Dear SSHS,
I did a lot of online shopping this last holiday season, and while most transactions went well, I had a real problem with a small online company who refused to send me my full order. Apparently some pricing information on their site was wrong, and they didn’t intend to sell all three parts for the price listed, but their excellent price was the reason I bought from them in the first place! Their Customer Service Department told me I could either return the part I did receive, for a full refund, or pay a huge amount for the additional two parts I still need. Unfortunately, I’d already assembled the first part, and I can’t afford the other two now, which makes my purchase a huge waste. Do I have any recourse?
Kathlene, Pleasanton, CA
She Said: Ah, the famous Bait and Switch…perhaps unintentional but still wrong. They advertised one price, albeit accidentally, and then didn’t honor it. Not okay. So first, I’m going to preach a little and say, this kind of thing doesn’t generally happen when you shop locally, so here’s a little shout out to the mom and pop stores out there who want your business and will bend over backwards to get it. Anonymous online companies can come and go without regard for reputation, so “buyer beware.” That said, you were ripped off, so I did a little research and noticed you bought from a third party through Amazon. You’re in luck. Amazon has great customer service and the desire and incentive to maintain a good reputation with the public. Even though you weren’t really buying from them and they would prefer you reach a solution with your seller, their A to Z Guarantee (a tab at the top of their site) does exist as a final resort for buyers who haven’t been able to reach a satisfactory resolution. They’ll take care of you.
He Said: This sounds like the company made an honest mistake, but I have to echo Robin’s caution of Buyer Beware. I do a lot of online shopping and what I’ve found is if I compare the same product at several sites and its way cheaper on one, then it’s probably too good to be true. I really don’t see any recourse other than posting honest reviews about your bad experience on Yelp, Facebook, or Twitter. But next time around, if you see an unbelievable price online, give the company a call before you place your order just to verify what’s included in the price. No phone number? No deal! A listed phone number always makes the site and company more legit and customer friendly. Also check to see that their return policy and privacy policy are posted for everyone to see. And if you use a credit card or PayPal, you can always contest the charge to your account if something goes wrong with your order as long as you refute the charge on your account before you pay for it on the next billing cycle.
Robin Fahr is a public relations specialist and co-host with Shawn Shizzo on Conversations and He Said/She Said seen daily on Tri-Valley TV, Channel 30. 
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