In what is probably the second-worst consumer complaint we’ve received, Millard is mad at deal-a-day site Woot because he bought a black iPod from them and it came with white headphones. He demands black headphones. Woot needs your help in solving this consumer crisis.

Millard does not care that Apple only makes white ones (unless you’re getting special U2 iPods, which this wasn’t). Now he wants Woot to pay for the black headphones he was “forced” to buy so they would match. It was very important to both him and his daughter, for whom the iPod was a birthday gift, that the headphones and iPod matched.

Woot.com was actually the ones who forwarded over the email exchange to us. They’re hoping that Consumerist readers can offer advice on how they should react to the situation. At the bottom of the exchange posted below is a poll where you can write your tips and vote on other others’. Woot has promised to take them under advisement.

“From: MillardR
To: Service; Woot Member Services
Subject: Error in color ….
Hello,

I received the item I ordered, but the ear piece was shipped to me in “white” rather than in “black” to match my black iPod.

Can you help?

Millard R

—
Woot Member Services wrote:

Millard,

Apparently the people at Apple are not fashion-sensitive because those ear pieces only come in white. We apologize for this but unfortunately there isn’t much we can do for you in this case.

-Rutherford

—
From: MillardR
To: Service; Woot Member Services
Subject: Re: Error in color ….

Hello Rutherford,

I never knew that this piece was going to come this way, and if you ask me (your customer) I fell that Woot should inform their customers of this type of detail issue. Well … it now cost me an additional $29.00 to purchase a black set of ear plugs (that are for sale) to match the IPOD that I purchased from Woot in Black. How is this fair
to me …. the customer that feels he was mislead?

I hope you can do something to off-set my additional expense.

Best regards,

Millard R

—
Woot Member Services wrote:

I’m not sure how you felt mislead. The picture shows white earbuds. As a matter of fact, I looked back at other iPods that we sold and ALL the earbuds were white.

Rutherford

—
From: Millard R
To: Woot : Service

Hello Rutherford,

I’m really surprised to see that you’re (WOOT) is taking this stance against one if its customers. The reason I felt mislead is because I was asked to select between “White” or “Black”, and I was under the assumption that, again “White” meant totally “White” and that “Black meant totally Black”. It never mentioned that only to IPOD itself
would be affected by the color, and that the other accessories would be shipped in a standard White color.

That’s like purchasing a new car in the color of your choice (Blue) and when you finally take it home and you open the hood or truck … its pink in color. Well when you call your sales person and report your finding, the customer support person states that it only comes in that color. Well if you were never told this information, would you feel mislead just because you never opened these areas to check for your self. Well … I feel mislead, and so did my little daughter that received it item from us for her birthday!!!

Please review your customer satisfaction policy to see if there is any language within that takes care of your customer … under this type of circumstance.

Please advise,

Millard R.”

(Photo: bbatsell)

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