Why so difficult?

[goldknitter]

PC specialist often advertise the fact that they are offering a discount code to people making a new purchase (the code I wished to use was found in BBC Focus magazine), but in reality, it is impossible to actually use this code.

There appears to be nowhere on the website to enter this code when paying for the order, and after a quick "Google", it seems that I am far from alone from having this problem.
Is it really that difficult for a PC building company to actually have a checkout section of the ordering process that provides a space for a discount code to be added, or is it a case of this code is simply a red herring used to entice people to make a purchase, hoping that once they reach the payment stage, they won't be too worried about not getting the money off?

Well, it hasn't worked on me.
I have changed my mind and will be placing an order with a different company, one who doesn't use dodgy sales tactics.

 

[Boozad]

A very apt thread title. It took me two seconds to search and find this:

 

[Boozad]

Then of course, (without even having to do a 'quick Google'), there's this:

 

[Boozad]

Is it really that difficult for a PC building company to actually have a checkout section of the ordering process that provides a space for a discount code to be added

I don't know, ask PCS as they have one.

or is it a case of this code is simply a red herring used to entice people to make a purchase, hoping that once they reach the payment stage, they won't be too worried about not getting the money off?

No, as most people who have a code use it by putting it in the promo code box provided.

I have changed my mind and will be placing an order with a different company, one who doesn't use dodgy sales tactics.

Slander! Lible! Lies!

 

[Boozad]

Ooh! Ooh! Look what I found! Without even ordering! I must have been suckered!

 

[DeadEyeDuk]

I actually guffawed at "dodgy sales tactics"!

How can a FREE code being (allegedly) difficult to enter amount to "dodgy tactics"?

And Booz has rather torn your point apart by using the search function on the PCS site/forums, and not just relying on Google and 3rd party whinefests

 

[Boozad]

I'll send your Paint skillz back when I've run out of screenshots to take!

 

[keynes]

I use the code twice without any issues, pretty straight forward to use.

 

[goldknitter]

I agree that the code entry box is visible on the screenshots above, but why do you (or should you) have to log out and re-enter your address details before this box appears?
The replies have been from long term forum users who obviously know about this, but what about newbie PCS buyers who don't know about these forums?
Surely it's not beyond the ability of the website designers to allow a discount code to be entered by someone who is signed in and who wishes to make a purchase using a saved quote and saved address details.

One of the other queries about this problem appeared on these forums in Jan of this year, yet nothing has been done to make the process easier.
Why is this?

 

[Rakk]

One of the other queries about this problem appeared on these forums in Jan of this year, yet nothing has been done to make the process easier.
Why is this?

It's possible it's an unknown problem to PCS, they don't get to see every thread, and if they haven't actually been informed of the problem then they cant do anything about it.
Also, as someone who works in web app development, its possible they do know, but there have been more important things to fix, and I don't know if they have someone actively working on the site or not all the time - and sometimes little things like that can be a complete PITA to track down and fix.

Personally when I couldn't find a place for a discount code when I ordered earlier in the year (I had assumed I'd just gone past the point where you put it in and didn't want to have to backtrack), I gave them a call to ask where I put it in and they applied it to my quote there and then so I didn't even have to type it in

 

[Boozad]

The replies have been from long term forum users who obviously know about this, but what about newbie PCS buyers who don't know about these forums?

For what it's worth I've never seen the code box as I've never used it.

 

[DeadEyeDuk]

I know nothing, so you can count me out of that category

 

[gaaron]

I saw the 'promotional code box' & it accepted my 'code'. I was already logged in, and only had to re-enter further deatils re to my purchase.
However, when I looked at the details later there was no sign of my discount. I phoned pcs & it had been applied.
I'm a newbie, albeit I initially joined at the beginning of the year.

 

[lost90]

Surely it's not beyond the ability of the website designers to allow a discount code to be entered by someone who is signed in and who wishes to make a purchase using a saved quote and saved address details.

I totally agree there should be a discount box at checkout for those who've saved multiple quotes whilst figuring out what to buy and ends up using one of them.

Personally when I couldn't find a place for a discount code when I ordered earlier in the year (I had assumed I'd just gone past the point where you put it in and didn't want to have to backtrack), I gave them a call to ask where I put it in and they applied it to my quote there and then so I didn't even have to type it in

Well, you must have been lucky then, because the same thing happened to me, the guy on the phone told me to email the code in and all I got was a reply back days later telling me I was wrong.

 

[Grimezy]

The replies have been from long term forum users who obviously know about this, but what about newbie PCS buyers who don't know about these forums?

What you're not taking into account is that 'long term forum users' often purchased their system and THEN became a forum member. Or became a forum member to enquire and then purchased their system and stuck around. They didn't stick around for 3 years just to discover how to use a discount code worth £15 on machines worth in the thousands.

I think you've made a bit of a big deal over nothing to be honest. And you sound like the type of person who will complain every day that a PC is in pre-production as it's not going to meet the average timescales stated on the website. Seriously if you're going to order somewhere else just because you're incapable of finding where to enter a £15 discount code and automatically accuse the company of being some kind of scumbag salesmen then they'll probably be better off without your order...

 

[SmokeDarKnight]

2nded

 

[moosEh]

Sorry to hear some of you have had problems attaching the promotion codes. We would be more than happy to investigate it if you ever have problems after logging in and applying the promo codes.