(Topic ID: 206528)

Consumer Ripoff

By Bud

6 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 179 posts
  • 78 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by Pinballlew
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    image (resized).jpeg
    ad-placement-fails (resized).jpg
    0A17687F-F578-46E7-9D89-581F62E6CAF3 (resized).jpeg
    pasted_image (resized).png
    ponoplayercolours (resized).jpg
    pasted_image (resized).png
    Nomad (resized).jpg
    Pioneer xdp300r (resized).jpg
    Hidiz ap200 (resized).jpg
    akrales_170523_1696_0036.0 (resized).jpg
    onkyo (resized).jpg
    DSCF4118 (resized).jpg
    8148605_thumb (resized).jpg
    Astell-Kern-AK70-MKII_1 (resized).jpg
    NW-ZX300_S_diagonal_PlaybackUI-Mid (resized).jpg
    7835389_thumb (resized).jpg

    You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider bud.
    Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

    16
    #1 6 years ago

    Not really pinball related, but I am seeing this type of action happen more and more. I see it when I eat at a chain restaurant that's been "remodeled" and the portions are smaller. Little things like the salad bowls at Outback Steakhouse changed a few years ago, the have a "raised" base on the bowl so the appearance of the contents looks to be the same but there is less food. I see it at the gas pumps with the ethanol content being 10%, yet I pay a higher price still. I see it at the grocery store with the package contents being reduced while the price stays the same for the item. I see it when I need my insurance to provide what they lead me to believe in a few occasions then pull out the legal jargon/flowcharts/small print/ and legalistic malarky.

    I could go on and on, but tonight I rented a movie from red box. I don't normally rent the blue ray DVDs cause they cost extra and I don't typically care for the bonus features. The movie I rented was based on a true story I have known about for years and I wanted to see the bonus features for this movie blue ray offers. So I pay the extra money for the blue ray. I go home, watch the movie and at the end, I wanted to watch the bonus features. I was unable to watch them because this particular blue ray DVD was "intended" for rental, therefore the bonus material was not available. Apparently because I do not "own" this disc, but paid extra money for the features of blue ray, I cannot watch the features. So once again, I was taken by the same BS as above. I must just be a sucker.

    I know it's only a little bit extra and I most likely burn more money in other ways, but it's a matter of principle. Why charge the extra and lead me to believe I am getting extra upfront, then after I buy and consume a product just to find out I didn't get the extras I paid for? Why is this trend so common place now? Why should I have to find the truth after the sale? Anyway, I suppose I'm done ranting. Also done with Redbox. Carry on.

    IMG_3056 (resized).JPGIMG_3056 (resized).JPG

    #15 6 years ago
    Quoted from jahbarron:

    This complaint on a pinball forum? LOL.

    You bet. Change up the complaints a little and get a sanity check, make sure I'm just not getting old.

    #16 6 years ago
    Quoted from Who-Dey:

    You're just now starting to notice this stuff.....really? It's only been going on for like the last 30-40 years. Oh yeah, and Red Box is a pretty damn good bargain for consumers.

    No, I've noticed this for years, but I am noticing this type of business happening more often. The thing that makes me mad is the bonus feature doesn't cost any extra, if anything it cost more to make a special disc without it.

    #17 6 years ago
    Quoted from HighVoltage:

    I'd like to add 59 Fl.Oz. OJ cartons! I guess metric is finally catching on? = 1.75l
    and 12oz packages of bacon! At least this one you can still find 1lb packages.
    .

    This gave me a chuckle. Reminds me of the soda / pop discussion thread...
    "I got my blue ray DVD and my orange coke, I'm set for the night!"

    Sorry..... Blu-ray Disc, BRD?

    #32 6 years ago
    Quoted from 27dnast:

    To the OP: this is nothing new. For the last few years a couple of movie houses have been featuring discs with lesser audio encodes through Redbox. Yes, they want want you to thing twice about renting.
    In fact, quite a few currently exclusively offer their immersive sound encodes on retail 4K UHD discs only... not Blu-ray Disc versions.
    They want you to pay more to get more... now you know it. Either pony-up and pay... get creative and buy used... or look for streaming/download options.
    Just as an FYI (and so you can finally enjoy those special American Made special features without spending another dime)... let me introduce you to a website called YouTube. In the time you spent posting your complaint, you could have gone to YouTube and watched the 10+ minutes of special features your Redbox disc didn’t have:
    » YouTube video

    You are missing the point. I know I can YouTube, I know I can buy used disc, and the tons of other sources to get the info I was expecting. The whole point of this is simple and a matter of principle. If a product is sold/used/rented etc. the distributor should be upfront about the products quality/quantity/or any lack of, especially when an "upgrade charge" is applied and the features are the upgrade aren't included. Sooooo, what was the upgrade in this case and why was I charged extra?

    #34 6 years ago
    Quoted from Luckydogg420:

    This is capitalism at its finest. Companies are in the business

    Don't know if I would call this "capitalism at its finest". I would call this misrepresentation at its finest. Nothing wrong with making a profit, the error is the engineered misrepresentation. I don't mind people making a profit, that's one of the incentives of commerce and innovation. I don't expect anything for free, but I don't want to pay extra for nothing.

    #59 6 years ago
    Quoted from Mike_J:

    Are really talking about a $1.98 rental?
    What is the actual cost?

    We are talking about principles and practices businesses are using to take more money or give you less product and not being upfront about it.

    #68 6 years ago
    Quoted from Buzz:

    Anybody ever see a little unknown film called "1984" ????

    Nope, but if I do I won't rent it from Redbox. Hahahaha

    -1
    #120 6 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    I'm just amazed somebody is actually surprised when they get ripped off eating at Outback steak house.

    I'm amazed at how many people don't mind being taken advance of.

    #149 6 years ago
    Quoted from 27dnast:

    Did you ever see an instance where Redbox advertised extras?

    I didn't see an instance where I was notified all blu-ray features weren't available. I did get a pop up notification I needed to be 17 or 18 years of age to rent this disc and I had to select yes to verify, so where was the notification all features wound not be available?

    It is advertised from Sony that blu-ray has extra features that DVD doesn't have, typically the bonus features and interactive features. Not all features require the two disc set up to enjoy these features.

    #153 6 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Gasoline was around 40 cents a gallon when I started driving and now it's over 3 dollars. What a ripoff!
    And the boss says " I remember when minimum wage was 2 dollars an hour and now I have to pay you guys 10. What a ripoff!"

    This topic is about advertised or preceived product from a distributor.

    What you say is a ripoff and of a different subject, your purchasing power or dollar value, not an advertised product, but since you brought it up:

    Your comparison seems to be around 1973. In 1973 gas was about .40 a gallon, the minimum wage was about $1.60. One hour of minimum wage would have bought 4 gallons of gas that's not diluted with ethanol. Ethanol free gas near me is $3.24 a gallon today, the minimum wage here is $7.25. That one hour wage now only buys you a little more than two gallons. So yeah, it is a ripoff, your purchasing power has been cut in half.

    #155 6 years ago
    Quoted from Astropin:

    That's also a bad example because in other parts of the country you can still buy approximately 4 gallons of us gas from 1 hour of minimum wage.

    Ha, 4 gallons of undiluted gas for $7.25? Where?

    #156 6 years ago
    Quoted from 27dnast:

    Sony is the one you should be crying to... they supply the rental disc. They’re the one that limits rental disc material. This isn’t Redbox’s fault. You’re barking up the wrong tree.

    I'm not barking up any trees, I wouldn't come to Pinside to resolve issues with redbox or any other distributor. I started this topic to discuss short comings of products being sold. Plain and simple, some may agree while others don't, I'm ok with that. I'm not here to be nasty or name call people.

    How hard would it be for redbox to put up a pop up disclaimer saying all features may not be available on Blu-ray Disc? They have pop up disclaimers for age.

    #166 6 years ago
    Quoted from Astropin:

    Who said anything about $7.25? I said "other parts of the country". You're state minimum wage is rather low
    In Michigan you can get 3.5 gallons for 1 hour of minimum wage right now...only because gas just shot up 16cpg. Other states get even higher minimum wages than Michigan. Washington DC will go to $13.25 an hour this year.

    We are talking averages. You said 1 hour minimum wage would buy 4 gallons of gas. I gave averages for the statement pertaining to when gas was .40 cents a gallon, took a comparison of averages from then and now. I don't know what gas price in DC is, but you are taking this as letter of the law for the whole land. Maybe you can get 4 gallons of PURE gas in DC or Michigan for 1 hour minimum wage, I don't know. This site shows a decrease in price from last week in Michigan, I don't know how much Pure gas is there: http://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=MI

    I do know the national average minimum wage is $7.25, so Michigan is on the high end of wages. I know Indiana min wage IS $7.25, and I know gas price here is also the national average so that's how I came to that conclusion. I'm sure gas is more expensive in some areas of the country as well as lower wages.

    #167 6 years ago
    Quoted from 27dnast:

    The product isn't being sold, it's being rented. You rented a movie for a couple of bucks and watched it.
    There are retail versions of discs and rental versions of discs. If you want the full versions of a disc, you have to buy it new or used.

    Yeah, I think I established that in the very first post.

    #173 6 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    Just like blockbuster back in the day.... rentals don't buy all their inventory... they switched to a companion model where they basically license temporary copies in a win-win scenario for the studios/rental store. Studios see greater recurring revenue.. stores wouldn't have to overbuy inventory. Remember when blockbuster started 'garunteeing' availability of the latest releases???. And why ultimately they never had older movies anymore... there was no old inventory around.

    I remember when the video stores like block buster didn't have many older movies, I never understood this but no that you say this it makes sense.

    You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider bud.
    Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/consumer-ripoff?tu=bud and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.