Blue Nile pricing error!!!!

[kevinng]

On a lighter note... I think people with doggie Avatars tend to agree with each other.

 

[Jolie]

I'm not a lawyer, so I'm not sure how Blue Nile's policy holds up legally, but in our state it is illegal for a business to "fail to have the advertised merchandise available at or below the advertised price."

If a business can avoid compliance with a law simply by putting a disclaimer statement on its policy page, that's a pretty sweet deal for businesses. I wish I could avoid our laws so easily.

 

[moremoremore]

OK- I tend to over simplify, but I just don't see the big deal here. Sorry. It's a risk you take when buying online. I think people generally know that internet prices aren't always updated (if they should be is another issue)...together with the fact that you knew it could be an error...whatever dude. Move on.

 

[Hest88]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 3:30:20 PM Jolie wrote:

If a business can avoid compliance with a law simply by putting a disclaimer statement on its policy page, that's a pretty sweet deal for businesses.
----------------

Actually, those statements don't really protect businesses in a court case the way businesses hope they will, the same way wills and pre-nupts don't really protect if taken to court. I think they're just a way for businesses to cover themselves for the 99% of clients who aren't going to go far enough to hire a lawyer.

 

[Mara]

Steve, saying 'I'm sorry I was not able to help you' to me is not rude. There is a line to be drawn with dealing with customers, but the whole go fly a kite motto is not appealing. Again this is what we have to go on, I'm not debating 'what if's'.

 

[Antignos]

I promise I was not rude. I deal with rude customers every day in my office and take a lot of pride in not treating people that way. I did however get an email today from someone at Blue Nile who was extremely professional and polite in his email. He said he would have someone look into it.

people make mistakes all the time and yes it usually costs someone something.

I will still buy online, but will look for someone involved with this webpage as I've been very very impressed so far.

I'm also not sure with the "move on" comment. No one is missing sleep over this so why move on. It's simply become a good conversation topic and law 101 lesson. I believe thats why we have the forum correct?

 

[oldminer]

Paul, In the end you come off as sounding like a very reasonable person. I sure hope you and Blue Nile can come together in a way that makes you feel like a customer should. This sort of thing can happen to anyone and with almost any firm. It is very difficult to prevent, but thankfully, not too frequent an occurence. Best of luck.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 10/20/2004 8:53:47 PM Antignos wrote:

One had an extremely good price and it may have been marked wrong, which is of course why I bought it.

Well the next day someone named Lisa from Blue Nile called me and explained they had no intention of selling me the diamond at the price I had agreed to. She was a bit rude and explained I could pretty much go fly a kite. I told her I would then be sending the other diamond back and posting my story on here. She didn't seem to think anyone read these postings and good bye. Beware of Blue Nile if it's customer service your looking for, you won't get it. I don't know if there is any way to force them to sell me the diamond I agreed to buy or not. I do believe they charged my card for 1.00 to see if it was active and they did send me a confirmation number etc. They have since relisted the diamond at a much higher price.

Thanks

paul----------------

So, the guy knowingly trys to buy the mispriced diamond.

Blue Nile promptly calls the next day to let him no they were not going to sell the stone at that price (his words...no intention)

They make it known that they have no intention of selling at that price.

They abruptly end the call while said buyer didn't mention anything about trying to resolve the issue. Just demands that he be sold *that* diamond or threatens to bad mouth in *this* way on PS.

Then they explained he could "*PRETTY MUCH*" go fly a kite while being a "BIT" rude. He mentions nothing concrete except "pretty much" "bit" "Pretty Much" saying go fly a kite is completely different than saying "They *told* me I could go fly a kite."

I would have handled a person who threatened me while forcing me to honor a mistaken price in the same manner. I would have said "This isn't a matter for discussion" Sorry, and I would have hung up. The olive branch could have been offered by BN; but, maybe the buyer was so insistent that the deal go as is, their breath would have been wasted.

Doesn't sound like from this post that the buyer was open to any negotiation except full honor of mistaken price.

All morals aside. Should BN honor the price? No, it was a mistake - and a big one. Should they take every effort to make sure their pricing is correct - of course. But,in the posters own words "one had an extremely good price and may have been marked wrong WHICH IS WHY I BOUGHT IT."

Clearly is was a mistake. And a recognized one in the posters eyes.

We don't know what transpired on the other end of the phone. Only what is being said here. The poster mentions nothing like "Can we try to find a solution that works for both of us?". No, he only states he requested the diamond be sold at the listed price.

I don't think BN should be painted in this light. I don't think they have any explaining to do. What could they possibily gain? Perhaps the only thing that could be mentioned is "We regret any inconvience caused by our mistake"

I'm with Fey on this one in terms of sometimes you have to fire a client. Some people are either bad fits with each other & some people just are not worth their business.

I don't see the outrage of how bad BN CS is in this post.

 

[Antignos]

One last time when I purchased I did NOT know it was mispriced. I am not a diamond expert. I knew it was a great deal and would not have bought it from a not so well know company because I would have thought it was too good to be trus. That is why I did not buy one from that Shenoa company. I knew I had 30 days to return it after I had someone look at it.

Should I not have leased the new Jag last year because it looked too good to be true? They were losing money on the cars with they hoped was a plan to get a lot of young drivers in them and hopefully hook us as long term customers. etc etc etc

Did I take advantage of jaguar?

 

[goldengirl]

----------------
On 10/20/2004 9:10:51 PM Antignos wrote:

When Wallmart prices something wrong in the news paper they sell it at that price and either eat it or make the paper pay for it!----------------

I have little to say re: the rest of your topic, but THIS is hogwash.

When Wal-Mart misprints a price in the newspaper they post a little sign at the front of the store saying, "Sorry for the misprint, the price is actually X." Then when people get upset, they point them to that sign.

Nice try, though.

 

[Antignos]

The other problem is I'm not a bad client or customer! That's why this is such a fun issue. I asked very clearly "what can we do about this?" The answer was NOTHING! Very simple. Geez offer me a 100 gift cert. and some personal help in finding a new diamond and I would have been fine. Offer to give me a setting at half off, something! The reason for being dissappointed was I was told "NOTHING"

 

[Antignos]

Also if you search the web there are a lost of stories of companies honoring prices as well as being forced to by lawsuits. Walmart is also not the same company as it once was. Does everyone not agree? Remember when Sam was alive? Does everyone understand They gave me a receipt? It goes way beyond simple advertising and maybe that was a bad heading for this string.

buy.com paid out over 500,000 dollars to people who were not able to buy the product because they did not have it in stock at the bad price. Why? Because they honored the prices in the first place and ran out quickly as you can imagine. So did 1,000 people lose their jobs at buy.com. I doubt it!

It was a bad business decision by them obviously. I'm sure this forum will presuade more than one person to maybe shop elsewhere. They have more than lost their 3,000 or whatever profit they had in the ring. Bad Bad Bad

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 4:33:28 PM Antignos wrote:

One last time when I purchased I did NOT know it was mispriced. ----------------

But, you state that was the reason you bought it.

"One had an extremely good price and may have been marked wrong which is *WHY* I bought it."

 

[Antignos]

1.56 carrots and 1.71 carrots. the 1.71 was a big nicer yes, which is why I bought it. I've seen prices for the supposded diamonds differ by 5,000 online. Would everyone not agree?

 

[Antignos]

But, you state that was the reason you bought it.

"One had an extremely good price and may have been marked wrong which is *WHY* I bought it."


Of course I now it was yes!

Is everyone telling me they would have passed on it? Do you all pay full top retail for everything?

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 4:37:17 PM Antignos wrote:

I asked very clearly 'what can we do about this?' The answer was NOTHING! Very simple. Geez offer me a 100 gift cert. and some personal help in finding a new diamond and I would have been fine. Offer to give me a setting at half off, something! The reason for being dissappointed was I was told 'NOTHING'----------------

Was this before or after telling them you were going to post here ?

In all fairness, you may have come across that they were to honor that price & nothing else would have surficed. "What can we do about this?" could be interpreted as not yeilding on your part. Did you ask for a discount on the stone? Doesn't sound like it. Did you ask what kind of *COMPROMISe* could we reach?

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 4:48:28 PM Antignos wrote:



Is everyone telling me they would have passed on it? Do you all pay full top retail for everything? ----------------

No, but once explained to me that the price was a mistake, I wouldn't have tried to hold their feet to the fire & make them sell it to me at that price.

Buy.com was a settled lawsuit to make it go away. No admission of guilt.

And, Goldengirl is absolutely correct about Walmart. You can't hold Walmart responsible for a printers error.

 

[Antignos]

Problem is they were the SAME price! which is why I purchased it.

 

[goldengirl]

My favorite part of this thread is that after he throws a fit with BN and threatens to post a "BN sucks" thread on PS if they don't give him what he wants he comes on here, has his hissy fit, gets chastised for throwing a hissy fit and being an unconscienable (sp?) consumer, and then tries to restore his character by saying he'll donate the difference to charity.

.....wait for it....

:lmao!!!:

 

[Brian Knox]

I have'nt checked in for the last couple pages so I don't know if this has been mentioned.

I think the forum is being 'played' in the respect that the longer this thread stays 'up' the longer his intentions are served.

 

[Mara]

I didn't see the word 'threaten' or 'compensate' anywhere in the OP's post. He said he said he would be returning the other diamond and posting his story here. He didn't say 'posting the horrible way I was treated' on here. He said posting his story.




And if we really want to get into semantics he also said "One had an extremely good price and may have been marked wrong which is why I bought it." (no emphasis on the Why in his original post)....what if he was talking about the extremely good pricing being why he bought it? What if it was just phrased wrong?

Oops...what ifs.

Personally I think he was just agitated at how the phone call with BN may have gone and before he rationally thought about it, came over here and posted his post with his very inflammatory subject. Fur flies from there. Moral hellfire ensues.




It is Friday...people are doubly irritable right about now. Where's that Tiffany thread when you need it? /idealbb/images/smilies/rodent.gif




People are going to continue to disagree and debate this til the cows come home. My real issue with the BN customer service. This guy still bought 2 diamonds...don't they care about the other business? And again, does the customer service gal get to decide who stays and who goes at BN? I'd love to hear about this from BN.

 

[gingerBcookie]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 5:06:43 PM goldengirl wrote:

My favorite part of this thread is that after he throws a fit with BN and threatens to post a 'BN sucks' thread on PS if they don't give him what he wants he comes on here, has his hissy fit, gets chastised for throwing a hissy fit and being an unconscienable (sp?) consumer, and then tries to restore his character by saying he'll donate the difference to charity.

.....wait for it....

:lmao!!!:----------------

LMAO!!!!

I believe this is the best summary of this thread so far.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 5:47:57 PM Mara wrote:


I didn't see the word 'threaten' or 'compensate' anywhere in the OP's post. He said he said he would be returning the other diamond and posting his story here. He didn't say 'posting the horrible way I was treated' on here. He said posting his story.


And if we really want to get into semantics he also said 'One had an extremely good price and may have been marked wrong which is why I bought it.' (no emphasis on the Why in his original post)....what if he was talking about the extremely good pricing being why he bought it? What if it was just phrased wrong?

Oops...what ifs.

Personally I think he was just agitated at how the phone call with BN may have gone and before he rationally thought about it, came over here and posted his post with his very inflammatory subject. Fur flies from there. Moral hellfire ensues.


It is Friday...people are doubly irritable right about now. Where's that Tiffany thread when you need it? /idealbb/images/smilies/rodent.gif


People are going to continue to disagree and debate this til the cows come home. My real issue with the BN customer service. This guy still bought 2 diamonds...don't they care about the other business? And again, does the customer service gal get to decide who stays and who goes at BN? I'd love to hear about this from BN.

----------------

Oh Please, Mara, you can't be wearing that much rosey colored consumer advocate glasses. Since he was not happy with the result of not being able to purchase the diamond at mistaken price, did you think he was going to come on here & sing their praises? If I'm on the other end of the phone, I certainly wouldn't think so. It's a reasonable what if & not some leap of faith to think it wasn't going to be a positive review. Yeah, I do think "I'm going to post my story on PS" is a way of getting his way. Then starts a thread about "False Advertising" Pretty inflamatory stuff. And the original post with the "pretty much" and loosey goosey wording. And, the insult about the "gas station attendent". Sealed my opinion.

He stated he was sending both diamonds back. Do you think he did it because he decided against them? No, he did it because he didn't get his way.

Words are powerful. He stated he thought the price may have been marked wrong. It's not a leap of faith that it could have been a reason for the purchase. He even stated that the price was so low that he wouldn't have purchased from someone else (inferring something wrong with the price)

And the customer service person was correcting a problem. She called him. Any reasonable person, while being dissappointed, wouldn't insist that BN sell the stone for the mistaken amount. And, he calls that "false advertising". Last time I looked that's an honest mistake.

About the only thing I can agree on is that it's Friday & I'm ready for a glass of wine.

Brian, I don't think this paints BN is a bad way. Honestly, the guy is playing the victim. Some people may entertain his story. I don't. Goldengirl pretty much sumed it up with her post about his charity offer. Pretty transparent. Other things are also pretty transparent. I always have to ask myself "who has the most to gain & what agenda is being pushed?"

 

[solange]

I think the title of this thread is misleading. This was not false advertising. It was an error.
I do not know how the conversation with the Blue Nile rep was handled but a more appropriate title might have been something like "Disappointed with Customer Service at Blue Nile."
I do agree that if the facts are as stated and the Blue Nile rep was rude this is a legitimate complaint. I would not have expected them to eat the $3,000 but an apology and an offer of a discount or some other reasonable compromise might have been in order.
I think the title of Blue Nile False Advertising is inappropriate and inaccurate and I hope it will be changed.

 

[Mara]

...who's wearing the white off rice now?

 

[aljdewey]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 8:06:24 PM Mara wrote:







...who's wearing the white off rice now?

----------------

Sorry, but I really have to agree with this one.....the rice is pretty "unwhite" now. It's actually approaching "dog with a bone" territory. It's pretty evident no one is going to sway the other's opinion, wouldn't you agree?

Must be a full moon or something. LOL

 

[KBerly]

i think i said it was a full moon 3 times today, but i checked, and it's not til next week

 

[aljdewey]

----------------
On 10/22/2004 6:19:44 PM fire&ice wrote:






Oh Please, Mara, you can't be wearing that much rosey colored consumer advocate glasses. ----------------

Wow.....consider F&I's chain officially pulled.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have lift-off!

I think someone needs a hug.

OOOOOOOOoooooo, or maybe we could follow that cute commercial and turn the WHOLE aura of this discussion by just saying "Thank You!".......

naaaaaaaaaah. hehehehee

(Oh, and I completely agree with Dave.....the title of this thread should be changed sooner rather than later.)

 

[Antignos]

Ok people here is whats even more funny. I have since found another diamond priced wrong by Blue Nile, and it's listed on HERE! I did a search earler and there it was. Althought this time when I click on the price in the search it takes me to the Blue Nile page where the price is different. Any thought? I saved the page on my desktop if anyone wants it emailled to them!

 

[Antignos]

Ok there are 2 diamonds on Price scope 1.7 and 1.70 carrots. Both have the wrong price on them for Blur Nile. I was not too far off as several vendors are within 1,000 of what Blue Nile's misprice is. Color is H for both and one is an SI1 and the other a VS2.