The Emerging RadioShack/Netflix Debacle 122
New submitter DigitalParc writes "RadioShack recently launched a promotion for 6 months of free Netflix service with the purchase of a laptop, tablet, or phone. This ended up being a fantastic deal, until the shoddy redemption site they were using for the Netflix code redemption was exploited and many of the codes were stolen. 'Users on slickdeals, a deal-finding and sometimes deal-exploiting website, found that the URL of the redemption website could be changed upon trying to enter a code, resulting in a valid Netflix subscription code being generated. Within hours, many of Netflix codes that were allocated to this promotion were stolen and some were redeemed or put up for sale on eBay.'"
oops (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm surprised Netflix would agree to a partnership like this and not be in control of how the codes were handed out.
Re:oops (Score:5, Insightful)
Slickdeals Dark Side (Score:5, Insightful)
I hate it when people have the impression that they are entitled to steal from others. I use the SlickDeals website and a lot of time they have some great deals, but if you dig deeper into the forums on that site, there is a dark side. This is my opinion, if you took a code and used it for yourself, you are stealing, but maybe the temptation was a bit too great. It is like finding a 20 dollar bill on the floor and keeping it. You know it isn't yours, but the person of irresponsible enough to lose 20 dollars so they kind of deserve it. If, on the other, you generated hundreds of codes and start selling them on Ebay, you are stealing and being a complete dick. That is like watching someone drop their wallet, pretending not to notice, picking it up when the person is out of sight, cleaning out all of the cash, and then tossing the wallet in the dumpster outside.
Re:oops (Score:5, Insightful)
this seems to be a big deal for no reason, a large corporation has to eat the cost of a few Netflix subscriptions and get a website patched.
Re:RS is liable (Score:4, Insightful)
Honest question: 7-11 sells random audio adapters, cheap soldering equipment, and wiring?
Re:Slickdeals Dark Side (Score:5, Insightful)
"Gaming" the rules is the same as following them.
To the autistic, with no understanding of (or regard to) ethics or morality, you're 100% correct.
Re:why not tie to phone numbers that RS asks for (Score:5, Insightful)
Thee clerk has a (crappy) job to do. You should be ashamed for yourself for venting about corporate policy decisions to a clerk who has nothing to do with them.
Run some analytics on the web logs ... undo ... (Score:3, Insightful)
the problem.
Seriously, theres enough info in any default apache or IIS log to find the majority of the bullshit codes generated/stolen. Find anything that looks fake and kill it, anyone entering a killed code, have them call in to activate/get a new code, all these people who steal codes over the Internet generally aren't ballsy enough to make the phone call repeatedly, make sure the call comes from a good solid landline, no VoIP crap, sorry if it effects all 8 of you legitimate users of radioshack and netflix.
This is (just) a shitty long day for some sys admin somewhere who has to make up for some shitty developers mistake. This is pretty much the status quo is it not? Most if not all of the bad codes will be found out ... if they want to, it may be well worth it for them to have the accounts active anyway for the books or just for possible retention values.
This is a great example of the no press is bad press mantra. Both RadioShack and Netflix will see increased customer counts for people trying to scam it, slam dunk marketing.
Re:oops (Score:4, Insightful)
If Netflix sold the time codes to RadioShack up front, I don't think they particularly care what happens to them
they certainly do care about customers being pissed off at netflix because of RS's screw up. i know, it's technically RS's fault, but companies don't want their name associated with any sort of bad experience.
Re:why not tie to phone numbers that RS asks for (Score:2, Insightful)
You know what else you can do to clerks at stores? You can vent about other problems you had before you got to the store, and they usually have to just stand there and take it. You can go in, blame the clerk for potholes, how my boss treated you earlier in the day, getting dumped by a girl, etc., and few a little better. Or if you have nothing to rant about, just call them amusing names for amusement and other stuff you couldn't get away with trying on friends. If you yell at the clerks enough, sometimes, you can get them to work faster or free goodies if the manager thinks you were upset over service. And ever having trouble finding a public trash can? Well, there are more stores than trash cans around where I live, so if you don't want to dump trash in the street, just pick a store and some employee will have to clean it up.
After all, if they don't want to put up with any such things, they can just quit right there and then.
Or you could just not be a dick when it isn't going to amount to anything other than getting other people annoyed or upset, whether someone works for a store or not. And if you still insist that employees should be your personal doormat, then consider that saying "no thanks" and moving on saves you a lot of time at least with the same out come as far as policy...