blackjackmark

Ordered The Last Emperor (ironic, huh) for $24.99. Two days later when it shipped, that same day it dropped to $19.99. I didn't know that Amazon no longer would honor their own price drops...so I wrote a big "RETURN TO SENDER" on the package and happily handed it to the USPS worker. The entire shipment (Ultimate Matrix Collection BD and the aforementioned Criterion Last Emporer BD...over $80 worth of merchandise!). So Amazon got to eat the shipping TO and FROM me over a measly $5!

In the end it worked out better...the next day I learned of DDDs upcoming 25% off sale started, so I got both items cheaper!

Don't get me wrong, I know that businesses need rules, and that they have to draw a line in the sand at some point...but come on. The SAME DAY they ship it their price drops..and they won't give me the credit since the order released to the warehouse a mere hours before they changed the price.

So, now that I know...I will never buy another item from Amazon, unless I'm certain it's the absolute rock-bottom price....'cause there's nothing I hate more than buying something one day and then finding a better deal the next. It's one thing to have that happen between two different retailers: quite another when it's the SAME retailer!

I'd rather pay more from a retailer that values their customers than to pay less at one that basically said "F*&K YOU" to me.

Cardsfan111

I miss the price guarantee they use to have as well.

I still order from Amazon, but I'm a little more careful as I consider the price. Also, I try to make sure I don't go back and check the price again for fear of what I might see.

Trevor

So if they raise the price after you purchase it but before you receive it are you willing to pay the difference?

Cardsfan111

I seem to recall there were some folks who had success calling customer service and getting a price adjustment. As the OP mentioned, if you explain to Amazon.com that you're going to return an item and re-order it, it stands to reason (not that everyone uses reason ) that they'd be willing to make an adjustment especially for $5 or less.

DirkUSA

I got a price adjustment in April after calling them.

cpgator

What other retailer does an after purchase price guarantee? Does DD?

fumanstan

I don't know about online, but certainly a lot of B&M stores do like Best Buy and Target.

Personally, once I buy something and receive it that's it. I don't really care about price changes after because at that point I purchased it at a rate I was comfortable with. A couple dollars here and there aren't enough to get angry about, and overall my savings and no tax from Amazon are fantastic enough to continue to support them.

Doc Moonlight

I was able to get a price adjustment from DD last December. I had ordered RED SOX GREATEST GAMES as part of the 25% off sale and two weeks after the sale ended all DVDs in the series were available at a price lower than what was available. The CS rep made the adjustment without any hassle.

statcat

if you complain they might adjust the price for you. I did once and they changed it to the lower price. They are pretty sneaky with the price adjustments- they can happen whenever and it irritates the hell out of me.

EdTheRipper

Exactly. If I'm alright to purchase something than a slightly lower price the next time I'm on the site won't turn me off to making future purchases.

Not for nothing but it's not like they specifically raised the price just to stick it to you blackjackmark.

Mike86

This is the way I feel as well. If I bought an item at a certain price it was likely the best deal I found at the time of my buying and unless its a substantial decrease in price (like $10 or more) I'm not gonna complain about a buck or two. Plus this really hasn't happened to me very often at all and I order from Amazon fairly regularly. Besides that to me Amazon is consistently one of my most trusted online retailers to buy from so I really can't think of many situations that would cause me to completely stop shopping with them.

Cheato

I personally enjoy the logic:

I got a good deal and was satisfied.
I didn't get the best deal ever.
I'm sending back my "good deal" purchase, along with a couple other items that didn't actually change in price, but, you know, it's the principle of the thing, and it's $5!
I am never going to buy from the place (that gave me a good deal) again.

Yes, we get it that the price went down just two days later (and that it was the same day your order shipped). But seriously, prices drop all the time. I think paying even $19.99 for that was a waste (I am assuming you are talking about the Blu-ray). Using the current sale at B&N with available coupons and various cashback or store discounts, you could get it for less than $19.99. Why can't you just keep that satisfied feeling you got when you ordered it at $24.99? If it wasn't worth that, you shouldn't have ordered it at that price point. Once again, we see the eternal balance of time and money at work; there's a reason you can "spend" both.

I also miss the old Amazon policy, but it's your own fault for just assuming the policy hadn't changed. And being proud of Amazon having to "eat the shipping..." is really something. I wonder why they had to stop the 30-day price guarantee. Possibly it was due to the large number of people with an overinflated sense of entitlement who make poor purchasing decisions and then expect others to pay for them.

sandman007

You'll NEVER know for certain if it is the rock-bottom or not unless they are giving it away for free.

blackjackmark

You're right, it IS my "own fault"...but VERY short-sighted on a retailer's part when they are faced with a consumer that has purchased a fair amount of items from them in the past, and contacts them about this situation very politely, and is told that there is NOTHING the CSR can do for you, due to my "poor purchase decision" of trusting the retailer to treat me in a reasonable way in the off-chance that I may have an issue with my purchase.

They fail to realize the value of that customer's satisfaction to them in the long run is worth a heck of a lot more than the single order at hand.

You may call it an "overinflated sense of entitlement"...I'd call it an expectation to be treated by a retailer in a way to build my loyalty..and they just destroyed it with me....yes, over $5 this time, and there won't be a next time.

I'm in business myself and know that Amazon has to draw a line in the sand at some point. But when you consider that most people do NOT read these forums, and most people do NOT know when the price drops on a recently purchased item, I would certainly believe it'd be in Amazon's best interest to reconsider their change for the small % of shoppers that would be savvy enough to notice. Heck, how many of us here have told someone at work or a friend or family member "I got a great deal at Amazon last night, you should go there". I know I have..many times, but not anymore...all over $5.

Guess what story my friends, family, and coworkers have heard recently? You guessed it, my recent poor experience with Amazon.com.

They certainly should not proactively just refund the difference (not sure if that was their old way?) but deal with it on a case-by-case basis...like Best Buy, Target, etc do within 30 days of your purchase in their stores (and for Best Buy, online as well).

Heck, I had quite the OPPOSITE experience recently with Best Buy. I had purchased a GPS and beanbag mount through Bestbuy.com for in-store pickup. 41 days later they both went on sale for a total of $30 less. I was 800 miles from the store in which I picked it up, with no receipt in hand, and with zero expectation of success (knowing it was 11 days past their 30 day guarantee). But I thought what the heck, it doesn't hurt to ask. So I politely told the CSR in store of my situation. Long story short, it took him about 15 minurtes, including a phone call to Bestbuy.com that HE placed on my behalf, and got me the $30 refund. And he did that ALL without any cajoling, pleading or insistence from me. It was his own initiative to make sure I was treated fairly (and I believe in this case, MORE than fairly).

Now THAT'S customer service....and you can bet I've told that story to friends, family and coworkers as well!

hindolio

^ just curious...

are you now and forever stating that bestbuy > amazon?

i understand that your point is based not on $5, but rather on the principle. so is this principle of yours worth not shopping at amazon ever again?

and is this principle worth your encouraging your friends to never shop at amazon as well?

what other online (not b&m) retailers have this price-adjustment policy? and what is the quality of those sites compared to amazon?

other than the now-dead price adjustment policy, how is your experience with amazon in other aspects as a consumer?

finally, how many times you have taken advantage of amazons now-dead price-adjustment policy in the past?

just think about my questions above and they havent convinced you to give amazon another chance, so be it. in any case, i admire your passion and conviction, but my friendly suggestion is to allow yourself access to "all the deals" and "all the players". amazon is great on customer service in general now. otoh, bestbuy sucks at customer service. but in 5 years, the opposite might be true. you win some and you lose some. that is dvds and that is life

visitor Q

So the bottom line is over $5 and you won't do any business with Amazon again since they what ...wouldn't honor a price break a day or two after the original order? Ha ha ...what fucking parallel universe must I be living in just to witness the BS that flows from people like you all worried about their five bucks. Seriously man ...if that's it ...maybe you should change hobbies from buying DVDs to worrying about what type of lure to use next time you're fishing for your family's next meal. Give it a rest already ....

Trevor

Your friends, family, and co-workers may not admit this to your face, but, if they're like most of us here, or anyone on the planet really, they probably think you're being unreasonable. Edited to sound nice.

No offense man, but you're wrong on this.

My Other Self

Yeah if I was your friend and you told me that story I'd be like you returned it over $5?

Any time I've had an issue with Amazon they rectified it immediately. I've had no problems, and as others have stated, 90% of the time they'll readjust the price to you right over the phone. I know this wouldn't have deterred me from shopping there again.

Heat

So you bought an item then got upset because it was on sale after you bought it? By only $5?

If you don't want to shop at Amazon anymore, that's your loss, not theirs.

Pizza

Although I think the poster is being a little melodramatic, I can understand his view. Similar things have happened to me; most recently the Star Trek Blu-ray Movie set dropped $10 in price a day or two after they sent it out. Before I even got the item in the mail I emailed Amazon but they wouldn't change the charge for me. They did say I could refuse the package and reorder the item. I didn't but because of that order I now rarely pre-order anymore.
I think it's the promise of the cheapest price when you pre-order an item that sort of gives one an artificial security blanket that sometimes gets painfully ripped away when it ships. They lived up to their agreement but it still hurts a tad that after having something on order for a month or two is now cheaper within a day or two of release.
I still love Amazon and will continue to buy from them. Yes, it can suck when the price drops shortly after shipment, but that's just the way it is.

hindolio

^ imho you mention a good point pizzaman!

amazon pre-orders are not what they used to be. for a while, we as hungry hungry consumers with wads of cash and a robust economy, benefitted greatly by that sweet price-protection policy. amazon did too i am certain!

but now, those days of yore are gone and we, as hungrier and poorer consumers need to adjust. one shop cannot be the end-all be-all perfect shop. nor would we want there to be yesh?

in any case, please note that amazon pre-orders are no longer guaranteed. now, die thread! die!

Rex Power Colt-Robot Man

just my 2 cents, but when I pre-ordered the State DVD and after it shipped, they dropped the price 2 bucks and some change. When it arrived the packing slip had a less amount on there. I checked my email and they had sent a notice that there was a price correction and they credited my card the 2 dollar difference.

Rex Power Colt-Robot Man

Greetings from Amazon.com.

You saved $5.00 with Amazon.com's Pre-order Price Guarantee!

The price of the item(s) decreased after you ordered them, and we gave you the lowest price.

The following title(s) decreased in price:

The State: The Complete Series
Price on order date: $41.99
Price charged at shipping: $38.99
Lowest price before release date: $36.99
Amount to be refunded: $2.00 (+ $0.12 tax)
Quantity: 1
Total Savings: $5.00

$5.00 is your total savings under our Pre-order Price Guarantee.

You will automatically receive a refund of $2.12, which includes $0.12 on tax paid. You will receive an additional e-mail when this refund is processed.

-----------------------------------------------

Thanks for shopping at Amazon.com, and we hope to see you again soon.

You can track the status of this order, and all your orders, online by visiting Your Account at http://www.amazon.com/your-account.

I think the guarantee is still in effect.

Bluth54

They're talking about the 30 day price guarantee, where if the price dropped within 30 days of ordering something you could email Amazon and they would refund you the difference. The pre-order guarantee is something different and not what is being discussed.

Rex Power Colt-Robot Man

Hin mentioned something about it so I figured I'd comment.