Why Bother?!!? - A Shopping Vent

[Daxx]

So, as I'm going through this morning's paper, I find the ad circular for a large electronics store which happens to be a chain. They were offering the High School Musical "Remix" DVD for $13.99 and a PS2 NHL 2K7 hockey game for $19. So, I head out to pick them up. When I get to the store, they tell me that they don't have either, they never came in and that I'd have to try on-line. OK, waste of my time and effort and I'm v. ticked b/c if they ran out then I'd understand ... but to advertise something *nationwide* and not have them in-store!?!?!? What!?!?!? So, then I get home and try to get them on-line. Both are out-of-stock on line. How the heck can you advertise these items if they're both out of stock on-line and not even shipped to the store?!!? Of course, guy says he doesn't know when they're coming in, if ever. What good is that going to do me?!!?!?

So, then we go to the local drug store to get some things in their newspaper ad. Again, they said they didn't get the shipment and don't think it'll arrive before the sale ends and no, we can't get rainchecks. What?!?!

I just do not get how these stores can offer up items and not even have them in store the day the ad goes out!!! I could see if they sold out of the items, but to not have them at all!?!?!? What's up w/that?!

Sorry -- had to vent. I feel better now!!!!

 

[SamRoc]

I was just talking to my girlfriend about this. Why does toys r us advertise the nintendo wii, then put out empty boxes on their shelves. They are giving the appearance that they have these in stock. Then when you ask someone that works there if they have them, they all have nasty attitudes and say "of course we dont have them in stock" well then why do they have display boxes out? I think they are just trying to torture us!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Those ads were probably made in July or something. Sometimes there are shipping problems with the manufacturer. Did you get a raincheck?

 

[Toby'sFriend]

it's actually illegal in several states to have somethng advertised in your weekly ad and not to have a minimum number of them in the store at opening on the first day the ad covers.

Check to see if that is the case where you live. If so, next time ask to speak to the store manager immediately and tell him/her either a raincheck and a phone call when your item comes in, or you will be contacting the State Attorney's office.

 

[LisaNJ25]

So, as I'm going through this morning's paper, I find the ad circular for a large electronics store which happens to be a chain. They were offering the High School Musical "Remix" DVD for $13.99 and a PS2 NHL 2K7 hockey game for $19. So, I head out to pick them up. When I get to the store, they tell me that they don't have either, they never came in and that I'd have to try on-line. OK, waste of my time and effort and I'm v. ticked b/c if they ran out then I'd understand ... but to advertise something *nationwide* and not have them in-store!?!?!? What!?!?!? So, then I get home and try to get them on-line. Both are out-of-stock on line. How the heck can you advertise these items if they're both out of stock on-line and not even shipped to the store?!!? Of course, guy says he doesn't know when they're coming in, if ever. What good is that going to do me?!!?!?

So, then we go to the local drug store to get some things in their newspaper ad. Again, they said they didn't get the shipment and don't think it'll arrive before the sale ends and no, we can't get rainchecks. What?!?!

I just do not get how these stores can offer up items and not even have them in store the day the ad goes out!!! I could see if they sold out of the items, but to not have them at all!?!?!? What's up w/that?!

Sorry -- had to vent. I feel better now!!!!

They didnt have HS Musical since it is not being released until Tuesday December 5th.

Tuesday is usually the release date for all new dvds

 

[LisaNJ25]

I was just talking to my girlfriend about this. Why does toys r us advertise the nintendo wii, then put out empty boxes on their shelves. They are giving the appearance that they have these in stock. Then when you ask someone that works there if they have them, they all have nasty attitudes and say "of course we dont have them in stock" well then why do they have display boxes out? I think they are just trying to torture us!

Alot of TRU store had them today.

 

[HelenePA]

Can you get a walmart to price match the items??

Remember all that bad weather we just had? That might have been the reason for nothing being in stock. I wouldn't want to risk my life as a trucker just so these items would be there. Sorry you made a trip for nothing

 

[NewJersey]

Ehh, that's life. Hope you can find what you are looking for.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Advertisements versus what is in stock annoys me.

My mom sent my girls presents ordering from Toys R us.

We were missing the free item and another ordered item.

I called--the ordered item is backordered by still allocated to me. The free item is completely out of stock but my mom should have added it to the cart. So I check on line--You can still order the missing item. And plastered everywhere isthe free item with purchase...no way to order it, yet implied as though you will get it (as my mom thought).

Weird.

I also kindly made a suggested that my orders shouldn't have read shipment complete if we had a backordered item and they'd probably get less irate customers if there was some simple additions to the shipping sheet. She playfully said that i was trying to put her out of her job. Yeah--okay. That is my goal in life.

 

[disneysnowflake]

Okay. My turn to vent.

Target had a nostalgic turntable/radio/cd/cassette. It was on sale for $79.97.

We wanted to buy this for my parents.

Our local Target didn't have any, but the service desk gal offered to call a store about an hour away. They had one. They'd hold it for me 24 hours.

DH offered to drive me over there right away. We'd pick up the item and then have lunch.

It took us an hour to get there. Oops. They forgot to reserve it. The item was put behind the electronics center, but no note was put on it. Another customer asked for it. An employee sold it to them instead. I asked what I was supposed to do since I drove an hour and now have to drive an hour home for nothing.
I was told too bad. I could call every day to see if more come in. If they do they could hold it for me 24 hours. I can drive back over again.

Yeah, like I'm going to do that again. They wouldn't even give me a raincheck in case they didn't get back in stock until after the sale even though the ad doesn't say No Rainchecks under this item. Sigh.

 

[eclectics]

Probably not the case here, but when stores only buy a very limited number of something they advertise at a very low price, and they sell out quickly, I think once they can get you into the store, they figure chances are pretty good you will buy something else, usually at a higher price. Sneaky marketing, or clever, depending on how you look at it.

 

[Dznypal]

I had an similar expiernece at Kohls

they had 2 quesadella makers on sale one was $30 the other $20

I was going for the $20 one for DS and DIL so I go the day after the sale started only to find the $30 in stock

I finally find a clerk that said thats all they have is whats out there--I said but the sale just started!!

so she said that the $20 was a close out!!!! Ok thats find but why is it advertised like you have at least a few of them? (I showed her the ad that cleary showed the one I wanted she said I was right (duh?!!!)

so she checked with a little computer system and they had one in the back--its now mine!!!

by the way those 4-1 systems are nice-I got one for DH last year and now the in laws are getting one--we got ours at Linen and things it was $100 but then there was a 20% off coupon usually in Suns paper so it brough it down to $85 which is alittle more then Target but at least you could maybe get one good luck

 

[Lizzy2]

I was looking for a guitar for DH for his Santa present. Target was selling it. I called my local one. No luck. I started calling in my Mom's area about 2.5 hrs away, one store had one. Just one. Mom hustled her bustle on over there only to be told it had just been sold to another customer. Mom says " DD just called 45m ago and u said u would hold it." The guy at the electronics counter didn't understand that when a customer asked to put an item on hold that you actually were supposed to HOLD it behind the counter out of other customers reach and eyesight Mom read him and the manager the riot act and I finally found just one at another Target an hour and a half in the other direction. What an adventure!! Good thing DH is so cute!

 

[ChristmasElf]

This is called BAIT AND SWITCH advertising when a retailer puts out an ad to get people into the store and then claims to be out of said item and it is illegal in every state. I would have demanded a raincheck for the item and the sale price. If refused, I would then call the State Attorney and maybe even the Consumer Advocate on my local news.

The news channels LOVE reporting about things like this.

 

[SamRoc]

Alot of TRU store had them today.

Figures the one day i didnt go to toys r us! but thank you, will check it out tomorrow. I usually avoid the stores here in ny on the weekends, its like a mob scene!

 

[LadyyRedd]

I had an similar expiernece at Kohls

they had 2 quesadella makers on sale one was $30 the other $20

I was going for the $20 one for DS and DIL so I go the day after the sale started only to find the $30 in stock

I finally find a clerk that said thats all they have is whats out there--I said but the sale just started!!

so she said that the $20 was a close out!!!! Ok thats find but why is it advertised like you have at least a few of them? (I showed her the ad that cleary showed the one I wanted she said I was right (duh?!!!)

so she checked with a little computer system and they had one in the back--its now mine!!!

by the way those 4-1 systems are nice-I got one for DH last year and now the in laws are getting one--we got ours at Linen and things it was $100 but then there was a 20% off coupon usually in Suns paper so it brough it down to $85 which is alittle more then Target but at least you could maybe get one good luck

I used to work here (Kohl's) and one of the HUGE Problems we had was that the ads are done probably about 6 months in advance and for items that we normally carry in our everyday stock, so by the time the ad came out, we were sold out of things a lot of the time. Though, we always did give a raincheck unless it happened to be a discontinued item (which happened once in a blue moon between the time the ad was created and the time it went into effect).

Kimya

 

[LisaNJ25]

This is called BAIT AND SWITCH advertising when a retailer puts out an ad to get people into the store and then claims to be out of said item and it is illegal in every state. I would have demanded a raincheck for the item and the sale price. If refused, I would then call the State Attorney and maybe even the Consumer Advocate on my local news.

The news channels LOVE reporting about things like this.

Not in this case for the OP as far as the HS musical dvd goes .

 

[snowy76]

Not in this case for the OP as far as the HS musical dvd goes .

I just saw the CC tv ad -- yep, advertising Pirates 2 and HS Musical for Tuesday Dec. 5...

 

[Planogirl]

Okay. My turn to vent.

Target had a nostalgic turntable/radio/cd/cassette. It was on sale for $79.97.

We wanted to buy this for my parents.

Our local Target didn't have any, but the service desk gal offered to call a store about an hour away. They had one. They'd hold it for me 24 hours.

DH offered to drive me over there right away. We'd pick up the item and then have lunch.

It took us an hour to get there. Oops. They forgot to reserve it. The item was put behind the electronics center, but no note was put on it. Another customer asked for it. An employee sold it to them instead. I asked what I was supposed to do since I drove an hour and now have to drive an hour home for nothing.
I was told too bad. I could call every day to see if more come in. If they do they could hold it for me 24 hours. I can drive back over again.

Yeah, like I'm going to do that again. They wouldn't even give me a raincheck in case they didn't get back in stock until after the sale even though the ad doesn't say No Rainchecks under this item. Sigh.

That would have infuriated me! You might want to go higher on this one IMO.

As for the rest, you never know when the Wii's will come in. I saw someone comment that one came in while they were waiting at a store for something else. I tend to blame Nintendo (and definitely Sony for the PS3) for the problems with these.

 

[Daxx]

They didnt have HS Musical since it is not being released until Tuesday December 5th.

Don'tcha think the video department staff and manager should've known that and told me?! And, if it's available on Tues., why didn't their on-line ad state that!? It just stated "out of stock". Why didn't they put "arrives Dec. 5th"?!!?

Also, the game is still not in-stock either in store or on line. What's up w/that?!!?