During the holiday season of 2007 - it was my intention of securing the purchase of a multi functional (Fax - Scan - Copy) machine and preferably Brother. I had seen one that fit my needs in a recent Seventh Avenue catalog and because I had dealt with Seventh Avenue in the past without any complaints, I went ahead and ordered the Brother MFC 3360C of which was listed for $199.95. I ordered the machine via telephone and within a week it had been delivered. Immediately upon setting it up, connecting it to my computer and configuring it with the installed rivers software disk, I began using the machine shortly thereafter.
Prior to Christmas, I had to obtain some office materials at my local Office Max and while I was in the store, I noticed they too sold the same identical Brother MFC 3360C for over half less than what I acquired mind for. I asked the salesperson what the suggested retail of the machine was and he informed me that the machine goes between $89.95 and can be found in some localities for as much as $115.00, but I should not expect to pay more than $112.00 as that was Brother's suggested retail.
I contacted Seventh Avenue that very same evening, via email, and told them of my recent discovery and wanted to know how they justified selling me the machine for over twice what it is worth. Granted, I did not shop around and should have researched this item prior to making a purchase via Seventh Avenue. However, I am appalled that a company would knowing and intentionally sell an item for 2 1/2 times more than its "new" value.
Seventh Avenue contacted me and asked me to send them documented proof of alternative sources with advertised and posted prices, so long as they were not "For Sale" advertisements. I got on the Internet and found six such sites selling the MFC 3360C and scanned them to Seventh Avenue. They in turn told me they could not view my messages and again asked me to send the downloads to them. I did so a second time and sent them via USPS and awaited an answer.
Yesterday; February 1 I received my first bill from Seventh Avenue for the purchase of the Brother MFC 3360C. Shipping charges and added finance charges accessed came to a grand total of $236.30 for an $85.00 machine.
I contacted Seventh Avenue by telephone and was informed that I would have to call back later in the day. I emailed Seventh Avenue and a reply came through approximately four hours later claiming they would offer me a 25% discount but I had to be made aware of that the downloaded sites I sent them concerning the Brother 3360C and the Brother 3360C that they sold me were "two different products" and theirs is "different" than the ones I had sent to them in the mail.
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