Complaint Review: Cityspree - Vestal New York

This email is a rebuttal to RipOff #6354.
It was sent by Mrs. A at [email protected].

Cityspree broke its promise (#6354)

They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:

Their email: [email protected]
Their name: Mrs. A

Their relationship to the company: Supporter

Rebuttal:
I, too, am very dissatisfied with Cityspree for the following reasons:

1) I purchased many gift certificates from them, but when I went to the restaurants to use them, they were either no longer accepting Cityspree or out of business.

I returned SIX (6) certificates in one mailing, late in May 2001, requesting a refund. [I had returned one for refund previously and got my money in a short time.] With the return of six certificates, I keep emailing to ask if they have returned my money to the account from which they took it (I can't tell by the statements), or if they have not given the refund at all.

I guess what I am saying is that I don't even know if I have been ripped off, which is why I didn't report this here in
the first place!!! All I want is for them to tell me that (a) they returned my money on "X" date and to "X" account, or (b) they refuse to refund my money (and then the fight begins). As it is now, as the other person states, they will not respond at all. I have tried numerous avenues to get a phone number but there is none--not on their website or even with information in the 607 area code, where Vestal is!!!

Regarding coupon books, I tried to BUY one there and the website would not process the order the first three times, then the fourth time, the order went through but I never got my book. I don't even know if they drew the seven bucks out of my account (my bank makes it miserable to find out who takes what money out via debit, but that's another complaint entirely).

Either way, no matter how cheap Cityspree sells their certificates, save your money----at least get a phone number before you buy in case you have trouble.

Two other FYI points about Cityspree: If you bid on certificates and win them, they add a shipping fee ($2, I believe) on top of what you bid.

They used to say they only charged the fee once each day, so no matter how many certificates you won, you only paid it once daily. Regardless, why should you pay them to put a piece of paper in an envelope???

The other point is how Cityspree actually gets these gift certificates to offer: According to a merchant who no longer accepts them, Cityspree contracts with business owners who agree to provide a set amount of "free food" in exchange for the privilege of being featured on Cityspree's website.

In other words, Restaurant "X" agrees to give 12 $25 gift
certificates, or $300 in free food, to Cityspree to be auctioned off.
Cityspree gets to keep whatever money they get from the bidders, and the restaurant gets free internet advertising in exchange for some promotional $25 gift certificates.

The restaurant who first refused to accept Cityspree from me had just changed owners, and the new owner refused to honor the previous owner's contract because they did not feel giving away $25 worth of food to customers who had paid $5 for the certificate were helping his business. [This was the certificate I returned months ago and received a prompt refund for....but that was a long time ago.]

Now my emails, at least six of them, have remained unanswered.

The moral of the story: DO NOT BUY FROM CITYSPREE!