Irritating and Probably Illegal Sales Practice

[roadwarrior]

So, retailers advertise "Door Buster" sales with limited stock. We all know that's a come-on, but as long as they have "some" I can live with that hype. On the otherhand, my daughter and her boyfriend had something they REALLY wanted to get for a Christmas present that was advertised at Target.

Both kids got up at 4:00 AM for a 6:00 AM opening and were among the first in line at two seperate stores. NEITHER Target had the item for sale...none, nada, nothing! That's just not right.

[Guest muddy]

Hey RW, I am feelin you with this over the edge Black Friday crapola!All of a sudden it's up to the public to get the big retailers into the black, NOT!

It isnt always the fault of the stores, sometimes it's ttheir  workers. We have a lot of folks down where I work that work part time at two large retailers. They take orders from staff down here, then they buy up all the stuff for them before the doors open! WHERE ARE THE MANAGERS , don't they realize this is unfair to the people who are getting up at 3:00am.

This year there were groups of people with store maps, and walkie talkies and communicating weith each other in the malls What next

[CGH]

That's a common pratice of a lot of stores.  If memory servers me correct Target is own by a French Company.  When i was overseas it was very common for stor fliers to put things in their adds just to get buyers to come to their store in hopes that they the customers would still shop and get other things while their.  I would guess it the same with most stores.  That 's why them fliers and adds all ways say limited quanities.

[=Matt 5.0=]

Well, I had typed a reply, but deleted it on the grounds that it might have been too much on the political or religious side.

Let's just say that I don't understand this time of year. We live in bizzare-o-land until December 26th. What does Target, Wal-Mart, BPS or any other corporate giant have to do with the birth of Jesus? If I love someone, why do I need to venture out into the maelstrom of the insane to get them a gift? Why can't I buy my wife those diamond earrings on say....June the 4th, or some other random day. I don't need Jesus's birthday to get someone something.....There I go again, getting all worked up...I'll stop now  

[Alpster]

I don't know if it does any good, but in NJ, stores must indicate the minimum # of items that will be in stock at each store in the ads. This won't solve the problem of employees getting first shot however.

Ronnie

[roadwarrior]

Just to clarify my beef: The kids made it there first. Target had "ZERO" of whatever they were trying to buy. They were not "OUT", Target did not have the item that was advertised. Of course, this one just one of hundreds of "specials', but it was the only item they got up early to buy.

BTW,

No "raincheck" was offered or available at either store.

[bass109]

roadwarrior, target sells all its sale items on the day of black friday. Most targets are not the same unless you have a super target in your area. The big problem with target is its management,poor leadership that might be the reason why most people quit target. Most items on the online target store are not in a regular target but super target or the online store. much like walmart and superwalmart.

[Redlinerobert]

I dont get the whole black friday thing.  11:30 at night last night and the outlet stores on the way back to my nnome were BOILING with people.  

Now if the tackle shops had a black friday event..... ;D

[Root beer]

I work at k-mart. :-X :-X :-X

I agree with matt 5.0. Never understood it, but again I work at k-mart. :-X

[Jimzee]

Now if the tackle shops had a black friday event..... ;D

I like the way you think.

[Tin]

I'm with Matty on this one too, just dont get it.

About the whole Target thing that it wrong, just to get you in the stores so hopefully you buy something else.  >

Good one, my buddy at UPS also works at Wal Mart, he brought his Wally World Contract thingy in to show he couldnt work today. In the contract, his Wal Marts policy is that you have to have documentation of hospitilization or of the person being in a coma in order to have the day off, all other reasons will be deemed unacceptable and the employee will be "written up". Little bit excessive if you ask me.

[Guest muddy]

I'm with Matty on this one too, just dont get it.

About the whole Target thing that it wrong, just to get you in the stores so hopefully you buy something else. >

Good one, my buddy at UPS also works at Wal Mart, he brought his Wally World Contract thingy in to show he couldnt work today. In the contract, his Wal Marts policy is that you have to have documentation of hospitilization or of the person being in a coma in order to have the day off, all other reasons will be deemed unacceptable and the employee will be "written up". Little bit excessive if you ask me.

DOES THIS INCLUDE OPENING DAY OF BASS SEASON TOO! :-/

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Matt- Looks like I won't be getting anything from Matty,..... :-[

[=Matt 5.0=]

Bah Humbug  ;D

[Glenn]

RW - what you've described is called "bait and switch" and is indeed illegal.  You have grounds to press criminal and civil charges.

[fishbear]

Now if the tackle shops had a black friday event..... ;D

I like the way you think.  

Ummmmmmm BPS did have a Black Friday event here in Atlanta.   I know people who parked their motorhome in the parking lot, and partied all night till the store opened..  ;D ;D

[Troutfisher]

Then I would press charges, RW.  That is not only illegal, it's also morally wrong.  That's a scam so they can draw people to draw more and more people.  >  I know if I got up at 4 a.m. and the doors opened at 6 a.m., and they didn't have the thing THEY ADVERTISED in stock I would be MAD.

[Root beer]

Let me let you in on a secret. Read the fine print.

There are many items we cant accept on raincheck. Expecially if we have massed quanity of it, we simiply wont put it on raincheck.

Lot of people are just so confused about sales paper. They read the word SALES!! But they dont know what on sale. So they come to me arguing about it. Maybe my store is doing everything by the book there no bait and switch here, just people who cant read. But you know I hear people complaining that this is 2 for 7 blah blah blah blah. But in reality some idiot employee (not me by the way) forgot to take down the sale paper and the 2 for 7 is already expired. But I give it to 'em 2 for 7 anyway just to apologize. Then I go yell at whoever is on the floor. Everytime I walk by a sales paper I read the end date to make sure this item suppose to be on sale this week or not.

*sigh* I'm about to go have some fun at k-mart.

[Root beer]

I know if I got up at 4 a.m. and the doors opened at 6 a.m., and they didn't have the thing THEY ADVERTISED in stock I would be MAD.

How'd you know it wasn't sold out the day before? I understand if they didnt have all the advertised item in stock, you have every right to be mad, but if it just one particular item, then there really nothing you can do.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone parade or nothing, but I'm trying chime in and make sure no one on here do something stupid.

I will tell you we have ran out of items we advertised, but we did do a raincheck on some of them, but not all of 'em. But none in the scenairo where we just open the door and they aren't in stock. We've never done that.

P.S. some old lady didnt read the small print, and got really mad and when she walked out the door she pulled the fire alarm. If we caught her then she be doing community service. Pulling a fire alarm is just about same as filing a false report.

[Guest muddy]

HEY KW DO YOU READ POSTS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THEM? GEEEZZ. Read RW's first posts the Items went on sale respectively 4 am and 6 am NOT THE NIGHT BEOFRE in one case RW"S kid WAS THE FIRST ONE IN AND NO PRODUCT WAS THERE THAT IS ILLEAGAL do you get that,

You cannot post a sale with no rainchecksetc without having at least one of the named product there THATS FALSE ADVERTISING AND FALLS UNDER BAIT AND SWITCH IN MOST STATES

Geeezzzz...............DARN ..............................AND HECK TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bassn Blvd]

HEY KW DO YOU READ POSTS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THEM?  GEEEZZ. Read RW's first posts the Items went on sale respectively 4 am and 6 am NOT THE NIGHT BEOFRE in one case RW"S kid WAS THE FIRST ONE IN AND NO PRODUCT WAS THERE THAT IS ILLEAGAL do you get that,

You cannot post a sale with no rainchecksetc without having at least one of the named product there THATS FALSE ADVERTISING AND FALLS UNDER BAIT AND SWITCH IN MOST STATES

Geeezzzz...............DARN ..............................AND HECK TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Easy Rocky.... Your gonna bust and spill all that turkey you ate ..

[KYbass1276]

Whats really sucks is the fact that it would probally be a complete headache to get legal action taken aginst them.    I would email the corporate offices and let them know of the prob and how I wouldn't be shopping there anymore.    I would try to contact the local news and let them know.  I would give the state ATT Generals office a call and anyone else I could think of.  I say give them some hardways to go.  They obviously didn't mind giving your daughter a headache I would try and return the favor to them.

[Root beer]

Maybe the paper was mis-print, maybe the truck had a wreck, their are to many variables.

And yah, I read the orginal post. How'd you know they only had couple of that product left? Or the fact it got sold night before? I walked into bass pro shop today they was sold out lot of products. :

By the way I need to correct one of my original post, I meant to say they dont do raincheck on seasonal items or items they will not be ordering again.

[KYbass1276]

To many variables my foot if you advertise it then you had better have or be able to get it in reasonable amount of time if the said item runs out. Thats like bass pro saying come on in tommorow for great deals on fishing reels and you get there and they don't have any reels.  If you know you don't have it and know you don't have enough for the demand then don't advertise it.  And don't sell it the night before if your advertiseing it for the sale on the next day : : :

[Olebiker]

If memory servers me correct Target is own by a French Company.

Target is not French.  It is the offspring of the old Detroit based Dayton-Hudson company.

My experience with Target here in Tallahassee is that they will advertise a product at a good price.  They won't have the product.  They will give you a rain check but will never get the item in stock.  I don't know how they get away with it, but I won't shop at Target if I can avoid it.