Complaint Review: BUY.COM

Upon making an internet purchase I was solicited by BUY.COM to open a BUY.COM / Chase VISA account under the enticement of an instant $30 off my first order.  I applied and after receiving the card placed the originally intended order. I never received the advertised "instant $30" credit off the order and had to make countless phone calls to both BUY.COM's dead-at-the-wheel customer service and Chase (the credit card administrator).

In the process of about 15-20 calls (I've lost count) I was told the $30 discount would be applied when the first statement was mailed which it was not.  I was then told the offer didn't exist which was untrue as I'd saved the web pages displayed to me and offered to prove it to them.  I was then told I'd have to open a dispute to resolve the issue placing the burden to resolve this debacle on me, their new customer.  I was then told I'd have to send the purchase back to BUY.COM before I could initiate a dispute -- which is a rather idiotic requirement in this case as the item was already given as a gift.  Even attempting to jump through that hoop alone is itself idiotic as I can't believe BUY.COM's dead-at-the-wheel customer service is going to help a customer attempting to file a billing dispute against them.  The mind truly boggles over what these people maintain between their ears.

I've since found a sympathetic soul at Chase who after hearing the BUY.COM folly agreed to refund the original $30 promotion and internally investigate BUY.COM's misrepresentation.  We'll see if that refund happens as this is about the 10th different story I have heard in this protracted disaster.

Bottom line: Don't fall for the BUY.COM $30 promotional credit card offer.  Where there's smoke you are likely to find fire and one couldn't be blamed in assuming the general integrity of BUY.COM falls into the same sorry state.  I suppose if you lack anything more productive to do this may be one way to consume your excess time.  However I've had my fill of this deception and after this is cleared up the BUY.COM card will get tossed into the porcelain bowl never to  be seen again.

Chase as well should be very careful associating with a company engaging in such fraudulent practices.  If in the end Chase clears this up I'd give them the benefit of the doubt but BUY.COM can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned.