On Sept. 3, in the Los Angeles Times, Office Depot advertised a sale on Lenovo laptop computers with "Vibrantview widescreen" (926-826). Vibrantview screens are described on Lenovo's website and other public venues as "smooth and mirror-like" in contrast to their Anti-glare screens which have a matt finish.
Glassy computer screens are significantly more expensive than matt screens - the Lenovo model with a glassy screen costs $550 more.
When I went to Office Depot to buy one of these computers, I saw that the Lenovo laptop on display was not as advertised. It had a matt screen. I asked the manager, Mr. Ben Min, if the Lenovo laptops he was selling had matt screens like the display or glassy vibrantiew screens as advertised. He assured me they were glassy as advertised. He brought a sealed box to the register and encouraged me to buy it. I insisted on opening the box first. When the box was opened, the screen was not as described; it was a matt screen. I was told that this was the only unit available. Though I was polite at all times, the manager told me he had no time to discuss the matter and tried very hard to get me out of the store.
In sum, the manager had given me false information, tried to get me to buy an inferior product for the advertised price, then tried to brush me off. When I told him that false advertising was prohibited in the State of California, his attitude changed and he promised to look into it. He asked me to wait for 3 days to resolve the matter. I strongly suspected he was just trying to get rid of me and had no intention of resolving the matter, but I agreed to wait. On the 3rd day, I called the manager and he told me that Lenovo had changed their terminology and that "vibrantview" now refers to all of Lenovo's screens and therefore the advertisement was not false. This statement was directly contrary to the information on Lenovo's own advertisements and the statements on their website.indeed, today as I write this, three days after the incident, Lenovo's official website still clearly differentiates between its two types of screens 1) vibrantview, "smooth and mirror-like, " and 2) Anti-glare, "roughened."
On the day this happened, I also sent a complaint directly to the Office Depot website through their official customer service contact form. I received no response from them.
Office Depot is clearly guilty of false and misleading advertisement in violation of California B&P code 17500, and guilty of bait and switch in which the customer is lured in to buy one item, then switched to an inferior one for the same price which violates CC 1770 (a) (9) 1. With only one unit in the store, they also violated supply of advertised items regulation, code CC 1770 (a) (10) — California law requires them to have enough units on hand to meet a reasonably expected demand. The way they tried to get me to buy the product without looking at it, then brush me off, then cover up the problem indicates intent to commit fraud.
The same Office Depot advertisement on the same day offered a Mustek Portable DVD player for $79.99 (product 479-169). Though I arrived when the store opened on the first day of the sale, there were no units in the store for sale. This also violates California law — you cannot lure people into your store by advertising a product that you do not have CC 1770 (a) (10).
I checked another Office Depot the same day, and they also had the wrong Lenovo laptop with the cheap screen. At that store, the manager was much more honest — when I showed him the ad, he readily stated that it was false advertising and agreed that I should take it up with the Office Depot corporate office.
If anyone else in the l.A. Area had the same experience, please let me know. Strength in numbers.
By way of documentation, I have:
1. The original Advertisement from Office Depot.
2. A print out of Lenovo's webpage describing the 'vibrantview screen' as 'smooth & mirror like' in contrast to their matte screen.
3. A print out from the Lenovo website showing that laptops with the glossy screen are significantly more expensive.
4. Print outs of reviews of the Lenovo laptops from other public sources describing the 'vibrantview screen' as 'highly reflective' 'polished look' in contrast to Lenovo's other screens.
5. Print outs from consumer web sites with multiple complaints against Office Depot for false advertising in the past.
Marc
North Hollywood, California
U.S.A.
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