I purchased a set of wireless earphones marked $55.95 (plus tax) on both the product and shelf at a box store in Hamilton Mall. When the salesman rung up the sale after obtaining my credit card, the price was $92 and wasn’t even in stock. When I disputed this price, he wouldn’t give me a credit and said I must apply for it. To make a long story fairly short, I tried to cancel the order at the service desk to no avail, contacted the store manager who also failed (both people spent well over an hour combined in their initial attempts). Afterwards, he promised to continue trying to cancel and to call me; I haven’t heard from him.

At my last attempt, I spoke with the assistant manager who was quite abrupt and told me, that regardless, only one hour is allowed to cancel an order and, therefore, it could not be nullified. When this unwanted delivery arrived in a damaged box, I ordered the assistant manager to have it picked up from my home. I have since disputed this purchase with my credit card company and bought a unit from Radio Shack with no problem. Any suggestions for further follow-up? — Aggravated Anthony

Dear Mr. Aggravated: First, allow me congratulate you first on obtaining the names of the persons with whom you spoke during the transaction. (For brevity’s sake, I omitted this info within your letter.) You’re smart to write down names as a problem occurs; buyers may be so infuriated later about an issue that we forget important facts.

Even though you were so thorough in gathering details, you clearly haven’t yet received the response you seek. I suggest you still go one step further and write the company’s CEO (I e-mailed the correct name and corporate address to “Anthony.”) Additionally, some type of consumer protection office is located in each state; you’re a Georgia resident so send a copy of the letter, along with a very brief cover letter requesting assistance, to Bill Cloud, Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE, Suite 356, Atlanta, GA 30334. Also, even though it’s been my experience with clients that the Better Business Bureau sometimes is pretty laid-back in its consumer advocacy, it’s still a good idea to include your local or state group on your carbon copies. With regards to notifying every organization that should and/or could run interference with your problem, it’s truly amazing how often a dilemma is settled once a regulatory agency becomes involved.

Be sure you iterate your “proof.” Specify a date that you wish a response and what, if any, recompense you wish — even if a simply apology, which sometimes is enough to make us feel that we have value as a customer and as a human being.

Editor’s Note: Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. Her Consumer Watch column appears on Saturdays in the Business section of the paper. An expanded version is at www.timesfreepress.com under Local Business. E-mail her at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com

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