For anyone who ordered their GF3 Ti 200 @ Best Buy's website...

[Arschloch]

If anyone who ordered from best buy's website has problems getting their GF3 Ti 200, read this. It may help.

I went to my local Best Buy this morning to pick up a GF3 Ti 200, and none were left.

So, I went home and ordered one through their website a bit before 9 AM EST. I said that I would like to pick it up at my local store. Not surprisingly, I received an email at about 6:30 PM saying that my store did not have the unit in stock, and that I should call their 800 number.

I called the 800 number. I was told by a CSR that because my local stores were all out, and the online store was out, then I would not be able to receive the card for $149.99 . The CSR said that whenever they receive the next shipment in, they simply could not offer it at this special sale price. In other words, he wanted to cancel my order. I told him that I understood that, but that they should at least honor the orders of the people who were able to place an order this morning before they cut everybody off.

So, after a bit of complaining, he put me on hold and said he was going to talk to a few people. He came back a couple of minutes later, and told me the following:

1) I should not cancel my order online. Just leave it alone, as an open/unfilled order.
2) I need to check the best buy website every so often. Obviously, the GF3 Ti 200 is not in stock right now. However, when it is in stock next, I should call up their 800 number again, tell them about my order that's still open, and tell them to send me the card to fill the order.
3) He said that they would send me the card and charge no tax or shipping/handling charges. However, it is my responsibility to watch the website, find out when it's in stock again, and call them back.

I imagine that not many people will have this problem, but I thought I'd put it out there just in case.

If any of you have this problem and gets a less flexible CSR, tell them how my situation was handled. I wish I caught the CSR's name, but I unfortunately did not.

Good luck to all.

Cheers,
-Arschloch

 

[Bluzjamer]

Hi,
I too ordered this online after going there and seeing hundreds of people and no place to park. I also received an email from BB CS, stating that it's not in stock and will ship as soon as they get more. So I guess my order is open also but they intend to price match and ship it. I printed out the rebate online. Hey it's a shot. Rebate is good for a while 12/24 postmark.
Bluz

 

[grifterspawn]

Man it sucked really badly there this morning, they had about 6 of the 60gig hard drives...that was it. So much for a min. of 15....damn them!

 

[FSUpaintball]

No kidding. I was lucky enough to snag my GF3 TI200 on Wednesday, then get the cash difference back on Friday. When I arrived at Best Buy (as it opened), there were at least 800 people waiting, in a line 5 people wide, that stretched around the entire shopping complex. Incredible.

 

[Doboroh]

I too bought my GF3-Ti200 on Wednesday (I really didn't expect there to be any left). Friday morning I arrived too late to see the crowds outside (I was about 10 minutes late) but I couldn't believe what it was like inside. I've never gone to an early-bird sale before, but Best Buy actually had each of the departments roped-off and people had to wait in line to enter a department...only so many could go in at a time. I believe they said it was for security reasons, but it seemed ridiculous to me. Since I couldn't even browse the store, I strolled back out to my car, grabbed my pre-purchased card and receipt, went back in and had them price-match with a new receipt and rebate and headed back out. While in there, I overheard several guys complaining to a clerk that they had been the first four people in line yet when they got inside there was only one GF3-Ti200 card of the shelf (which seems very interesting since there was one remaining card on the shelf Wednesday night after I purchased mine).
-Robb

 

[biglaw11]

Well, I went to the BEST BUY at 5:30am (Pinole/Richmond, CA) and when we actually got in the store, there wasn't any Geforce 3 cards at all! They didn't have any in stock. Therefore, I complained to the manager and he gave me a rain check on the product once they get back the card in stock. It's worth a try if you didn't get it. See if they'll issue you a raincheck for it. Good luck guys!


-biglaw11

 

[GotSomethingCheaper?]

Perhaps you can scan that raincheck for us?
As it is very sad that those of us who actually went and stood in line for hours to get the cards fairly were left with nothing at all.
I suppose the holiday spirit is merely a holiday greed...

But i suppose those who "thought" of doing the buy now and price match later are more deserving...
I suppose we should all learn a lesson from this and do the same... but of course, it will only take things to the next level of greed.

PS: The $150 price alone is a fairly good deal.. as these go for $180 online.

 

[DjmCam]

a raincheck wouldn't do you much good since the rebate is only good these 2 days or whatever. You'll get it for $150 but won't be able to send in the $50 rebate because it would be outside the purchase dates. Unless you complained alot and then got them to give it to you straight for $100.

 

[GotSomethingCheaper?]

Djmcam, its obvious you are part of the dark side
One can only hope such a loophole is plugged for any sales to come. :disgust:

 

[RobsTV]

The raincheck is better than the real deal.
When they have it back in stock, just bring dated rain check and ad.
Tell them they must date the receipt for the 23 or 24th due to rebate.
Of course they can not. So instead, they give you rebate off at register instantly.
Walk out in a week or 2 with a card for only $99 and no rebate hassles!
Worked for me at least 6 times without fail.
Everytime I shop at Best Buys, I hope they give a rain check instead of having item.

 

[dok0619]

:disgust:No offense, but really guys..get a life. If the worst problem you have is people buying the stuff before you can then you should just lie down and die! Geez, I'm amazed at how many people that are regulars here complain about this. It is not "immoral" or "illegal" or anything other than smart to buy certain items before sales and pricematch. The stores know about it and allow it. The whole concept of a "Hot Deal" is that it is not the norm. You lucked out or you planned well ahead and you benefited by it.

This forum is about finding great deals and sharing. Unfortunately, there is not always enough to go around and the early birds usually do better. I know..I have missed bunches of deals myself cuz of this but I dont whine and cry and call the other ATers names....just take it for what it is and move on..if you score great! If not...try again....

 

[CoCoKola]

After reading this thread, I thought "well gee, if this deal is good for today also, I'll go to the bb website and order one.. then I should get one too!" Alas, they took the product off the website.

Oh well..

 

[CentralScrutinizer]

I placed two orders - one for in-store pickup, and one for delivery.

The in-store pickup order was cancelled, with no explanation.

The other order is on backorder.


Anyone getting their online orders filled?

 

[crackersjacks]

I also did tried the in-store pickup angle and it actually worked for me somehow. On Friday morning at around 6AM I got up and went on Best Buy's website and ordered the GF3 for in store pickup. I had to go anyways to pricematch my HD so I hoped I could pick the video card up too. Unfortunately I didn't get the confirmation email before I left to go to the store and after I got home, I got the email saying that the store was currently out of stock. I called the customer service number and I got this pretty nice CSR who told me that she would try to switch my order to other store in my state, which said that they still had some in stock. A little while later I get another email exactly like the first one saying that this store also was currently out of stock. This time I decided to email their customer service and got a response back pretty quickly. This CSR told me in the email that the second store was still showing the video cards in stock and that he would put the order through again for me. For some reason it worked this time and I ended up going to the second Best Buy that evening and picked up the card. It was a pain that I had to go to two Best Buys that day, but I was happy with the results, and overall, all the CSRs I dealt with were extremely nice conisdering it was Black Friday and I assume they were getting tons of calls.

 

[riznick]

dok0619:
What you fail to realize is that some people lined up at 4 am to get one of the advertised 15 in stock.
Say you waited in line for 3 hours or so, to find out they only had 1? You would be very upset. They
should in fact compensate these people for their time. It is not only illegal, but gives the store a bad
image.

By not having the 15 minimum advertised, they are actually participating in a bait and switch
program which is illegal. This is why stores need to beware what they advertise.

 

[Vette73]

has anyone written Best Buy about there not being the Min. at a store. My best Buy did NOT have 15 hard drives. They didi have a good stock of the video cards. But only 6-7 hard drives on the shelf????

Thanks

 

[Sesopedalian]

"By not having the 15 minimum advertised, they are actually participating in a bait and switch
program which is illegal. This is why stores need to beware what they advertise. "

I agree, but the stores could give a crap. They know they will get away with it. They know we will come back.

 

[Crank]

I'm in the same boat as the rest of you guys - ordered online for in-store pickup, got denied on my first choice, spoke with a CSR who redid my order for a store showing stock - got the same OOS message.
I also had my GF go stand in line to see if she could get one in store (yes, she's quite a good girl!), and she encountered the common problem of the stores being understocked (or completely OOS upon opening).
Anyway, I spent an hour on the phone arguing with a fairly nice, but totatlly powerless CSR supervisor, and then I fired off a three page letter to HIS supervisor basically stating the problems they had, and the fact that they ought to (if not are legally bound to) find a way for me to purchase the card for $100 net to me.
Anyway, we'll see what happens. If they shine me on, I will definitely file complaints with the BBB and the FTC (very easy to do online), and I will send a letter to their corporate offices letting them know why I did that.
Beyond that I don't suppose there's much I can (or would be willing to) do, but I'll let you guys know how it turns out.
If they don't satisfy us, we should all file complaints and send letters to their corporate offices, I mean, for Pete's sake, do you think I'm ever going to view one of their ads in the same light again? Not likely.
I'll post the addresses if anyone's interested.

-Chris

 

[riznick]

Federal Consumer Bait and Switch laws.

You could use this for your arguement, and even possibly report them to prevent this from
happening in the future.

According to Section 238.3 These are forms of bait and switch:

(c) The failure to have available at all outlets listed in the advertisement a sufficient quantity of the advertised product to meet reasonably anticipated demands, unless the advertisement clearly and adequately discloses that supply is limited and/or the merchandise is available only at designated outlets
(d) The refusal to take orders for the advertised merchandise to be delivered within a reasonable period of time,


Where to report a violation.

 

[WHipLAsh13]

I too ordered online after an unsuccessful visit to the local BB at 6:30 am. I too received the email that they are on backorder. So on Monday I called BestBuy online. The thing I don't get about some of your guys posts is that you state the CSR changed the store you picked it up at with out you having to cancel your order and resubmit an order using the new store(which is the only way that could be accomplished). Their system does not allow them to change the pick up location on an order or allow them to change an order from delivery to pick up or vice versa. The only way the pick up location or purchase method can be changed is to cancel the existing order and resubmitting an order by going online and placing a new order. I spoke with 5 different CSR's and they all told me this same thing. I then spoke to a manager and they told me the same thing. The only suggestion that the manager of BestBuy online could offer was to talk to the manager of the store near me that had them in stock and try to reason with them. So I called the local Best Buy and spoke to the manager, told them my story. They told me they would give me the card for $99 and no rebate since I would have to cancel my online order and I would lose my Nov 23 purchase date and then rebuy it at their store. Well it turns out that the online quantity was wrong and they had none left . I guess I have to wait for my online order to come in.

 

[Racketear]

<< Djmcam, its obvious you are part of the dark side
One can only hope such a loophole is plugged for any sales to come. :disgust: >>



Your a retard. SCREW! Best Buy/ I waited in line for 1.5 hours and they had none on the shelf and I was maybe like the 4th person through the door and the first back the the video cards. The ad said 15 per store. They failed alot of people when the hae none of these cards in most stores. Who cares if the sold 100,000 of them the day before thanksgiving fore people to pm. They said 15 per store they should have held back stock so the people who waited in line would have a fair chance. Do not blame this on the people who advanced purchased the item. They were smart, the people to blame are the employees at best buy who did not live up to what their advertisement stated. Sorry you had to sit out in the cold for whatever time.

Like the Green Day song says:

Nice guys finish last.