Zipzoomfly and the disappearing rebate

[rjpst7]

Everyone,

I would have liked to have said that I'm happy to provide my first post into the forums (although, I've left vendor ratings). However, since this post is regarding a bad experience, it won't be fun, but I hope it'll prevent others from falling into the same situation.

Here are the facts:

I ordered the following part from Zipzoomfly.com on 2/19/2007 @ 7:24 PM EST

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Foxconn FV-N76TM2D2 GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI-Express Video
Card w/Dual-DVI & HDTV-Out Retail ***Free Shipping***

Non-refundable. Exchange for defective units only.

ZipZoomfly Part#: 333020
In Stock:
Manufacturer: FOXCONN
Manufacturer SKU: FV-N76TM2D2
Our Price: $135.99
Mail-In Rebate: $25.00 Expires 02/28/07
Mail-In Rebate: $25.00 Expires 02/28/07
After Rebate: $85.99
Quantity Limit 20 Per customer
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Each Mail-In Rebate was a link to a separate rebate document (http://www.zipzoomfly.com/rebate/322020_02122007.pdf &
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/rebate/333020_021207.pdf). Without assuming any problems, I placed my order, and then proceeded to print out the order forms. It was then that I noticed something didn't look right. They had similarities...no wait, many similarities...no wait, they're identical!

Panic set in, and then I thought: Hey wait, maybe they'll still honor the price, since it was posted. After all, I've heard of good vendors honoring advertised prices, even with pricing mistakes, and Zipzoomfly has gotten many awards and good reviews. Plus, my past two transactions (one transaction from the week before) were flawless.

So, I send them a quick e-mail with the mistake on the item page (the two links above), told them I appreciated their service up until now, and recommended them to others (not a lie, I really do that when I like vendors), and asked them if, considering the mistake, they would honor the $50 rebate. That was early morning 2/20/2007...

Around noon on 2/21/2007, they sent a reply! Nope, it's only a shipping notice... Actually, they did reply back that day around 6 PM:

Dear Customer,

Please note, we have checked both links to the rebate forms, and they are exactly identical. You will not be able to stack these rebates for the item 322020. Please feel free to contact us if you need anything else.

Regards,
ZipZoomFly Customer Service

Not even a "Hey, thanks for catching that one." However, they did correct their item page:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Foxconn FV-N76TM2D2 GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI & HDTV-Out Retail ***Free Shipping***

Non-refundable. Exchange for defective units only.


ZipZoomfly Part#: 333020
In Stock:
Manufacturer: FOXCONN
Manufacturer SKU: FV-N76TM2D2
Our Price: $135.99
Mail-In Rebate: $25.00 Expires 02/28/07
After Rebate: $110.99
Quantity Limit 20 Per customer
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Great now I'm definitely not seeing that other $25... Please be careful around these guys... If you do place an order, capture or print all the item and order information. It's the only way you can be safe.

Oh well, I promise my next post will be happy. I just had to get this warning out. Have a good one.

-rjpst7

[ShuckyD]

i've always had good luck with ZZF, what i would do is give them a call up and talk to the best people you can get on the phone. Do you have the page printed out at the time it was screwed up? if so that would help... Just igve them a call and talk to a person 1 on 1 and tell them your issue and about the email correspondance, that should get you farther

best of luck to ya

[Steve R Jones]

I don't think they can be any clearer then this:

Terms of Sale

Typographical and Photographical Errors

ZipZoomfly attempts to be as accurate as possible in our pricing, as well as our typographical and photographical depictions of products for sale; however, we cannot guarantee that product descriptions/specifications, pricing or any other content on ZipZoomfly.COM is accurate, complete, or current. In the event that a product is listed at an incorrect price due to typographical, informational, technical or other error, ZipZoomfly shall have the right, at our sole discretion, to either honor the displayed price or refuse/cancel any orders placed for that product at the incorrect price.

[flipper812002]

Is exactly why all sites have about that same exact waring on it cause things happen. The guy typing it in had worked 10 hours and his eyes were tired and fingers stuttering. I mean think about it makes sense

[rjpst7]

Originally Posted by Steve R Jones

I don't think they can be any clearer then this:

Terms of Sale

Typographical and Photographical Errors

ZipZoomfly attempts to be as accurate as possible in our pricing, as well as our typographical and photographical depictions of products for sale; however, we cannot guarantee that product descriptions/specifications, pricing or any other content on ZipZoomfly.COM is accurate, complete, or current. In the event that a product is listed at an incorrect price due to typographical, informational, technical or other error, ZipZoomfly shall have the right, at our sole discretion, to either honor the displayed price or refuse/cancel any orders placed for that product at the incorrect price.

Steve,

Thanks for researching this. If this is true, then I'm really stuck, because ZZF broke their own business rule: They neither honored the lower price, nor cancelled it. I e-mailed them just after my order, just after I discovered the mistake, so they would have had more than enough time to access their inventory system and cancel the transaction.

Actually, I would have been OK with them cancelling it, because it would have meant paying me the additional $25 out-of-pocket (since I could only submit one form). Flipper812002 was right in saying that the business rule above protects a vendor from pricing mistakes, and I would have respected ZZF if they just said "Sorry, the price was a mistake", and cancelled my order.

Also, as ShuckyD suggested, I called them long distance on the 21st, after their e-mail and subsequent product page correction, although my tone of voice was a little angry (i.e. no shouting, insults, or profanities, but upset that one of my rebates had been taken away post-sale, costing me $25). I'm surprised that they didn't call me, considering they had my phone number from the order, and I had also left another phone number on their voice mail. Other vendors have called me with questions.

Why didn't they cancel the order? The only conclusions I can draw are:
1) They have their money.
2) I didn't buy enough of their "big ticket" items to be a customer they care about retaining.
3) I'm only one customer of several, so one complaint from me isn't going to harm them.

This has really opened my eyes as to what can happen when buying online, and I will be alot more cautious in my future purchases. Losing $25 really smarts...

-rjpst7

[LeftCoast]

Did you use a CC or debit card? They should allow you to cancel the order.

[rjpst7]

LeftCoast,

It was a CC transaction. ZZF has a statement about calling directly, rather than e-mailing, to cancel. However I didn't want to cancel, I was just pointing out their typo:


5. 333020
Foxconn FV-N76TM2D2 GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI-Express Video Card w/Dual-DVI & HDTV-Out Retail ***Free Shipping***
($50.00 Mail-In-Rebate) $135.99

(as acquired by Google Cache...Way to go Google!) and asking about the $25 that I couldn't acquire from the identical, unstackable rebate forms.


Now that I think of it, I could've called long distance to try to cancel the order verbally. They didn't reply to that e-mail until the item shipped, so they probably didn't read it right away.

However, that doesn't mean I don't recommend ordering with CC's. Using a CC allowed me to eliminate a double-charge on a single monitor purchase, when my credit card was accidently double-swiped. A friend of mine back-charged the entire purchase price of malfunctioning hardware, bought with his CC, when the vendor wouldn't answer phone calls.

-rjpst7