Office Max 'Bait & Switch' practice advertised special but then did not have items Auburn Maine

Office Max advertised a special consisting of an Epson printer, a 3.2 mexapixel digital camera and a SD card to go with camera. The sale flyer for these items came out Sunday, Dec. 21, 2003. After the mail in rebates, the total for the three items together would be $79.00. When I arrived at the Auburn store in the morning hours, I was told that they were all 'sold out' of the advertised special, but that they were offering a 'substitution' that would only cost the $79.00.

The printer and the card for the camera were as advertised, but the camera was a 2 megapixel instead of a 3.2. I asked how they could consider this a substitution when it was actually a down-grade and how could they charge the same price? That is when I was told that the deal was you would not have to wait for your 'mail-in' rebate...they would honor the price of $79.00! I explained that I would rather wait for the rebate to come in the mail and that I would prefer the 3.2 megapixel digital camera. As I was waiting to talk to the manager, two other customers who came in for the same 'deal' told me that this seemed to be a habit of Office Max...they had come in for a deal advertised last Christmas and were told the same thing. I was also told by an employee of Office Max that they never actually had the camera, but they were told to offer the substution to customers!

I have emailed the company, but they have not yet responded...I am sure they will not.
As for Office Max...I will not shop there again and I am sure to tell my friends and business associates about their practices!

Wendy
Lisbon, Maine
U.S.A.