Notebook Review bogus coupons?

For two weeks in a row I've run up against coupons posted here and on Digital Camera Renew that manufacturers refuse to horor. They claim it's incorrect information coming from Notebook Review and Digital Camera Review.

About 2 weeks ago HP had a deal on notebooks: $500 off if configured for $1399 or more. I jumped at that only to discover it wasn't based on HP's base price, but an inflated price. Even though the HP web page had a list of items included, i.e., free shipping and instant savings, they refused to honor that along with the $500 off coupon.

Just today I tried to purchase a camera advertised on Dell Small Business for a coupon deal posted on Digital Camera Review. Dell refused to honor it. They claimed it wasn't their Small Business division, but their Home division and that it has expired 7/3/08 even though the coupon posted here said it was good until 7/7/08.

In both cases, Dell and HP said it wasn't their coupon and they were under no obligation to honor them.

So why is Notebook Renew and Digital Camera Review posting these bogus coupons? Sure, mistakes happen, but they need to be corrected. They need to explain why there are coupons being posted that manufacturers refuse to honor.

It's your credibility that's at stake.

 

That $500 coupon was used by a lot of people and was definitely legit, I used it myself. Coupons expire after a certain amount of time and uses or sometimes at the whim of the marketing people. I'm not really sure which coupon for a camera you're referrign to, but we only post things that manufacturers marketing departments send us. We're not really about wasting people's times by making up coupon codes, there's a report expired deal feature and you can always comment on deals and ask if others are having problems using a code as well.

 

Of course they had the HP $500 coupon, but it was only worth $350, not $500. Before the applied the $500 discount, they rescinded the $150 instant savings. They wouldn't allow that even though it was right there one the page ... indeed on several of the pages used in the process.

But the bogus camera coupon is more black and white. Look at http://forum.digitalcamerareview.com/showthread.php?t=7205 and you can see it clearly says Dell Small Business, $190 and that it expires on 7/7/08.

Right there is says "[added 6/27/2008 | expires 7/7/2008 11:59:59 PM ]"

So I tried to order it on Dell's site. Didn't work. Tried the Small Business section of the Dell site. Didn't work. So I called Dell. Got through to their Small Business operator and tried to place the order on the phone. He said they would take coupons on the phone, but when I told him the coupon, he said a) it was Dell Home and not Small Business, and b) that it expired 7/3/08. He transfered me to an operator from Dell Home. Same result: it was Dell Home and not Small business, but it had expired.

But I don't think this was just a typo. I googled "canon SD1100 coupons" and discovered:
http://www.xpbargains.com/index.php/send_deal/90241
There they have Dell Home, a different color, but expiring 7/7/08.

So something is rotten in Denmark. I don't need to go through 30-40 different coupon sites and we'll see variations.

But Dell says it's your fault, that you posted incorrect information and because of that they refuse to honor that.

So does Dell have a racket going on, or it the problem in your court? And consumers seem to be left holding the bag here.

 

I guess it's Ok to point something out, but being so rough on the NBR folks is, well, rude - It's like b1tch-slapping a gift-horse in the mouth...

If something doesn't work, use the link to report it.
But, the folks on here VOLUNTEER to do this, as I am sure there is not much revenue to be had from a site like this. I did not pay a membership fee, and I am sure you did not either.

I think you just need to ease up a little bit.
There's nothing wrong with WHAT you are saying - it's HOW you are saying it.


T

 

Sorry you're offended, but I stand by what I said and howI said it. I think you are being an apologist and trying to divert attention away from the problem. If I felt those who run this site were corrupt or committing fraud I would have said so, but I didn't. I said the coupons were bogus and something is rotten. They are bogus because the retailers refuse to honor them in the instances I cited.

It would help to see a) a correction to the coupons on the site, b) an explanation why incorrect information is posted and depending on where the problem is, efforts to have HP or Dell honor the coupons. Granted this is a holiday weekend, so I can understand why nothing has happened yet, but the bogus Dell coupon is still on the site.

I would like to know why this site (and others) list a coupon claiming to be good through July 7th and Dell will not honor it. I don't care if it's Dell Home or Dell Small Business (but apparently Dell does care), but the expiration date is important.

 

All the coupons I've ever seen posted here at NotebookReview.com have always worked. The coupons have an expiration date as well as a "up to x uses" limit.

If you use it and it doesn't work, boohoo. NBR is not under obligation to be your *****. Welcome to the internet.

 

Who said it was their obligation? I said it was credibility. I asked Dell why they would not honor the coupon and they said it wasn't the number of uses ... the reason was the expiration date, which contradicts the information on this site.

This site advertises coupons and if they are not being honored, then there should be an explanation. If Dell says they will honor a coupon until X date, and if they don't, then NBR/DCR should look into it.

And don't come across with that boohoo crap. It all goes back to credibility.