Shopping Surprises

December 10, 2003 6:16 AM

While chasing down a $16 dollar copy of $30 Film School, I learned Half.com
has been doing business with Reservation Rewards.

In spite of ignoring the offer to join the service, I may still end up becoming
an "instant member", as shoppers on buy.com and other sites have.

Anyone else discover any suprises while shopping for the holidays?
posted by Smart Dalek to shopping (6 comments total)

Sounds crazy! Why does nobody sue this company? It sounds like an open and shut case.
posted by shepd at 6:31 AM on December 10, 2003

A couple weeks ago I got a nice glossy mailer in the mail from these people saying if I didn't cancel within 30 days, my credit card would be charged $119. I was a bit frightened by the fact that they had my credit card number. I called to cancel, and guess what, my credit card company (the evil Citigroup) signed me up for them without telling me. Fortunately the cancelling process was painless, but I won't stand for that sort of behavior. I'm cancelling my card.
posted by zsazsa at 6:31 AM on December 10, 2003

Do you get signed up for this when you respond to the "free gift" thing that shows up after you check out? I bought something the other day and remember seeing that I could get a free gift --in the mouse type it said something about reservation reports.

I never do any of the post checkout things on websites. Anything that is "free" usually has a catch.
posted by birdherder at 7:07 AM on December 10, 2003

birdherder, it's about being signed up without clicking the link to join. This is due to the manner in which customer information is sold.

In brick & mortar environments as well as online, you could be informed of special "outside deals" which may be available after purchasing a store item; even if the offer is declined, the record of the purchase transaction is "sold" to third-party businesses as information. With (or without) your credit number, the receipt history of the purchase may be given out, creating a record which can be used for market surveys.

What's happening in this case, is accounts are automatically being generated at outside agencies regardless of weither the offer is accepted or not.

What's worse is the companies selling your data to others often considers itself a victim as well, rather than claim any liability.
posted by Smart Dalek at 7:42 AM on December 10, 2003

oh. that blows.

i've bought stuff from buy and priceline before and haven't had this problem. at least not yet.
posted by birdherder at 9:06 AM on December 10, 2003

Isn't Half.com closing down next year? Maybe this is how they're making a little cash before the doors close.
posted by me3dia at 10:17 AM on December 10, 2003