Hank Monk

No, it was NOT worth it. But at least I'm not in jail. Too close for comfort, tho.

That may be what the e mail said. But what they MEANT was, " ...we found out we can sell this item now for more than we offered it to you for. SO if you REALLY want to buy it, pony up another $ 320. Otherwise, we are out of stock. I got the same kind of run around from Circuit City. First it was "in stock", then "out of stock" . "Thank you for contacting circuitcity.com regarding items with a limited quantity. Depending on inventory availability, Circuit City may limit quantities per household on the sale of a particular item. Doing so helps us ensure better availability for all interested customers. If you were unable to purchase an item due to limited quantities, please check back with us, as our inventory is updated and expanded daily. Unfortunately, the promotion was only valid for a specified time frame, and the promotion cannot be honored retroactively. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.To purchase any of our products, please call us at 1-800-843-2489." So when it was on sale $ 320 cheaper, it was suddenly "out of stock". The next day, the amazing delivery.... "in stock". "Go ahead and kick that football, Charlie Brown. I PROMISE I won't pull it away at the last minute so you fall on your butt."

Sooner or later, there will be some real violence as a direct result of the failure of BB & CC to engage in effective crowd control. They don't even try. They wrongly think their refusal to try will protect them. Any merchant serving alcohol in this manner would lose their license. The use of tickets is a start, but is already being abused. The solution is easy and no cost. A combination of unique hand stamps, colored sharpie hand numbering followed by last minute tickets for specific items could easily be handled by one person intermittently and without notice as the waiting crowd grows. If everyone knows the system, it would police itself easily. Line jumpers with no hand stamp get no item tickets. No stamp, no entry, go to the end of the line and you'll be hand stamped & numbered....THEN you will be allowed in the door. Our employee doing the hand stamps is AT THE END OF THE LINE. "You have bought a ticket but have no 3 am hand time stamp, go to the end of the line. Your ticket will not be honored. Neither will your fake bit of paper meant to LOOK like our originals. " First ten hand stamped, sequential numbered sharpie w/ item tickets have 30 seconds, next ten 30 seconds, next ten, 30 seconds. " Does anyone else have the 3 am AND 4 am hand stamp AND an item slip? " ONLY you folks next." " All hand stamps only now" Failure to get control of the line jumpers will eventually cost CC & BB a huge lawsuit judgement for failing to control their crowds. I'm ready to be called as a jurror.

Funny about those CC offers: One week ago, CC sent me an offer on this very basic ACER at $ 279 w/ rebate. http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Acer-Aspire-4315-2490-14-1-Widescreen-Laptop-AS4315-2490/sem/rpsm/oid/196355/catOid/-12963/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do?linkid=j13459594k39085&affiliateid=k39085&mid= But instead of "in store pickup", it said "In store purchase only, in stock". So I hotfooted it to CC an hour before opening. It may have been "In stock" on Sun @ 6am, but when they opened (I was was # 1 in line), they were "sold out". No....they were sold out AT THAT PRICE. " But for a few hunded more, we can sell you THIS much nicer one...". Yesterday, this item was available at $ 599 w NO rebate. Now their website says, "in stock" at $ 399 w/ rebate. It's a bait and switch. Don't be like Charlie Brown.

They were NEVER sold out of that "Countdown to Thanksgiving" special ACER laptop. They merely changed the order of the model from AS 2490 - 4315, from AS 4315 - 2490 and gave it a different SKU. It is NOW mysteriously BACK IN STOCK after having been OUT OF STOCK at the lower price. http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Acer-Aspire-4315-2490-14-1-Widescreen-Laptop-AS4315-2490/sem/rpsm/oid/196355/catOid/-12963/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do Lying, cheatin bastards.

They busted a deal on my "Countdown to Thanksgiving " offer also. I sent the following to CUSTOMER NO SERVICE on Nov. 19: ----------- MESSAGE: Complaint: Sunday's "Thanksgiving Countdown" for ACER 4315-2490 ($ 279.99 w/ rebate) was supposed to be "web only". Checkout page directed me to "instore purchace only" and "in stock at Tigard, OR store". I called 1-800-843-2489 (Jeff) and confirmed "in store only & in stock @ Tigard" ! First in line, I was first told "not in stock". (John & Austin) . Then went to YOUR web site & price had increased to $ 599 without any rebate. Neither Manager, John or Austin knew anything about "Thanksgiving Countdown" offer of $ 279.99 with rebate. Manager refused later delivery of same deal. I would like CC to honor my "Thanksgiving Countdown " offer. --------- My reply came in today: ----------- Thank you for contacting circuitcity.com regarding items with a limited quantity. Depending on inventory availability, Circuit City may limit quantities per household on the sale of a particular item. Doing so helps us ensure better availability for all interested customers. If you were unable to purchase an item due to limited quantities, please check back with us, as our inventory is updated and expanded daily. Unfortunately, the promotion was only valid for a specified time frame, and the promotion cannot be honored retroactively. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.To purchase any of our products, please call us at 1-800-843-2489. We appreciate your choosing Circuit City! Sincerely, James R. Customer Support Coordinator Contact ID #182413 ------------- Some kinda customer support, huh?

This is why a stamp on the hand would be preferable to a piece of paper. A stamp on one hand w/ a number when there are 20 or so in line, then a different stamp other hand maybe at 50 or so. No stamp, "... NO SOUP FOR YOU ....". GO to end of line. This would prevent line jumpers, ticket sellers and let everyone know where they stand. But THAT would take planning.

So a guy goes up to a newspaper box on the corner, puts in his 50 cents and gives the handle a tug. A slip of paper comes out and says, " We are sorry but today's paper is not available at this location". Then he trys the coin return. "Today's paper is available on line only". He hits the coin return again. "Today's paper is : REGULAR PRICED @ $ 12.75 St. BOX BUY - $ 2.00 Instant rebate - $ 1.75 Mail in rebate - $ 8.50 ------- Total price 50 cents Please Deposit $ 12.75 He gets a tire iron out of his car and bashes the box to bits. Handing out free newspapers he wishes everyone: " Happy Black Friday" See y'all next year

But when they open the doors, she'll be 163.

Maybe I can shed some light on this issue. My work requires I get going before 4 am. I've made a deal with my local newspaper distributor allowing me to stop by the station where all of the carriers pick up their newspapers for home delivery. The running gag is I have the smallest route of any of those guys delivering 200 or 300 papers every morning. On all Sundays and half of the weekdays there are delivered to the distribution center seperate bundles of "INSERTS" for different retail ads. Most Sundays, this is maybe six or seven different items that must be assembled by your individual carrier prior to home delivery. This is why store bought papers are often shorted those "INSERTS". Several days prior to THANKSGIVING DAY, pallets of sale inserts are delivered in advance to those distribution centers and it isn't uncommon for those pallets of sale inserts to be opened. This is where I get my advance copies of those inserts. Maybe I got YOURS? If the count of inserts is too close to the count of actual papers delivered, it's not hard to see how some papers could be shorted some individual inserts. It's also possible that your distribution center was omitted from a retailer's coverage. For example, I live 7 miles from a Walmart, so Walmart ads are not distributed to my paper carrier's distribution point. My parents' paper always has a Walmart ad, but no Circuit City nearby, so no CC ad. This assembly of the Thanksgiving paper is a huge job requiring three or four times as many trips as a normal Thurs. paper. While unseen, the paper carrier does a more valuable service than the average waiter at a fancy restaurant. And we all know what that waiter depends on. I never have a problem getting advance ads.

So if I am reading all the threads on Circuit City laptop deals right, the special good deals they offer really cannot ever be bought. "On line" only but you cannot actually check out from CC website. "In store only" but the stores have no stock when the website says "in stock at this store". "...with rebate..." but rebate forms are not offered. " website is updating..." means they are removing the previous offer. "Online only" but redirected to "instore only" "Instore only" but redirected to online only. "Toll free phone" no help whatsoever. The one thing you CAN count on at Circuit City is, "....for a little more money we can sell you THIS laptop..." I think I understand now.

It's just the way they bait & switch. Starting last Sunday, Circuit City sent out the first "Countdown to Thanksgiving" special e mail offers. They sent a special link to an online offer of $ 279.99 for an Acer laptop w/ a special SKU. But (at least for me) the web site did not allow you to check out on line. It redirected to to "In store purchase only". Even if the inventory page said, "in stock at this location", the store manager said he never heard of the promotion and had NO INVENTORY AT THAT PRICE. Some apparently did order on line, but are having trouble getting the $ 200 rebate papers. Good deal at $ 279.99, not so good at $ 479.99....or not at all.

I got most of the good ones two days ago. I work early and always pick up my paper where the delivery guys get theirs. The running joke when I grab my paper is, "... ok , my route's DONE...". They've been delivering inserts to the distribution centers for a couple of days. Edited to add: Next year a good idea would be to bring your home delivery guy and his co workers some doughnuts a few weeks before BF. And a tip a Christmas wouldn't hurt, either. I bet you've never even SEEN the guy that drops off your paper everyday.

The potential for violence is real and will eventually cost a large retailer a LOT of money. I'm a big guy, but I am not about to start a fistfight when some jerk decides he "just brought the coffee" to those in front of me. The NO COST solution I offered to our local CC manager was free, easy and ignored. Starting when the line is 20 deep (maybe 1 1/2 hr early), walk the line with a odd colored sharpy. write a small number (or use a unique stamp) on everyone's left hand. When the line is 60 deep or so, make the first 20 show their mark and do a new one on the other hand. " No mark, end of line". Repeat with letters, numbers or colors as needed. That would prevent "...she was saving a place for me..", and ".. I was here earlier, I just went for coffee..." and "... I have a gun so I'm getting in line here...". I will never stand in line at CC on BF again. When they get sued for the injuries of a fight, I will testify to my ignored suggestion, however.

Ya? Well I was FIRST in line at my local CC that showed that laptop "in stock" and priced at $ 279.99 after rebate. I even printed their e mail offer. First I got the "...it's out of stock ..." lie. Then I got the "... must be a misprinted price...". What their ads (bait) say, and what you will be offered (switch) will be two different things.