The Most Misleading Email I've EVER received - Way to go AT&T & Apple!! [ Edited ]

[gregphillips1]

As if I don't waste enough of my time on the phone dealing with issues brought about by AT&T and Apple products, thanks to this email, I wasted another 15 minutes on the phone..not to mention the time it took to write this!  I just had to though..this email was simply a lie.   This is part of the wording from an add I received in my inbox with a beautiful picture of a new ipad2.  

"Getting an ipad2 is easy when you add a line of service with a qualifying data plan.   Limited time offer"  

The ad goes on to repeat a paragraph later...

"There's never been anything like ipad2.  Get yours when you add a line today."

It's pretty clear, you're going to get a FREE ipad when you sign up to add a line right?  WRONG!  I'm told by the representative when I call up to find out more that they're actually selling the ipad's at retail price!  Excuse me?  Did I mis-read something here?   I went back and quickly re-read the ad:

 "Getting an ipad2 is easy when you add a line of service with a qualifying data plan.   Limited time offer"

"There's never been anything like ipad2.  Get yours when you add a line today."

It's pretty clear that the ad is saying you will get a FREE ipad when you add a line of service.  To say this add is EXTREMELY misleading is being too nice.  Even the AT&T rep I spoke with agreed (I was his 78th call of the day on this). I think most people would call this an outright lie.  Many lawyers would call it a bait and switch.  

So I ask you AT&T corporate, will you honor the original ad or simply try and put a nice little PR spin on this one just as the creators of the ad did when they sent it out to tens of thousands of AT&T customers?   I would love to get an answer on this.  

Best,

Greg

[edited for privacy]

[CheatedBB]

Fully agreed. The implication of the limited time offer is a free iPad 2.

That said, where is the "limited offer" if I have to pay full price? If I can add a line at any time, and buy an iPad at retail price any time, where is the offer?

[JFizDaWiz]

It never said free,I wouldn't have thought that unless it did

[Facci]

Come on! It doesn't say get a free iPad 2! It says get an iPad 2.

[coolstorybro]

It seems misleading yes, but you know nothing in life is free.

[babno]

It doesn't say free at all. While it's somewhat misleading common sense says it would just be at a reduced price or some package perk.

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

[aristizzle]

I would have never thought it was talking about a free ipad. It never mentions the word "free" so why automatically assume? You blame the email for wasting your time, yet it was your assumptions that did.

[oneaccord83]

It is misleading to me as well.  I thought that it was either free or cheaper based on this e-mail.  But it does say this in the fine print at the bottom of this message

Promotional tablet pricing requires a two-year agreement and a minimum $35-a-month 3GB DataConnect Plan for Tablets

How is it "promotional pricing" if you pay full price.  MISLEADING

[coolstorybro]

There are other tablets besides the iPad like Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Pantech one that have promotional pricing. That's just a disclaimer like on smartphones it will say requires data plan minimum of 300mb blah blah. Since its Apple you're gonna be paying for that brand name and it's going to be expensive.

[drumn_bass]

Did it actually say "iPad" or did it say "tablet" or "tablets or iPad" you know or something like that? 

[highflyer727]

Here is the ad.  No wonder Consumer Reports rates AT&T as the worst carrier.  Clearly implies an IPad 2. 

Getting an iPad® 2 is easy when you add a line of service with a qualifying data plan.   Limited-Time Offer   Call today: 1-855-894-1988, shop online or find a store near you.   Customer Offer Code: 50-8508-5603

	iPad 2 is the best way to browse email, surf the web, share photos and do the other things you do every day. And now with over 200 new software features in iOS 5, it's better than ever. Plus, you can get mobile broadband access for as little as $14.99 a month. You'll enjoy iPad 2 features like these:

	10 hours of battery life Great built-in apps for email, web browsing, photos and more Front and back cameras for FaceTime video calls and HD video recording
	There's never been anything like iPad 2. Get yours when you add a line today.

Get connected with AT&T DataConnect for iPad for as little as $14.99 a month. No long-term commitment • No early termination fee • No activation or other fees

Getting an iPad® 2 is easy when you add a line of service with a qualifying data plan.   Limited-Time Offer   Call today: 1-855-894-1988, shop online or find a store near you.

[CheatedBB]

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JFizDaWiz wrote:
It never said free,I wouldn't have thought that unless it did

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It appears you don't understand the concept of implication.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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CheatedBB wrote:

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JFizDaWiz wrote:
It never said free,I wouldn't have thought that unless it did

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It appears you don't understand the concept of implication.

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Please, show me exactly where in the published ad in this thread it specificly states that you get a "free ipad", not implied, implied has absolutrly nothing to do with it - where is the exact verbage that states "It is easy to get an ipda and the ipad is FREE!"

[21stNow]

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CheatedBB wrote:

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JFizDaWiz wrote:
It never said free,I wouldn't have thought that unless it did

---

It appears you don't understand the concept of implication.

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Thanks highflyer for posting the disputed email.  While I agree that the limited offer is perplexing in that there is no subsidy/discount offered, there is no way that I thought that the iPad2 would be free from reading that ad. 

[nicoleriv]

Got a fraudlent offer from AT&T on Friday.   "Getting an iPad 2 is easy when you add a line."    There's never been anything like the iPad 2.  Get yours when you add a line today.  Limited time offer.    Customer offer code:  blah blah.  There's no offer!!   You're offering me a data service plan, big deal, I can get that anywhere.   I don't even have 3g on my ipad anyway.  If I pay full price for an ipad, you'll sell me a data plan that if I try and cancel early I'll be charged $325.00.  Oh wow that's some great deal.  Are you serious that you sent out such a misleading email.   Marketing department should be fired, all of them

{post merged}

[jamileh]

Thank you gregphillips1, highflyer727 and nicoleriv for your feedback about the email you received about the iPad. 

I'm going to forward this thread to our marketing folks so they're aware of your comments too. 

[aBenjamin]

Can you post the whole email? 

[aBenjamin]

nvm... I see it now...

Looks like the equivalent of "Make sure you buy a house when you move!"

The ad is only suggesting that when you upgrade, it's easy to upgrade to an iPad... nothing more. "Limited-time offer" does sound a bit suggestive since there's no offer here. Thanks for sending that up the ladder Jam!

[jamileh]

I took a look through our current email campaigns and I can't find anything associated with an iPad offer. 

I'm going to send private messages to the people who've indicated they received this email so I can gather a bit more information. 

Thanks, 

~jam

[drumn_bass]

"If I pay full price for an ipad, you'll sell me a data plan that if I try and cancel early I'll be charged $325.00"

Just want to clarify, there is no contract and no termination fee with an iPad, and no activation fee.

[Wineaux]

I got the email as well, and it most certainly read like you'd get a free iPad2 for adding a new line and a data plan with a 2-year contract.  Seeing as this was for 2 years of both an additional line AND a data plan, and the "limited time offer" in the email, it sounded like we were getting a subsidized iPad2.  With the new iPad3 coming out very soon, it made sense that AT&T and Apple were trying to move out some excess inventory of the iPad2 3G in anticipation of the new model.  I went so far as to click through and then attempt to find the "deal".  I couldn't find it and gave up, but I mentioned that I thought there was such a deal from AT&T to other people.  Yes, the email was worded that poorly.  Feel free to contact me via PM.  I'd love to discuss this further if you'd like.

-Jim

[jamileh]

Thanks Jim - I've sent you a PM requesting a copy of the email.