$69 iPad 2 Deal has Sears Customers Fuming

A recent Sears advertising mix-up has left many customers fuming with the company. In an online ad, the retail firm marketed a 16GB WiFi-only iPad 2 for just $69 -- one heck of a deal at approximately 86% off the retail price.

Unfortunately, it was all just one heck of a mistake.

Typically, this version of Apple's popular iPad 2 sells for about $499 through the parent company, meaning that the $69 deal represented an approximate savings of $490.

Unfortunately, the many customers who thought they'd stumbled across a major bargain were informed that Sears would not honor the deal, with the company blaming a third-party seller for making the mistake. (Source: today.com)

Sears iPad 2 $69 Deals Cancelled, Orders Credited

Understandably, many customers felt Sears should take responsibility for the goof, and sell the iPad 2 for the advertised $69.

"They should honor those prices and eat their mistake," said Linda Tanner on Facebook, where many others offered equally angry opinions of the Sears advertising debacle.

Sears also used the social networking site to offer an apology for the mix-up, and to tell customers that those who jumped on the deal could expect their accounts to be credited the $69.

"Unfortunately... one of the Marketplace third party sellers told us that they mistakenly posted incorrect pricing on two Apple iPad models on the Marketplace portion of the website," Sears announced on Facebook.

Orders were later cancelled and later credited to the account holder, according to reports. (Source: upi.com)

Media Blitz or 'Advertising Mistake'?

It's unclear what kind of long-term impact this might have on Sears' sales of Apple's popular tablet -- or any other items, for that matter. Luckily for the company, some people feel the price mix-up was an honest mistake.

"There is more than $69 of materials in the iPad, and, again, if any of you had done any research then you would of realized that Apple has a MAP policy (minimum advertised Price) ... [thus, no reseller] is allowed to sell below a certain price point. Most of the people buying these were probably salivating at the thought of reselling them on eBay and the like," said Jason Lewis on Sears' Facebook page. (Source: facebook.com)