Shady business practices, where the customer is always wrong…

So I’m looking to get a new laptop. I researched on all the new stuff that’s out there…made my lists, and checked them twice. I finally decided that I wanted a Toshiba Satellite A75 S229. It had an ok review on cnet and over 80% of the users seemed to like it, so I went to see what stores sell it. I choose the cheapest place with at least four stars…it was called PlasmaKings.com.

I ordered online on the 27th of December in the evening. The next day I received an email saying that I had to call to confirm. The company is on the East coast and is only open while I’m at work. I called from work and wasn’t completely alert while doing it, though I did catch that the price wasn’t quite right. I confirmed and then after checking their online “order status” I called back to inform them I didn’t order two computers. After arguing with me about weather or not I actually ordered two online they finally said they would change it, but I had to call three times and email twice before I finally got to that point.

My first email, sent 29 December 2004:

I called to confirm Order 178462 then checked the order online because the price sounded wrong. There are two Toshiba Satellite A75-S229 listed. I only want one. Please change from two to one.

Their response:

call 1800 374 2324

My second email sent on the same day:

I called to confirm Order 178462 then checked the order online because the price sounded wrong. There are two Toshiba Satellite A75-S229 listed. I only want one. Please change from two to one.

I have already called 1-800-374-2324 and was told it would be taken care of, but I was never asked for the order number and the order still shows two laptops.

Their response:

call 1800 374 2324

I waited until the 13th of January to call again and find out if my order had been shipped, since it hadn’t changed on the site at all, and find out why there were still two computers listed on my order. The customer service lady told me that my computerS would be shipped the next day. ComputerSSS? I only ordered ONE. And the arguing begins again. Then she says, “oh did they tell you that you’ve been upgraded to the A75 S2292?” What?? No! I knew nothing about the S2292 and though I was leery, she did say upgrade. She said it would be shipped later that day. After I hung up I looked up the S2292…What the lady on the phone had failed to mention to me was that this “upgrade” had a smaller hard drive than the one I ordered, and not only did cost more than the S229 but I was going to be charged the higher price too! Upgrade my fucking ass!! These minor details must have just slipped her mind. I tried to call back, but I was at work and by the time I was able to they the customer service department had closed. I tried calling the next day even though there was a tracking number on the order status, but on Fridays they close even earlier…the bastards!

So on the 14th of January I sent this email to the three email address of theirs that I know, Plasmakings@aol.com, sales@PlasmaKings.com, and orders@plasmakings.com:

Apparently you can’t read. In my previous email I said that I had called that number!
It doesn’t matter now that issue is done and was fixed.

The new issue is that my order has been shipped and it’s the wrong computer! I ordered a Toshiba A75 S229 and you are shipping an A75 S2292. That is not what I ordered. The computer I ordered has an 80 gig hard drive and would have cost me $1239 at the time I ordered, which by the way was over two weeks ago. The computer that is being shipped only has a 60 gig hard drive and I’m being charged $1394. In case you also have difficulty with math that’s $155 more for a computer with 20 gig less!

I tried to call (1 800 374 2324) today to cancel my order in hopes that the package hadn’t actually left your warehouse since the tracking number (***********) hadn’t been activated yet, and found out I was too late…I didn’t realize you close at 3pm on Fridays.

So now that it’s shipped how do I return it? I want to cancel my order. I’m sick of your incompetence!!! I will be refusing any charges to my credit card, and I’m taking my business elsewhere!

Erica

This time that witty bunch sent three replies, all of which said:

CALL 1800 374 2324

So I did!

First they tried to tell me, “but the computer we’re sending is better?” But it’s not the one I ordered and you’re charging me more money without my approval!

Then, “Well of course it cost more it’s a better computer!” The inbred piece of shit doesn’t seem to get it. I DIDN’T FUCKING ORDER THAT ONE! If I had wanted the “better” more expensive one I would have put that one in the shopping cart. Fucking genius!

So then the phone changes hands and someone else tries to tell me that I called and confirmed that order. I wasn’t convinced. His Jedi mind trick don’t work on me, so I told him that I was taking the charge off my card, and hung up. End of fucking story…Now pass this on and let’s drive them outa business, or at least spam the hell out of all their email addresses… sales@PriceMad.com is another one. I found PriceMad.com on cnet also and it’s funny their order status page looks very similar, and guess what? When I put in my phone and order number…out came my order info.

I’ve posted an edited version of this at:
http://www.epinions.com, and http://www.resellerratings.com

I also wrote a review of them for cnet, but not being satisfied with that I then went to the PlasmaKings.com “store profile” on cnet.com, scrolled all the way down the page to where it says, “If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this merchant, please Contact Shopper Support.” There I re-told my story, including the part about one store posing as two. Oh and of course I have had the charges taken off my credit card.

So if you enjoy this kind of service feel free to shop at PlasmaKings.com AKA PC Video Mall, AKA PC Video Online, AKA PriceMad.com. Because really other than that little bit of confusion the transaction went rather smoothly. I don’t have a laptop because I refused the shipment when it came to the door, but I still have my money and all is well.