Sometimes, free is not free. For example, a merchandise promotion may claim that if you purchase an HP Ultrabook computer, you can get a free Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader. Such was the situation on Cyber Monday 2012. But when one consumer had to return the Ultrabook, they discovered that Nook is far from free. It went for retail cost, $99 plus tax. Let this be a caution to you, as many free Nook offers are out there - read the fine print.
Returned Nook makes nothing free
The Consumerist tells the tale of Brian, a customer who was in the market for an HP laptop. He acquired an Ultrabook as part of a Cyber Monday promotion that involved a totally free Nook e-reader. Anything was fine until Brian decided the Ultrabook wasn't exactly what he was looking for. When he went to return the computer, Brian was really charged $99 plus tax out of the return funds from the laptop. It was the expense of the Nook, which HP wouldn't take back.
Issue seen all over
Free Nook promotions are not entirely free, according to HP, and Brian isn't really the only customer to run into this issue. Looking at the small print of such promotions, it becomes clear that the "free Nook" actually costs $99 plus tax. HP has claimed that the price listing as seems like also on a consumer's receipt is merely the way HP systems process orders - the consumer is not charged the $99 at the time of purchase.
The consumer cannot get back the $106 they were charged for the promotion, and the company will not take back the free nook. An HP source said that the business will not take back the Nook or give a $106 refund for the device.
Look at the small print
The terms of the transaction showed that the Nook price was actually bundled with the HP price rather than really being a free product offered on top of the computer. The fine print is where all the essential info could be found.
The Nook cannot be returned, but it could be sold at the consumer's discretion - albeit at a loss - or given as a gift. That does not take the sting of the "free Nook" away, however. So take the experience of others to heart and be aware that free is not always free. Read the small print!
Returned Nook makes nothing free
The Consumerist tells the tale of Brian, a customer who was in the market for an HP laptop. He acquired an Ultrabook as part of a Cyber Monday promotion that involved a totally free Nook e-reader. Anything was fine until Brian decided the Ultrabook wasn't exactly what he was looking for. When he went to return the computer, Brian was really charged $99 plus tax out of the return funds from the laptop. It was the expense of the Nook, which HP wouldn't take back.
Issue seen all over
Free Nook promotions are not entirely free, according to HP, and Brian isn't really the only customer to run into this issue. Looking at the small print of such promotions, it becomes clear that the "free Nook" actually costs $99 plus tax. HP has claimed that the price listing as seems like also on a consumer's receipt is merely the way HP systems process orders - the consumer is not charged the $99 at the time of purchase.
The consumer cannot get back the $106 they were charged for the promotion, and the company will not take back the free nook. An HP source said that the business will not take back the Nook or give a $106 refund for the device.
Look at the small print
The terms of the transaction showed that the Nook price was actually bundled with the HP price rather than really being a free product offered on top of the computer. The fine print is where all the essential info could be found.
The Nook cannot be returned, but it could be sold at the consumer's discretion - albeit at a loss - or given as a gift. That does not take the sting of the "free Nook" away, however. So take the experience of others to heart and be aware that free is not always free. Read the small print!
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