Received this Grizzly ad for a 20% off weekend only sale on select items. Since I've been looking for a Dewalt 735 planer with roll around base I was all ready to place my order. Turns out the planer was not included in their sale. misleading?
[OP]
Member
Received this Grizzly ad for a 20% off weekend only sale on select items. Since I've been looking for a Dewalt 735 planer with roll around base I was all ready to place my order. Turns out the planer was not included in their sale. misleading?
Member
I am used to many of the whole store percent off sales not covering certain items, with woodworking there is normally a disclaimer that it doesn;t cover machines (or any power tools <this usually doesn't apply across the board with Grizzly), Festool, Leigh etc. Now, if Woodcraft et al had a 20% off sale and put a Leigh jig in the copy I would expect it to be covered by the sale. Curious I haven't seen the ad which may have come and been deleted in email but do you need a code or something, I checked the Bessy parallel clamps and the PC 7518 router and neither looked to be on sale. My guess is the actual ad has a hot link followed by clicking the "view all items" button.
Last edited by Van Huskey; 09-24-2016 at 8:30 PM.
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.
Member
I noticed that too. Got me to click the link to view all items.
Last edited by Keith Outten; 09-25-2016 at 10:41 AM.
If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!
Moderator
If the sale is only on "select items" and/or there are any other disclaimers about some items not qualifying, no, it's not misleading. And since a DeWalt planer would be a 3rd party product not made by Grizzly, it would come as no surprise to me that it wouldn't qualify for that level of discount..the margins are not likely there.
--
The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
[OP]
Member
Jim,
What seems to be misleading to me is showing a picture of a DeWalt planer and cart when its not included in the sale, for what purpose other then to bait you into looking at the ad? I'm not trying to bash Grizzly, I have bought more Grizzly equipment than any one person should be allowed too, and I liked it all. I'm just disappointed that a company I like and respect would put out what could be considered a "bait and switch" ad.
Member
Jim
That's more than misleading. I'm not a Consumer Affairs Lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that is illegal by California statutes, not sure about your state. The ad you listed shows the items picture and claims 20% off. It's possible it was inadvertently left out of the sale items, but I'd call and check. If not, then complain about false advertising, or bait and switch tactics if they had a lesser model in their sale. Doesn't hurt to drop the phrases "local District Attorney" and "complaint" in the conversation either. Good luck.
Member
Just took a look at the add. Definitely a Dewalt Planer on the face of the add. Click to go inside and the planer was nowhere to be seen. I am surprised by this because I have a lot of respect for Grizzly. I go in the showroom to buy things regularly. My guess is that a mistake was made by the copy writer/image person. I think it would be worth contacting them to find out. Incidentally, these weekend sales are online only since the store is closed Saturday and Sunday.
Bracken's Pond Woodworks[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Member
Yes, the ad is a bit misleading, considering that they are showing a Dewalt planer in the ad. I have never been disappointed in Grizzly customer service though. A phone call might do wonders.
Steve
Member
The second look leads me into the 100% misleading camp, there is no delineation between the pictures of the specific items and the notice of sale. The are no caveats and the hotlink is to view ALL items, I think a reasonable person even one familiar with items being restricted by companies from being advertised below MSRP would expect the items pictured to be part of the sale. That said I have no indication it was deliberate, it isn't like Grizzly is known for hiring one of the big 4 ad agencies to produce their copy. Likely someone that just got happy with cut and paste pictures. Even if an agent from Grizzly came here and said they did it on purpose what does someone lose? Sixty seconds of anticipation of getting a good deal? I would be significantly more miffed if it was a print ad in pre-internet/pre mail order days and I got in the car and drove half a day to buy an item only to discover the pictured items weren't for sale. Does anyone remember the Rockler Black Friday sale 4-5 years ago when they advertised the PM209 20" jointer for 999.99 when it should have been 1999.99? Dozens if not hundreds of people on various forums (including myself) ordered one and we got a call that Monday saying it was a mistake. Very few if anyone actually got angry since we "all" knew it was a mistake but you never know if they might honor it. In this case the actual aggrieved (the OP) has the right to call and attempt to get a resolution. While I doubt anything would come of it as a business person I would give the discount because it would be worth it to me to know of the situation so I could send a follow up email explaning the error to hopefully alert people that it was indeed a mistake and prevents dozens (or hundreds) of my cutomers from silently boycotting my business over a simple error of myself or my employees.
In the end no big deal in my book, but if it grinds the OP's gears, which I think it is fair if it does, I would make the phone call and give them the chance to respond vs the alternative.
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.
Contributor
Misleading ---even though I think misleading is a bit on the kind side....
If this was any other out fit - other than Grizzly, I'd have to say outright dishonest.
("Papa" Griz doesn't strike me as the type that would jerk people's chains like that - I'm thinking it was more of a screwup of the ad copy staff not knowing one tool from another & just thinking DeWalt was a nice pretty yellow color for the ad))
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
Member
I received the same and YES it absolutely is!Originally Posted by Jim Tabor
I guess I was a bit surprised as Dewalt tools are not deeply discounted.
Moderator
Jim, You might do Grizzly and all customers a favor by sending the image of the ad and your findings to the Grizzly corporate office. If you politely report that this was discussed on major woodworking forum and that others also considered this to be misleading, accidentally or otherwise, it will get their attention and they will likely make changes in the future so it doesn't happen again. You could link to this thread or simply report the number of people who have viewed this already. If 2 or 20 other people also reported this it would be better.
I have had positive experiences in the past in making the management of big companies aware of a problem or error. I have an interesting story about Honda that ended well. Who knows, they may even extend the sale for you and include the planer.
It takes a bit of research to find out who exactly to send the letter to. A real letter, on paper, sent in an envelope with a stamp gets a lot more attention than an email these days.
JKJ
Contributor
No opinion but I want to float this out there in defense of Grizzly. The person or team who came up with the graphics for that ad, I can say with 99.9999% certainty, has no idea what a DeWalt planer, or let alone any kind of planer is. Since I have worked with people who do digital marketing, the typical thing is that someone in the marketing division says to someone in the ad division, "We're doing this promo. Find some stock photos of this or that product to use.", and that's how you get what you see there.
When SCM Group started their Classical/Minimax Facebook page, despite the fact that there was PLENTY of content available specific to MM, there were photos of Sawstops (technically, a competitor in the US) and other machines that had nothing to do with Minimax or even the sector of the market MM sells to. Now, we (the US team) talked to the marketing guy in Italy and sort of explained it and to their credit, he realized what the issue was and their feed has improved but point being, you have machine experts and and you have marketing/design experts and often, never the two shall meet. So, I personally wouldn't roast Grizzly over the coals on it but would agree (and would point it out if someone was listening): It looks unprofessional. Just my 2-cents.
Erik
Contributor
Be that as it may.....So, I personally wouldn't roast Grizzly over the coals on it but would agree (and would point it out if someone was listening): It looks unprofessional. Just my 2-cents.
Someone at Grizzly had to give the ok for that ad to go out....
The finger of blame can be pointed at marketing all day long, but, when it's all said and done, someone in the know has to ok the ad.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
Member
Goes to show ya that you have to read the ad very closely again and again.Misleading then plant an ideal into your head at the same time what the item can be used for,sellers on ebay does this all the time showing several pieces than in the print (if you read) only one is in the sell.READ,READ,READ the ad several times.Experience at falling for those ads----Carroll
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