asked him if he could bundle those up for us so we could get the reduced price advertised. He laughed in our faces and informed us they only had THREE of them bundled up and that's all they were going to sell as a bundle. We were welcome to buy the PC and the monitor not bundled - of course, that would cost nearly DOUBLE the advertised price that got us into the store in the first place.
We left the store in disgust and honestly? I've never since felt comfortable shopping there.
]]>Calling the AGO is pointless, as they don't handle individual matters, but act on patterns of anti-consumer or illegal behavior. A letter to the AGO might be indicated. The BBB is impotent and funded by business so that most assuredly is a waste of time.
The suggestion that someone should have "[D]one things to make sure it'll cost them a lot of money." Simply sounds illegal.
There are reasonable remedies, and none of those presented thus far, other than calling or writing the corporate office seem reasonable.
]]>Holding a retailer accountable to provide what they advertise is not a waste of time or money.
]]>1. Count how many you have in stock.
2. Only give as many tickets according to what you have in stock?
Elementary math isn't that hard, Fry's.
]]>I truly don't understand the ticket, checkout, pay, and pickup from the salesman dance that he was required to do, and perhaps that contributed to the inadvertent overselling. Everyone on here seems quite vengeful. It is simply a discount on a huge television.
People out of work, people who can't feed their families, and you people want him to call the Attorney general, the BBB, and doing things that will cost them a lot of money. That is apparently what this country has come to... me first and screw anyone who gets in my way.