Free shipping will cost you xx

IOBA · ‎02-01-2012

Pet peeve...I was at the store, pad of paper, pen...writing down prices of some much needed appliances, and I asked about delivery costs. The not so perky salesperson quickly said delivery was free!! Oh my, I got so excited. "Free delivery? Are you sure?" I asked. The smug salesperson said, "Yep, totally free."

Ok, so I tallied up the prices of the things I needed, did a rough estimate of the sales tax. Then I heard a soft noise and looked up. A quiet voice said, "Well, delivery is really $69.95." My looked begged her to repeat what she had said. In a slightly weaker voice, she repeated, "Yeah, delivery is $69.95, but you will get a gift card. Just mail in the rebate form. Lots of people love the visa card."

Pet peeve - don't say something is free when it's not really free! I am on a budget, and the price of delivery takes me over my budget. This salesperson thought I should be super excited because after I spend the $69.95 (and let's hope it's tax free!), wait 2 months, and hope to get a prepaid visa card. *eye roll*

p- · ‎02-01-2012

@IOBA wrote:
Pet peeve...I was at the store, pad of paper, pen...writing down prices of some much needed appliances, and I asked about delivery costs. The not so perky salesperson quickly said delivery was free!! Oh my, I got so excited. "Free delivery? Are you sure?" I asked. The smug salesperson said, "Yep, totally free."

Ok, so I tallied up the prices of the things I needed, did a rough estimate of the sales tax. Then I heard a soft noise and looked up. A quiet voice said, "Well, delivery is really $69.95." My looked begged her to repeat what she had said. In a slightly weaker voice, she repeated, "Yeah, delivery is $69.95, but you will get a gift card. Just mail in the rebate form. Lots of people love the visa card."

Pet peeve - don't say something is free when it's not really free! I am on a budget, and the price of delivery takes me over my budget. This salesperson thought I should be super excited because after I spend the $69.95 (and let's hope it's tax free!), wait 2 months, and hope to get a prepaid visa card. *eye roll*

Sometimes you can get them to "instantly redeem" the rebate. I am honest with sales peaople and tell them, rebates don't matter to be because I am always busy and will forget.

IOBA · ‎02-01-2012

Yeah, sometimes they do.

In this case, nope. Pay up front, maybe get charged sales tax on the delivery fee, then mail in for the rebate, hope it's not lost or misdirected, and wait 2 months or so for a prepaid card to come in the mail. A prepaid card that can not be used everywhere, like the gas stations and some restaurants on the west coast. Argh.

I wish she had just said, up front, that there is a delivery fee, AND a mail in rebate.