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View Full Version : Unintentional Staples Deal..



artike
08-02-2000, 04:16 PM
I can't figure out how Staples is staying in business. Here's a deal for unscrupulous people.. which includes myself, unintentionally.

The local B&M Staples pricematches and honors Staples.com dollars-off codes. This is great because I've gotten numerous deals whenever I want to buy something they carry. I just do a little research and print out the best internet-advertised price and bring it in. What makes it great is when the total qualifies for a $20/$50 or $25/$75 code.

Okay, so I pricematched Symantec's Systemworks Professional version for $12 (msbcd.com) versus Staples $99.95 price. I also picked up some paper and misc office supplies to qualify for a $20/$50 discount. Awesome deal.

But I had second thoughts about putting Systemworks on my office system because it's slow enough on boot up as it is. I never broke the seal so I figure I can just return it. No problem. The receipt.. who knows where it went, I should keep better track of them.

Anyhow, I bring the box back to Staples and talk to the same manager I spoke to 24 hours earlier and tell him that I'm returning it intact but that I can't find the receipt. No problem, he says he'll give me a voucher. I tell him that I pricematched it for an unbelievable price (actually, I rounded it to $15) so ask if I could just get cash. I figure it's a small amount, why not.

Then he tells me that without a receipt, he can only enter in the current selling price.. $100.. it's automatic. My eyes bug out and I honestly try to explain to him that I bought it for less than $15 the day before. I've got the same checkout girl standing there watching us talk. Whatever.. that's the rules, he says. I can't believe Staples is giving me $85 for losing a receipt. The checkout girl just shrugs and gives me the voucher.. whatever.

So hell, I'm surfing for more pricematching deals now. What's the best price on those Motorola FR60's? I'm using Price.com and MySimon.com.. are there other price comparison sites I can use?

ugly
08-02-2000, 04:23 PM
haha! that is hilarious, man.

josetann
08-02-2000, 05:06 PM
Generally I'd just say something about how wrong that is...about how you should have known better, etc. But hell, you TOLD him about it, and he still gave you the $100. So...good for you!

TooooL
08-02-2000, 06:39 PM
Nice story. Im jealous http://www.gotapex.com/ubb/smile.gif Heh, now lets wait for 100 ppl to go try this tomorrow

IntegraTypeR
08-02-2000, 07:52 PM
My sentiments are with jose .... but totally .. awesome deal ^_^

calng
08-04-2000, 12:13 AM
I find it odd how you got the cash. Usually in a company policy, you can only receive store credit if you do not have the receipt with you. For some reason, the manager chose to give you cash. I doubt this will ever work again, because as a company policy, you only get store credit regardless of what the manager says. It is the managers word against company policy, and company policy always win.

carpenoctem
08-04-2000, 12:20 AM
As for other comparison sites, pricewatch.com is fairly decent, and shopper.com will get you a few things...you might want to try those, although they are very consumer-oriented...

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And furthermore, I believe that Carthage should be destroyed.

dev_null
08-04-2000, 12:34 AM
which staples store did you say this is?....

Dev

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Ethernet (n): Something used to catch the Etherbunny.

spigidygak
08-04-2000, 12:56 AM
Geniusses working in retail. . .

s2
08-04-2000, 05:58 AM
That is absolutely hilarious! You should keep doing it to make some extra money!!

att
08-04-2000, 09:45 AM
oh please! i cant belive anyone here could possibly have any hard feelings about ripping off STAPLES. come on!

att
08-04-2000, 09:51 AM
company policy is to match a price from the internet and add $5 for shipping to the price. some stores follow that some dont. just bring in a print of the page from the online store you find the product on.

CluelessSi
08-04-2000, 09:51 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by att:
oh please! i cant belive anyone here could possibly have any hard feelings about ripping off STAPLES. come on!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
http://www.gotapex.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
if it is legit glich in thier system (whether computer or policy) i don't mind.

But those switch fraud, that i really hate.

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~Reality is an illusion~

[This message has been edited by CluelessSi (edited 08-04-2000).]

jmalin
08-04-2000, 01:28 PM
A friend of mine had this happen at Best Buy a while ago - he paid $200 for a SyQuest drive, it broke 2 months later and he brought it back - though the price had dropped to $100, he had the recipt for $200, and they told him that they couldn't give him the replacement drive unless he got another $100 worth of stuff - sort of a self-enforced price protection setup, though unintentional.

artike
08-04-2000, 01:46 PM
as follow up.. I went back and asked them to pricematch one of their office safes for me (they're selling it at $180 and the best price I found was $155). I remembered to ask him for the GP Inkjet Paper ($22, free with $50+ purchase) and got that thrown in too. the manager pricematched the safe and allowed me to use the $40/$200 online code (I guess they base it on the before-PM, before-coupons total?).

office safe $180 - $ 25 PM - $40 coupon = $115 ($125 w/ tax)
GP inkjet paper $22 - $22 coupon = $0
Voucher -$110 (for $15 initial cost)

so.. for a total of about $30 I got $200 worth of stuff.

man, I don't know how they stay in business..