ComplaintsforKevin's Royal Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Owego

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  on june 22 2022 i recieved in the mail a mailer from kevins royal automotive. in the mailer it said to scratch off your winning scratch off symbol. i did and it revealed a $100.00 gas card. i took it to kevins royal automotive and showed it to the owner mr harris. he stated it did not mean i won only that was a chance to win. he showed me on the back of the mailer prize winners are determined by entering the barcode number on the mailpiece through a kiosk at the dealership. matching symbols are not associated with a specific prize. i do not dispute what it said but on the front if you match the symbol you get the prize. i feel this is very confusing. also i thought putting the barcode under the kiosk that it was just verifying the prize. very confusing. thank you

  

  Business response

  07/21/2022

  My name is Kevin H***** and owner of this dealership. I have read this customers complaint. I actually was in my showroom when this customer entered the first day of our 7 day sale and watched and listened to all his comments and conversations with my sales person. Over the past 11 years I have run these type sales now exceeding 120+ sales we have had over 100,000 customers attend these events. During these sales I am in attendance every minute of these events and witnessed many people like Mr. ****. In some rare occasions certain people come in just for the prizes and for no other reason despite the main purpose which is generate vehicle sales to interested consumers. For those like Mr. **** a small minority seem to be expecting to be mislead or forced into buying something they don't want even though that is never our intent. We sent out 40,000 mailers for this particular event and had over 350 customer enter our showroom. Everyone receives a prize of one thing or another. The prizes ranged from $25000 in cash to $100 gas cards, to $100 grocery cards, to $100 worth of gold coins to smart TV's to anywhere from $5, $25,$50 and $100 in cash. The very minimum anyone walked out with was $5 which is what Mr. Eagan received as I recall. In the other than $5 winners categories we gave away 4 gas cards, 4 grocery cards, 3 $100 gold coins, 3 46" Flat Screen Smart TV/s and 15 cash prizes ranging from $25-$100. 

  Mr. **** admitted he did not read the entire sale information details on his invitation once he discovered he only won $5. His symbol scratch off he thought entitled him to a $100 gas card but in the information on his mailer in bold type as we showed him it said: PRIZE WINNERS ARE DETERMINED BY ENTERING THE BARCODE NUMBER ON THE MAIL PIECE THROUGH THE KIOSK AT THE DEALERSHIP. MATCHING SYMBOLS ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIFIC PRIZE. 

  He was brought to my desk on the showroom where I sit to observe all showroom activity for every sale event and stated his Daughter who he claimed was a LAWYER read over his mailer before he came in and he concluded this was a scam or false advertising. We never know what customers expectations are when the come in. 99% of them are happy to win any thing free just for coming in and then a small 1% come in looking for trouble. The fact he divulged he had his Lawyer daughter review his mailer prior to coming in tipped me off that he was in the 1% category expecting something more than was advertised and in most cases it is because they don't take the time to read all the information which we could see by his response when we pointed out the bold type he hadn't. As hard as we try to be transparent and forth coming with all the information during these sales as I have said prior, those like Mr. **** seem to be coming in to these events trying to or expecting to catch us with some nefarious intentions. He made a little scene on our showroom and thankfully left without further incident. 

  Despite our absolute best efforts to please every one, we all know that is never possible try as we might. He did walk out with a prize, just not the one he wanted or assumed. 

   

  Kevin H***** - owner

   

  Kevin H*****-Owner

  Customer response

  07/21/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ****
  
  
  i do not wish to take this any further.  i would like to say a few things about what mr h***** said.  i did not take any prize.  i did not make a scene even after he stated to me if you could read it would have told you about how the prize was given. i stil l feel the mailer was very confusing.  and i am sure i was not the only one complaining about the mailer.  about scanning the bare code i thought it was only to verify the winning of the prize on front of the mailer.
  
  

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