Upgrade Slamming!

[obcomputer]

This is a practice that I am recently finding out about. I may have came late into this practice and it may only new to me, but I feel I need to alert others to this "scam".

Recently, I purchased a motherboard and processor from 3 diffrent sites that I found from pricewatch.com. After submitting the web forms, I would receive a call from 1 to 2 days later stating there were problems with the order and/or motherboard and that I needed to choose another item they had already picked out for me.

Compubuzz.com called me today and ask me what OS I was going to use with the purchased motherboard. I stated Windows XP and the person on the phone stated that the motherboard that I was ordering was having trouble with Windows XP and I would have trouble installing XP. I was given another "UPGRADE" to choose from that was just $17.00 more. How Convenient!. Thank you compubuzz for looking out for me. After I hung up the phone, I performed a little research and found out there were not any problems with the motherboard and XP and it then dawned on me that I had been slammed into an upgrade.

This was not the first time I was attempted to be tricked into an upgrade. I had also been given a story from BZBoys.com & Tufshop.com about the motherboard and processor could be sent with the retail box and all the cables and an extra 3 year warranty and all kinds of "deals" for just "$15.00 dolla mooo". I quickly saw thru these "deals" and quickly canceled the order.

Is this a common practice with online retailers?
Am I paranoid?
Is it just me?

I would like to hear what others are saying about these practices and find out if I am the only smuck that is being tricked or is this truly a problem. I don't practice these tricks and I am sure not going to take it from someone else.

Please feel free to e-mail me or to post a reply to this message.
Tim.

for Compubuzz i would speak to a manager about the situation and complain


as for BZBoys.com & Tufshop.com sounds like you were buying OEM hardware and for 15 dollars you can have the retail verison which IMHO is worth the extra 15 bucks.

btw have you searched http://www.resellerratings.com/ ?

[LeftCoast]

One thought:


www.newegg.com

[Christian-Comp]

I second that thought.

[poopeyhed2]

I second GZ3's notion, but this thread doesn't really belong in this forum - more like General Discussion and Buyer Guidance.

I think it's just you though, since I never give them the home number. Just the computer line where I use dial up and it's always busy

[osprey4]

I think this is common among some retailers, all the more reason to check with Resellerratings first.

[evereddie]

While there are reputable dealers advertising on Pricewatch, it is getting to be a thieves den. Dealers that are less than honest are advertising on Pricewatch and manipulating the ratings system they started. I have had horrible experience with a company called Infinity systems plus. Saw ratings changing overnight on Pricewatch. E-mailed to ask them how it was that their system had me down as having already posted a review and I did not. They never answered 2 e-mails I sent them. Go away from Pricewatch and only use big dealers that have an american accent when you talk to them on the phone.

[elroy]

Any dealer who tries to force me into an "upgrade" will have the order cancelled. I too have had problems with pricewatch, items advertised not in stock, price only honored if you order several pieces, shipping much higher than listed etc. Many times I have written to pricewatch regarding these issues. Once the dealer actually contacted me to resolve the issue but I had already ordered elsewhere. Now I only use pricewatch in conjunction with resellerratings and I stick with the larger well known dealers. Recently I ordered some ram and I skipped right past the first 6 dealers listed on pricewatch. I've found pricewatch to be responsive to my problems but I think they have a hard time keeping up with the shady dealers.

[captainjrl]

Originally posted by elroy
Now I only use pricewatch in conjunction with resellerratings.

Like the commercial said, "The only way to fly."

[mikeb693]

I believe it happened to me once, with a case and power supply. I've never had problems with Pricewatch vendors, but I do follow some extra cautionary steps. First, if I can't order the item at the advertised price on the vendor's website easily, I don't order from them at all, and I post an "unable to buy" message on Pricewatch. It's not unusual for the lowest price to differ from the next six vendors by only a few cents, so it always pays to scroll down. If I find a vendor I'm familiar with, and I usually do, I go with them and pay the extra dollar. I've actually discovered a few pretty good vendors on Pricewatch, and I've stayed with them over time. And I can't remember EVER using the ratings. That's what resellerratings.com is for.