<![CDATA[Consumerist: suspicious]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/consumerist.com.png <![CDATA[Consumerist: suspicious]]> http://consumerist.com/tag/suspicious http://consumerist.com/tag/suspicious <![CDATA[ Is Sylvester Stallone Taking Over Your TV? ]]> Well, this is totally impossible to confirm, but we just got a complaint from a reader saying that their DVR was recording Sylvester Stallone movies all on its own. They think this might be some sort of sly promotion tied into the new Rocky movie. Is this happening to anyone else, or do these people have a possessed DVR? They use Time/Warner Cable and live in New York. From Zak's email:

This past week, however, I was scanning through my DVR, minding my own business and trying to clean up old shows or things I've previously watched....and lo and behold, 'Rocky' was recorded on my DVR. Now, I never set my DVR to record Rocky nor would I—-I just have no interest. So I delete it, mind my own business again and....what is this? 'Demolition Man' was recorded by my DVR. Well this is awfully peculiar now, isn't it? I see a bit of a common thread here. Point is this: I don't want to see Rocky and I don't want to see any new Rocky movie and I certainly don't want to see ANY other Sylvester Stallone movie. So why the hell is my DVR magically recording his films for me?

Something's fishy.

This sounds really unbelievable, but funny. Has this happened to anyone else? Is Sly taking over? Is this even possible? Oh, it was too funny not to post. ADRIAN! Gilmore Girls is on!—MEGHANN MARCO
]]> Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:44:34 EST Meg Marco http://consumerist.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=221256&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ BestBuy Doesn't Want You Using Your Gift Card? ]]> Does Best Buy have a policy designed to trick you into not using your gift card?

Ethan has a Best Buy Gift Card. He used it to purchase something at BestBuy.com for store pickup. A few minutes later, he got an email letting him know that the speakers he ordered were no longer in stock. When he called to see about having them shipped, he detected something fishy about the way he was handled.

"They said, "Oh, to have this shipped, you have to use a credit card, not a gift card." "Ok," I said, "let's cancel the order." The service rep then immediately, with no pause whatsoever, said, "Oh, I think we can arrange something so that you can place the order with your gift card." And then we proceeded to complete the order... Clearly that was a cynical ploy to try to get me to spend more money at BestBuy."

Maybe not clear as crystal but definitely funked up. Has this happened to anyone else? Read Ethan's email inside.

Ethan writes:

"I had a BestBuy gift card and wanted to order some speakers for pickup at one of their stores. I went to BestBuy.com, which indicated they were in stock at that store, and placed the order.

About 40 minutes later I received an email saying they weren't in-stock and that I could call to arrange for them to be shipped. No big deal... I can understand the inventory database being not quite right, though not being able to change the order via the website was a bit annoying.

I called and after being in on-hold limbo for 5-10 minutes, hung up. A bit annoying, but again... no big deal. Several days later I called again and immediately got a customer service rep. Great! They said shipping would be free. Great! A nice gesture since I had wanted to pick it up to avoid the shipping cost. Then they said, "Oh, to have this shipped, you have to use a credit card, not a gift card."

"Ok," I said, "let's cancel the order."

The service rep then immediately, with no pause whatsoever, said, "Oh, I think we can arrange something so that you can place the order with your gift card." And then we proceeded to complete the order. I am 100% appalled. Clearly that was a cynical ploy to try to get me to spend more money at BestBuy.

I am pledging never to shop at BestBuy again (once I finish draining my gift card :).

-Ethan

]]> Wed, 01 Nov 2006 23:27:18 EST Meg Marco http://consumerist.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=211686&view=rss&microfeed=true