Aipforum
Corpus Christi,#2Author of original report
Mon, September 03, 2007
I do want to thank everyone for their comments. You say "it is not up to Circuit City how they sign you up. Vonage and Circuit City made a deal that they have to use a middle man in order to sign customers up for the service. Circuit City could not have directly activated your phone service and neither would Vonage." Well that's not entirely correct either. Have a look at this: This is the full document: http://www.brentcctx.com/images/cc1.jpg And here is the relevant part blown up: http://www.brentcctx.com/images/cc1.jpg You can see that Circuit City, on the 10th of August (the Friday BEFORE the ad was released on Sunday the 12th) said: 1. "We ARE honoring the Vonage offer 8/12-8/17." 2. Then it goes into great detail how to do the whole procedure by phone, not by computer. Contingent plans were already in place. And I spent the better part of yesterday reading all the different online comments about this offer as well. It's clear that well over 1/2 of the respondants online got the offer before they cut it off mid-week. And it wasn't just CC making good to appease customers. In fact, those people that signed up for the offer successfully completed the Vonage signup as well (and their phones provisioned). I don't know. I'm just very frustrated about this. When we saw the offer, it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. My son has been wanting a computer, I can't afford one outright or wait for huge rebates either. He pointed out the ad to me and based on that I promised him that we would go signup and he would get his computer. So now he's all disappointed, and I feel terrible at about that. And with him being upset, it just continues to make me even more upset. With all the evidence I've mounted AND with them running a new offer that requires them to follow the same steps they had in place as of the 10th ... that just really pushed me over the top. Ultimately, this was a CC in-store gift card. It was not a manufacturer rebate. It was something that CC dispensed right then, right there. I don't the law, and really, the law doesn't matter. They may not legally have to comply with anything. But ethically and morally, they SHOULD do the right thing and honor that offer. Then it would be up to them to recover promotional expenditure from whoever it was they we're in cohoots with ... be it the bankrupt in-between (they will be listed as a creditor in the bankruptcy if that is true) ... or from Vonage if they are the one's funding the promotion. It's just frustrating. -- Brent
Wkb
Tulsa,#3Consumer Suggestion
Mon, September 03, 2007
The reason why Circuit City couldn't sign you up for Vonage is because the company that all retailers use to communicate with Vonage declared bankruptcy. This lead to many rumors that Vonage themselves had declared bankruptcy but we later learned that it was the middle man that did. As for signing you up using a phone number, it is not up to Circuit City how they sign you up. Vonage and Circuit City made a deal that they have to use a middle man in order to sign customers up for the service. Circuit City could not have directly activated your phone service and neither would Vonage. It sucks that you couldn't get the phone when the sale was running but sometimes these things happen.
Aipforum
Corpus Christi,#4Consumer Comment
Sun, September 02, 2007
For the most part, I've had plenty of luck with Circuit City. They've treated me fair before. I've bought 2 computers from, had to exchange one. No hassle exchange. I ordered a car stereo online from them, got to the store 45 minutes later and they honored the 24 minute guarantee. So I do believe in rewarding companies with my business when they treat me fair. And like I said, they have in the past. But this time around, I've had a problem. Possibly if they had given a more plausable excuse for not honoring the original Vonage promotion, I would have never thought twice. But now they've lied to me, and like everyone else, it's become a matter of principle far above anything else. And not that I feel sorry for Vonage by any means (how could I, I don't know much about them) ... but I'm sure this is slander or something, and I do know for a fact it's costing them business. If I owned a business and someone was running off my customers telling them I had filed for bankruptcy when I hadn't, I'd be down at the courthouse steps early the next morning. Again, CircuitCity isn't all that bad to deal with (at least for me, and except for this instance). And living where I do, there pretty much aren't that many choices when it comes to mortar stores. So I'll have to deal with them eventually for electronics. It would be nice if there was a way to work this out so that I wouldn't resent even spending a future nickle with them. I'm not after anything for free, I just want them to live up to their ad.
Aipforum
Corpus Christi,#5Consumer Comment
Sun, September 02, 2007
For the most part, I've had plenty of luck with Circuit City. They've treated me fair before. I've bought 2 computers from, had to exchange one. No hassle exchange. I ordered a car stereo online from them, got to the store 45 minutes later and they honored the 24 minute guarantee. So I do believe in rewarding companies with my business when they treat me fair. And like I said, they have in the past. But this time around, I've had a problem. Possibly if they had given a more plausable excuse for not honoring the original Vonage promotion, I would have never thought twice. But now they've lied to me, and like everyone else, it's become a matter of principle far above anything else. And not that I feel sorry for Vonage by any means (how could I, I don't know much about them) ... but I'm sure this is slander or something, and I do know for a fact it's costing them business. If I owned a business and someone was running off my customers telling them I had filed for bankruptcy when I hadn't, I'd be down at the courthouse steps early the next morning. Again, CircuitCity isn't all that bad to deal with (at least for me, and except for this instance). And living where I do, there pretty much aren't that many choices when it comes to mortar stores. So I'll have to deal with them eventually for electronics. It would be nice if there was a way to work this out so that I wouldn't resent even spending a future nickle with them. I'm not after anything for free, I just want them to live up to their ad.
Aipforum
Corpus Christi,#6Consumer Comment
Sun, September 02, 2007
For the most part, I've had plenty of luck with Circuit City. They've treated me fair before. I've bought 2 computers from, had to exchange one. No hassle exchange. I ordered a car stereo online from them, got to the store 45 minutes later and they honored the 24 minute guarantee. So I do believe in rewarding companies with my business when they treat me fair. And like I said, they have in the past. But this time around, I've had a problem. Possibly if they had given a more plausable excuse for not honoring the original Vonage promotion, I would have never thought twice. But now they've lied to me, and like everyone else, it's become a matter of principle far above anything else. And not that I feel sorry for Vonage by any means (how could I, I don't know much about them) ... but I'm sure this is slander or something, and I do know for a fact it's costing them business. If I owned a business and someone was running off my customers telling them I had filed for bankruptcy when I hadn't, I'd be down at the courthouse steps early the next morning. Again, CircuitCity isn't all that bad to deal with (at least for me, and except for this instance). And living where I do, there pretty much aren't that many choices when it comes to mortar stores. So I'll have to deal with them eventually for electronics. It would be nice if there was a way to work this out so that I wouldn't resent even spending a future nickle with them. I'm not after anything for free, I just want them to live up to their ad.
Aipforum
Corpus Christi,#7Consumer Comment
Sun, September 02, 2007
For the most part, I've had plenty of luck with Circuit City. They've treated me fair before. I've bought 2 computers from, had to exchange one. No hassle exchange. I ordered a car stereo online from them, got to the store 45 minutes later and they honored the 24 minute guarantee. So I do believe in rewarding companies with my business when they treat me fair. And like I said, they have in the past. But this time around, I've had a problem. Possibly if they had given a more plausable excuse for not honoring the original Vonage promotion, I would have never thought twice. But now they've lied to me, and like everyone else, it's become a matter of principle far above anything else. And not that I feel sorry for Vonage by any means (how could I, I don't know much about them) ... but I'm sure this is slander or something, and I do know for a fact it's costing them business. If I owned a business and someone was running off my customers telling them I had filed for bankruptcy when I hadn't, I'd be down at the courthouse steps early the next morning. Again, CircuitCity isn't all that bad to deal with (at least for me, and except for this instance). And living where I do, there pretty much aren't that many choices when it comes to mortar stores. So I'll have to deal with them eventually for electronics. It would be nice if there was a way to work this out so that I wouldn't resent even spending a future nickle with them. I'm not after anything for free, I just want them to live up to their ad.
Thomas
Anderson,#8Consumer Comment
Sun, September 02, 2007
because I doubt you will get very far under a Bush administration. Perhaps better yet, you should simply take your business elsewhere. You seem to have other complaints about Circuit City, so why do you continue to bother with them? There are MANY other vendors, both online and "bricks & mortar". FWIW Circuitcity.com got poor performance marks from customers as published in Consumer Reports. Maybe you should read CR? It could save you a lot of future aggravation.