(Ryan)
The biggest single order that we heard of trying to take advantage of this deal was a dozen cards, which would have been an impressive haul if it had worked. What’s different about this pricing error compared to other ones is that it’s not possible to, say, downgrade a computer or change a TV model while the item in transit.
“What is highly interesting is that these cards just arrived with packing slips that clearly indicate the $200 SKU, orders that confirm the $200 card, but the value loaded onto the card is only $15,” tipster J. tells us. If that’s the case, it means Best Buy figured out what was going on after the packages containing the gift cards were shipped, but before the buyers received them.
We’ve established in a lot of similar cases in the past that it’s unreasonable to expect a company, even a Big Bad Corporation, to lose more than a hundred dollars on a transaction if they catch the error before shipping your purchase. What if the product is changeable from afar and they catch the error in the interim, though? Best Buy’s terms and conditions for gift cards don’t address this issue.
In any case, we can’t repeat enough times: legitimate pricing errors are not bait and switch. People who ordered these cards hoping for $185 in free money from Best Buy were not acting in good faith, and knew that their orders would be canceled once Best Buy noticed what happened. At what point does a gift card change hands, though? Is it like a movie or book that lives in the cloud, and you never really “own” that money?
We contacted Best Buy to find out whether they did change the card values in mid-shipment, and will let you know what they say.
PREVIOUSLY:
Best Buy Sells $200 Gift Cards For $15, Cancels Orders
Reminder: Legitimate Pricing Errors Are Not Bait And Switch
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist
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