Office Depot Can't Decide If Assembly Is Free, Or $8
Reader David found this puzzling display at his local Office Depot. On one side, the card says "Free Assembly On All Chairs In Stock," on the other side, the card claims that a "smart idea" would be to pay $8 to have your chair assembled.
Which is it?
David says:
The attached picture was recently taken at an Office Depot near Dallas, TX. These tall laminated cards are on each office chair on the floor, in those little plastic pockets that hold the pieces of paper you take to the register when you want to buy a chair. One side of the card says:
Free Assembly
On All Chairs In Stock.The other side of the card says:
smart idea:
Buy a Chair
We'll Assemble It
for just
$8
Offer valid in store
for in-stock chairs only.
Assembly required.
Ask An Associate for details.So, when you look at a chair from the side that has the plastic pocket with this laminated card, you see the side with the allegedly smart idea. However, when you look at a chair from the other side, across the top of the chair, you see the side that says "Free Assembly." I was afraid to ask an associate for details, for fear of being convinced that their smart idea was indeed a smart idea.
It's probably for the best that you didn't ask.
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Comments:
Perhaps they "put your chair together" for free...but they actually do it correctly for 8 bucks.
It would be a smart idea to pay the $8... if you know what's good for you. These chairs have a habit of... breaking. Lots of things can get broken if you don't pay the $8.
@BigFoot_Pete: Eh.. I'm thinking that's not going to work out so well for them.
At least not when I go there and turn all the cards around to the FREEEEEE side.
Slightly off topic.. but related to Office Depot..
Using your credit/debit card at the register, the device appears to only show numbers and enter.. no cancel button is visible if you want to use credit.. the button is still there.. but its basically a blank image space holder... This annoys me to no end..
/end rant and now back on topic..
Does not matter who assembles the chair.. they break and fall apart no matter what, I go through one a year.. I should start stealing my office chairs.. they are much nicer anyways :)
@BigFoot_Pete: Probably true but foolish retail policy - someone (anyone) flips the sign over and the retailer is on the hook for teh free assembly per weights and measures.
@BigFoot_Pete: Not a good idea, since it can easily end up being false advertising if consumers can turn it around. Some states will enforce the lower price if it's facing the consumer.
I love how the $8 side says "Assembly Required" in fine print.
Uhh..Duh?
@RandomHookup: In states that do that sort of thing, what do they do if someone walks around a grocery store slyly repricing everything?
Free Assembly if you assemble it yourself.
$8 Assembly if they do it.
Just ask, and you'll find out.
@joemono:
Larger retailers have price stickers that have their name or logo on them to prevent that sort of thing.
Bullshit. I have never had the store assemble anything for me; I do it myself. I assembled my TV cabinet myself with my Black & Decker Firestorm drill. Went super fast, once I got the box out of the car (THAT took twenty minutes).
@wrjohnston19283: True. But I wonder about places that don't. And really, if some retailer realized the price was wrong couldn't they simply refuse service?
@jvanbrecht: This is a good thing. I, as a former cashier there, had to TAKE your card and look at it, including making sure it's signed, and (since I was a good cashier), comparing the last four digits between what's on the screen and what's embossed on the card. It's even impossible to give me a different card that is signed since I have to re-slide it.
Of course, no one else there does it like I did, but I like to think that at least I was doing it correctly...
I never have anyone assemble anything for me. I have a Van, if they put it together how in the hell do I get it home? I once bought something from Big5, they told me that I can pick it up later from the store (a hour of so). Being I was taking my daughter to see a movie. Ok by me. I come back to set they put it together WTF. We were being nice, huh? In that time they did it they did something with the box. I told them fine, there is my van put it in. Sorry it will not fit, but for a charge we can bring it to you. Nope, then I got the all sales are finale. Charge back, won it. I did not ask them to do this, and I never too the item out of the store.
@joemono: Actively repricing is different (and requires more than a casual effort), but a two-sided sign that can be accidently changed by a curious consumer wouldn't pass the "prudent man" test.
@joemono: Some states have laws about the amount of the difference or some "egregious error" rule. It's not likely to come up much, but it puts the burden on the retailer to make sure the prices are obvious and right. I don't think any of the rules penalize retailers for, say, consumers moving products to other areas with different shelf prices.
This isn't that malicious, only one side of the flyer is supposed to be showing, depending on what special they are running. One week they use one side, the next they use the other.