Out of stock = false advertising?

[Mara-chan]

Today's rant theater covers every retailer's favorite claim by SC's: "False Advertising."

We have an ad in the paper, which in itself is a small miracle since they almost never seem to have it in the local paper anymore. It's for a monitor for a rediculously low price. There's a nice bit of text next to the picture of this monitor that says "While supplies last. May not be available in all stores. Not available for delivery." Our ads start on SUNDAY and are only placed in the SUNDAY paper and we have some to hand out in store.

Friday night an SC comes in demanding (not looking or asking for) the monitor in the ad.
<SC> Get me the computer in the ad.
<me> I'm sorry, we're out.
<SC> WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE OUT! THAT'S FALSE ADVERTISING!

Well, this time I'm not letting it slide this time. I'm SICK of the false advertising claim.

<me> No it's not. We HAD them Sunday morning and sold out of them. Since we did have them it's not false advertising.
<SC> *snotty* What did you have, TWO of them?
<me> Actually, we had 10. They were gone first thing.
<SC> Well, you should have enough to sell!
<me> *pissed and sarcastic* And how many SHOULD we have in stock? If I got a PALLET of them in, I STILL wouldn't have any left to sell you since people have been coming in ALL week for the monitor and it's now FRIDAY.
<SC> Well, I'm here TODAY.
<me> Well, it was in the paper on Sunday. You should have come then when we had them.
<SC> *hurumph* I only got the ad TODAY.
<me> Sorry.
<SC> Well what are you gonna do for me?
<me> Um... nothing? They're not available.
<SC> You should have ordered more if you knew they'd be popular.
<me> We DIDN'T know. Ever hear of the Nintendo Wii? Everyone is advertising them, and they've all run out of stock. Sometimes there just isn't enough!
<SC> *humph* I'm calling 8-on-your-side (local news complaint line)! This is false advertising! *storms off*



There's also the time the guy INSISTED I sell him a computer that was in an ad in NEW YORK. We are in FLORIDA. Completely different ad and we never even carried that computer. He threw out the 'False Advertising' card even though we (in Florida) didn't advertise it!

[MadMike]

I'm surprised you didn't get "bait and switch" as well. I got that one myself once when we ran out of a sale item. Apparently it didn't matter that I wasn't even the one who did the ordering, this crazy bitch was going to scream at me about it anyway. Meanwhile, her husband just stood there silently rolling his eyes, obviously emabarrassed by her behavior.

[mattm04]

I haven't got the false advertising in a while. Last one was when the SC in question was trying to use a two week old flyer.

[Mike Taylor]

There's also the time the guy INSISTED I sell him a computer that was in an ad in NEW YORK. We are in FLORIDA. Completely different ad and we never even carried that computer. He threw out the 'False Advertising' card even though we (in Florida) didn't advertise it!

I've been fortunate in that a lot of our customers are part-time residents who have homes elsewhere and they've lived in Florida long enough to know that we don't feature the same ads around the country.

[lastofthesummerwine]

Intellect, Ltd.

Yeah, there will always be those Gumpanzees who don't understand that little caveat featured in a sales ad: "Limited quantities-- no rain checks." And the places I-ve worked-- well, honey, they weren't kidding!

[ralerin]

My favorite false advertising thing? When the customer

a. Picks up non tagged item in front of another item that has a tag on it and claim "Well it was RIGHT THERE in front of that tag, you should still gimme it for x amount off!"

b. Cannot read the tag in front of the item. I get everyone claiming "That should be $1!" when it's a dollar off mail in rebate. My favorite was when my manager pwned a guy who grabbed a bag of Ruffles and claimed they were part of the 2/$5 sale or something. Manager showed him the tag which specified Ruffles were not part of the deal. Guy was PISSED and stomped away without his chips.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Oh for Pete's sake...if you want a sale item so bad, come out early on the first day of the ad. It really isn't that difficult.

If you come in on Friday for an item that was advertised starting Sunday, you forfeit your right to complain about the store being out, IMO. Stores don't usually get shipments in every day of the week. My store only gets trucks once or twice a week, occasionally three times a week during busy periods.

I'd say I hope the fuckhorn goes to the TV station, but they probably have no idea what false advertising really is either, and they'd probably run the story.

[PepperElf]

"You saw the ad? Look at it again where it says WHILE SUPPLIES LAST."

then again as much as they whine what will they do? get a lawyer? *hahah*

[malmalthekiller]

I get the "bait and switch" alllllllllll the time, and it makes me want to rip out my hair.

Last time it happened, a couple came to the desk with a camera they bought that day, but it wasn't the one they thought was cheaper.

Wife: Yeah, we thought it was the cheaper one, no price was listed.
Me: Oh alright, that's absolutely fine, I just need your receipt.
Husband: YEAH, we thought it was this one *Points to an ad in our circular*
Me: It does look similar-they're probably out of them.
Husband: They didn't have them! *suspicously* it seems like a bait and switch to me.
Me: Um, I doubt it, they probably ran out of them, and had these on a special display and maybe forgot the price. You could've asked anyone for a price check.
HUsband: *grumble*
*Does the refund*