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Dell advertised and sold wrong product - Olympus 8010 camera - looking for suggestion

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  • Mar 30th, 2011 1:02 pm
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Jr. Member
Dec 23, 2006
182 posts
20 upvotes

Dell advertised and sold wrong product - Olympus 8010 camera - looking for suggestion

During last Days of Deals, Dell had the following product on sale:
Olympus Stylus Tough 8010 14MP Black Digital Camera Bundle with 5x Wide Angle Zoom, 2.7" LCD, Float Case - $169.99

I have purchased and received this product.

A few days later, I receive an email from Dell sales saying:

[QUOTE]Unfortunately, due to a product description issue, an Olympus 6020 camera bundle was incorrectly advertised as an Olympus 8010 camera bundle on the March 14th version of “Days of Dell Deals.” Although the 2 models are very similar in appearance and specifications there are some specification differences which have been noted below. If you choose to keep your order number ********* containing the 6020 camera bundle and let us know within 3 business days of receiving this message you will be sent an 8GB SD Card for the inconvenience. Otherwise please let us know if you prefer to return the order.

Product Specification Differences between Olympus Tough 8010 and 6020:
- The STYLUS TOUGH-8010 can withstand a 6.6-foot drop and the STYLUS TOUGH-6020 can survive a 5-foot drop
- The STYLUS TOUGH-8010 can dive to 33 feet under water while the STYLUS TOUGH-6020 can be submerged to 16 feet under water
- The STYLUS TOUGH-8010 can withstand 220 pounds of pressure.
- The STYLUS TOUGH-8010 has 2GB internal memory while the STYLUS TOUGH-6020 has 1GB internal memory[/QUOTE]


What would you do?
Anyone else purchased the same camera?
15 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Apr 16, 2001
16514 posts
3319 upvotes
$170 is still an ok price for the 6020 in Canada (reg $200 at Blacks for the green), though it has sold in the US for $120. SD card is worth what, $10?

Keep in mind aside from durability, it's a crap camera.
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Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 7, 2006
7523 posts
460 upvotes
Toronto
Return for full refund.

You're lucky someone messed up.

+1 to JAC's take on Olympus.

I bought a Tough 5000 from FS for $99...the camera is garbage. It may be a little better than the disposables for beach/snorkeling.

It is not day-to-day usable (to my standard).
Deal Addict
User avatar
Oct 22, 2009
3345 posts
1680 upvotes
Lethbridge
I have an old Stylus 850 (back when Olympus was pretty much the only affordable “tough” camera out there). The thing is great outdoors in bright light; if you plan on taking your camera hiking & don’t want to worry about it, I highly recommend picking one up. However, if you want to use it for anything else, the pic quality isn’t as good as others – I have an ancient 10 yr old Sony that takes better low-light/indoor pics.

Keeping it depends on if the SD card it worth it to you.
Jr. Member
Jul 20, 2005
181 posts
16 upvotes
I also received the 6020 instead of the 8010. What bothers me is that the Dell part# on Dell.ca keeps bouncing between a description of it being the 6020 and the 8010. Yesterday it was described as including the 8010 again and I emailed the service rep that emailed me about the SD card. Today it is back to being the 6020. Something fishy is going on here.

I ended up with a killer deal on the 6020 (got an additional $50 off) and it will serve my needs (as a waterproof camera for taking pictures of my kids in and around water) as I already have a number of other cameras for when image quality is important (D300s, P7000, E-P1, DMC-G1); but, if I can get the 8010 for the price I originally paid instead I would rather have the 8010.
Deal Expert
Jan 7, 2002
29711 posts
29133 upvotes
Waterloo, ON
ep123 wrote: What would you do?
If Dell had advertised this correctly as a 6020 instead of the 8010 would you have bought it for $170?
1. Yes -> Keep it and enjoy the free 8GB SD card.
2. No -> Return it.
veni, vidi, Visa
Newbie
Mar 23, 2011
3 posts
Edmonton
According to Dell's website the price for the 6020 is $279.00. http://tinyurl.com/68xhsv2
The 8010 is (was) $369.00... Unfortunately, I cant post a link any longer since they seem to have removed it from their website.

I already own a 6020 which I purchased on boxing week for about $139.00 (not from Dell), so $149.00 isn't that great of a deal.

Personally, I agree with JAC that the camera photo quality is garbage, but I purchased the 8010 to have a 2nd camera with deeper waterproof rating than my 6020 so I could actually use it in a pool without worry. Image quality wasn't my primary concern. Unfortunately, I got shipped another 6020.

Dell's offer to me to provide an 8GB SD card for my trouble is simply unacceptable. The 'value' difference between the cameras in Dell's own catalogue is $90.00. They sell 8GB SD cards for $13.99. Do you see the disconnect?

They should be offering something of comparable value for our 'trouble'. If I have to resort to returning the product altogether (that is if they ever even reply to my queries), Dell will be down one customer. Hopefully others that read this will be cautioned as one customer is nothing but dust a scale... irrelevant.

In your case, I'd hope that we, as customers, can have some solidarity in our stand to simply not accept these bait and switch tactics. Either return the camera and never deal with Dell again, or demand that they satisfy their contract to supply the product (or one with equivilant specifications, not lesser ones) for the money they have already collected.
Banned
Nov 21, 2010
310 posts
48 upvotes
guess they have got a mistake but they changed after that, unless u got prove....
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 27, 2004
15215 posts
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Vancouver.bc.ca
Since you're unsure, just cancel the order, unless you need it now. It's not like digital cameras get more expensive as time passes.

edit// As the post below ("you sound like you'd be unhappy if you kept it, so return it and wait for next time."), in these types of situations, when the company chooses the product for you, I find that you have to be extra sure that you want the item, or else you always end up thinking about it for a long time, which is why I recommend just cancelling. It's better for peace of mind. :)
Sr. Member
Aug 30, 2008
909 posts
184 upvotes
ON
you sound like you'd be unhappy if you kept it, so return it and wait for next time. :)

haha - last time I ordered Super Mario Bros. WII from Dell, they sent me Super Mario Bros DS - and it even said on the invoice/packing slip. I'm not even sure how they manage to mess that up.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 30, 2007
3036 posts
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Surrey
ep123 wrote: What would you do?
Anyone else purchased the same camera?
I'd review the specifications and decide if I was happy with the substitution. If I wasn't, I'd cancel the order. It's that simple. :-)
Newbie
Mar 23, 2011
3 posts
Edmonton
iamnotamerican.com wrote: I'd review the specifications and decide if I was happy with the substitution. If I wasn't, I'd cancel the order. It's that simple. :-)
I dont completely agree that it's that simple. Yes, the poster could just make it simple by cancelling or keeping the significantly inferior model, but as consumers we need to hold these corporations that pull the bait and switch accountable. If we all just keep it 'simple' for them by letting them continuously get away with it, none of us win. Especially if we just accept the product as is. I appreciate that Dell is giving something in this case, but a cheezy SD card doesn't equate to a $90+ difference in retail value. Of course, that's just my humble opinion... I most definately agree that it should be that simple though.
eyelessluz wrote: guess they have got a mistake but they changed after that, unless u got prove....

I have my order confirmation, my shipping notice, my packing slip and my invoice which all clearly show the 8010 model. I think that's enough proof of what I purchased, regardless of what their website currently says. :)

Note, I'm still working on a suitable resolution with them. They've already received my BBB complaint and attempted to respond. Unfortunately, I was on the phone at the time and missed the call, but it sounds like someone is going to at least reply.

I'd recommend anyone experiencing the same problem to do the same. As I found out, its a simple web form and obviously they are getting the complaints through to Dell very quickly. (I only submitted mine on 2 business days ago) I don't know what the result will be yet, but the more of us that file complaints, the more likely there will be an appropriate resolution.
-----
UPDATE: Dell just called back and refused to agree with my interpretation of their own "terms and conditions of sale". They interpret them differently stating that where it says:
Dell is not responsible for pricing, typographical, or orther errors in any offer by Dell and reserves reserves the right to cancel any orders resulting from such errors. Orders are not binding upon Dell until accepted by Dell.
They interpret this clause as meaning they can cancel the order even after it has been confirmed, shipped, paid for, delivered and invoiced. I guess in theory, they can deem an order cancelled 2 years later and request that you return product at their disgression. Interesting concept. It would be great for taxes

They did still offer to honor their cheap SD card for my 'trouble' if I will accept the inferior product for the price paid. Obvoiusly by the context of my messages, I have said no and have requested an immediate return shipment label. I have to give the rep credit though, while I remained calm, I was very firm with my requests. Even though I could sense his frustration in that he couldn't convince me that he wasn't trying to rip me off, he also remained quite calm. He kept referring me to the hundereds of customers that have already accepted the 8GB card for their trouble using them as an example that the offer was reasonable. Too bad there wasn't a way for everyone to band together on day 1 to tell them to shove it. Getting a couple of hundred open box returns would have sucked... can't resell them as new anymore.. Well they shouldn't anyway.

Oh well... live and learn. No big deal, I can pick up the 8010 later, probably an even better model when the price drops at another vender. I'm in no real hurry anyway. In the meantime, Dell probably will be selling at least one 6020 as a refurbished model soon if anyone else wants to return theirs ;)

In the future, I'll deal with more reputable companies that don't try to scam their customers with these bait-and-switch deals. BEWARE... the "Days Of Deals" scam!!

I still think that anyone who has 5 minutes should also file a BBB complaint for this. I definately recommend NOT accepting the 8GB card as a solution and just returning the camera altogether. If anyone really wants the 6020, you can get the one for about $159 at other retailers if you watch (I know because I've got a green 6020 that I purchased months ago for that price).
Member
Mar 7, 2010
445 posts
26 upvotes
wow, this thread just got kinda crazy.

when I saw the deal posted I knew right away it must be a mistake. The price vs. what the 8000 series camera is currently selling for was way off. Especially since the 6000 series had just been on sale for a similar price elsewhere, (the sale price for the 6000 series is between 159-179$) (the sale price for the 3000 series is between 99-119$)(so to sell the 8000 series for the sale price of the 6000 is crazy) so it made sense to me that someone messed up.

I dont really see how it was a bait n switch, as they didnt tell you the product was out of stock when you went to buy, and then offer a different product instead.
This to me looks like a simple mistake. Someone was confused (as the cameras look very similar) and this someone was probably a data entry clerk paid min wage.

I do believe there is something written somewhere on their site about pricing errors. but really.. over 50% off a 379$ camera... you have to know thats an error before even buying it.

I also dont see what 'trouble' you have to put up with? unless they make you pay for the shipping back to dell. Also, wasnt the camera a package with something else? I think it was a bag? usually at that sale price you only get the camera. So to get a camera, bag, and 8GB class4 card I think is ok. but maybe thats just me. They still offered you a full refund.
They probably didnt notice the error until a customer called in saying they received the wrong camera. So i think the only trouble you went through is a bit of a dissapointment at a too good to be true deal, and maybe a few hours of your time.

Mistakes like this shouldnt happen often, but they do happen. Everyone can make an error, especially when dealing with things that are very similar in looks and description.
Personally I think dell handled it very well. They could have just offered you nothing and said to send it back for a refund.

just my 2 cents.
Deal Addict
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Jan 30, 2007
3036 posts
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Surrey
ThePanther wrote: I dont completely agree that it's that simple. Yes, the poster could just make it simple by cancelling or keeping the significantly inferior model, but as consumers we need to hold these corporations that pull the bait and switch accountable. If we all just keep it 'simple' for them by letting them continuously get away with it, none of us win.
Personally I think we ought to hold these consumers that pull the bait and switch accusations for every little thing accountable. This isn't bait and switch. It is - based on the information you provided -a mistake in which product was advertised.

Learn your terminology and the correct use of such.
Newbie
Mar 23, 2011
3 posts
Edmonton
iamnotamerican.com wrote: Personally I think we ought to hold these consumers that pull the bait and switch accusations for every little thing accountable. This isn't bait and switch. It is - based on the information you provided -a mistake in which product was advertised.

Learn your terminology and the correct use of such.

Agreed... perhaps it isn't by definition bait and switch. I can concede to that. Thank you for your pointed and valid comment. In my defence, I viewed it that way because they advertised a product, shipped a different one, then said it was a mistake after the fact. Definately Possible. It's the perception that it may have been intentional based on 1) the time frame involved and 2)the probably erronous comment by the Dell rep that they will be offering the 8010 on sale again in early April and that I could just purchase it then if I really wanted that model. That made the whole situation sound very shady... even though it was likely just another mistake compounding the issue.

I shouldn't hold a whole company accountable for the comments of one sales rep that probably gets minimum wage or less.

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