Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising email

[toshibean]

Hi all,
I'm new to the AFF community. I'm a newish red member of Virgin Velocity and am not happy about not having bonus points not allocated to me and need some advice on how to proceed.
[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]
2/6/16 Urgently needed a new laptop, mine was dying and full of viruses. Really serious security issue as I do a lot of online banking and am starting a new online business. Couldn't risk it. Ordered a new one as part of an EOFY deal directly from the Dell Website. Spent $1098.20.[/FONT]
[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]
5/6/16 Decided to have a good look around the Velocity site to see how I can bump up my points using their eStore. Lo and behold, they are offering the same EOFY prices for Dell Australia, but with the added bonus of $1=4 points. I could have purchased exactly the same laptop from Velocity eStore for the same price as Dell's website and I could have earned quite a lot of Velocity points.[/FONT]

[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]5/6/16 Contacted Dell via email as their customer service call centre is closed on the weekend, to ask if I could still get these Velocity points without cancelling the order.

7/6/16 Dell responded saying NO. I could have cancelled the order, then placed a new order via the Velocity eStore, but, it would have taken over a week to get the $1K plus refunded back onto my credit card, then i would have had to place the order on Velocity and go through the whole waiting process again. I couldn't wait that long, I'm starting an online business. [/FONT]

[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]7/6/16 I received an email from Velocity advertising the EOFY deal with Dell!!

7/6/16 Contacted Velocity to ask can I please be credited the EOFY bonus points as an act of goodwill, given that the Dell EOFY deal was on their site, long before they emailed me the advertising email AND that I will be taking multiple interstate & O/S trips in the coming years as I will travelling frequently to meet suppliers etc.

15/6/16 Velocity response NO with a bland, patronising template response that i have to go through the eStore. Duh I already knew that.

Any suggestions on what to say when I go back to them, all I can think of, is if Richard Branson heard this he would definitely blow up with such coughpy customer relations.

Thanks in advance,
toshibean
[/FONT]

 

[Muppet501st]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Welcome to AFF Toshibean

Im afraid I think you're out of luck.

And your thread title here is a bit misleading, its not VA's fault you purchased an item directly with the company, instead of going thru VFF website.

 

[mannej]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Any suggestions on what to say when I go back to them, all I can think of, is if Richard Branson heard this he would definitely blow up with such coughpy customer relations.

Hyperbole like this does not help your case. Saying no to your response is not poor customer service. If you wanted the points, you should have cancelled the original order and purchased through the VFF store.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Hi all,
I'm new to the AFF community. I'm a newish red member of Virgin Velocity and am not happy about not having bonus points not allocated to me and need some advice on how to proceed.
[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]
2/6/16 Urgently needed a new laptop, mine was dying and full of viruses. Really serious security issue as I do a lot of online banking and am starting a new online business. Couldn't risk it. Ordered a new one as part of an EOFY deal directly from the Dell Website. Spent $1098.20.[/FONT]
[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]
5/6/16 Decided to have a good look around the Velocity site to see how I can bump up my points using their eStore. Lo and behold, they are offering the same EOFY prices for Dell Australia, but with the added bonus of $1=4 points. I could have purchased exactly the same laptop from Velocity eStore for the same price as Dell's website and I could have earned quite a lot of Velocity points.[/FONT]

[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]5/6/16 Contacted Dell via email as their customer service call centre is closed on the weekend, to ask if I could still get these Velocity points without cancelling the order.

7/6/16 Dell responded saying NO. I could have cancelled the order, then placed a new order via the Velocity eStore, but, it would have taken over a week to get the $1K plus refunded back onto my credit card, then i would have had to place the order on Velocity and go through the whole waiting process again. I couldn't wait that long, I'm starting an online business. [/FONT]

[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]7/6/16 I received an email from Velocity advertising the EOFY deal with Dell!!

7/6/16 Contacted Velocity to ask can I please be credited the EOFY bonus points as an act of goodwill, given that the Dell EOFY deal was on their site, long before they emailed me the advertising email AND that I will be taking multiple interstate & O/S trips in the coming years as I will travelling frequently to meet suppliers etc.

15/6/16 Velocity response NO with a bland, patronising template response that i have to go through the eStore. Duh I already knew that.

Any suggestions on what to say when I go back to them, all I can think of, is if Richard Branson heard this he would definitely blow up with such coughpy customer relations.

Thanks in advance,
toshibean
[/FONT]

I feel that if your account of the situation is accurate, then you will not receive the bonus points. The eStore relies on you accessing the supplier via the VA link.

Same applies to many websites EG : Cash rewards etc etc

You may not want to hear it, but the website is quite clear.

This is not a VA mistake

Shipping
This Retailer delivers within Australia only – subject to change.
Purchase Conditions
Please note: To earn your reward on your Dell purchases, you must click through this website and complete your transaction online.

 

[jneufeld]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

To provide you with some context Dell pays VA a small percentage for every customer referred to them through the eStore, allowing VA to pass on points to you. If you fail to to click through the eStore VA don't get their cut so there is no incentive to provide you with points. There is also no 'goodwill' as the mistake was yours and not theirs, goodwill is usually used when they have made a mistake but don't want to own up to it and provide some compensation to resolve the matter without admitting fault.

 

[CPMaverick]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Good onya for trying but you have absolutely no reason to be upset that VA didn't give you points. You didn't earn any points and are not owed any.

 

[toshibean]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Hi Muppet501st,
Yes, I agree, it is a bit misleading, didn't mean to come across as a bit dodgy, I found it difficult to explain the story in a sentence. I'm not great with being succinct.
I was just dirty that they sent me the advertising email re the EOFY deals a few days after they went live on their eStore. I would have thought being a VFF member, I would have been advised beforehand, isn't that the point of membership? I would have definitely taken it up.
Anyway, thanks for the feedback.
Regards,
toshibean

 

[toshibean]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Agreed, just disappointed that as a member, they sent the advertising email long after the deal went live. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[toshibean]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Thanks jneufeld,
Yes, I am well aware how the loyalty programs work, I've worked on software for various loyalty programmes. Just bummed about the delay in the marketing email i was sent, thought that being a member gave us a heads up about these things before they go live on the site. Had to give it a shot. Appreciate your input.

 

[toshibean]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

No, it's not a mistake, just disappointed seeing the marketing email after the deal had gone live on their site. Thank you everyone for your quick responses, this is a great forum.

 

[medhead]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Probably worthwhile to consider that the e-store probably gets some sort of finder's fee for referring the business to Dell. That is how they pay for the points you get. Do you really think they're going to give you points at a cost when they haven't got paid a fee? Seeing the same price at the front end doesn't make it an equivalent purchase.

At the end of the day Caveat Emptor applies.

 

[scubabe]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

I once purchased a $900 order from Shaver Shop, not realising they were a QFF shopping member.

As soon as I worked it out (e.g. the following day) I cancelled the order I had made direct with shaver shop, waited until they confirmed the cancellation, and then went to the Qantas Mall and purchased the exact same item for the same price but with tonnes of QFF points.

That's the only way to do it. You didn't want to cancel your order with Dell, why should Virgin give you the points? There's nothing in it for them?

 

[andye]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Chalk it up to a learning experience in the points game

Whenever I make an online purchase, I consider VA, QF, BA, cashrewards and pricepal portals (& topcashback for UK sites, I don't do CX or SQ at present). At least you would have got 2 VF points/$ if you'd bought before the email

 

[toshibean]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

UPDATE to the original Question.

Hi all,
I'm new to using discussion boards full stop. Is this the best way to provide an overall response or answer as I don't need any further responses, the message has come across loud and clear, in fact, in some cases, I felt the responses were a little harsh, given that I'm a newbie. I just asked a question. But thanks to those who gave friendly and straightforward responses.

I've put responses up, pretty much in agreement with all the initial responses I got, but I'm still getting a few snarky comments, so maybe I'm not using this forum correctly, please correct me, where I can improve.

Here is one of my responses, that should cover it it. Oh, and for the record, I never said VFF made an error or mistake. Just lousy timing with their comms to members about deals that have gone live on their site, that ended up in a pretty coughpy customer experience.

Thanks jneufeld,
Yes, I am well aware how the loyalty programs work, I've worked on software for various loyalty programmes. Just bummed about the delay in the marketing email i was sent, thought that being a member gave us a heads up about these things before they go live on the site. Had to give it a shot. Appreciate your input.

 

[madmouse58]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Similar experience for me, booked 2 hotel rooms for a total cost of about $3000AUD for me and a group of 10 friends going overseas. Went and booked through the agoda/velocity sublink. As me and the group were discussing hotels, the website timed out. I logged back in to the same webpage that timed out thinking this should again log back into agoda.com/virgin, but it didn't.

Sent emails to Velocity advising this is what happened, told theres nothing they can/will do.

Lesson learnt and moving on.

 

[QF WP]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

UPDATE to the original Question.

Just bummed about the delay in the marketing email i was sent, thought that being a member gave us a heads up about these things before they go live on the site.

That is probably the best point about which you can complain - that their marketing emails lagged the offer being on the site by 4 days (and should have been sent out a couple of days beforehand to pique purchaser interest). But I fear all you'll get in response is "thanks for advising us, we'll endeavour to get it right next time".

 

[Bagpuss]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Probably worthwhile to consider that the e-store probably gets some sort of finder's fee for referring the business to Dell.

That is correct. Hence why to get the points you must order via the Velocity eStore.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

UPDATE to the original Question.

Hi all,
I'm new to using discussion boards full stop. Is this the best way to provide an overall response or answer as I don't need any further responses, the message has come across loud and clear,

toshibean

you should think of the discussion as just that.. a discussion. Quite often questions are asked and many people will offer advice / comment and the discussion will continue as long as someone has a comment to make. So, I guess you shouldn't think of it like your question has been answered so that is the end of it.

Sometimes we all learn from not only the questions being asked but other people's experiences throughout the "discussion."

Hearing other peoples points of view ( some you may agree with, some you won't ) is 1 of the great parts of this forum. On the whole, everyone is happy to assist.

I encourage you to read as much as you can.

 

[medhead]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

That is correct. Hence why to get the points you must order via the Velocity eStore.

Which is leading to my confusion as per below.

That is probably the best point about which you can complain - that their marketing emails lagged the offer being on the site by 4 days (and should have been sent out a couple of days beforehand to pique purchaser interest). But I fear all you'll get in response is "thanks for advising us, we'll endeavour to get it right next time".

I'm not understanding the relevance of the email. regardless of any special offer surely, if you want points, then you need to buy from e-store. So if I don't know about an offer, I want to buy a computer, I want points then I go to velocity e-store. Sure the OP didn't know about the bonus points offer, but they seem to know that there are base points available from e-store, being a member and all. I'm just not sure why they purchased direct from the Dell website, If they had used the e-store to start with then they might have seen the bonus points offer without needing an email.

 

[toshibean]

Re: Help! Virgin Velocity eStore refuses to allocate points, despite advertising emai

Thanks CJEMNMAC,
Understand now, thanks for being cool with a newbie.