This post is a complain of shame post, so there is little insight into marketing or sales, just horrific customer experience.
This is ridiculous. let me share my frustration because I’m beyond insulted and fed up with buy.com.
FIRST
I bought an oooma Phone from buy.com from their listing on ebay. I then get a random note saying its back-ordered and you don’t know when you’ll have it in stock. This COMPLETELY violates the whole ebay model. You MUST have stuff in stock when you sell it. Everyone else gets penalized for selling things and canceling orders. But no, not buy.com. the email says my money is being refunded to my PayPal account.
SO
buy.com gives me an automated response saying “gosh we’re sorry, but here is $20 off your next order” and gives me the codes of Gift Certificate Number: xyzxyz and Claim Code: 12334blahblah. I go the website, enter the gift certificate number and order some ink cartridges for my lovely wife. It says it accepts my gift certificate number, but then stumbling block number two….
NO PAYPAL
So apparently, if I try to use the PayPal account I used from my original order in tandem with a gift certificate, its a no go for buy.com. The site tells me I HAVE to use a credit card. Fine, whatever I think, so I enter my credit card number and then….
BOOM
I get to the thank you for your order page and wouldn’t you know, it didn’t apply my $20 off coupon. How could every step apply it, force me to use a cc then not actually apply the $20 gift certificate?
BOTTOM LINE
Your whole system is horrific, unacceptable and completely without logic. One hurdle after the next, after the next. WHAT IS WRONG WITH BUY.COM??????
So, when you have a chance, don’t buy from buy.com…