Literalitis



Some customers take everything literally. Too literally, in fact. They believe that a company should do exactly what it says on the website, even when it's a ridiculous mistake. They believe that it should be a law, or is a law, for there to be truth in advertising at all times. A law that goes beyond the laws of common sense or practicality. Suede leather recliner sofa for only $1? "Your company should stand behind your word and give me a recliner for $1!" This is all about Entitlement. They believe there should always be truth in advertising, even when fallible human beings make mistakes when producing the advertisements.

Examples:

When they take your shipping estimate too literally, it becomes TNSTABD.
 * A women's fashion website accidentally had dozens of items marked down to $14 and $20 when they normally sold at $30, $50, $60, or $100. Since I thought it unreasonable to give that sale price on four fifty dollar items or ten hundred dollar items, every damn call that day escalated, with many a challenge based upon being a big spender.
 * Around Christmas, one company put a big red banner saying "TICK, TOCK, FREE SHIPPING" really, really, really close to the picture of the product...and nine times out of ten the item didn't qualify for free shipping. I could never hear the end of complaints to the effect of "the item said free shipping!" And telling them it was on select items only never convinced them, because the designers made a mistake and forgot the asterisk...and failed to mention the fact that it only applies to standard shipping.