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When A Free Nook Isn't Free

By Cornelius Nunev





Occasionally, free isn’t really free. For example, a merchandise promotion may claim that if you buy an HP Ultrabook computer, you can receive a free Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader. Such was the situation on Cyber Monday 2012. But when one consumer had to return the Ultrabook, they discovered that Nook is far from free. It went for retail cost, $99 plus tax. Let this be a warning to you, as many free Nook offers are available - read the fine print.



Not necessarily free



Whenever you see a deal for something free, be wary. Nothing is really free. Brian is a consumer who got a new Ultrabook with a totally free Noon e-reader as part of a Cyber Monday sale. He was trying to find a laptop and needed the deal. When he returned the computer he decided did not work for him, HP made him pay $99 plus tax for the e-reader.



Not a unique issue



Free Nook promotions aren’t entirely free, according to HP, and Brian isn’t really the only customer to run into this problem. Looking at the small print of such promotions, it becomes clear that the “free Nook” really costs $99 plus tax. HP has claimed that the price listing as seems like also on a consumer’s receipt is merely the way HP systems process orders - the consumer is not charged the $99 at the time of purchase.



According to a source within the HP returns department, the company will not take back a totally free Nook obtained through such holiday promotions, and the consumer “will not obtain the $106 they were charged for (the Nook).”



Look at the fine print



Not according to HP’s small print. The Nook was sandwiched in as part of the laptop purchase price. This data was reportedly well-hidden, but because it was publicized somewhere, the consumer was bound by the terms of the transaction.



The “free Nook” sting is still there and makes a lot of people mad since it cannot be returned, though it can be sold at the consumer’s discretion.









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When A Free Nook Isn't Free When A Free Nook Isn't Free



Article Source: http://magazine-articles.tumblr.com/post/61119071200

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