Buyer beware!
While shopping around for the best price on a BenQ PE8700 digital projector, I found that Infinity Micro had priced it very competitively. While other online retailers had the item for $3800 and up, Infinity Micro had priced theirs at $3169. After reading a few customer comments reporting that items they purchased were not in stock, I decided to check availability and price over the phone.
I called Infinity Micro and was transferred to Neil in Sales. Neil checked and said he had two in stock. He quoted me the price of $3169, and I got his name before I hung up. Just to be sure, I waited a few minutes, then called a random salesperson, Dominique. Dominique said there were two in stock (same price) and asked if I’d like to place an order. I took got her name and hung up.
A few minutes later I called Neil back and explained that I was concerned because two different salespeople had quoted me different in stock counts. He said he would personally investigate and took my phone number. Not long after, he left me a voicemail saying there were indeed projectors in stock. I called him back and placed the order; he said it would ship that evening and a tracking number would arrive via e-mail. That night I noticed the online price for this projector went up to $3870.
The next day, I found that no tracking number had been sent, but that my credit card had been charged for the purchase. I called customer service, and they said the projector was not in stock but would ship the next day from “the manufacturer” and I would receive a tracking number. NOTE: This projector had recently been discontinued, so it’s not likely it would be sent from the manufacturer.
The following day I did not receive a tracking number, and again customer service apologized, saying it was not in stock but was being shipped. On a hunch I decided to call a random salesperson to see if the item was in stock. Curiously, it was in stock according to Dominique, who added, “Would you like to place an order?”
I immediately contacted customer service to cancel the order, but the representative said that only Matthew could approve that transaction and he would be in later. I called to speak to Matthew later in the morning, and I never reached him; they literally bounced me around and around from extension to extension for around 20 minutes. Fed up, I then called Neil directly, and he cancelled the order and credited my account.
I don’t know what kind of scam this company is running, but it sounds like a practice called “floating” where they sell you an item at an exceptionally low price at or near cost and then turn around and sell it at a higher price to another customer – basically keeping the item in stock on your dime.
I will never do business again with Infinity Micro. It’s sad that companies are allowed to yank customers around like this. Do not believe their in stock claims!