<p>Bought a textbook brand new from the school store, for $200. I would have bought used, but I needed the access code for my hybrid class (I didn’t know I could buy the code online and a used version for cheaper, but anyway…). I tear open my code packet, enter it on the web site, and get the error message that my code has already been used and is invalidated. Okay, so either duplicate codes were printed or somebody managed to randomly type in my code and get lucky. Either way I emailed them about this, pointed out I bought it new from the store, still had the receipt and the wrapping for the code. Their response was basically “you didn’t buy straight from us, so tough toe nails. Fork over fifty bucks for a valid code or take your chances with the store’s return policy.”</p>
<p>Excuse me? For your defective merchandise? Any item you buy from Best Buy or Wal Mart comes with a label somewhere that says “do not return to store,” IOW they want to handle customer complaints themselves and not let word get out of defects. But it seems like Mcgraw-Hill couldn’t care less about us poor students or its defective merchandise.</p>
<p>FYI: Book publishers don’t care about customer service when it comes to students. That’s one book that that student is required to buy for a class. It’s not like you’ll stop using their company. Their textbook is required by your professor and they realize this.</p>
<p>They only care about ****ing off entire schools and school systems… and maybe a professor.</p>
<p>At least that’s been my experience in buying textbooks… which I’ve had to do for the past six years. It’s such a total waste of money too. Ugh.</p>
<p>You’re missing the point, Ominous, they could have at least said “okay, furnish us with a copy of your receipt showing it was a new purchase, as well as the access code card and packaging.” That would have proved I had bought the book new, and they had already gotten their money out of me.</p>
<p>Tom, I’m not missing the point. It’s an unfortunate reality. Deal with the school bookstore, as you are likely to have more success.</p>
<p>The publisher sells to the bookstore. The bookstore sells to you. You need to deal with the bookstore, then the bookstore will deal with the publisher. That’s the chain of command in the retail world.</p>
<p>The bookstore should exchange your defective book/code for a working one. Then the bookstore will return the book to the publisher as defective. You going directly to the publisher accomplishes nothing.</p>
<p>Well, as I said Ominous, a great many companies prefer to handle customer complaints themselves rather than doing it through stores. How many times have you seen “if there is a defect with this product DO NOT RETURN TO THE STORE WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT.” I’ve seen it more than I can count.</p>
<p>Anypoo, yes I could provide evidence I didn’t use the code myself, I tried using the code one day after buying the book. That means it was “already in use” before my receipt’s date of purchase, most likely. In the second place, you also have to register with a certain class section, so whoever used my code (if indeed it was already used) almost certainly did not just happen to use it for my school, my class, my section, this quarter, etc.</p>
And this company prefers you use the store. I really can’t understand why you’re trying to make such a big deal at this. They told you what to do. Why so reluctant to do it?</p>
<p>Uh, I actually work at the bookstore at my school, and when things like defective codes happen, we have no power over it… We always tell people to go to the publisher’s customer service. x_x</p>
<p>Don’t let them push you over! Be persistent. If it has to do with their own product, it is their fault. Besides, you purchased both the code and the book. If you can’t use the product, then it is faulty. </p>
<p>If you can’t get the company to fix it, you might be able to return the product to the school store.</p>
While I’m not a lawyer, if you do this then it seems like you’re violating civil law and could be sued in small claims court. Along with every sale is something called a “warranty of merchantability” which basically means that the seller must promise the item sold is/does what it is supposed to. If you sell a book that is supposed to contain an access code and it doesn’t work, you’ve violated the warranty and must either refund the purchase price or supply a book with a working code. The only way to get an exception to this implied warranty is if the item sold is marked “sold as is” or words to that effect.</p>
<p>The only claim against manufacturer would be an express warranty or consumer protection under some federal law like the Magnuson-Moss act. </p>
<p>Point is, you should be at the bookstore by now. It’s bad business to not help you, but unless you’ve read the undoubtedly limited warranty than you haven’t shown us that anything was done unlawfully.</p>
<p>I’m not a lawyer blah blah other disclaimers here.</p>