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Report: Office Depot Employees Altering Computer Price Tags



Wow. Things at Office Depot appear to be worse than we could have possibly thought. In fact, the alleged apparent systematic misleading of customers makes the shenanigans at BestBuy look quite tame by comparison.

Laptop Mag has published a follow up to its initial report of employees being encouraged to lie to customers at Office Depot. It turns out that salespeople at other Office Depot locations across the country are telling Laptop that the the same dishonesty is being encouraged at their stores. Even worse, the lying goes beyond mere fibs about laptop stock -- employees have reported Photoshopping and digitally altering price tags, as well as including the price of extended warranties and protection plans in the cost of clearance items. For example, if a $500 laptop were on sale for $450 and the employees needed to push an $80 extended warranty, the store would list the laptop at $500 and claim to be offering the $80 warranty for only $30.

Do you shop at Office Depot?



We'd like to say we're shocked, but it has become increasingly clear that dishonesty and unethical behavior (while not "officially" endorsed) are simply standard corporate policy at some major retail chains. We may not be shocked, but we are certainly appalled.

Check out the read link below for even more tales of dishonesty from one of the biggest office supply outlets in the country. And if you're looking for other stores and companies that have so enraged their customers, take a look at our boycott gallery below. [From: Laptop Mag, Via: Slashdot]

Anti-Corporate Protests and Boycotts

    Motrin Ad Pulled Due to Online Protests
    In November of last year, mothers took to the Twitter-streets in protest of a Motrin video advertisement that, they claimed, belittled young mothers. In no time, Johnson and Johnson took down the ad, posting a letter of apology.

    Apple Pulls "You Can't Be Too Thin" Ads
    In 2007, after airing an ill-advised ad campaign for their new line of iMacs that featured the tag line "You Can't Be Too Thin," Apple received innumerable complaints, including one from the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness. The ads were promptly pulled.

    Boycotting Sellers Dent eBay's Business
    In February of last year, eBay sellers banded in a boycott after the Web site laid claim to higher commissions on sold goods and eliminated sellers' ability to give negative feedback to buyers. In just one week, eBay's listings dropped by 13 percent.

    Students Stage Virtual Protest on Facebook
    Disturbed by HSBC's suspension of their free overdraft protection, collegiate customers of the bank launched a Facebook protest in 2007. Backed by the National Union of Students, the online protest won out as HSBC decided to maintain the policy.

    Facebook Lactivists Take Protests to the Street Over Breastfeeding Pictures
    Last month, self-described "lactivists" set up shop outside Facebook's headquarters to protest the site's removal of all images containing breastfeeding mothers.


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