Samsung promised Kristin Graham a $150 e-certificate if she purchased a Galaxy Z Fold3. She kept up her end of the bargain, but now the manufacturer isn’t sending the reward. Can we help?
Question
Samsung recently sent me a promotional email promising me a $150 E-certificate if I would buy a Galaxy Z Fold3. It was a substantial investment, but I took a chance.
Samsung didn’t sent the E-certificate as promised and never gave me any other information about it. I researched, then finally called Samsung a couple of weeks after I received the phone.
I provided copies of the promo and proof of purchase. Everything was clear and concise. The Samsung reps first tried to get me to accept a one-time code for a lesser value instead of the promised $150. Then they made many excuses, including pretending they couldn’t read their own ad, which shows the device as eligible.
After escalating my case, a supervisor blamed me for their technical problems and explained I was eligible for nothing. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. I’ve documented everything. I want Samsung to give me what they promised in their advertisement. I want a $150 E-certificate.
Samsung advertised the terms, and I accepted and fulfilled my side. Now it’s time for Samsung to meet its obligations. Can you help me? — Kristin Graham, Zephyrhills, Fla.
Answer
Samsung should have done what it promised, of course. And what it promised was this: a $150 credit if you bought one of its pricey Galaxy Z Fold3 phones (current list price $1,549).
I’ve reviewed the offer and the correspondence between you and Samsung. You left out a really important part, though. See that little asterisk at the end of the headline? Samsung lists lots of terms and conditions on that offer.
If I had to bet, I’d say Samsung was using some obscure condition buried in the fine print as an excuse to deny you the promised certificate. But if that were true, then Samsung should have told you how, exactly, you failed to meet its elaborate terms. Instead, it just passed you from one representative to the next.
If Samsung promised a $150 e-certificate that’s what you’ll get
Here’s how I see it: You took Samsung’s offer at face value, which is what most normal customers would. The modest 10 percent discount wasn’t too good to be true, so it’s not as if you expect Samsung to give you a free phone or something like that. You were acting in good faith.
If Samsung couldn’t come up with a reason for not honoring the offer, then it should send you the $150 now.
By the way, you kept extensive notes, which helped to support your case. I think you could have appealed your case to one of Samsung’s executives as you climbed the appeals ladder. We list the names, numbers and email addresses of Samsung’s managers in our database. I also have a complete guide to a Samsung refund that you might find helpful. (Here’s how to contact the CEO directly.)
I contacted Samsung on your behalf. It reviewed your case and credited you $150, as promised.
