- Report: #4023
Complaint Review: Circuit City - Charlotte North Carolina
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Circuit City
9565 South Blvd Charlotte, 28273 North Carolina, U.S.A.
Phone:
704-556-7180
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Circuit City circular fraud false advertising Charlotte, North Carolina *EDitor's Opinion
In Sunday's (12/10/00) Charlotte, NC newspaper I found in Circuit City's weekly circular ad a 400-watt Sony receiver being sold as a package with 5 Jensen speakers and 50-watt subwoofer for $299 (the ad listed this price as a $100 savings).
I drove several miles to the store just to check out this deal only to find this package was not on display. When I asked a salesman he asked around and led me to an Aiwa receiver displayed with the Jensen speaker package and with a store-typed disclaimer stating that the ad had been misprinted and the system was actually on sale for $399. The salesman showed me the Sony receiver from the ad and stated that combined with the Jensen speakers the price would be $399. I spoke to a manager named Carlos who disagreed with my complaint that this was not only bad business but also illegal. He stated that the corporate office had misprinted the ad and that there was no way to circulate a retraction. He also stated that there was a sign on the front of the store informing customers about the mistake. I found this to be untrue as I left the store disgruntled, empty-handed, and an ex-Circuit City customer!
I had planned to buy that system and a CD Writer that evening but after feeling duped I spent my $700+ elsewhere. I don't know if I actually have any legal recourse in this matter since those ads are always printed with a BS disclaimer saying that prices may vary in different areas. I doubt I would go to the trouble of pursuing it legally anyway, but I would like to know if what this store did is legal. Even if it is I want others to know that those ads are not to be trusted...and to my surprise Circuit City has turned out to be as integrity-lacking in its business practices as Best Buy and the other major electronics peddlers. Circuit City has lost me as a customer.
Jim
Charlotte, North Carolina
USA
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Circuit City
I drove several miles to the store just to check out this deal only to find this package was not on display. When I asked a salesman he asked around and led me to an Aiwa receiver displayed with the Jensen speaker package and with a store-typed disclaimer stating that the ad had been misprinted and the system was actually on sale for $399. The salesman showed me the Sony receiver from the ad and stated that combined with the Jensen speakers the price would be $399. I spoke to a manager named Carlos who disagreed with my complaint that this was not only bad business but also illegal. He stated that the corporate office had misprinted the ad and that there was no way to circulate a retraction. He also stated that there was a sign on the front of the store informing customers about the mistake. I found this to be untrue as I left the store disgruntled, empty-handed, and an ex-Circuit City customer!
I had planned to buy that system and a CD Writer that evening but after feeling duped I spent my $700+ elsewhere. I don't know if I actually have any legal recourse in this matter since those ads are always printed with a BS disclaimer saying that prices may vary in different areas. I doubt I would go to the trouble of pursuing it legally anyway, but I would like to know if what this store did is legal. Even if it is I want others to know that those ads are not to be trusted...and to my surprise Circuit City has turned out to be as integrity-lacking in its business practices as Best Buy and the other major electronics peddlers. Circuit City has lost me as a customer.
Jim
Charlotte, North Carolina
USA
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Circuit City
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Enoch
Little America,Other,
Antarctica
Why is the price always too low?
#2Consumer Comment
Thu, February 20, 2003
Why are these ads always misprinted with the price too low? How come they never advertise a stereo system for $100s more than the sale price and then give the consumer a discount? I'll bet if we ask the printing company, they would claim that they printed the exact information circuit city sent them. Circuit City should be required to produce the medium they sent to the printing company so the consumer can do a side by side comparison of what was sent to the printing company and what was actually printed.
Ryan
Nashville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Editor sounds like a Dick!
#3Consumer Comment
Tue, February 11, 2003
Come on dude, an accident is an accident. Like you have never made a typo before. wutever company CC uses to print there newspaper ads made a frakin typo, you know the "2" IS right next to the "3" mistakes happen and it seem like it wasnt noticed untill after they were distributed, so of couse they would put a notice in the store. Mabey the guy shoulda CALLED the CC to verify if the ad was correct if it sounded TOO GOOD to be true. I know even Sprint, and other Big name companies have made the same mistakes.. If you RAN a big company too instead of some website just to complan about eveything in the world. youd probably run into the same problems.
EDitor's Opinion ...Misprints, my @$$!
#40
Tue, December 24, 2002
Paulette,
These advertisements are designed to dupe customers into coming to your store under false pretenses.
How many misprints does it take a year to fire these so called companies with no relation to Circuit City; hmmmmmm?
Don't you dare attempt to shuffle step for the Executives, unless you are sleeping with one and he (or she) told you to do so. Then have the integrity to come clean, (so to speak).
Also, click on the Circuit City link, see all the Rip-off Reports on your employer? How do you respond to all the other scams consumers say they pull on them?
ED Magedson
[email protected]
Paulette
Raleigh,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
These are above and beyond the control of Circuit City
#5UPDATE Employee
Mon, December 23, 2002
I have worked at Circuit city for many many years. Ocassionally there are misprints in our weekly circulars. These are above and beyond the control of Circuit City, as these are printed by companies with no relation to Circuit City. We do our best to accommodate our customers. This includes posting the ad retraction in the lobby of the store, and also offering a comparable item at a comparable price. Of course this will not satisfy ALL of the customers, including those who are unreasonable and do not know how to listen/understand, but overall this has kept our customer service levels at considerably high ratings.
