Amazon.com screwed me

[Reef]

Through some forum searching, I found an awesome deal on a usual $550 printer for ~$160. So I ordered up a couple of them hoping to flip them onto Ebay for a nice quick profit. The next day, I got this email:

[ QUOTE ]
Greetings from Amazon.com.

We regret to inform you that an error caused "Epson Stylus Photo R1800 Inkjet Printer" to be displayed at an incorrect price.

In accordance with our posted policies on pricing, we are unable to offer this item for the incorrectly posted price. Therefore, we have cancelled your order for this item.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought that if a store or merchant posts a price with an incorrect price that they are legally bound to sell it at that price. I even got their confirmation email affirming the purchase.

So, is there anything I can do about this? Or am I just forced to grab my ankles for amazon?

[Indiana]

just open ur pooper.

[Bez]

Get grabbing.

[kipin]

As far as I am aware, there is not much you can do.

You could try emailing them and asking for a discount off your next purchase, or a gift certificate.

You have no case. I have a feeling that you knew it was a price error when you saw a printer that was marked down more than 300% from the usual price.

[MrTrik]

[ QUOTE ]

I thought that if a store or merchant posts a price with an incorrect price that they are legally bound to sell it at that price.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not true.

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
You have no case. I have a feeling that you knew it was a price error when you saw a printer that was marked down more than 300% from the usual price.

[/ QUOTE ]

I actually thought it was some sort of clearance deal

Ok, but why would a photo printer that freakin nice be on clearance for more than 300% off the usual price?

[MoreWineII]

This happens more than you might think. Nothing you can do as far as I know. Throw a few choice profanities at them, that's about it.

[citanul]

read their terms and conditions.

citanul

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, but why would a photo printer that freakin nice be on clearance for more than 300% off the usual price?

[/ QUOTE ]

they're making room for the new '06 models? I have no freakin idea. All I knew was that it was an awesome deal.

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
This happens more than you might think. Nothing you can do as far as I know. Throw a few choice profanities at them, that's about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I definetaly bitched at them. I doubt I'm gonna get anything. I'm just one small fish in a big pond.

[stabn]

This unfortunately happens all the time. All major sites have a little blurb in their T & C allowing them to cancel the sale if they list the price incorrectly.

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I thought that if a store or merchant posts a price with an incorrect price that they are legally bound to sell it at that price.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not true.

[/ QUOTE ]

can anyone confirm this?

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
can anyone confirm this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I can. It is true.

[lucas9000]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I thought that if a store or merchant posts a price with an incorrect price that they are legally bound to sell it at that price.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not true.

[/ QUOTE ]

can anyone confirm this?

[/ QUOTE ]

it depends, but in your case it's probably true. the reason is that in the case of stuff like printers on amazon.com, their listing isn't an offer that you can accept by sending the money, thus making an enforceable contract. in fact, by sending the money, you're making them an offer, which they can accept or reject. almost always they accept by sending you what you ordered.

when this works as you envisioned is when they advertise a specific item, for a specific price, so that you can walk in with your money and say "i accept." imagine an ad in the paper that said "one 2005 scion xb, hot lava color, vin xxxxxxxxxx, for sale $500 to first taker." then as long as you're first and have the money right there, you could hold them to it.

this is really simplified and it's late in the day, but you get the idea.

[meep_42]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, but why would a photo printer that freakin nice be on clearance for more than 300% off the usual price?

[/ QUOTE ]

Learn math.

-d

[MagicMan08]

Yea, I am sure you are not the only quick witted person who saw this also. Someone messed up, and you got the shaft.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, but why would a photo printer that freakin nice be on clearance for more than 300% off the usual price?

[/ QUOTE ]

Learn math.

-d

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong mathematically with my statement?

This deal was like 343% off the normal price. That's more than 300%. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Los Feliz Slim]

Complain hard enough, you will get a gift certificate out of the deal.

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, but why would a photo printer that freakin nice be on clearance for more than 300% off the usual price?

[/ QUOTE ]

Learn math.

-d

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong mathematically with my statement?

This deal was like 343% off the normal price. That's more than 300%. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

its less than 100% off, i promise.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, but why would a photo printer that freakin nice be on clearance for more than 300% off the usual price?

[/ QUOTE ]

Learn math.

-d

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong mathematically with my statement?

This deal was like 343% off the normal price. That's more than 300%. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

its less than 100% off, i promise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah I am a dumbass.

[this guy]

About two years ago Amazon accidently priced a pack of 20 Soundcards for some ridiculously cheap price. A bunch of people ordered them but Amazon refused to ship them out so the people got a couple of lawyers to look into it but at the end nothing really came of it.

[Thythe]

[ QUOTE ]
About two years ago Amazon accidently priced a pack of 20 Soundcards for some ridiculously cheap price. A bunch of people ordered them but Amazon refused to ship them out so the people got a couple of lawyers to look into it but at the end nothing really came of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember this well. It was Dec02-Jan03. I bought a bunch of them, but was not involved in the lawyer thing. The best you can do is just hope they don't notice the price mistake and you get your cheap stuff (which sometimes happens). Usually it just gets cancelled. Other times they ship you something else. If you read fatwallet, you'll see price mistakes on Amazon like this every day. They cancel stuff all the time, nothing new.

[Joe826]

there have been a few times when i've tried to order a cd or something and after waiting for a quite a while they killed my order and said they couldn't do it. each time i've bitched them out nicely and i've gotten store credit. hopefully you'll get some too.

[Bulldog]

I'd much rather Amazon have this policy, rather than eat these honest mistakes and have to charge all of us actual customers more to make up for the money Reef wants to make.

[mackthefork]

E&OE

Regards Mack

[ QUOTE ]
I'd much rather Amazon have this policy, rather than eat these honest mistakes and have to charge all of us actual customers more to make up for the money Reef wants to make.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Paluka]

It would be a truly atrocious law if it forced merchants to honor mispricings. How would you like to lose your job when you company goes bankrupt because someone who has been working there 4 days puts the wrong price on something?

[Zygote]

the "~" sign means approximately. Thats how they get away with that bullshit. I've been [censored] by a site charging me literally double the listed ~$500 price. There was nothing I could do about it at least. I also live in Canada and besides fighting with the company, i didn't make that great an effort to fight the issue. good luck, though.

[ihardlyknowher]

[ QUOTE ]
Through some forum searching, I found an awesome deal on a usual $550 printer for ~$160. So I ordered up a couple of them hoping to flip them onto Ebay for a nice quick profit. The next day, I got this email:

[ QUOTE ]
Greetings from Amazon.com.

We regret to inform you that an error caused "Epson Stylus Photo R1800 Inkjet Printer" to be displayed at an incorrect price.

In accordance with our posted policies on pricing, we are unable to offer this item for the incorrectly posted price. Therefore, we have cancelled your order for this item.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought that if a store or merchant posts a price with an incorrect price that they are legally bound to sell it at that price. I even got their confirmation email affirming the purchase.

So, is there anything I can do about this? Or am I just forced to grab my ankles for amazon?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you know an attorney, have him write a letter stating that he has a good faith basis to believe that Amazon is engaging in a nefarious scheme to practice price fixing/discrimination in violation of the Antitrust laws. Also, mention that the class of people harmed by their violations is large. They may just give you the damn printer at that price to avoid millions of $ in exposure in a class action suit. Then again, they might not. Worth a try though.

[Blarg]

Amazon's system was screwy last Saturday night. I cancelled out of one order, then an hour or so later made the same order. Amazon completed both orders and charged me for both! I contacted them Saturday night, when I saw the order went through twice, and Sunday got an e-mail saying sorry, both orders already shipped. When, around midnight Saturday night? Somehow I don't think so.

By the way, Amazon has an order cancellation/change button/system. Click change or cancel your order, and you get a page saying you can't change or cancel orders! Doh!

Their customer service in general is the pits. You can't phone them and they make you jump through ridiculous hoops just to e-mail them. You have to go through a process that says you're complaining about a specific thing whether that's your problem or not, to get to a point where you're supposedly talking about how their solution to that problem didn't work. Then, you can write about your real problem.

At which point they can bullshit you and just try to leave the problem in your lap.

[IndieMatty]

I'm sure someone told you. No they are not obligated to give you that price. It's a very common misconception based on bait and switch laws.

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd much rather Amazon have this policy, rather than eat these honest mistakes and have to charge all of us actual customers more to make up for the money Reef wants to make.

[/ QUOTE ]

ever heard of free market capitalism?

FWIW, I am an actual customer at amazon and have probably spent more than most people in the past 2 years (4 figures)