Comcast iPod Touch Offer

[nonsensical]

Has anyone else had a problem with this?

Back in July I signed up with Comcast for my tv, phone, and internet, and the package I ended up with came with a free iPod touch. I was thrilled, and was told it would be shipped in 90 days, which would have been in plenty of time for my nephew's birthday at the end of this week. 90 days came and went, with no sign of the iPod and no help when I called Comcast to find out what was going on. I was given a website to check the status of the order, and told that within a few days the site would show that the iPod had shipped. That was three weeks ago, and now Comcast is telling me that it was never 90 days, it takes 16 weeks for the offer to be filled. My 16 week mark was last week, they are claiming it is this week, and I have to wait for a call from their marketing team in order to find out what is going on. I've called them at least a dozen times, and each time I'm told that I will receive a call in 24-48 hours. They've been saying this since I first called last week!

Has anyone else had trouble with Comcast rebate offers? From what I've read online it's a common issue. What worked to get them to hold up their end of the bargain? My patience is running very, very thin.

 

[sam_gordon]

I have two suggestions. One easy, one not so much.

The tough one...
Contact your area's BBB. File a complaint. If you have any paperwork showing the iPod as a gift, use it. If all you have is a verbal agreement you'll have a tough time. It is possible the fine print shows you need to be a customer for a certain amount of time before you get your Ipod. If all that doesn't work, you just have to "suck it up" or go to the easy solution...

Easy solution
Cancel your subscription. Hopefully you have some paperwork showing the ipod was part of the deal and they broke the contract. Therefore you shouldn't have to pay any early termination fees.

 

[funnygarcia]

We had a similar issue for $150 in Target GCs when you sign up for the triple play. The time period came and went, never got the cards.

DH called (luckily we had kept the brochure with the details of the promo with the original 1-800 number to call as the local office had no clue).
He complained, they tried to give him some song and dance that he didn't sign up with the right 1-800 number or he called too late for that promo, he read off the info written on the brochure (including our confirmation numbers).
Lastly, he threatened to end contract.

Ta-da the cards were promised and arrived two days later.

Be noisy, offer to mail a copy of any proofs. Ask for a supervisor. Still no head way? Then ask for retention dept, they will bend over backwards to make it right.

 

[Jonell]

 

[yepcomcasted]

yep i was comcasted and I just filed a complaint with the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU! THEY DID THE EXACT SAME THING you explained I'll let you know what comes of it!!! but i encourage you to do the same!!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Call me a cynic. A poster 'suddenly appears', complains about company not fulfilling an offer while at the same time not verifying that the poster upheld their end of the deal accurately (more on that in a moment), then never returns to update, then another - surprise - person's first (only?) post is also negative about the same company/issue.

The "more on that in a moment", since the OP never came back: this thread was started November 8. If the iTouch deal required a wait of sixteen weeks (which sounds awfully familiar), that would have been from when the service started, not the date it was ordered. If that first poster's Comcast started July 1, then November 1 would be about sixteen weeks. If it started after that, well, sixteen weeks would have been that much later.

 

[nonsensical]

Call me a cynic. A poster 'suddenly appears', complains about company not fulfilling an offer while at the same time not verifying that the poster upheld their end of the deal accurately (more on that in a moment), then never returns to update, then another - surprise - person's first (only?) post is also negative about the same company/issue.

The "more on that in a moment", since the OP never came back: this thread was started November 8. If the iTouch deal required a wait of sixteen weeks (which sounds awfully familiar), that would have been from when the service started, not the date it was ordered. If that first poster's Comcast started July 1, then November 1 would be about sixteen weeks. If it started after that, well, sixteen weeks would have been that much later.

Op here. I'm actually a very regular poster on the boards. As I said in my original post, I intended to use the ipod as a gift, and the giftee and family actually also frequent here. That's the reason for the one post id. I should have returned to update, but honestly, I forgot until I saw it bumped up tonight.

Anyway, to add "the rest of the story"... My first full month of service was July, but installation occurred on June 15th. I should have clarified that part of the point, as I realize saying I signed up in July was misleading. At that point, I signed a contract stating the ipod would be mailed at the 90 day mark as long as the account was current and in good standing, which it was. Obviously from the date of my post it was not sent at that point. That was when they not only tried to change it to 16 weeks, but counted the weeks inaccurately.

After I posted here, things got worse. They told me it was now 16 weeks, then they submit your information to the claims center, then you wait another 16 weeks before the claim is processed. Then, you get to wait another 4 weeks for arrival! This didn't go well with me, and I asked to speak to the retention department. I thought I did so, where I was told it would be sent out that week, and I had been given incorrect information.

It did not go out then, either. I finally, after three weeks, reached the real retention department and a supervisor. In my account notes were the various things I had been told over the course of the ordeal. She was nice, efficient, and competent. After about a ten minute apology, my account was credited for $200 as a courtesy, and the ipod is in the process of being shipped.

Please note that I did not want the ipod after the credit. I don't want something for nothing. I simply wanted the contract upheld on their end, as it was from mine. I know this is as clear as mud, but I was a little confused as to why my ipod issues would cause such cynicism. All I wanted was a little help with a situation which was causing me to go insane!

I am also open to answering pm's, in case anyone needs to know my regular board id in order to sleep better tonight.

 

[kaytieeldr]

After I posted here, things got worse. They told me it was now 16 weeks, then they submit your information to the claims center, then you wait another 16 weeks before the claim is processed.

Thanks for the update. Now, THAT'S ridiculous!!!!! Asinine!!!! Words haven't even been invented yet to express how stupid this is!!!!!

 

[Suz D]

How funny to stumble on this post today. Our comcast service started in mid-August and we were also on the free IPod touch promo (although I didn't sign any paperwork on that...my DH was the one who was here when they installed and he doesn't recall it either). I called in late September to see where the IPod was. They said it's shipped after 90 days of service. Seemed reasonable. That would have put me at mid-November.

I just called again this morning (before I saw this post which is what was funny for me) and they said it was a full 90 days of service so that would put me at the end of November (so it's not unreasonable that I haven't received it yet) but this post has me a bit nervous now. I'll try to remember to post an update when/if I receive it. I'll be irritated if I don't only because we would have gone with a slightly different plan but thought the IPod touch combined with the larger discount on the plan we chose was a good option for us.

Has anyone received their's? If so, is it the 8 GB (which is what I'm assuming).

 

[Deb & Bill]

... After about a ten minute apology, my account was credited for $200 as a courtesy, and the ipod is in the process of being shipped....

Bad part? You still have Comcast.

 

[FourBees]

Well if you don't receive your product I would take my business elsewhere. They can't hold you into a contract that they have not stood behind.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

What they said!

Bad part? You still have Comcast.

 

[gpom]

I also had an issue with the back and forth nonsense for about 45 days with Comcast after having an active, paid in full account for 5 months.

Until . . . I got ahold of the corporate office number in Philadelphia to what they call the President's Office for escalated issues. 215-286-1700. I spoke with a Tiffany Gilliard - direct number -215-286-7478.

Within 2 days I had a call back from the Atlanta Corporate Escalation Team - Shanti -770-556-7128. 48 Hours later, my rebate status was updated and my ipod is on the way.

Hope this works for you too. I would start with Philadelphia

 

[dfchelbay]

A lot of first time posters on this particular thread...hmmm.

 

[mom2ericha]

I am also having a problem with comast, signed up in August and have had problems since trying to get the ipod. They pushed us around saying we did not sign the 2 year contract, then said there was no contract to sign, that it was a verbal agreement, of which we agreed when we first got it connected. They did not put it as agreed to on our account till January. Now it is april and we are STILL waiting on an ipod we were supposed to get back in November. I've spent hours on the phone trying to get to the bottom of it, and have even emailed our local news station to try to get help. It sounds like many people are getting problems like mine, so maybe with this info I can get them to research it now. I read someone said they called headquarters, but not sure how to find out where the headquarters are for my area? I'm in Michigan. I am tempted to call comcast back and simply tell them that I am calling headquarters.