Stooopid... UR Doin' It Right (Update #3)

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Remember my Amazon shopping saga from the other day? The one where I ordered a sofa bed for my son and the shipper tried to con me out of more money?

I guess since I wasn't reeled in on their first try, they thought they'd sweeten the bait and try again. I just received this email from Easy Shopping Furniture. Note that I screwed up the first time they contacted me last week. I didn't notice that they had emailed me through Amazon and I hit the reply button when I emailed them back to tell them that I would be awaiting Amazon's customer service ruling in the matter. My subsequent email after Amazon replied was sent through the order's "Contact Seller" button. But it was too late... they've got my email and they're determined to use it. However, Amazon will not accept emails as proof unless they are sent through them. Anyway, here's today's SPESHUL offer:

Hi Beverly I apologize that your order was canceled because the item was out of stock Item: (1 of Home Line 3 Position Sleeper Sofa S302 ) .But good news we just have it again .Well Like I told you an previous email the shipping cost with a special carrier was going to be $ 405.34. But because we want to keep you as our customer I spoke with my supervisor so we will charge you only $ 60.00 for the shipping instead of $ 405.34.Again thanks for shopping with us.
For further questions please feel free to contact me.

So first of all, I guess Amazon jumped right on the investigation after I filed that TOS violation report, huh? [note sarcasm] I'm beginning to wonder if these people are as deceptive as I thought or they are merely guilty of being just plain stupid. Hmmm... maybe a bucketful of both. Read on for more proof of that.

So note that first Easy Home Shopper blamed me for not adding shipping charges, then they canceled the order when I informed them I expected it at the original price. And now they are saying they canceled the order because the sofa bed was sold out even though for the two days AFTER I placed my order it was still showing that one was available.

And remember how they kept changing the shipping charges in the listing then pulled the item completely after 3 days? Well now the sofa bed has reappeared on Amazon, but (and I'm laughing like a loon at this), the asswipes forgot to include shipping charges AGAIN!

Good Grief, does Darwin's Theory no longer apply to the modern world?! Also note that they've offered me no coupon code or any other way to purchase the sofa bed through Amazon. Nope, I'd have to pay them directly wouldn't I?

So attempted con? Too stupid to run a business? Confused by American English? All of the above?

I think I'll email them back and request a code that I can use through Amazon to receive their oh-so-generous discount shipping offer. Can't wait to read their response to that request. Although, I have to admit that, if they agree to do everything through Amazon, I'm tempted to go ahead and place the order. Once they ship it, I'm covered by Amazon's guarantees. Then again, maybe I'M too stupid to live.

UPDATE #1: I sent them an email through Amazon, quoted and accepted their offer, and asked them to advise me on how to proceed. I just got this answer back. Note the latest shipping total has gone from SHIPPING INCLUDED, to $94, to $105, and now $142.88 (which they finally have added to the item's listing):

Hi Beverly,
Thanks for your feedback now to get your order you will have to go to Amazon now and place your order again you will see the shipping will be 142 .88 but after we received the order we will refund you back 82.88 ."

They again did not send this through Amazon. So I guess my next step is to point out that Amazon can not guarantee the order if we do it that way and I'll need some kind of promo or discount code that can be used when I place the order.

UPDATE #2: Here's the response to my request for a promo or discount code to be used when I place the order.

Hi Beverly,
I do understand your point but we do not have a promo code for this item It’s just we want to keep you as a customer that’s why you are getting that big discount. Also your refund of 82.88 will be done trough Amazon with 100% guarantee.
Remember we have only one available.
Please advise
Have a great day.

Uh... yeah... so Amazon will guarantee that I get my shipping refunded from you when, on every seller's page, they warn against sending payment diectly to sellers and make it clear that the transaction will NOT be covered by their guarantee if you do so.

Also, note their attempt to create a sense of urgency: "Remember we have only one available."

Sounds like it's time for another Amazon TOS violation report. Although I'm beginning to wonder why I should even bother.

UPDATE #3: Yesterday, Dennis from Easy Shopping Furniture called me... CALLED me... and told me that if I ordered the sofa bed with the $142.88 shipping, they would then give me a partial refund. I told him "No thanks" because Amazon couldn't guarantee that refund.

Then about an hour later, he called AGAIN and said he lowered the price of the sofa bed so that the total cost would be equal to the original price plus $60 dollars shipping.

So, it may now be my turn for "Stoopid... UR Doin' It Right", but I went ahead and ordered it. I figure, once THIS order is placed, I'm covered by Amazon's guarantee. I'm also a little optimistic because today I received confirmation from Amazon that the order has shipped--- well sorta--- at least UPS has been notified to pick it up.

BTW, I was right about one thing, English is apparently not their first language.

Now, everyone cross your fingers that I don't have to RETURN this damn thing for any reason! GAK!