Here's Noah's letter:

I had read your articles on United Airlines for a while now, but always thought "that couldn't happen to me". In fact I've had positive United experiences over the years. Nevertheless, this current situation has me recanting any nice thing I've said about them. Here's the quick version:

1. Girlfriend and I are trying to make Thanksgiving holiday travel plans. I have a pair of vouchers for United, a $100 and $200, from a previous airline error where United stood up and took responsibility. We wanted to apply both of these vouchers for the single ticket, from Seattle to D.C.

2. The United website bizarrely does not let you enter voucher codes. You get a message telling you to call their reservations department and read numbers to them. As we'll soon see, this is not a foolproof system.

3. I call the reservations department and speak to a nice fellow. I tell him the information on the flight I want and tell him I have two vouchers I'd like to apply. He says that two vouchers cannot be used on a single ticket. Fair enough, but I ask for an exception in this case. It never hurts to ask, and sure enough the gentleman puts me on hold for a few minutes, then comes back and says he can allow both vouchers to be used for the ticket. The process involves physically mailing the vouchers in(scary!), but they're not doing me any good in my apartment. I give him the credit card info to be charged, which he says will occur at the price quoted when United receives both vouchers. Both are mailed in.

4. A week later the credit card was charged, $100 higher than the price originally quoted. It was obvious only a single voucher was used. Annoyed but not overly so, I call customer service and explain the billing error.

5. No luck. Each person, supervisor or otherwise, goes through the same dance. They were very sorry for the misinformation I was given, the offending reservation agent will be swiftly disciplined, under no circumstances can two vouchers be used, and the credit card will not be credited the difference. Disturbingly, each department I speak with(reservations and customer relations) says the other department has the authority to make the change, but it comes to the same effect as no one does. I suggested that if policy prevents two vouchers from being used at once, they cancel the flight and issue a single $300 voucher. To this a supervisor lightly laughed, said the ticket was "confirmed", and could not be canceled or altered in any way without incurring heavy fees.

6. Undeterred, I fired off an EECB to four high ranked United executives. I talked about "rare missteps" and "working together", because after all, I had liked United and I presumed they liked me. The response came back not from any executive but from customer relations, again apologizing that the original rep had given me the wrong price, again saying he would be disciplined, again saying vouchers could not be combined, and (again) saying I was screwed.

7. I write a cathartic letter to the Consumerist.

I know some people would give up at this point, but my girlfriend and I are not wealthy people. $100 is not chump change to us. Also problematic is United having no accountability for outright lying to me about the price of an airline ticket. Confusion I can understand when two vouchers come in nominally against policy, but that does not give them the right to simply charge a credit card for more than the price quoted and hope no one says a thing. A call for clarification would have taken 60 seconds, and after no one would be in this mess.

Strangely for this kind of situation, United has admitted fault every single time I've interacted with an employee on this issue. They simply don't think their fault extends to, you know, doing something about it. Why in the world would I care that the ticketing agent is going to be disciplined, and why are you telling me about your company's internal employee policies anyway? I want the price we agreed to when I gave you two vouchers and a credit card. Take some responsibility for your agent's mistake. At the time anyway, he represented United Airlines, and was relied upon as such. Sigh.

Noah didn't give up after sending this letter to us. He kept corresponding with United until eventually they offered to refund his $100.

Noah says:

After receiving [another] letter and sending my response, I received a call today from an assistant to the VP of United. She again apologized for the employee's error and offered to refund $100 to the credit card, to match the price originally quoted. She did claim it was against policy, but "I had put in so much work" that it seemed fair. Well, whether it was the EECB or name-dropping consumerist.com, United eventually stepped up and did the right thing. Thanks for being such a good ace in the hole.

Congratulations, Noah!

For more information about launching your own EECB, click here.

(Photo: Travelin' Librarian )

Corey says:

Before buying the new Iphone I checked the coverage area for my home and was reported to have full 3G. Excited by this nice but not completely necessary perk I purchased the Iphone. I get it home barely able to contain my excitement, Upon start up I found that I have VERY little edge, let alone 3G. So I set about troubleshooting through handy dandy google but to no avail.

So it came time to call customer support, the lady reported that I should have full 3G in my area and sent an invisible update to my phone and was told that 3 days later a follow up call would come. Fast forward a week and a half. I missed their call due to me driving at the time, so set about getting back in contact with them. I followed the same lines as before; "The site said I should have full coverage but I barely get any blah blah blah." The report that I should be having full was echoed once again and was transferred to apple care. Her suggestions were all ones that I had done long prior. Here comes the mysterious part...

The Apple rep said that I should only be getting moderate coverage according to the map, ok... So I was transferred to AT&T tech support the very short (short as in testy, not physically, I'm not omnipitent) CSR reported that I should have NO coverage, NONE. So I was transferred back to customer service where I was finally helped by an empathic rep who after a few minutes applied a $250 credit to my account. I feel quite happy about the result yet still peeved that AT&T would sell people on coverage that they do not deliver. Side note: the empathic rep stated that this was his 3rd call about this issue. One rep 3 calls one issue.

I smell that there may be a class action in the air at some point. I printed up the page that states that I should be receiving full coverage and on the site of the printout it states "AT&T does not guarantee coverage." WHAT!?

I apologize for the length of this email but I feel that this story is not unique to myself and should be passed along to as many people as possible so that they may make informed decisions as AT&T seems unable to sell service honestly.

Good tip, Corey. Anyone else having problems getting coverage in areas that AT&T says should be 3G?

(Photo: jetsetpress )

Kyle says:

I wanted to send an update to the story regarding Comcast digging in my yard and their CSR subsequently hanging up on me when I called to get more details.

Mr. Comcast (Frank) called me the same day that this story was posted, took some details about the story and put me in touch with Kelly Hill, a very pleasant woman and the regional VP for my area. My conversation with Ms. Hill was very productive and she referred me to a member of her team who has been equally nice, John Braisher (sp?), with whom I've played phone tag for the past few days.

Today, John and I were able to have a conversation regarding the digging and the rude CSR. According to John, Comcast does in fact have an easement on my property, one that extends 15 feet from the curb. However, according to my records (the same that are on file with my local government), there is no easement on my property. I asked for proof of this easement and their rightful ability to access it, and John will be mailing it to me.

Regarding the CSR who hung up on me, the good news is that John apprised me that there will be a $500 credit made to my account (he initially tried to buy me off at $250). The bad news is that he says that I am currently under a promotional rate with Comcast, one that provides me with a $14 monthly credit. I say that this is bad news because when I signed up for Comcast services, I specifically asked if this was a promo rate and was told that it was not. John has promised to look into extending my promo rate, and to call me back within an hour regarding the new rate at the end of my current one, and its duration. Of course, I asked that all of this information be sent to me, in writing, should any discrepancies develop in the future.

I am admittedly skeptical the evidence they intend to show me regarding the easement on my property and their right of way to it, especially since the copies of my plat obtained from my local government show nothing regarding an easement. I understand that if there is in fact an easement and that they have rightful access to it, there is nothing I can do about the digging. However, if their proof is not satisfactory, John knows that I will be back in touch to revisit this issue once more.

In my conversation with John, I told him that I would be writing to the Consumerist with updates regarding my situation, both good and bad. Comcast gets a lot of negative press (deservedly so), but in this particular instance, it appears that they are taking the steps to make this right.

Many thanks,

Kyle

Thanks, Kyle. We're very happy to know that this situation is getting sorted out amicably.
(Photo: cmorran123 )

About two months ago, I went on a business trip with two colleagues that featured a layover in Memphis. We stopped and had breakfast at a restaurant at the airport. We made the error of not informing the waitress at the start of the meal it would be separate checks. She separated them after the fact, I charged mine to my American Express card. When I got back, I submitted my receipt for reimbursement, and kept a copy for myself.

Fast forward about two weeks. When my electronic statement was ready, I noticed that the charge from the restaurant was three times larger than it should've been. I guessed that someone fouled up and submitted the entire tab on my card. I filled out an online dispute, grabbed my copy of the receipt (from my expense report), and set it aside.

A week later, I received a letter from AmEx, informing me that a temporary credit had been placed on my account and asking for additional information. Unfortunately, life got the best of me, and I missed the deadline to submit my copy. I thought for sure I'd be on the hook for it (based on the way that most credit card companies approach customers).

Saturday, I received another letter from AmEx, which I assumed could easily be summed up as "No paperwork, no credit; too bad, so sad."

Instead: "We have determined that the inquiry was correct, and the credit has become permanent." They had reached out to the restaurant, confirmed the error, and I "won"!

While I don't recommend doing what I did (in terms of forgetting the paperwork), I want to give AmEx a public round of applause. When I was growing up, my dad always told me that AmEx was infinitely better than the other credit card companies. This validates it.

Hooray! It's nice to hear a happy story.

(Photo: kajatl )

Michael says:

On Saturday, July 12th, my father stood in line outside of the Apple retail store in Oklahoma City for approximately three hours. As soon as he made it inside the store, it did not take very long to purchase a Family Plan with three new 8GB iPhone 3Gs. The checkout process was fairly simple (although he did have to purchase gift cards because he couldn't use cash) and everyone treated him well.

However, when we got home and started to look at our new iPhones, mine froze shortly after opening it. After I reset it, it would not turn on. The next day I took it back to the Apple store, and it was soon determined I needed a new iPhone. However, during the activation process, something went wrong and my phone got my dad's phone number assigned to it. I was then told that I needed to go to an AT&T store (luckily there is one in the mall) to get a new sim card for my phone and put my old sim card in my dad's phone. I did this, and my phone started working.

However, the third iPhone (my sister's) had been showing a weak signal ever since it was opened. It often showed "No Signal" when it was right next to my iPhone with full bars. We took it back to the Apple store and they tried to fix it by doing various things, including restoring the software. This did nothing, and so it came to be that for the second time in as many hours one of our iPhones was being replaced. Luckily the new iPhone activation went smoothly and her new iPhone showed full bars.

We thought that we were finally done with all the problems, so we left the store. So far, of the three iPhones purchased on Saturday, one had died shortly after leaving the box and one had been defective. Only my dad's iPhone was the original one from Saturday. However, when we got home, we quickly discovered that although his iPhone could send and receive text messages and make calls, it could not receive calls.

All calls to my father's iPhone went straight to his old voice mailbox from the previous carrier. They did not ring through to the iPhone and they did not show up on his iPhone's voicemail. I then spent a long time trying to get a hold of AT&T support (not easy to do on a Sunday evening). I finally talked to a person, who after hearing about my problem decided it was an iPhone problem and forwarded my call to Apple iPhone support. After close to an hour and a half on hold, I was quickly given back to AT&T. However the Apple rep did make sure to stay on the line and explain the problem to the (different) AT&T rep. After doing several things to try and fix the problem, the AT&T rep said he thought it was a problem with the port request, and put another port request in. This was at about 9 p.m., and he said he thought it might go through by midnight. It is right now 1:45 a.m., and it still does not work.

Although I was treated very well throughout my experience by both Apple and AT&T, spending an entire day having to replace two out of three iPhones and have the third one not be able to receive calls was not a pleasant experience.

Here's the happy ending, a few hours after Michael emailed us, he emailed us again. He tried our contact information for AT&T's executive customer service and it worked!

Update: I called one of the numbers from this post and had my problem solved in less than five minutes. Thank you so much!

If you're having problems with your new iPhone and regular AT&T customer service isn't working for you, why not give these numbers a call?

(Photo: qshio )

Brandon writes:

I'll try to keep it short. Last month I went to my local Apple Store to get some cracks on my Macbook casing fixed and the LCD checked out because of the huge amounts of stuck pixels on it. They agreed to send it out for repairs, at no cost to me (I have Apple Care).

It came back half repaired, the cracks were fixed, however, someone WROTE ARROWS WITH A PEN on my LCD. They sent it back to replace the LCD, that was last month on the 7th. Since then Apple has no idea where my Macbook is, they keep basically telling me it's in two places at once or they give me the run around and say "just a few more days". I don't know what to do anymore, I've lost around $400 due to me not being able to work, without my Macbook I can't work. So now I'm writing you, asking for help, if you can spare it. If you have any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

We suggested that Brandon send an email to Steve Jobs. He agreed, and we waited. A few days later we received this:

The email worked! Got a call from my local Apple Store yesterday morning, told me to come pick up a brand new Macbook, so I did!

Hooray! For more information about launching your own EECB, click here.

(Photo: C. Barr )

I emailed the person who contacted you. He forwarded me to Kimberly W., a senior CSR at Verizon. She gave me her direct-dial number - essentially she became a CSR specifically assigned to me to fix the problem. After I explained the issue to her, she said she would talk to Engineering and confirm whether anything could be done. Later that day, she called to let me know that, in fact, Engineering had found a solution and we would be able to get DSL at our new home. (I didn't press for details about how they found space for us. I'm guessing they reserve a few connections for emergencies or situations like this one.)

Naturally, this being Verizon, the switch was not error-free. Verizon did manage to switch over our phone service but not DSL. When I called Kimberly, she looked up the order and discovered that whoever put the order in forgot to also order DSL transferred. (Sigh.) She asked me to call the tier 1 order people to get them to make the change, then call her back. Tier 1 told me that it would not be able to switch DSL for another week - when I called Kimberly and told her about this, she escalated the order so that it only took two days to switch.

Following this, we got spontaneous calls from engineering CSR people who said that they'd tested our line and found we weren't getting the speed we were supposed to. They dispatched technicians to upgrade some "older equipment" they said was causing the problem. They also determined that our DSL modem is out of date, and overnighted us a new modem to arrive tomorrow.

So, not without a few bumps along the way, but we went from 'sorry, no DSL for you' to 'not only will you get DSL but it will be better than what you had before'. Thanks, Consumerist!

Well, we're still not sure we fully understand why the DSL was full, but we're glad that it worked out! Verizon really snatched you from the jaws of Comcast at the last minute, didn't they?

(Photo: Maulleigh )

When we posted Brice's story, we listed the names and email address format for E*Trade's executives, and encouraged Brice to fire away using the methods in The Ultimate Consumerist Guide to Fighting Back. The results:

Dear Consumerist,

I wrote you a bit ago for help getting my money back. I had emailed the etrade execs the day after the post aired on your website, and was ignored. I than decided I'd do one more mass emailing and then I'd just take them into the legal system. This time I kept the letter extremely short (the first one was about 4 sentences and asked them to rectify the situation). This one just said I'd like to be contacted with my account numbers and phone numbers provided. I decided I was not going to be easily ignored this time, so I sent 8 emails to every executive in 3 minutes time. 1 hour and 38 minutes later my phone rang from a fellow from etrade. We did have to jump through a couple hoops, all of which could be done via fax and he explained and got back to me on every occasion. Today, I got my checks and my accounts were successfully closed. On an ironic note, 3 days ago I received a letter saying that my account has only earned interest for a year and had no withdraws or deposits and if I didn't withdraw or deposit with in the next year the money would be turned over to the state.

Hooray for Brice for staying on E*Trade for all this time, and kudos to E*Trade for at least accruing interest on the money they were holding hostage.

Here's Chris' letter:

Tonight I was running a little short on time when I got home from work so I decided to order a pizza from my local Pizza Hut online. As always I printed my receipt number and noted the estimated time for delivery: one hour - a little long but I figured it was worth the wait while I could catch up on some other business. One hour rolled around and I was starting to find it difficult to hear myself think over my rumbling guts. When the clock hit an hour and ten minutes I was started to get annoyed, I got up to get the receipt number and prepared myself for an epic journey into the sixth circle of call centre hell when the phone rang. It was the local Pizza Hut calling to inform me that they were really sorry that my order was late and that the driver had had an accident. They said they would be making a fresh pizza and sending it as soon as possible with another driver - no charge. I don't know if anyone was hurt in the accident but I felt instantly like a heel for not only caring so much about my pizza but for getting ready to call the place and give them a serving just as they were dialing me up to try to make sure I was a happy customer.

Chris
Update:

Simon from Pizza Hut called again, just before the fresh pizza arrived, and advised me that because I paid with my credit card he had some type of difficulty reversing the charges (?) but he insisted that I ask the driver to give me a cash refund when he arrived and left his own number for me to call while the driver was still there if I had any problems getting the cash. When the driver did arrive he climbed our three flights of stairs and breathlessly offered the pizza and said "Sorry" and "No charge." I could tell he'd had a rough night and asked if everybody was okay, which he said they were. I didn't ask for the cash because I figured he had a rough night anyway and I thought I'll let it be his tip when he gets back and finds out the cash was up for grabs. My bad.

An hour or so later, as I finished up my pizza there was another knock on the door. It was the driver again. He had gone back to Pizza Hut and been told that he was supposed to give me a cash refund and was sent back to my place again, cash in hand, He had again scaled the three flights of stairs and was breathlessly apologizing again. I made it quite clear this time that I insisted they keep the payment, which I assume he will pocket as a tip.

Anyway, I must say that this Pizza Hut definitely went way out of their way to keep me happy and I will definitely be giving this driver a nice tip the next time he climbs our stairs.

Chris

That poor pizza guy! What crappy day he was having. Giving him the money was a nice thing to do, even if he had to drive to your house over and over again to get it.

(Photo: Tidewinder )

An update… A few days after my EECB and post on Consumerist, I received an email from Stephan [redacted], the After Sales Manager at my local IKEA in West Chester, Ohio. His email was:

Mr. [redacted],

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your concerns with us. My name is Stephen [redacted], and I am the After Sales Manager at IKEA, West Chester. It is my responsibility to ensure that your experience with IKEA... before, during, and after your visit is everything you expected and more.

I was forwarded, and after reviewing your e-mail, I would like to extend my utmost apologies for your experience in our store. It is obvious to me that we failed in our efforts to exceed or even meet your expectations. It is our ambition to address and resolve your concerns regarding the return of your merchandise in an expedient and courteous manner.

By your e-mail, I can see the effort you and your wife extended in order to assemble your IKEA piece, and I apologize for the frustration this caused due to the defect in the bookcase's fit and finish. Periodically there are abnormalities in the prefabrication process, which could be the culprit in this situation. In the case of a non-defective product, our return policy applies to products that have not been assembled. In your case, you would not have known your bookcase was defective until you assembled it. Again, I am sincerely sorry for any inconvenience that this caused you and your wife.

If I could get you to do something for me, I can get this resolved right away. If you could contact my resolution team (513) 779-7100 ext 1450, and give them your transaction information, we will refund the remaining $60 back onto your credit card. Along with that, I would like to get your address and contact information, where I will send you out a gift card in hopes you will give us another chance. I only have your e-mail address.

I would like to thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. It is through customer feedback like yours that enable us to take action to do a better job in the future. Please accept my apology, and trust that I have discussed your experience with all parties involved in order for us to better serve our customers. If you do give us another chance, please contact me at your next visit at the below number. I would like the opportunity to apologize in person.

Sincerely,

Stephen

I called at his request and gave him the requested information. A few days later, I received the following note in the mail with a receipt for the refund (of $63.75) and a $25 gift card.

Dear Andrew,

Enclosed you will find the transaction receipt for your refund. We refunded $60 back onto your credit card ($63.75 including tax). I have also enclosed a $25 gift card for your trouble. I hope you received my e-mail expressing my apologies to you and your wife for your experience at our store. I hope this resolution is to your satisfaction.

If you have any questions for further concerns, please feel free to contact me at the store.

I am satisfied with the outcome of this experience.

The EECB got IKEA's attention, for more information about launching your own EECB, click here.

(Photo: yarnzombie )

It's sort of old news by now, but I had pre ordered Grand Theft Auto 4 (for Xbox 360) and left a $8 deposit well over a year ago at the GameStop in Hicksville NY. When I arrived at the store on Thursday 5/1/08, just 2 days after the release of the game (4/29/08), I was told that they were sold out of the game. "But I reserved a copy." I said. I was told by the goofy teenage employee that "It is GameStop policy to only hold reserved games for 48 hours." So I immediately went into "Where is your manager mode". After explaining that his manager wouldn't be in for another another hour, the employee got nervous and after what can only be described as divine intervention, found "the last copy" of the game under the counter. I said great, thanked him and left with my game.

When I opened the package minutes later, untampered security seal and all, I found that the original game was replaced with a used and worn gangster rap CD. (see image attached). I quickly brought it back to the store, and after the kid giddily took a few pics with his camera phone ("Dude, holy shit, I've never seen anything like that."), I was told again that I had received the last copy of the game and that he was in no position to issue me a refund. If I hadn't foreseen this becoming a huge pain in my ass, I would had thought it was pretty damn funny - my friends certainly did! Boyz N Da Hood, really?

Now a LONG story made somewhat shorter - I made several phone calls to Take 2 Interactive, the manufacturer of the game, while I waited for the GameStop manager to arrive. While dealing with Take 2 I was given a 2 hour royal runaround, however almost everyone I spoke to had a very pleasant British accent. After speaking with everyone from the shipping department to a frustrated Scotsman in the Technical Support department, I realized this could only end with an abrupt and unsatisfying dead end. Eventually I gathered that I would have to take it up with the retailer.

After speaking with the store manager, who was no help, he told me I need to take it up with the manufacturer. Already tried that! I asked for his corporate number and his district manager's phone number as well. I tried the corporate number first where I was told that they could do nothing for me, and I would have to get in touch with the DM. After leaving a few messages with the District Manger over several days, I finally got a hold of him. I have to say, when I did finally get a hold of him he was begrudgingly willing to get me a new copy of the game. Can't say that he believed my story at all, but none the less I was happily carjacking on my TV later that night!

Thanks for your time, hope this is useful for your site, which I love!
~Greg

Oh, we love you too, Greg. We have to say that the District Manager of that Game Stop is a nice guy. It's always good to hear about these stories getting resolved without anyone crying and pulling their hair out.

Imagine my surprise today when I was unable to contact my pregnant wife utilizing my Sprint cell phone.
 
I immediately called customer service when unable to make calls and spent a total of 145 minutes trying to resolve the problem. Along the way my call was misrouted to the wrong billing system (whatever that means), I was transferred to afterhours numbers, I was hung up on, I talked to three reps who had no grasp of the English language and one who insisted it was an equipment issue even when I told her it had been established that somehow my number had been ported without my consent or confirmation. You can only guess how much fun it is to have someone demand to troubleshoot an problem when it had already been done and demands to do it all over again only to have your call routed the wrong way again. Imagine being recently unemployed leaving applications for work across the last week with a number which is suddenly "dead". Better yet imagine the problem if my wife went into labor or had an accident and had no way of contacting me because for 4 hours my phone was dead except for some random California number was assigned to my account (I live in Oregon).
 
After I was finally handed off to Operator #77303 she did some checking, my number had been indeed ported out to AT&T to no one in particular it was just there. She informed me that not only would it take 4-5 days to try and get this number back if at all. She wouldn't even try and answer me when I asked what would happen if AT&T was to use my number. She gave me a "temporary" number which would be great except for the potential job prospects which no longer have my number.
 
The fact this can happen at no worse time seems to be my luck, the fact my contract was just renewed is ironic as I had read Mr. Hesse was going to turn things around and make Sprint a company that takes care of business- I actually believed what I read.
 
The fact that my number could be taken away in an instant but won't return for a week (if even at all) is disturbing. I would appreciate it if someone would contact me and restore my faith in my decision to remain solely a Sprint customer and hopefully return my limbo ported number back to me safe and sound. It's not the end of the world but when all the events fall into place like they have for me it falls very close.
 
Thank you for your time Robert

Well this morning I was contacted by the executive office and basically within the hour my old number was back and functioning. They had no clue why it had been ported other than possibly someone entered another number wrong. If it wasn't for my executive email contacts gleaned from you site I would probably be still waiting days later. Your site has made me a happy man, I can only hope someone else with similar problems is helped down the line to cut through the red tape!
 
Many Thanks! Robert

Here's a story about how Cinnabon gave me some free churros:

I went to a Cinnabon store at the airport (on a Sunday) and tried to order two churros. When I got there, there was barely anything stocked in the front trays - basically, they looked closed. There was, however, a tray of churros on the oven behind the cashier. When I gave my order, the cashier said that they don't have anymore churros. He told me that they only make churros one time in the morning and that they weren't allowed to make them in the afternoon (it was about 3:00 PM). It was very clear to me that the employee didn't want to make any churros but what do I know about some weird company policy.

I emailed customer service about my experience and here their reply (they sent it to me on Monday morning):

Thank you for contacting us about your experience on 3/29/2008 in Ft. Myers, Florida. We appreciate our guests taking the time to inform us about their experiences.

As we understand it, the product you wanted to buy was not available at the bakery because the bakery had run out. We at Cinnabon are committed to giving you the value and variety you seek, so we take your feedback very seriously. We appreciate your willingness to tell us about your experience as it will enable us to follow-up with the bakery and correct the problem for you and other guests. Because Cinnabon's bakes all products fresh throughout the day and cannot always predict which products will sell, we sometimes experience temporary delays in product availability. We can assure you that the management team will work hard to prevent this from happening again.

While it certainly won't erase your past experience, we hope you'll give Cinnabon another try at our expense. We are sending a gift certificate for your use on your next visit.

If you have any other concerns or comments, please do not hesitate to share them with us or with the management at your local Cinnabon Bakery. We are committed to earning your loyalty.

Thank you again for your past business. We hope you will give Cinnabon another chance to serve you in the future, as your satisfaction is important to us.

Sincerely,

Chris
Cinnabon Guest Response Line

I wrote back saying, "I don't really care to go on about it but it's just not true that they had run out. There was a tray of churros right behind him on the oven. Besides, if that was the case, then why didn't the employee tell me that? Instead, he lied and told me that they are not allowed to make them in the afternoon."

Well, I just received another email this morning (Wednesday):

I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN OF YOUR RECENT SUBSTANDARD EXPERIENCE AT OUR FT MYERS CINNABON UNIT. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT "CHURROS" ARE SERVED FROM MORNING UNTIL CLOSING. I WILL INVESTIGATE THIS INNCIDENT TO SEE WHY YOUR NEEDS WERE NOT MET. CINNABON IS SENDING YOU A COMPLIMENTARY COUPON TO HELP US APOLOGIZE FOR THIS INNCIDENT. I HOPE YOU WILL VISIT US AGAIN WHEN IN THE FT MYERS AREA.

Thanks Cinnabon!

(Photo:martyz)

This is a copy of a letter that I just sent to Costco, I X'd out the serial numbers

This letter is in reference to my purchase of a 160GB Ipod Classic from the Brick, NJ Costco (store #229) on March 29th. While the packaging and box indicate a 160GB device, I discovered that the box actually contained a 60GB Ipod. I seek a full refund on my purchase and an apology from the store's general manager, Leonard for my treatment.

Only one hour after purchasing the Ipod, I opened the box in my apartment in the presence of my girlfriend. To be certain that the capacity of the device was in fact only 60GB, I downloaded Itunes and plugged the Ipod into my computer. Itunes confirmed the device's capacity was only 60GB. Upon discovering the error, I immediately went back to the store and explained my dilemma. The issue was quickly escalated to Leonard, the store's general manager. Before I could even begin to explain what happened, Leonard told me in a stern and knowing voice that "this Ipod did not come from this box". He accused me of going home, switching the Ipod with one that I had previously owned, and was attempting to con Costco for a better Ipod. I felt as if I was being scolded by a teacher in middle school. I was insulted and humiliated. I've never been accused of committing a crime in my life. After a few minutes of trying to explain the situation to Leonard, it was evident that his mind had been made up before he even began to talk to me, and my efforts to convince him were fruitless. I can't help but think that if my girlfriend or mother were the one returning an Ipod that they bought, they would have been treated differently. I believe the general manager saw a young man and assumed I was trying to pull a fast one. Rather than having my issue addressed, I was embarrassed, accused of committing a crime, and escorted out of the store.

I know from working in customer service that the customer isn't really always right, and there are plenty of deceitful people out there who would try to pull a scam like this, but I believe that a loyal customer with a perfect track record, who has never returned anything to Costco, deserves the benefit of the doubt in situation like this. I should not be guilty until proven innocent. I am NOT a thief. I am an IT professional and make a decent enough living that I do not have to scam my local Costco to get an upgraded Ipod. Never in my life have I been treated like this at a retail establishment

From talking with Apple (case # XXX) I've learned that the Ipod that was in my box is a 60GB Video Ipod (the serial # is XXX) that is not in production any more. The serial number on the box that I have (for a 160GB Black Ipod Classic) is XXX. It is also of note that Apple told me that neither of these Ipods has been registered with Itunes, which I believe indicates that neither Ipod has ever been used.

I honestly have no idea how that particular Ipod got in the box that I opened. It was shrink-wrapped when I opened it and I did not notice any obvious tampering with the box or contents. (the pouch with the earplugs was unopened). I'm not sure if Apple is at fault or if it is the misdeed of some warehouse worker along the way who switched out Ipods and re-shrink-wrapped the package. But I do not believe it is my responsibility to figure that out. I just want what I paid my hard earned money for and an apology from Leonard, the general manager for treating me like a thief instead of a customer. Thanks for your assistance in resolving this matter.

Kudos to Costco. These situations usually involve a chargeback or someone calling a local reporter.

Here's one such story:

Hey Consumerist, I just wanted to share the below email with you during an exchange with Moleskine. There's nothing particularly remarkable about this instance, besides the level of efficiency and professionalism they displayed. In short, I purchased a Moleskine notebook that had a biggish piece of paper pulp embedded on the cover (I wouldn't have purchased that particular book, but for the packaging obscuring the blemish), following the instructions mentioned in the company history provided with the book, I sent them an email explaining the blemish and true to their word, two business days later they replied with a request for my address to send a new book with their apologies.

Too bad this company's based out of Italy :-/

//AJ

AJ writes to Moleskine:

A: Info - Moleskine
Oggetto: blemished Moleskine purchase

To Whom It May Concern,

I recently purchased (yesterday, March 5, 2008), one of your amazing notebooks and was disappointed to find after removing the shrink wrap a grayish blemish adhered to the front cover of the book. As this is my first Moleskine purchase, I feel a little let down that this particular book didn't live up to the sterling reputation heralded in your advertising and website. I've attached a picture (my apologies for it being fuzzy) of the blemish and can provide the receipt if necessary. I'm hoping that after reading your company's history (so thoughtfully provided in the book itself) that Moleskine can address this matter properly.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

A. J. Stabe

Moleskine writes:

Subject: I: blemished Moleskine purchase

Dear Mr. Stabe,

I'm very sorry for the trouble. All the notebooks are hand made and so they are not perfect as the ones made by machine.

We have a strict quality control but sometimes it's very hard to find the defects.

We will send you immediately a new Moleskine notebook and please, accept our apologise.

Would you send me the address where we can mail the replacement, and the model, size (pocket, large or x-large) and colour of the cover of the moleskine you bought?

Kindest regards,

Vittoria Cleva

The bag contained:

• Legendary Edition Helmet signed by most-if not all-of the studio staff
• Halo 3 Soundtrack (two disc) signed by Marty O'Donnel (with "DO NOT ERASE!" written under his name)
• Bungie Jacket
• Bungie T-Shirt
  
• Halo 3 Messenger Bag
• Two Halo 3 Limited Edition Wireless Controllers (one covenant, one human)
• Halo 3 Faceplate and Skins for Xbox 360
• Four McFarlane Action Figures (MC, EVA Spartan, Brute Chieftan, Jackal Sniper)
• Halo Actionclix Preview pack (Target exclusive sticker on the front)
• Halo Actionclix Game Pack 4
• Halo 3 Wall Graffix
• Halo 3: Ghosts of Onyx Novel
• Halo Graphic Novel
• Halo 3 Wristband
• Halo 3 Hackeysack
• 
  

And finally, to the staff of Bungie Studios:

I cannot thank you enough for the outpouring of support that you have lavished upon me in the aftermath of the release of my story. Long have I known of your dedication to your fans and community, but I find this single act of kindness mind boggling. Apart from the fact that a few of you had signatures adorning my console, you had no involvement in what occurred. As such, you have far surpassed any response I could have anticipated. I don't think I could ever repay you for this.

Thank you all for what you have done for me. I wish each and every one of you continued success in your future endeavors.

P.S. Marty, I love the soundtrack, and I promise you that I will do as you've requested and not erase any of it.

Nathanial's full letter and more pictures of the swag are posted on Hawty McBloggy.

Bungie Unscrews Previously Screwed Gamer [Hawty McBloggy]
PREVIOUSLY: Microsoft Scrubs All The Valuable Signatures And Artwork Off Your XBOX 360 Case

Here's his response:

Frank Blake, CEO of Home Depot, writes:

Mr [redacted]: I apologize for the bad service you've received from us (and for the detention)! But I thank you for taking the time to send this note. We are working hard to try to re-direct our company and deliver the customer service you should expect. - Frank blake

Matt responded:

Mr. Blake,

Thank you for the prompt reply to my e-mail. I wish that my e-mail to you had been more concise and brief, but I was pretty frustrated at the time.

I received a voicemail around lunchtime from Bryan Dennison, the manager of the Washington, DC store. He apologized and invited me to call him back and to come and meet him to discuss the issues.

I did just that; he thanked me for bringing my case to his attention, and told me that he agreed with a lot of the issues I raised. Bryan took over managing the store a few months ago, and has apparently worked to tackle the many problems that have plagued this store for years. I met the various store managers on duty, who all apologized for the store's poor performance. Apparently, Bryan has brought in several new managers to improve the store.

Since I was planning to go to Lowe's this evening to look at replacement windows Bryan asked me to give his staff a shot to try and win me back. In the end, I was impressed with the service I received tonight, and wished that all the employees I'd met previously were as friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful as Wayne in the windows/millwork department. By far, Wayne was the most helpful person I've ever met at Home Depot. He completely understood what it means to do a project yourself, and related to this being my first time installing replacement windows. After speaking with me and understanding that I'm pretty handy and comfortable with home repairs, he answered all of my questions and explained to me what I needed to do step-by-step. With Wayne, I felt like I was back home in southern Virginia, where people are friendly and the folks at the hardware store are happy to take time to help.

As thanks for me giving his staff another chance, Bryan said that the one window I was going to purchase tonight was on him (I was going to purchase only one tonight, as this is my first time installing windows, and wanted to attempt one first, then buy others if I am successful). Hopefully, I'll install it with few problems, and can come back for the other 2 that I need at a later time, and eventually for windows for the rest of my house.

As I was leaving, I did ask about the policy of checking for receipts, and Bryan said that it's an issued he's raised with his superiors at Home Depot. I told him that I hate being treated like a criminal after buying merchandise, and he seemed to understand. I ask that you seriously consider this policy, as I know personally several people who no longer shop at Home Depot as a result of the receipt checking. In addition, I hope that the staff, security guards, and any Home Depot-paid police officers will be trained to understand that customers cannot be detained for simply not showing a receipt (there must be some suspicion that they have shoplifted), and the checking of receipts is voluntary.

Thank you very much for your time, and I sincerely appreciate your taking these issue into consideration.

Thanks,

Matt

Thank you for your note and for giving us another chance...also thanks for calling attention to Wayne. I'll make sure he gets recognized appropriately. To be honest, I didn't know about the checking of receipts until I received your note. So your note will have a broader impact as I look into our policy and the associated training.- Frank Blake

Sent from my BlackBerry

(Photo:IHP)

CVS wrote in asking that we forward their contact info to Rachael. We did.

Rachael rights:

Ok, so I emailed Mike, the director of public relations at CVS back after he wrote to you requesting to get into contact with me. I let him know that I was emailing because I was at work and could not make a personal call until around 6PM. He immediately wrote back and arranged for a Customer Service Supervisor call me after 6.

Sure enough, approximately 6:30, I received a call from them. Unfortunately, I don't recall the young lady's name but she was actually very pleasant. She said that they appreciated my candid post on The Consumerist and that they were happy I was so honest. I couldn't help but think that all these people read where I said "Fuck you CVS" and I kind of felt bad. I told her this and she said not to worry - that nobody took offense and they probably would have responded in much the same manner given a similar experience.

I was surprised that they read The Consumerist and she mentioned that they have several customer service reps browsing various similar blogs as well.

We chatted briefly about my experiences in the store and she asked if I'd had other problems. I told her that getting a prescription is no problem and purchasing things off of the shelf is not a problem (other than the painfully long lines) but the only problem is honestly when you try to get some help (getting razor blades or photos).

She said that the district manager was notified of the issue and that the store manager was as well and that they would be taking care of it. She also informed me that they would honor the 15 cents per print photos and that they were mailing me a CVS giftcard to make up for the frustration.

So all's well that ends well. They were very helpful and gave me a couple telephone numbers and email addresses to address any future concerns.

I must say I'm surprised - albeit pleasantly. I didn't think a big faceless corporation like CVS would care what I thought about two poor experiences I had in their store. Now there are going to be those saying that they bought me off, but I don't think so. I was there Tuesday to pick up a prescription and had no problems. It was a service issue with a store I frequent and I would have continued shopping there (just not for photos or blades lol). But in any case, I'm happy, they are happy and it's all over for now.

Perhaps this weekend I will try again for the photos....

Thanks Consumerist.

(Photo:Vince Brown (attila))

For those of you who are not familiar, many credit cards carry a benefit that doubles your manufacturer's warranty and helps you out of these sorts of sticky situations. When last we saw Reid, he was battling Sony Computer Entertainment for warranty repair because his system was having trouble reading discs. He lost, and Sony shipped the unit back to him. For the record, Reid says that the PS3 arrived much dustier than when he originally sent it. Not knowing what else to do, he bought a dust buster and cleaned the unit up, determined to fix it himself. Then he tried upgrading the PS3's firmware and the system completely bricked.

Thankfully, his Visa has extended warranty coverage and he'll be getting a new PS3.

Reid writes:

I just got off the phone with Visa for the third time and they are sending me a claim form to start the repair/replacement process of my system.

They at first said that they would need to attempt to have it repaired in my local video game repair shop, but I let them know that i had already contacted them and the firmware in combination with the blu-ray lens made it impossible to repair economically and it would have to be replaced. They said as long as I had a repair receipt stating that it wasn't economical to repair, I could walk into a Best Buy, charge a new PS3 to my credit card and they would credit that charge.

Thanks A LOT, for all your help, you guys have more helpful than i would ever imagine. Lets just hope I never need to email you guys again shall we?

Thanks again,

Reid

PS, This was possible because (some?) Visa Signature cards carry a "warranty manager" feature that effectively doubles the warranty on any product purchased on the card up to one year. Because the problem that bricked the system occurred after I was legally out of warranty, Visa is taking care of it. Again, I can't thank you guys enough, you really put the power in the customers hands in an industry where its customers are generally ignored due to their demographic. I owe you guys.

We love happy endings.

PREVIOUSLY: Dust Voids PS3 Warranty
Sony CSR: What? No! Dust Doesn't Void Your PS3 Warranty!
Is This Playstation 3 Too Dusty To Be Repaired Under Warranty?
TV Breaks Right After The Warranty Expired? Call Your Credit Card Company

Fortunately, David was able to get modernfurniture.com to see reason, by writing a couple of reasonable, professional letters, and by sending photographs of the obviously not "black" chair:

While this is true, you do not say it is "black", the wood in your picture is not even close in color to what I received. The wood in your picture may not be "black," maybe it's "cappuccino" or some other very dark color, but your picture definitely does not show a chair with light brown wood...

It seems that the wood may be detachable. If that is the case and I'm sent instructions on how to remove them, I will be happy to perform a wood exchange. If I must return the entire product to you for a refund or an exchange for the correct item, I hope we can do that as easily as possible as well.

Except for the wood, the chair itself is beautiful and I trust that we can resolve this in a quick and friendly manner.

After reviewing the photos and speaking with my supervisor we are going to be able to issue a call tag for this particular item at our expense... Once we receive confirmation that FedEx has picked up the item we will be able to issue back credit or send out a replacement, which ever you prefer.

(Thanks to David!)

We replied:

Brendan,
Did you purchase the TV with a credit card? If so, you should check to see if your card has extended warranty protection.

Brendan replied:

Holy Crap, thank you! I called my credit card company (Master Card). After a little phone run around I was told they automatically double any manufacturer warranty. I answered a few questions and i'm covered! I'm sure the paperwork is going to be a bit of a pain, but woohoo!

Thank you Consumerist, you guys rock.
-Brendan

(Photo:mod*betty)

RELATED: 5 Ways Credit Cards Can Make You Happy
American Express Extended Warranty Protection Buys You A New Laptop

On the plus side, the Verizon tech did not burn their house down... even once!

December 6th comes. They're scheduled to arrive between 8am and noon. They call and say they'll arrive at 10 am. They do. We are happy. They knock on the door and ask if anyone installed a fiber cable in the yard. They have not. They can't do the install because no one buried the cable. Ok. December 7th someone comes, digs up our front lawn, and buries the cable. We reschedule. Again. December 27th between 8am and 5pm. 5pm comes...and goes. No one shows up. Get back on the phone. They said they came but the cable wasn't buried. We tell them we've been home all day, no one has come, and the cable was buried on the 6th. They say they'll call us back. We call again the next day. They'll call us back in 48 hours. 48 hours comes and goes.

So I'm pissed by this point. It's been over a month, three appointments have been made. Furniture rearranged, time taken off work, etc. etc. I take a helpful tip from the Consumerist and e-mailed the CEO. That was a Friday night. Of course then customer service called and said they'd reschedule us (again) for January 10th. Monday morning came and we got a call from the executive customer service people. They rescheduled us (yeah, again) for January 3rd between 8am and 8:30am and waived our installation fee per my request. January 3rd came and went and no installer. I know, shocking.

She seemed quite sincere about this and I have no reason to disbelieve her. THAT really helps. To own up to the issue and try to make it better from here on out. Well, that and the waiving of the installation fee and the free first month of service we'll be getting after I spoke to the executive customer service guy again.

The Great FiOS Debacle -Updated [Jenn's Journal]
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

We're not sure if this is distressing, or oddly comforting.

Rob writes (emphasis ours):

I wanted to write in to tell of a positive experience I had using the Sprint Consumerist Hotline. I spoke with a very knowledgeable associate named Shondra [redacted]. She listened to my issue, and then immediately started working through all of the red tape to get it resolved. The whole process took nearly 2 weeks, but she kept me throughly informed of the status of my case and in the end, was able to resolve the issue to my satisfaction. Before resorting to calling this support line, I had called the regular support line, and was passed around to several departments, and several hangups. Shondra was always patient with me, and only became impatient when talking to other departments within Sprint that wanted to argue about insignificant details rather than focus on the issue at hand. I was able to listen in a couple of times as she spoke with the porting department, and was amazed at the amount of run-around she was given by people in her own company. Thanks Consumerist, and thank you Shondra!

Rob S

(Photo:Maulleigh)

Hey guys,

I know customer service snafus around Christmas time are to be expected and I always do what I can to avoid them. I order as insanely early as I can, try to stick to merchants that have a good track record and, whenever possible, avoid using Fedex. But things still can, and will, go wrong.

On the Thursday evening before Christmas my mother called me to say that she wanted to get a digital camera for my sister as a last minute gift. Since I am an Amazon Prime member and can get free second day shipping, she thought I'd be her best bet.

I logged on to the site, found the model she wanted and noticed that it said if I ordered within the next two hours I could have the shipping upgraded to overnight for $1.99. I finished up the order and called my mother back to say the camera would be here Friday, the 21st and then went to bed.

In the morning I checked the order status. UPS said that it was on time for delivery that day (in Washington, DC) but the tracking info said nothing beyond the fact that it had been picked up from Amazon in Kentucky at 3:46 that morning. It didn't seem like an issue so I just went on about my day. Every so often I would check the tracking info but it never updated beyond the 3:46am pickup. Late in the afternoon I called UPS where, surprisingly for it being so close to Christmas, hold times were pretty short. UPS tells me that, due to volume, their system is slow to update. It still shows on time for delivery today so I will receive it today. I ask what the deadline for "today" is and I'm told 7:00pm.

7:00pm comes and goes. Around 9:00pm I check back on the tracking info. Not only has it still not updated from the original pickup time, it still shows as being on time for delivery that day.

I call UPS again.

Again, reasonable hold times and apologies all around. I'm told again about slow updates to the system and am assured that it will be delivered Monday, Christmas Eve. Whatever. Off to bed.

Saturday morning I check in again. The tracking info is still exactly the same. I call UPS and try, once again to convince them that this shipment has gone missing. It was supposed to have been delivered the day before and the tracking info has not changed since the package was picked up eighteen hours ago and still shows it as being on time for delivery *the previous day*. This finally begins to make sense to them. I'm told that I'll have to call Amazon and have them start a trace.

This makes no sense to me. Once UPS has taken possession of the shipment I don't see this as being Amazon's problem anymore. But since I'm getting nowhere with UPS I decide to give it a shot.

I log into Amazon's support section and instead of a phone number to call I'm presented with a box that I'm to click to have them call *me*. Although skeptical I click away and almost immediately my phone rings. Kind of spooky, actually.

I explain the situation to the rep, expecting to get nowhere. He puts me on hold for about ten minutes. When he comes back he tells me that Amazon to going to ship me a replacement camera. It will be delivered, by private courier, Christmas Eve, free of charge.

It takes me a minute to process this. I repeat it back to him to make sure I haven't misheard him. He confirms. I thank him and hang up. E-mail confirmation arrives within half an hour.

Thinking my problems are over I head off to the movies with friends. When I arrive home I have a notice on my apartment mailbox that I have a package waiting in the management office, which is now closed until the day after Christmas. With a sinking feeling I go upstairs and check the UPS site. Yes, the tracking info on that first shipment has been updated. After the pickup time in Kentucky two days before is now a single line, "Delivered." Nothing else. No interim steps at all.

I now have no idea if Amazon is going to ship the second camera or not since now, as far as they're concerned, I've received the first one. And at this point I don't care much either. I decide I'm just going to let this play itself out and see what happens.

About 6:30pm Christmas Eve a courier delivers the second camera directly to my door.

Amazon even paid for the return shipping on the first camera since it didn't arrive on time. I just had to print out the label and drop it off at UPS.

These days you're lucky if you can get any resolution at all from customer service when things get mucked up. I am completely floored at how far Amazon went above and beyond to fix a problem that, in my opinion, they weren't even responsible for.

I buy a lot of books, DVD's and the like. From now on, whenever I can, Amazon's getting my money. They've earned it.

-William

P.S. My sister loved her camera.

(Photo:zyphbear)

I wanted to follow up about the 'Time Warner Cable Sends You A Random Bill, Can't Explain Why' tip I sent in. A Consumerist reader suggested I contact the N. Dallas Time Warner president and provided his email. I did on Sunday (yesterday) and received a call today (Monday) from Barbara at his office.

Barbara was exceptionally helpful and friendly and was able to shed more light onto the bill. She thought it was due to the fiasco I encountered when I moved, as they created a new account by accident which was immediately closed. A charge was put there and then moved back to my old account, instead of my new one.

Anyways, she couldn't verify if I had paid it or not, but basically told me even if I had she would credit me for my trouble. Barbara kicks ass. She was one of the most helpful people I've ever dealt with and deserves an award or maybe a large cash bonus.

Thanks for the help!

Chris

(Photo:Maulleigh)

I recently read this story.

My parents gave me an iPhone for Christmas, and I didn't want to pay an ETF to make the switch. I called, and like the other reader, someone picked up on the second ring. She asked for my information and reviewed my account. At present, she said she was unable to determine if my surcharges would increase (it doesn't for all customers), but she said if they do, she will gladly refund my prorated ETF fee per phone. Then she gave me a direct line to her and my case number. My statement will be generated on January 15th, and when my fees go up (as I have already been told they will be via a postcard I received two weeks ago), they remove all charges.

Now I'm off to the Apple Store to buy an iPhone for my wife and begin my new contract with AT&T. Thank you Consumerist.

Sincerely,

Jordan

The Sprint Consumerist Hotline: (703-433-4401)

Let us know if the hotline worked for you by emailing us at tips@consumerist.com.

Dear Editors,

I wrote in earlier about my issues with Amazon.com shipping hard-drives without any packaging.

Thanks to you posting my story, both I and my friend received calls from the Executive Customer Relations department at Amazon. The person I spoke with apologized profusely and assured me they are looking into the problem; it appears that one of their shipping facilities was the cause of the problem.

I would have been nice if they offered a free drive, or something to make up for the troubles we had, but I'm still pleased to see that retailers take Consumerist seriously!

Cheers,
Joshua

Good to know that someone out there is listening to us opine on the proper ratio of packing materials to product. This is why we do the job, folks. You may say to us: "Slow News Day." To you we respond, "Not according to the folks at Amazon's Executive Relations Department."

(Photo:funny strange or funny ha ha)

PREVOUSLY: Amazon Is Unable To Ship A Hard Drive In Proper Packaging

Hello, I am writing because of a terrible experience I had with overstock.com recently. I understand that mistakes will happen, but there is no excuse for treating your customers poorly when they attempt to resolve your mistake, or for having customer service representatives who clearly aren't trained or equipped to handle issues effectively.

I ordered a DVD player from overstock.com recently. When it arrived and I set it up, I immediately discovered that it was completely nonfunctional: The eject button didn't work at all, so I couldn't even open the tray to put a DVD in, and the VCR portion ejected tapes as soon as I inserted them. I called Overstock and was told that you would initiate a return and I would receive a shipping label by email within two days. Two days later, having received no shipping label, I used Overstock's "live chat" to find out what was going on.

The woman who "helped" me over live chat made the situation far, far worse. She wouldn't respond to questions, answered things I wasn't even asking, casually dropped information very late in the conversation that I had asked for much earlier on without success, and was generally infuriating in her unwillingness or inability to listen and respond to what I was asking.

After 20 minutes of a very unhelpful live chat, I terminated the conversation, still having no idea when, if ever, my return label will arrive. I don't understand why it would take days to email a return label to me, I don't understand why it's still not here, and I certainly don't understand why she wouldn't just let me print one directly, as your Web site promises customers can.

I am attaching the transcript of the chat to this message as a file, so that you can verify this.

I would like my return label to either be emailed to me immediately, or I would like to be able to print one online. I am very disappointed in Overstock's unhelpful, aggravating customer service, which made an already frustrating situation far, far worse, and if this situation isn't resolved quickly, I plan to post far and wide online (craigslist, consumerist.com, etc.) to describe my experience and encourage others to stay far away from Overstock.

Sincerely,

Alison

Dear Alison,

I am so sorry about the lousy experience. I will have someone contact you immediately to resolve things. Please elt (sic) me now if things are not fixed to your satisfaction by Monday afternoon.

Patrick

The Executive Email Carpet Bomb is one of the most effective tools for promptly resolving complaints. Read our step-by-step guide to learn how to launch your own EECB.

(AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

So, thanks to your amazing help my Comcast problem was fixed immediately. Not only did they apologize but I received free installation as well as money credited to my account. I can not think you enough for your help. You, the consumerist, are my new hero.

(Photo:cmorran123)

PREVIOUSLY: "Comcast Flat-Out Calls Me A Liar'

Since it was free shipping, I was expecting it to be slow, and it was. It was shipped USPS with an estimated delivery date of November 15th. The 15th came round, and no package. I gave the post office the benefit of the doubt and waited to see if it showed up that Friday or Saturday. No dice.

So, this morning (Monday, though I have a feeling if I had called at 2 am on a Saturday they might've picked up) I called the Bean. I spoke to a real, live person RIGHT AWAY (and they actually sounded as though they weren't in India!), and was taken aback like other people have commented. I was expecting to sit on hold or sit through an automated message. I explained the problem - that my package still hadn't shown up despite the online tracker's say-so - and was transferred to a helpful gentleman who instantly offered to send a new one out. They were still sold-out of the Navy one, so I got to pick a new color (Red, which I secretly wanted more anyway!) and it is being sent out today via 2nd day FedEx this time. The nice rep apologized profusely for the trouble. He also said if the 1st one shows up I can "give them a call if I want to."

This is a beautiful example of a non-fawning L.L. Bean tale. Things went wrong - just as likely Bean's fault as the post office's - and they fixed it. Nobody questioned my story in the least, I didn't have to wait for the exact item to come back in stock, and they did my original order one better by upgrading the shipping. And alluded to me keeping the 2nd lunch box if I want to (which I just might, they're so cute).

Customer service at it's finest. It just works, simply. :) I am now completely won over and will buy MANY more things from them in the future! Go L.L. Bean!

We think that's cool.

(Photo:dchousegrooves)

Richard writes:

On 12 November 2007, I purchased the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare video game at the Target Store located at 3101 Jefferson Davis Highway, Alexandria, VA (Store #1076). The display in the store clearly displayed the price of the game as $59.99 with a free $5 Target Gift Card. I asked the clerk in the electronics department to purchase the game (since they are locked in a glass case).

The clerk retrieved the game from the case, which had the price with the gift card deal clearly displayed underneath the game. After completing the sale, I noticed the clerk had not included the $5 gift card with the game. I asked, "Doesn't this come with a gift card?" The clerk responded "No."

Remembering what the sign said, I quickly responded "Yes it does." The clerk then quickly went back to the glass display and took down the sign. When he returned, he called a manager and said there was a sign up for an expired deal, and she would need to come to electronics. When the manager (Alecia) got there, she politely explained that the deal had expired the day before and there was nothing she could do except offer an apology. She said there were no codes or anything she could enter into the system that would get me the $5 gift card. I responded that the apology was nice, but an apology was not a $5 gift card, and asked if there was anyone else at the store I could talk with. She said there wasn't, but I could fill out a corporate complaint form. I took the complaint form and left.

I believe this is a deceptive and dishonest sales practices. The sales clerk not mentioning the gift card promotion was expired until AFTER the sale was complete, and then refusing to honor it after being questioned on it is deceptive and unacceptable. I went to the store around 3PM, which is plenty of time to remove promotional signs from the day before. I don't think it is too much to ask to be treated fairly and honestly when trying to make a purchase at a retail store. It was their mistake. If stores aren't obligated to honor the prices displayed on the shelves, where does it end? It seems very unfair to the customer for a store to be able to list an item as one price on the shelf and then ring it up for a different, higher price.

I have sent this complaint to Target using their online "Contact Us" form, but have not received a response. Do you or any of your readers have any suggestions on how I could get this issue resolved?

Dear Consumerist,
Just a follow-up to this situation, I have heard back from Target and they have agreed to send me the $5 gift card that I was denied in the store. I received the following email from them after complaining on their website:

"Dear Richard,

I'm sorry to hear about the disappointing experience you had during your recent visit to the Alexandria Target store.

I understand that there was an expired sign in our Electronics department offering a free $5 Target GiftCard with the purchase of a Call of Duty 4 video game. I assure you that the signage error was not intentional.

I'd be happy to send you a $5 Target GiftCard as an apology and an invitation back to the store for a better experience. I realize this may not completely eliminate your frustration, but I hope it shows our service commitment to you. Your GiftCard should arrive within two weeks.

In addition, I'll forward your comments to our Store Operations team to ensure our signage accuracy. Thank you for taking the time to share your situation.

We're always glad to hear from you, so whenever you have any questions or comments, give us a call at (800) 440-0680. You can also check with a Guest Service Team Lead at your store, or visit us on Target.com. Either way, we're here to help!

Thanks for shopping with us. I hope we'll see you again soon at Target.

Sincerely,

Marisa
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com
[THREAD ID:1-44R247]"

I am glad to get the $5 from them, but am disappointed it took me having to send a complaint through their website to get it.

(Photo:Maulleigh)

Dear Consumerist, I just wanted to follow up and let you know that Circuit City was quick to contact me and resolve the issue. The associate I spoke to was very apologetic about my experience and offered to send me both games free of charge. Although I shouldn't have had to go through so much in-store hassle to begin with, I was impressed to see how well Circuit City handled the situation.

Cheers,

Adam

PREVIOUSLY: Circuit City Refusing To Honor Advertised Offer For Free Call Of Duty 3?

DENVER, Nov. 8, 2007 — The Denver division of Centex Homes has offered to give a house to Veronica Baca, one of the original finalists in a disputed home give-away contest in Denver. In addition, the Company has offered to provide furnishings for the home and payment for all reasonable legal fees that Mrs. Baca has incurred.

"We're working directly with Mrs. Baca and her family. We expect to sort out the details and wrap this up very quickly," says Bill Anner, division president for Centex Homes in Denver.

The Centex House Party, a home give-away promotion, generated more than 250,000 entries from the greater Denver area over the summer. Officials with the Company did not learn that the initial results of the finale were disputed until two days later. The established rules of the contest required a second random drawing to resolve the dispute and determine the ultimate winner of the contest home in Brighton, near Denver. Mrs. Baca did not win the second drawing.

"It was important to follow the letter of the rules for a fair contest. Now we're going to honor the spirit of the contest and do what's right for Mrs. Baca and her family," Mr. Anner says.

"We never intended for the contest to end this way. We understand the thrill and expectation the contest created for Mrs. Baca, and we understand the disappointment Mrs. Baca and her family have endured. We regret it's taken this long to work through the process, but now we're working directly with Mrs. Baca and her family to put them in a new home as quickly as possible," Mr. Anner says.

"No one expected this kind of result, but we would rather have two happy winners in this situation," says Doug Barnes, executive vice president of Centex Homes' northwest region, which includes Denver.

PREVIOUSLY: