[...] comes from an article on Get Rich Slowly written by Stephen Ward at Project Paradox. He saved 15 percent on his rate in 15 [...]

[...] comes from an article on Get Rich Slowly written by Stephen Ward at Project Paradox. He saved 15 percent on his rate in 15 [...]

We can talk about the lies, lies of omission, mistruth, misleading people, but again, isn’t that basically capitalism in a nutshell, when it goes beyond basic physical need, into convoluted mental want.

If I offer you X and you agree to pay for it, but I am asking way more then it’s worth, don’t you have the right, and in a sense the obligation to do better, price and service wise?

In this world we live in, you get more flies with honey than with salt, but you get even more flies with BS!!! And that, and the yankee dollar are what’s running the show. Do you have the right to keep as much of, or spend as much as you want? Yes! So why is looking for a better deal, and using the same type of guises, misleading words, and essentially the same form of competion (pitting service providers against each other) so wrong?

Oh, because you lied to some big company, that will exsist with or without your dimes. You are bad for doing that. But when they do it, it’s just business, so it’s ok??!?!?!?

The CSR didn’t take the chance, I got a 1-year promotion for about $5 more than AT&T offered at over double the speed I would have had from AT&T. And I still use my VOIP provider. Comcast could not match the price or calling coverage, and when they played the reliability card I asked “And now reliable is your internet service?” {Crickets}

Management should really warn the CSRs about that one.

You are such a sensationalist. Can you even take yourself seriously?

They do whatever it takes to get the most money out of you and you do the most to save that money.

I guess the next time some of you deal with a used car salesmen you will take the higher ground and walk away broke.

Not me.

[...] JD has a guest post on how to save 15% on your cable bill. [...]

It was easier than I thought it would be. I merely went to the competitor’s site, noted the price of their offer and then called Comcast. I went directly to the cancellation of services option and when the customer service rep picked up I explained to her that I was thinking of switching my service to Direct TV, which, if the offer was good enough, I would do. I wasn’t lying; I was shopping around.

Anyway, the rep immediately lowered my bill. She said. “Let’s see…you’ve been with us a long time…let’s see what I can do.” Then she dropped the rate.

I was also friendly and non-confrontational. I think the fact that I have been with them forever and always pay the bill on time helped, also.

So, thanks. That’s $202 you’ve helped me save!

Yes, you can call back and ask for the same deal, but cable companies such as Comcast have been cracking down and are now unwilling to offer discounts beyond the initial term.

One strategy is to actually set up a date for them to cut off service and hope that they (the cable company) blink.

However, the easiest way to save on your bill is to cancel it altogether if you don’t need it.

No. It is not lying for them to offer a different price to someone else. That is absurd. You may be willing to do something for one person that you wouldn’t for another…is that lying? You might work for your father in law for one price, but a stranger for another…is that lying? Having a different price or different individuals is not lying.

Again…this is the notion I was talking about before. Alternate realities or hypocritical notions held by consumers that rationalize their hypocritical behavior. Shame on you.

On the topic of lying, isn’t it also lying for a company to advertise its services at one price, but not tell you that they are offering exactly the same thing for half the cost, if you only know to ask? I consider this lying by omission on their part.

They called and said that they were trying to get their subscribers to get on the digital platform as this would soon be a requirement for getting a cable signal into your TV (I have basic cable – analog service (no converter box) – about 80 channels – plenty for me). They offered to send me a digital box for self installation, 6 months of HBO and Starz (which they claim they will be automatically removed at no charge unless I ask them to keep it), and On-Demand service for no additional charge for 12 months. My bill would remain the same ($52.50) for the next year. After that my bill will “only” be 1 dollar more.

I decided to try it and see if they in fact honor this deal (it will be interesting to see how long my bill goes up only one dollar next year…)

My cable provider begins with the letter “C”

Re: Brian, there is a great deal of difference between haggling and shoplifting. Your analogy would have been more accurate if I had gone to a Wal-Mart customer service desk and asked for a better price on an item in the store that I planned to purchase either way.

I do recognize that businesses only stay in business by inflating prices. However, the fact remains that they often misrepresent the attractiveness of their offers. “The best in town,” is often anything but. I’m not faulting it; in fact, I work in online marketing. I’m simply comparing this little, almost expected level of deception to the lie I told.

In comment #33, the author of the article admits he was being deceptive, but maintains it was ethical to be deceptive because his provider was providing a service at an inflated price.

Well.

My company is a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores. The price you pay for our products at Wal-Mart is inflated — we marked it up before selling it to Wal-Mart, and Wal-Mart marks it up before they sell it to you. You might have heard of this concept of “margin” — it’s how businesses stay in business.

By the logic of “my provider inflates the prices, so I can be deceptive in my dealings with them,” would anyone be willing to shoplift from Wal-Mart, or switch price tags to pay less for something you bought there? After all, they’ve inflated the price of the product you want.

It might be deceptive, but would it be unethical?

Hmmm.

Comcast Rep: Sorry, that is a web only deal.

Me: Please open a web browser and change my accout.

Comcast Rep: good one. I have an equivalent deal i can put you on. ( 6 month deal and then i need to call again…)

Me: Thx

Result: Comast Bill reduced from $95.00 to $46.00

Action Item: Call comcast…

Too often, as consumers, we seem to believe that we have a “license to kill”…that whatever we do is justified since we are the little guy, and they are the big business. And, conceptually, and philosophically, maybe you could make this argument…however I tend to think it a bit hypocritical.

I don’t however buy your argument that their advertisements are lies however. The subjectivity of their claims in itself prevents you from labeling it objectively as a lie. They can have a great deal themselves, even if another company offers a better one.

I also kind of chuckle to myself at your description of the “inflated cost in the pursuit of profit”. What do you think companies are supposed to do? They are in the business of profit. Your ideals seem to be very capitalist, yet your description of the companies is very socialist. This logical leap is employed by many to rationalize and justify their less than ethical behavior.

I don’t fault you for pursuing a discount in the manner you did, quite the opposite, I applaud you for taking the initiative…however…let’s call it what it is…you lied to get ahead…we all do it…it’s called capitalism…but don’t ever come to me and try to convince me you are more righteous than any company who employs the same tactics.

To be honest, I was deceptive. I wanted a better deal on my current service. The only negotiating leverage I could use to get that was to make a lower price my cable company’s only alternative to losing me as a customer. If I hadn’t accomplished my objective, I probably would’ve given up rather than gone through the hassle of switching to another provider. So yes, by calling the service cancellation line and indicating that I was going to switch (or even just strongly considering it), I was misrepresenting my true intentions, which is the textbook definition of a lie.

That being said, I don’t personally consider my actions unethical. I am fully aware that my provider is offering me its service at an inflated cost in the pursuit of profit. More importantly, I now know that I can get a better deal elsewhere. The fact that my provider continually advertises this service as a “great deal,” then, is no less of a lie in my eyes.

I realize that some will take exception with this, but I personally have no moral qualms about deceiving a deceiver. I also believe that negotiating without a willingness to do so on the other guy’s level is like boxing with one arm tied behind your back. This is just my opinion. Feel free to agree or disagree.

Just because you say it is so, doesn’t make it so.

He clearly claimed to be doing something that he had no intention of following through on…that is lying…did you fail English?

I am about to drop my satellite package to save 50 bucks a month starting in January. However, a tip for anyone who does not have the excellent Digital Video Recorder deal is to call up your Cable, Dish or Direct T.V. provider and tell them you will switch to the competition if they do not give you a DVR for free.

Unless you do this they will try to rip you off by charging you a hundred dollars for the device plus 30 bucks installation. This is the same DVR they give to new customers for free but they want to charge their loyal ones?

Anyway, if you want a DVR go to the phone today and tell them you will go to the competition to get the free DVR. They will give the DVR to you for free every time. You will have to pay for installation at 30 bucks though.

I sat me down on the television floor
Heard a knock on the ol’ front door
Out in the cold there was a sales pitch man
With a list of proGRAMming in his hand

Cable package!
Entertainment!
Pay a bundle!

Whew!