Bait and switch?

[memobug]

Greetings, I am a new forum user. I'm wondering if Directv has any retail locations in the SF Bay Area. I tried calling in but they were frankly disingenuous. I was looking at getting a Directv install in a vacation home and just spent 45 minutes online with receptionist Stephanie in some call center boiler room. I could hear several calls going on in the background and it was hard to get clear information.

I was concerned about getting a clear view of the sky because we're in dense oak forest. She said there was no installation charge.

I called in from the Directv website ad which offered no equipment fees on 4 rooms and a free Genie upgrade. Stephanie took my zip code and then apologized that the 4 rooms offer was showing and said that the current offer was 2 rooms. She even said they still had people calling in from mailer postcards for 4 rooms but that promo ended a couple months ago.

I asked Stephenie to visit DirecTV.com, which redirects on my phone to (mobile.directv.com/best offer something or other.)

I asked her to get a supervisor in the line. She went offline for another 10 minutes and explained that the sole supervisor, Ernie, couldn't come to the phone and couldn't do anything about it if he could, and the extra rooms would be $7 each per month.

Then I asked about what hardware I would be getting, which she said was a Genie DVR plus a minigenie for each additional room. A little while later she said the hardware would depend on what I was "qualified" for and that would require her to get my SSN and credit check.

 

[memobug]

Here's the ad I saw today.

On the left it clearly says now included monthly equipment fees for up to 4 rooms.

On the right it says the Genie is included too.

I am not trying to make any money, just understand what they are trying to pull.

I apologize in advance if this is against forum policy.

 

[dishcomm]

Greetings, I am a new forum user. I'm wondering if Directv has any retail locations in the SF Bay Area. I tried calling in but they were frankly disingenuous. I was looking at getting a Directv install in a vacation home and just spent 45 minutes online with receptionist Stephanie in some call center boiler room. I could hear several calls going on in the background and it was hard to get clear information.

I was concerned about getting a clear view of the sky because we're in dense oak forest. She said there was no installation charge.

I called in from the Directv website ad which offered no equipment fees on 4 rooms and a free Genie upgrade. Stephanie took my zip code and then apologized that the 4 rooms offer was showing and said that the current offer was 2 rooms. She even said they still had people calling in from mailer postcards for 4 rooms but that promo ended a couple months ago.

I asked Stephenie to visit DirecTV.com, which redirects on my phone to (mobile.directv.com/best offer something or other.)

I asked her to get a supervisor in the line. She went offline for another 10 minutes and explained that the sole supervisor, Ernie, couldn't come to the phone and couldn't do anything about it if he could, and the extra rooms would be $7 each per month.

Then I asked about what hardware I would be getting, which she said was a Genie DVR plus a minigenie for each additional room. A little while later she said the hardware would depend on what I was "qualified" for and that would require her to get my SSN and credit check.

It would be a bait and switch if you had accepted the offer, had the equipment installed, singed the paperwork THEN they announced the terms were other than what was advertised..
Look, the term boiler room is accurate. Many of these third party retailers are unscrupulous jerks who are trained to do or say anything to get the customer to "yes"....
Just remember a few things,..
First, there is no such thing as "free"....
So, if the ad claims "free" rooms installed, that is true but not accurate. The install, if standard, will be at no charge. However, "
'no fee", is never going to happen. Pay tv providers do not surrender fees for any reason. These are huge money makers.
Plus, AT&T charges for equipment beyond the first receiver. So for example, if you order a Genie( presumably model HR 44) and instead of clients, elect to add another receiver such as another DVR , that one you must pay for.
If I were in your shoes, just go to the directv website and "build your own" package.
Never mind the boiler rooms.

 

[dishcomm]

Here's the ad I saw today.

On the left it clearly says now included monthly equipment fees for up to 4 rooms.

On the right it says the Genie is included too.
View attachment 120718

I am not trying to make any money, just understand what they are trying to pull.

I apologize in advance if this is against forum policy.

"Included".....Yeah...Of course. That simply means the charges do not show up as an individual item on the bill. But you are STILL paying the fees.

 

[Claude Greiner]

The offer With the 4 rooms expired a few months ago. It's 2 rooms in the all in 1 price and tv 3 and 4 are $7 each.

To get the genie equipment it does depend on your credit or you get h24 and up to 3 h25

 

[bmetelsky]

If mobile.directv.com was advertising 4 rooms then that is what DTV should honor. The OP is indicating that he is acting on the promotion showing as of the day he ordered service. He is not relying on a paper ad that he got in the mail with an expiration date on it. It even indicates on the screenshot that he posted "offer extended through 10/22/16".

 

[patmurphey]

Read the ad again, it says Genie HDDVR service NOW INCLUDED in any package in up to 2 rooms...

 

[Fashionita]

It looks like 2 different offers to me. However, bait and switch is the correct term even if he didn't say yes. They baited you to get you in the store (or to call) and then changed the offer.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I guarantee it's not bait and switch. All these offers have expiration dates in the small print.

 

[memobug]

The ad I posted yesterday was live from the Directv website, not a third party, and this morning they updated the ad on the mobile.directv.com landing page to "monthly equipment fees for up to 2 rooms" (down from from 4 yesterday), so their advertising was inconsistent with their packages.

I'm online waiting for one of the customer support directors. We'll see what happens now.

 

[Jimbo]

The ad I posted yesterday was live from the Directv website, not a third party, and this morning they updated the ad on the mobile.directv.com landing page to "monthly equipment fees for up to 2 rooms" (down from from 4 yesterday), so their advertising was inconsistent with their packages.

I'm online waiting for one of the customer support directors. We'll see what happens now.

Hopefully they give that deal to you, however, like others have said, that promo has been over for awhile now.

 

[memobug]

I guarantee it's not bait and switch. All these offers have expiration dates in the small print.

Claude, the expiration date is in the fine print in the top of the ad I posted. It says it expires in a few weeks - 10/22/16.

Bait and Switch doesn't require the buyer actually purchase anything. It's when the seller reneges on an advertised promotion and offers other higher priced goods and services, insisting the advertised item is not available.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bait-and-switch

 

[Claude Greiner]

Claude, the expiration date is in the fine print in the top of the ad I posted. It says it expires in a few weeks - 10/22/16.

Bait and Switch doesn't require the buyer actually purchase anything. It's when the seller reneges on an advertised promotion and offers other higher priced goods and services, insisting the advertised item is not available.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bait-and-switch

Was this a print ad or on a website?

If the expiration date is wrong, you may be right. However technically the promotion expired


Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[Troch77]

If you didn't switch, How can it be bait and switch?

Because Wikipedia says so?
Bait and Switch is if direct signed you up offered you 4 rooms free from monthly fees , locked you into a 24 month commitment, and then started billing you for 2 rooms of service.

What's being referenced here in this thread would be considered false advertising.
But would be completely rectified during your 24 month disclosure that you would have to agree to prior to actually becoming a customer.

Why don't you post a link to that screen shot?

I bet I can google an old Directv offer, and claim its valid too.

 

[memobug]

It's from Directv's website. Actually it's still there in at least one place, but I can't post the link because the forum thinks it's spam.

Their supervisor said they could get me to a customer service person for an adjustment after taking an order. We went through all that and credit checks and credit card autopay setup (the phone a just autocorrected that to "autopsy", and it's about right )and ultimately the customer service guy said he couldn't do anything but offer me a $100 credit (I believe they were giving credits anyways if you sign up for the Uverse Internet and satellite package under a 2 year plan).

I told them to cancel it all. When I called AT&T to check, they hadn't canceled anything.

 

[memobug]

No that's not bait and switch, that's theft. Bait and switch has a very specific legal definition. You don't need to buy anything for bait and switch. It is a marketing ploy. There's a definition below for you.

I mentioned a couple times I can't post the link because the forum says it's spam but if you want to paste it back together, here's one. As you can see it says offer extended and gives the valid dates through a couple weeks from now.

ht tp: / /mob ile.dire ctv.co m/of fer/best_offer

Your content can not be submitted. This is likely because your content is spam-like or contains inappropriate elements. Please change your content or try again later. If you still have problems, please contact an administrator.

bait and switch. n. a dishonest sales practice in which a business advertises a bargain price for an item in order to draw customers into the store and then tells the prospective buyer that the advertised item is of poor quality or no longer available and attempts to switch the customer to a more expensive product.
dictio nary.law.com › Default

 

[Troch77]

And every provider quotes you a price, and never includes the price increases that happen on a regular basis.
Is that bait and switch too?

And I'm still waiting for your link to your bait and switch claim.
If its spam then apparently its not from Directv.com.
So maybe thats your first issue.
Take that up with what ever retailer site you got that from.

Because I've yet to see any current offer with 4 rooms of service included.
https://www.directv.com/m/#PackageDetail?pckg=1150002&random=5070

 

[memobug]

And every provider quotes you a price, and never includes the price increases that happen on a regular basis.
Is that bait and switch too?

No. I am talking about a currently advertised offer at Directv.com that lists an expiration date of Oct 22. I don't know what your hypothetical is.

And I'm still waiting for your link to your bait and switch claim.
If its spam then apparently its not from Directv.com.
So maybe thats your first issue.
Take that up with what ever retailer site you got that from.

Because I've yet to see any current offer with 4 rooms of service included.

I'm not sure if you're reading clearly. I provided the link above. The forum won't allow me or probably any forum member to post links to directv. So you are either going to have to paste this into your browser and remove a couple of spaces, or just take my word for it.

ht tp://mobile.directv.com/offer/best_offer

 

[memobug]

copy the link into your browser and take out the space between the two t's:

ht tp://mobile.directv.com/offer/best_offer

It links to the image I posted with the terms and expiration date I described.

 

[Troch77]

copy the link into your browser and take out the space between the two t's:

ht tp://mobile.directv.com/offer/best_offer

It links to the image I posted with the terms and expiration date I described.

Negative, I got nothing typing that in.
I had no problems copy and paste my link.
Take more screen shots.