Report: Office Depot Lies to Customers to Boost Profit on Notebooks

Alright, so I’m sure that a very few number of our readers run to Office Depot anytime they need a new notebook, but chances are good that we all know someone who does. After all, their prices seem so tempting in the flyers, but those prices are sure to change once the customer strolls into the store, thanks to extra services that employees attempt to tack onto the receipt. This practice is nothing new, though.

What might be new is the fact that it seems fairly common inside of Office Depot to tell the customer that the notebook they want is out of stock if they opt out of the extra services (such as an extended warranty), even if it is in stock. Companies like this don’t make a huge profit on items like this, so in order to help improve the matter, they sell these extra services which is just padding, since most customers will never take advantage of them.

This isn’t so much a rumor as fact though, as some employees have come out of the woodwork to verify these shady practices. I’m highly doubtful that Office Depot is the only company who lies to the customer to get more money. They are probably one of the few to lie about not having stock, though. Of course, when it comes to a notebook, online is always the best way. Better prices, and no pushy salesmen/women… what’s not to like?

Laptop was later contacted by a person going by the name Rich, who proved himself employed at Office Depot with a current check stub. Rich said, “I have witnessed lying about the availability of a notebook, and have been told to do so myself. Once I was talking to the customer and, while I am actually speaking, my manager comes on the radio and tells me to say it is out of stock if they aren’t getting anything with it. I always ignore him and sell it anyway because lying to the customer is flat-out wrong.”