[net.consumers] Bait and switch

jj@rabbit.UUCP (10/12/84)

>From alice!allegra!ulysses!burl!clyde!watmath!utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!cires!nbires!opus!scott Wed Dec 31 19:00:00 1969

>...
>Why is it that I can never buy the items that are on sale?  I
>make sure I get to the store early in the sale week, but I hear
>things like:
>...
>	"We only had one to start with"
>	"I don't think we're going to get any more of those"
>	"Sorry, we don't give rainchecks"
>	etc, etc, etc.
>
>Now, I'm not going for closeout items, these are regular sale
>items that aren't in stock.  Seems like a resonable policy
>...
>
>Anybody else run into this kind of thing?  It's almost a "bait
>and switch" tactic.  They bring you in with nice low prices on
>things they don't have so you'll buy the regularly priced 
>...
>-- 
>
>Scott Wiesner
>{allegra, ucbvax, cornell}!nbires!scott


Scott,
	I don't think that the word "almost" is correct usage.
I think that what you are experiencing IS "bait and switch"
tactics.  Such tactics are sooooo classic that it's almost trying
to bring down an institution.  I don't know about the raincheck laws
in your state (in fact, I don't know where nbires IS!) but I think
you are entitled to ask for a raincheck and a restocking date.

Don't  give up, they're counting on it!
-- 
BE KIND TO SOFT FURRY CREATURES, THE 
LIFE YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN!
"Brezhnev took Afghanistan, Began took Beruit, Galtieri took the Union Jack..."

(allegra,ihnp4,ulysses)!rabbit!jj

lf@cornell.UUCP (10/14/84)

I've run into that bait and switch situation several times particularly
with Kmart. They had a hedge trimmer on sale this summer and I went down
the day BEFORE the sale only to find the demonstration model the only one
in the store. The manager says I can buy it if I like. I took a range check
and checked in with the store every couple of weeks. They NEVER got another
trimmer in. I recevied a slip saying I can get 20% of any other item I like
though. It's happening enough in this area that a letter to the editor
appeared in the Ithaca Journal yesterday in the form of a poem that basicly
said that if store owners don't watch out they'll advertise a sale and NO ONE
will show.

essachs@ihuxl.UUCP (Ed Sachs) (10/15/84)

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<               >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The ones I hate are when they send you the postcard to say that
the item you hold a raincheck for has come in, and you get to
the store only to find that they are once again sold out.
-- 
				Ed Sachs
				AT&T Bell Laboratories
				Naperville, IL
				ihnp4!ihuxl!essachs