Complaint/rant: My tale of being screwed by Amazon.ca

[Sivrajam]

Sorry about my first post being a complaint/rant, but I need to vent as a long time GT fan and browser of this site. I posted my complaint over at Reddit.

http://www.reddit.com/r/amazon/comments/1sv8zk/complaint_my_tale_of_being_screwed_by_amazonca/


TL;DR version:
- Pre-order placed July 8, 2013 based on the advertised pre-order promotion (print of web site: http://i.imgur.com/UtGwTjL.png )
- Had I known Amazon.ca would end up not honouring the advertised pre-order bonus months later, I would have used Amazon.com instead or a different retailer
- Now that the game has been released, I have lost the opportunity to choose a different retailer and receive the advertised pre-order bonus
- I feel very disappointed in being offered something during the pre-order phase, only to learn after it ships that I was (apparently) never entitled to receive the bonus
- Don't choose Amazon.ca for any pre-order bonuses with games, because they won't honour them even when you print the page from the date of purchase

For those of you who enjoy reading, here are the chat transcripts between myself and the Amazon.ca support staff. I have removed names for privacy reasons. It's too long to post below, so I uploaded it publicly to view: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3S_7FsAQ-qgWWhKWEN1MElZQnc/edit?usp=sharing

I really don't know where to go from here. I have sent an email to Sony Canada and PlayStation Support, but I don't expect any results. For those of you who are going to post "pre-order bonus ruin games, dude!" please don't bother. This is about the principle of essentially being misled at the time of purchase and then having the rug pulled out from under you.

I'll never trust Amazon.ca with any pre-order again. I really wish I had chosen EB Games (Canadian retailer of GameStop).

I'm not the only one that ordered from Amazon.ca wondering what happened to the pre-order bonus:

 

[SkylineR88]

only the reddit link works

 

[Universal-Shot]

I logged in just to tell you your not alone. I bought from Very.co.uk in advance and got the game on the 6th even though I was informed it would not arrive until after the weekend on the 9th. I got no 'Precision pack' code in the case, by email or by paper receipt.
I rang them and was transferred 3 times and then had the phone hung up on me. Then I rang again and was transferred to Sony Technical. Sony said it was the retailers problem but obviously the staff had no idea and I just couldnt be bothered with it. I cant find any other examples of people with the same problem from Very.co.uk on the net so Ive just let it go.
Annoyingly I can go to any local superstore or game shop which there are about 10 of, and likely get a code with the game even today. I only bought from Very.co.uk to pay later and expected the code to be in the case.

It seems Amazon havent sent your email but they should know what to do. I would try them again.

 

[Steve Mcqueen]

Just incase check your past emails for the promotional code from amazon you might of thought it was junk email

 

[JLBowler]

Just by reading the page you have saved from amazon, you need to read the entire fine print. Quoting from the description of the item, "Amazon reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time."

If I was the rep at Amazon and you showed me this page, I would quickly point out that sentence and then I would point out that the release date was in fact Dec. 31 on that page. This just goes to show that things do change from July to December. The four car pack they offer there was most likely never delivered to anyone by Sony. The actual pre-order car packs were all five car packs.

I know it's difficult for you to accept the fact that you pre-ordered before any pre-order bonus was confirmed and Amazon.ca exercised their right to change or terminate the promotion. The only real complaint you have is that you were not notified of the change or termination. It is impossible for any retailer to give something that they were never given in the first place.

 

[Zathra5_]

That four car pack was also offered by ebgames but I don't think anyone got it either. But it looks like there was some confusion about the preorder because they said you go 16 anniversary cars and that four pack but elsewhere it said you got 25 anniversary edition cars. The 25 anniversary edition cars, which we received, included 3 of the cars in the four pack so it looks like the preorder bonuses changed. I would try to figure out what amazon.ca ended up giving out as the preorder bonus and try to get that rather than the non-existent 4 car pack.

 

[JLBowler]

That four car pack was also offered by ebgames but I don't think anyone got it either. But it looks like there was some confusion about the preorder because they said you go 16 anniversary cars and that four pack but elsewhere it said you got 25 anniversary edition cars. The 25 anniversary edition cars, which we received, included 3 of the cars in the four pack so it looks like the preorder bonuses changed. I would try to figure out what amazon.ca ended up giving out as the preorder bonus and try to get that rather than the non-existent 4 car pack.

That's very good advice. A screen grab of the most recent pre-order bonus from Amazon.ca would probably a be more useful tool in your quest for a bonus.

 

[Sivrajam]

Just incase check your past emails for the promotional code from amazon you might of thought it was junk email

No emails were sent by Amazon.ca as they confirmed there was no promotion through them. Trust me, I looked through any spam emails and there were none.

Just by reading the page you have saved from amazon, you need to read the entire fine print. Quoting from the description of the item, "Amazon reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time."

If I was the rep at Amazon and you showed me this page, I would quickly point out that sentence and then I would point out that the release date was in fact Dec. 31 on that page. This just goes to show that things do change from July to December. The four car pack they offer there was most likely never delivered to anyone by Sony. The actual pre-order car packs were all five car packs.

I know it's difficult for you to accept the fact that you pre-ordered before any pre-order bonus was confirmed and Amazon.ca exercised their right to change or terminate the promotion. The only real complaint you have is that you were not notified of the change or termination. It is impossible for any retailer to give something that they were never given in the first place.

I did read that point, but Amazon.ca never notified me that their sales contract terms changed.

That's very good advice. A screen grab of the most recent pre-order bonus from Amazon.ca would probably a be more useful tool in your quest for a bonus.

Irrelevant, because the screen grab is from the same date I placed my pre-order and entered into the sales contract with the retailer. Anyone with a basic understanding of contract law would realize why that is important. I did not enter into a sales contract with the retailer based on their future terms, I entered based on the terms that exist at the time of the order being placed. That is what is relevant.

 

[Sivrajam]

Anyway, I was in my local EB Games and spotted a 15th Anniversary Edition and picked it up. I will be voting with my dollars is the most effective method to show them displeasure by returning the game to Amazon.ca.

 

[Sivrajam]

I'm not the only one that ordered from Amazon.ca wondering what happened to the pre-order bonus:

 

[JLBowler]

An understanding of contract law is unnecessary when I have an understanding of the English language. When a retailer includes in the product offer the right to change or terminate at any time. They have the legal right to change or terminate at any time. That is exactly what they exercised.

What you should have been looking for would have been an updated pre-order offer that included the same text that was in your screen shot in regards the new offer being applied to all previous pre-orders. By determining what the most recent pre-order offer was, you could determine what you were actually entitled to.

 

[Vasquezz28]

this reminds me of the time I pre-ordered Batman Arkham City and the gamestop guy told me that there would be a drivable batmobile. there was a picture advertising the pre-order dlc. I got the game and the was no batmobile code. instead the dlc was costumes for catwoman and batman hahaha. so things change and we cant do anything about it.

 

[Sivrajam]

An understanding of contract law is unnecessary when I have an understanding of the English language. When a retailer includes in the product offer the right to change or terminate at any time. They have the legal right to change or terminate at any time. That is exactly what they exercised.

What you should have been looking for would have been an updated pre-order offer that included the same text that was in your screen shot in regards the new offer being applied to all previous pre-orders. By determining what the most recent pre-order offer was, you could determine what you were actually entitled to.

Except for the fact that if you did have an understanding of contract law, we wouldn't be having this discussion. My reading abilities are just fine, so how about you read my post again?

 

[YZF]

Well, you entered into the sales contract with the retailer and the contract said that retailer can remove any bonuses if he wishes so. That's what they did. And you agreeed with that by placing your pre-order.

 

[JLBowler]

One final question for you and then I'm done. Were you notified when the release date was changed? If you were notified of a release date change then that would constitute a change to the original agreement. If there was no specific mention of a pre-order bonus at that time, then you could expect that it had been removed from the agreement.

I would guess that you didn't bother to grab a screenshot of that notification though.

 

[Sivrajam]

Well, you entered into the sales contract with the retailer and the contract said that retailer can remove any bonuses if he wishes so. That's what they did. And you agreeed with that by placing your pre-order.

If you re-read my previous posts, this has been covered. I entered into the sales contract based on the current terms of the sale at the time my order was placed, not based on the possibility of it being revoked at a later date. I'm not the only one that fell for the bait and switch.

I'm not the only one that ordered from Amazon.ca wondering what happened to the pre-order bonus:

One final question for you and then I'm done. Were you notified when the release date was changed? If you were notified of a release date change then that would constitute a change to the original agreement. If there was no specific mention of a pre-order bonus at that time, then you could expect that it had been removed from the agreement.

I would guess that you didn't bother to grab a screenshot of that notification though.

There was no email notification sent out by Amazon.ca to advise of the release date change, nor was there an email to advise the pre-order bonus was revoked.

 

[YZF]

If you re-read my previous posts, this has been covered. I entered into the sales contract based on the current terms of the sale at the time my order was placed, not based on the possibility of it being revoked at a later date. I'm not the only one that fell for the bait and switch.

Yes, you entered into the sales contract based on current terms of sale. And what were those 'current' terms? They said that 'Amazon reserves the right to change or terminate the promotion'. And you agreed to that. You agreed that they may terminate the promotion at any time. And thats what they did.


Do they have to inform you about the termination of promotion? That's another question, for which you may want to find the answer. If they don't have to inform you, then there is nothing you can do about it.

 

[Sivrajam]

Yes, you entered into the sales contract based on current terms of sale. And what were those 'current' terms? They said that 'Amazon reserves the right to change or terminate the promotion'. And you agreed to that. You agreed that they may terminate the promotion at any time. And thats what they did.


Do they have to inform you about the termination of promotion? That's another question, for which you may want to find the answer. If they don't have to inform you, then there is nothing you can do about it.

You answered your own question.