Zappo's Rant *and* Rave!

I just ordered a pair of boots from Zappos, KNOWING that shoebuy had them
for $4 less (but not in my size). Then, as soon as I had my order number, I
called Zappos to ask for my 110% price difference refund. (That's their
price guarantee policy as stated on their website.) I would have been happy
to have them just meet the shoebuy price, but hey...
Anyway, they told me a detail that you don't see on their price guarantee
description: the competing company has to have the same boot IN THE SAME
SIZE that you ordered IN STOCK when Zappo's verifies the price online. I
think that's unfair because a boot could easily sell out in a certain size
between when you order from Zappos and when you request the refund. (You
must already have placed the order with Zappo's in order for them to meet
the competitor's price.) Anyway, I whined a little bit and got my $4.40
refund. Every little bit helps.
I can understand the policy...sort of...but it should be stated in the
description on their website.
cofarb

cofarb wrote:
I admit––this made me curious, so I just checked out Zappos, but I'm
not sure you're going to like what I found... :
http://www.zappos.com/return_and_price_protection.zhtml
:( :( :(

"jjjjjuliep" <jjjjju...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1131493952.784213.64...@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
My bad. However (she added), let's say you really prefer Zappo's customer
service or the speed with which they deliver, and they really are basically
saying that they will meet a competitor's price––they actually guarantee to
give an even *better* price––so you order your item from Zappo's per their
guarantee; a few minutes (or hours or days) later, you phone Zappo's as
described in their directions; they ask for the competitor's url, and you
supply it. And let's say that at that exact moment, the aforementioned
competitor sells the very last pair of boots in your size...well, I think
it's somewhat less than completely fair for Zappo's to deny your request
that they meet the competitor's price. They tout that "110% price
guarantee" on their home page but you really can't be sure you'll be able to
get them to honor it because items do sell out.
BTW, when the person told me that the competitor didn't have my size, I knew
I could find a bunch of other online retailers who *do* have it in stock at
the lower price. I didn't really want to waste my time hunting them down
and then calling Zappo's again, but I *would* have.
As I re–read my first paragraph, I realize that a person could totally abuse
the guarantee. I just don't think that *I'm* that person.<g>
cofarb

funny. the same thing happened to me, but i was buying something from
shoebuy that zappos was selling for a little less.

"kurma" <kurm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1131552632.623319.54...@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
That's interesting. The shoebuy price guarantee transaction is handled via
email rather than phone (like Zappo's). I'm still left wondering how they
deal with the fact that a certain size can sell out between the time you
realize––or notify them of––the price difference. In the end, I think we
get the refund if we fuss about it––and they probably count on most people
not fussing.
They haven't reckoned on a.f.ers!
cofarb