What annoys you? (4 Viewers)

[TJPC]

I find it annoying that for some reason people follow threads at HTF that they are not interested in only to criticize people who do find them interesting. They don’t seem to know how to unfollow them.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A post has been deleted and disciplinary action has been issued. Just to remind the membership, I'm going to post the following posting guideline.

Conduct
10. No personal attacks. We expect all members to treat each other with consideration and respect. While we encourage lively debate, we do not allow personal attacks. This includes direct attacks, such as name-calling, as well as indirect attacks, such as repeated baiting of a member in a provocative or belittling manner. If you believe that you have been subjected to a personal attack, or have witnessed one on another member, please see the section on Dealing with Problems for instructions on how to proceed.

 

[Carabimero]

People annoy me who trash great movies or TV shows with an unfair Amazon rating because they don't like the box art or the price.

 

[bmasters9]

People annoy me who trash great movies or TV shows with an unfair Amazon rating because they don't like the box art or the price.

Or worse, the picture quality of an otherwise good show (a complaint often leveled against Timeless's original-version M Squad release; it's a great show, but it has been downgraded on its Amazon entry simply because some don't like the picture quality; Timeless [at the top of each disc] said they did the best they could with everything they were given, and I believe them).

 

[BobO'Link]

People annoy me who trash great movies or TV shows with an unfair Amazon rating because they don't like the box art or the price.

Add those people who receive a damaged copy (either from Amazon or a MP vendor) and give a low rating with a "review" along the lines of "It was broken... send a new copy."

 

[Stan]

Add those people who receive a damaged copy (either from Amazon or a MP vendor) and give a low rating with a "review" along the lines of "It was broken... send a new copy."

Amazon is a great company. I bought a DVD years ago, don't even recall what it was. Horrible quality, wouldn't play properly, early DVD time when they were just coming out. Returned it and got replacements 3-4 times, always the same. They finally gave up and refunded my payment. Not a lot of businesses that will do that much for you.

Bought my latest TV from them. Shipped quickly, running flawlessly for a couple of years so far.

 

[BobO'Link]

Amazon is a great company. I bought a DVD years ago, don't even recall what it was. Horrible quality, wouldn't play properly, early DVD time when they were just coming out. Returned it and got replacements 3-4 times, always the same. They finally gave up and refunded my payment. Not a lot of businesses that will do that much for you.

Bought my latest TV from them. Shipped quickly, running flawlessly for a couple of years so far.

Absolutely! I've actually had them send a replacement copy of a DVD box set with a bad disc *outside* the, rather small, 30 day return window by a couple of weeks. I simply explained that 6 (or however many it was) seasons is practically impossible to get through before the return window closes. They agreed and sent the replacement.

I've had Target do similar. I purchased S1 of The Rockford Files from them - the troublesome DVD-18 version. After the 3rd copy with defective discs I asked for a refund instead of a replacement arguing that it would likely be the same on any further copies. They agreed. I expected them to pull it from the shelf based on that but it was still being sold months later. I guess some people won't bother with a return if a disc doesn't play.

 

[TJPC]

I agree, Amazon really stands behind their products. If a case is damaged, I call them directly and they take the equivalent amount off my bill. Stores have not been so understanding.

I once bought a DVD set (The Martian Chronicles) from a reputable store, and then walked further down the mall and sat on a bench. I opened it up and found that one of the DVDs had a piece of plastic the size of a dime welded to the playing surface!

I returned to the store where a clerk told me I could only get an exchange because the set was opened, even though I had bought it 15 minutes before, and it was their only copy. They said they would have to order a copy and call me when it arrived! It was only by demanding to see the manager and raising a big stink that I finally got a refund.

 

[Stan]

Absolutely! I've actually had them send a replacement copy of a DVD box set with a bad disc *outside* the, rather small, 30 day return window by a couple of weeks. I simply explained that 6 (or however many it was) seasons is practically impossible to get through before the return window closes. They agreed and sent the replacement.

I've had Target do similar. I purchased S1 of The Rockford Files from them - the troublesome DVD-18 version. After the 3rd copy with defective discs I asked for a refund instead of a replacement arguing that it would likely be the same on any further copies. They agreed. I expected them to pull it from the shelf based on that but it was still being sold months later. I guess some people won't bother with a return if a disc doesn't play.

Brain has reloaded. It was "Banacek", from those old NBC Mystery movies. Loved the show, kind of like "McMillan and Wife". Just old favorites. I was a kid when they were broadcast, fun to look back and relive those shows.

The DVDs just didn't work, but Amazon was very cooperative and did their best.

I'm one of those grouchy people who doesn't accept defective products. I'll call companies and get refunds or coupons if there is anything wrong. I bought a loaf of bread and it was moldy. Company sent me $20 in coupons. Recently had an issue with Safeway, not in the mood to return the product, just trashed it. They credited my account double the cost of what I paid.

Don't let corporations get away with bad service or products, fight back.

 

[bmasters9]

I once bought a DVD set (The Martian Chronicles) from a reputable store, and then walked further down the mall and sat on a bench. I opened it up and found that one of the DVDs had a piece of plastic the size of a dime welded to the playing surface!

How'd that get on there?!

 

[TJPC]

I have no idea, the piece was melted into the playing surface. It must have been a factory flaw that should have been in the reject pile.

 

[BobO'Link]

I agree, Amazon really stands behind their products. If a case is damaged, I call them directly and they take the equivalent amount off my bill. Stores have not been so understanding.

Interesting. I usually just do a return/exchange and don't send the original back until I get the replacement. I'd consider doing what you do but I absolutely hate doing CS over the phone. It takes forever and I usually get non-English speaking reps who just do not understand the situation. I prefer email, but companies are getting away from that and leaving chat or phone as the only options.

I once bought a DVD set (The Martian Chronicles) from a reputable store, and then walked further down the mall and sat on a bench. I opened it up and found that one of the DVDs had a piece of plastic the size of a dime welded to the playing surface!

I returned to the store where a clerk told me I could only get an exchange because the set was opened, even though I had bought it 15 minutes before, and it was their only copy. They said they would have to order a copy and call me when it arrived! It was only by demanding to see the manager and raising a big stink that I finally got a refund.

That's ridiculous! I absolutely would have stopped doing business with them and told the manager so once I got that refund.

A season of Hogan's Heroes I purchased had a "punch" in the playing surface about the size of a paper hole-punch circle. It didn't go all the way through and wasn't bubbled up on the label side. It was obviously a manufacturing defect but I got some grief from the WM CS person about it even though I was just doing an exchange. She almost blamed me for doing the damage: "Are you sure this was there when you opened the package?" type questions.

 

[TJPC]

I find with Amazon, most of the time a replacement is sent and they don’t even want you to send back the other one.

 

[Stan]

I find with Amazon, most of the time a replacement is sent and they don’t even want you to send back the other one.

When I got defective discs, they sent me the packaging, all prepaid to return them. Must have cost them at least $150 after all the different replacements and still never ended up with the DVDs I wanted. But didn't cost me a penny.

That's why they're so successful. Even as massive as they are, they do care about their customers.

 

[BobO'Link]

I find with Amazon, most of the time a replacement is sent and they don’t even want you to send back the other one.

The only thing I never have to return is food products. They want almost everything else back. Since there's a Pak-Mail location a half-block from my office I don't complain as it's a quick drop off no matter what shipper they use for the return.

 

[bmasters9]

A season of Hogan's Heroes I purchased had a "punch" in the playing surface about the size of a paper hole-punch circle. It didn't go all the way through and wasn't bubbled up on the label side. It was obviously a manufacturing defect but I got some grief from the WM CS person about it even though I was just doing an exchange. She almost blamed me for doing the damage: "Are you sure this was there when you opened the package?" type questions.

Why would she act like a prosecuting attorney towards you about this damage, even though you didn't damage it?

The only thing I never have to return is food products. They want almost everything else back. Since there's a Pak-Mail location a half-block from my office I don't complain as it's a quick drop off no matter what shipper they use for the return.

How convenient! I'm glad you have it that way.

 

[TJPC]

The only thing I never have to return is food products. They want almost everything else back. Since there's a Pak-Mail location a half-block from my office I don't complain as it's a quick drop off no matter what shipper they use for the return.

I have returned things to Canadian Amazon, but most things I buy are from US Amazon and mailed to my US postal box in Buffalo. When I explain the difficulty bringing stuff back and forth across the border they usually wave the return and send me another one or adjust my bill.

Mind you, although I have had numerous broken or cracked cases, especially on CDs, I had only one disc that had to be replaced, that cracked in half when I tried to take it out of the case the first time.

 

[dvdclon]

Why would she act like a prosecuting attorney towards you about this damage, even though you didn't damage it?

I imagine these returns clerks have seen stuff we can't even imagine. I recall a story of a guy buying a hard drive and when he opened it up, he found - a potato. Probably someone else bought it, swapped the drive for the tater and returned it for a refund. But maybe not?

 

[Stan]

The "Emergency Broadcast System". I know it's necessary, but it's gone off three times in the past few days. Give it a rest.

They always say it's just a test, blah, blah, blah. Do it to much and it's like that silly "The Sky is Falling" story. Eventually you stop paying attention to it.

Having a public phone number, I also get the recorded calls about somebody lost, or with Alzheimer's walking around 30 miles from my home. How am I possibly going to help in that situation?

 

[BobO'Link]

The "Emergency Broadcast System". I know it's necessary, but it's gone off three times in the past few days. Give it a rest.

It's quite possible that it's an ad from an upstream broadcaster tripping a cascading alert notification. It's been done before, in spite of it being against regulation and a finable offense. I've actually had to tell a client they couldn't use that tone in their ad. They were not happy. All it takes is an uninformed ad agency grunt thinking it's clever to use it in a commercial coupled with station personnel who don't know (inexcusable) or just don't care. Use of that special activation tone outside of an emergency situation can cost thousands in fines. Clearchannel was once fined 1 million for one of its syndicated announcers doing a rant about a weekly test interrupting a football game. He used an actual alert tone as part of the rant.

If it's a local station, I'd consider contacting someone about that as it's only supposed to air once a week. You could also file a complaint with the FCC.