Reader Dustin is upset with Circuit City because they tried to tell him that their 24 minute guarantee meant he had to be waiting at the store for more than 24 minutes. After Dustin explained that the 24 minute guarantee was supposed to mean that the item would be pulled from the back within 24 minutes of his confirmation email, the supervisor said that Dustin ” would have had to come in within 24 minutes to qualify.” We’re pretty sure that’s not how it works, because Circuit City’s policy specifically says that’s not how the guarantee works.

Here’s the guarantee:

We guarantee your order of $25 or more will be ready for pickup at your selected store within 24 minutes of the timestamp on your confirmation email. If it’s not, we’ll give you a $24 Circuit City gift card.

Dustin writes (to Circuit City):

Executive Customer Service,

Today I decided to purchase a printer for my girlfriend and decided to shop with Circuit City and use the in-store pickup. I have used the in-store pickup before and I’ve never had a problem. One of the reasons I used you guys was because of your 24 minute guarantee.

I placed the order at 11:00am and went to the store around 12:30pm. After waiting in line for a while I gave the person behind the counter my printed receipt and drivers license and credit card. I had all of this stuff because I read your policy online.

She checked and the printer had not been pulled yet. Then she attempted to look for the printer. After these attempts were unsuccessful she call on her walkie-talkie and had someone pull the order. Realizing that my order was not ready in 24 minutes I asked for my gift card.

She turned to the supervisor (Rob) who looked at me and asked, “Have you been waiting for 24 minutes?”. To which I said, “No”. He then began to explain that because I hadn’t waited 24 minutes that the policy didn’t apply. Then he told me that I placed the order 1 1/2 hours before and that I would have had to come in within 24 minutes to qualify. Essentially implying that I didn’t need the order in 24 minutes.

I won’t bother and argue why this goes completely against what your policy states, because I’m sure you understand that at this point. If an order isn’t pulled in 24 minutes, then it isn’t ready in 24 minutes.

I would like my $24 gift card that I am entitled to. I guess I’m just really upset because I feel like I was cheated. And I feel like if I didn’t know about websites like The Consumerist (../../../..//) I wouldn’t know how to fight this.

I am also forwarding this email to The Consumerist because I feel like it is information the readers should have.

This Complaint Has Been Resolved

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