(I wish that I could send the 22 "screen prints" that I made at the time of the dispute.)
My wife and I decided that we could use a laser printer. I went to Yahoo.com - search menu. I searched for a Lexmark Laser Printer.
The response showed a Lexmark printer an Optra W810. Displayed was a Yahoo "Product Guide" for the printer. (A major hit.) This screen then led to Yahoo screens listing specs, reviews, and the 13 vendors that were selling the printer for $377 - $548.
Here I went to Lexmark site and researched the printer. Really cheap for a good quality printer. But the $377 price had been on several Yahoo screens.
I talked over the purchase with my wife and we decided to buy it. I went back to a Yahoo screen, selected the vendorith the $377 price and pressed "BUY". The next screen showed the $377 price but a new product description — "laser toner"!
Thinking I had made a mistake I retraced my steps. It turned out that all 13 vendors advertising the laser printer would change the description to laser toner after I pressed the "BUY" icon.
A "bait and switch" by the classic and standard defination. It took lots of time and much, much time on the phone and on hold to get to someone. Mr. Jaime Perez said that he could see exactly what I was seeing but it was not his department... So then to was to Bernedette, to Manny, to Zack, to Bert. Not in one day — I had to leave phone mail, call several times, et al. As well as several emails with supporting screen prints.
Bottom line (summary) - ~"Yes, the ads were misleading and thanks for your help in pointing them out. No, we're not going to sell you a printer for $377."~
Maybe I should have known that Yahoo was pulling a fast one. There were (are) four nested Yahoo screens, ending with the "BUY" screen, that were all listing the $377 price.
I want to buy the printer for the advertised price.
Tom
Lakemont, Georgia
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