Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 10:27:47 -0500
[I originally had a summary of Jon's suggestions below in TidBITS,
but had to remove it for lack of space. Here's the full consumer
revolt primer. -Adam]
I think record companies should disclose any change in compatibility,
especially ones that aren't immediately visible. It's only reasonable if
you buy some sort of media that they tell you what it's compatible with.
If you're really pissed off and want to actively fight this, here's how to
do it.
This can be annoying to do, but here are the steps:
(1) Go buy one of these CDs. Make sure you pay for it with a credit card.
(2) Take it home, put it in your laptop, verify that it doesn't work. You
should probably make sure that you buy a CD of some music that you can
stand, because if it *does* work, you're stuck with it. Congratulations.
(3) When it doesn't work, take it back to the store. Tell them it didn't
work in your CD player. Most stores have exchange but not return policy,
so
they'll mark it as defective and give you a new one. Take that one home,
and try to use it.
(4) When you get back to the store, explain that this second CD doesn't
work, either. Make sure that when you describe what you did, you should be
truthful, but somewhat vague and uninformative. You shouldn't say, "I put
it in my laptop" but "I put it in my CD player" or even better, "I put it
in my stereo." Be cheerful. Be selectively stupid. It should not occur to
your pretty little head that there could possibly be a difference between
types of CD players, even the ones that play those new-fangled CDs called
DVDs. A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose, and a CD is a CD is a CD is a
CD. If you need to, practice a blank, uncomprehending stare with eyebrows
up and mouth slightly agape in front of a mirror if you need to. There are
a number of useful tautologies you can give in such situations. Among them
are, "But my CD player is a CD player", "But -- this CD is a CD", and "But
I wasn't trying to copy it, I was only trying to play it".
It always helps to be cheerful when you do this sort of thing. Remember,
your quarrel is not with the clerk, or even with a manager. They're even
probably on your side in this, because the ultimate result of all this is
going to be that they have to send back merchandise (which is a pain), and
they're apt to lose a customer. Offer to take a third CD, but suggest that
if two of them are bad (and all your other CDs play just fine) that maybe
they got a bad lot. If they give you a third one, you have to do this
again. This is where it can be irritating, as you have another trip back
home.
(5) Come back another time. You're now permitted cheerful exasperation.
Suggest to the clerk that they should give you store credit. Get a CD that
you really wanted. If they explain that they can't, then offer to talk to
the manager. Flatly explain that you can call the credit card company and
get the charge reversed. (This is why you were careful to use your
Platinum
Diamond-Encrusted with Plutonium Scallops credit card. They come with all
sorts of buyers' protection for you.)
(6) If the clerk can't give you store credit, there's no manager, etc.
You're going to have to call the credit card company. Also, write a letter
to the head store, expressing disappointment. There's an art to writing
letters to companies, which is its own essay. An important thing to
remember is that you must always be a disappointed, but loyal customer. If
you say you're not going to do business with them again, they have no
incentive to make you happy.
Above all, maintain a sense of humor about this, because if you aren't
willing to fight all the way, you should fight back by just refusing to
buy. If you end up with that CD and not having returned it, you've damaged
your own cause. In such a case, not buying is far simpler.
Jon
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End of TidBITS Talk Digest