On November 28th, I was starting to recover from Black Friday and Cyber Monday chaos, and hit up a deals site to see if there were any good deals for me to take advantage of.
I came across a post about a Surefire Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal. It mentioned two Surefire 6PX LED flashlights for $56. It was $38 for one, $56 for two after coupon code ALLTHELUMENS.
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Good deal, I’m in.
I then saw mention where there was a bonus free Sidekick LED flashlight. I didn’t see mention of this on Surefire’s site, but lo and behold, it worked. The coupon code set the flashlights at 2 for ~$56, and the Sidekick keychain light to $0.
But it wouldn’t let me check out, saying there was a “tax calculation error” and to try again. In the deals forum thread, someone said that adding (3) of each was the only way they got it to work.
Okay, (3) of each. Final price: $79.80 plus tax.
Something seemed fishy, as I didn’t see mention of the free Sidekick light anywhere, but I did see multiple websites reporting the “2 for $56” and “$26.60 each” deal for the 6PX flashlight.
I’m guessing it was simplified to 2 for $56 including tax. I was seeing the price as $26.60 each.
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December 2nd: Surefire sent out an email with a “backorder notice.” Uh-oh.
And then on December 14th,
DURING OUR BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY PROMOTIONS, YOUR ORDER WAS PLACED WITH INCORRECT PRICING. YOUR ORDER WILL NEED TO BE REORDERED AND REPROCESSED. WE WILL FOLLOW UP SOON WITH INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO PLACE A NEW ORDER. PLACE A NEW ORDER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE
That’s the last I heard from them. There have been no further instructions about how to place a new order. The 6PX is currently $38, which isn’t terrible, but it’s appreciably higher than the $26.60 deal price.
A lot of people are really, really mad at Surefire about this. I’m annoyed, but more at their handling of what does seem to have been some kind of series of pricing or transaction errors.
Communication has been poor, and the lack of resolution disappointing.
Surefire seems to be trying to sweep this debacle under the rug by simply ignoring what happened, as well as ignoring their customers.
I really just wanted 2 of the 6PX flashlights at $26.60 each, and 1 of the Sidekick keychain flashlights for free would have been nice.
It looks like the Sidekick is currently $40 on their website, at half off the regular price of $80. For a keychain flashlight?
Surefire never apologized for what they’re calling incorrect pricing, nor did they follow up with “instructions on how to place a new order.” They didn’t take ownership or responsibility for the issues, and that’s really bugging me.
Customers are not happy.
I try to be understanding with price mistakes. In this case, there didn’t seem to be any clear indication that there was a price mistake. Instead, I considered that maybe they intended for there to be 1 free Sidekick per order, but the limit was set improperly. Adding 3 of each was the only way to get the checkout process to past the “tax calculation error” issue, which suggested something was amiss, but I didn’t see any connection between that and the pricing.
There are some customers less understanding than I, and they’ve made it their mission to punish Surefire, with social media bashing, stated intentions to contact the BBB, FTC, and other agencies with complaints about “bait and switch.”
This doesn’t seem like a “bait and switch” situation, it just seems like a series of errors and then a failure of Surefire to handle things quickly or to anyone’s satisfaction.
A company like Surefire is likely more experienced in dealing with distributors and large customers, such as businesses, government agencies, and other large purchasing entities. With this screw-up that involves a large group of individual customers, they simply don’t know what to do.
I’ve been following forum threads and social responses, and there’s a lot of bad feelings. I also saw one post where Surefire says that their “allthelumens” coupon code was for 30% off a radio, and not their flashlight. (That’s how the price went from $38 to $26.60, with the allthelumens coupon taking 30% off.)
When something goes wrong, when mistakes are made, the best course of action is to find a way to make everyone happy, or at least a little bit happy.
It took Surefire two and a half weeks to send an all-caps email announcing order cancellations, with no follow-up beyond that. It looks like they decided not to even honor their Cyber Monday pricing on the flashlights, holding firm at the $38 pricing on the old model.
I think this will serve as an interesting case study, as an example of a good company handling something very poorly.
Pricing mistakes happen, promo mistakes happen, and web ordering mistakes happen. Damage control is the human component that comes into play when these things happen. I don’t think anyone is satisfied with Surefire’s damage control.
If in the near future you hear someone complaining about Surefire, and more about the brand and company and not their products, this is why.
What would YOU have done if in charge of Surefire’s “damage control” efforts?
Me? For customers whose orders were cancelled, I would give them the opportunity to buy a set number of the flashlights at the same $26.60 price and free shipping offer as on Cyber Monday. Max of 2? 5?
You KNOW that there are some customers that tried to order (20) of each. Those orders shouldn’t be fulfilled.
For the Sidekicks? There can’t be any added conditions or requirements, lest it give greater credence to the “that’s bait and switch!” idea some customers have. So for that part, I’d say sorry and leave it at that. I can’t see any reasonable way for Surefire to give them away for free, assuming that its $0 price was the result of web errors and not in any way tied to any promo. If it was tied to a promo, say “free with $50+ purchase,” then it should be honored with a limit of (1) per customer.
This solution wouldn’t hurt Surefire (much?), but would make most customers reasonably satisfied. At least I’d be. And that’s important. You never know what position someone will be in, 2, 5, 10 years down road.
Jeremiah
Regardless of the solution they choose to mitigate customers frustrations Timely communication seems to be what’s lacking most here. For myself, dealing with retailers, suppliers and contractor (mostly through work these days) i find communication to often be the difference with who I choose to deal with again, given the choice.
DaveP
Great post Stuart.
Amazon.com made a similar error in 2015 with (KNIPEX Tools 37 13 125 Smooth Jaw Flat Nose Electronics Pliers, 5-Inch) and not honoring the BF price. You had alerted us to the deal here. They didn’t fulfill my order for months, but did send it eventually after I complained. They likely received complaints from many others. Amazon did honor the BF price of $8 versus the normal $33 selling price.
Stuart’s post: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/knipex-mini-electronics-pliers-deal-120415/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I remain a loyal Amazon customer averaging over 100 orders per year.
Maybe Surefire will wise up too.
Stuart
I don’t think that was an error, I think they simply sold out their in-hand and resupply stock pretty quick. Mine ended up shipping in late January.
I received cancellation emails, if I didn’t approve the delay, which does happen when they can’t get product in to fulfill orders.
A few years prior, they cancelled orders I had on L-Boxxes, but that was in maybe Feb or March, following a previous December order, and it was when they first came out.
There WAS an ackowledged pricing error a few years ago:
That was a great way to handle a pricing error, but Amazon is a sizable company and they knew what they stood to gain or lose over time by satisfying or upsetting customers.
Tom
I remember buying those pliers. I wound up getting them months later, but did eventually receive them. Same thing goes for a Martin adjustable wrench for something like $4. It took months, but Amazon eventually sent one to me.
Chance
I was soured by Surefire as well. I never saw any mention of the prices or deals that you are talking about though. I saw a free Sidekick with a $300 order, but that ended before BF. I placed an order for a couple 6PXs for $38, two Sidekicks at $39.95, an EDCL2-2 at the regular price of $179, and a box of batteries. I had a 20% off coupon from a previous order/situation that Surefire messed up on, and so I applied that to the order and it went through. Oddly enough, on my orders page it still shows the order as “processing”. Like you, I also received a couple emails saying canceled and then that the order would have to be reordered with info on what else to do, but no follow up. I’d like to place the order but I don’t know how to proceed, especially since the order still shows as processing.
Dennis
I saw the 2 for $56 deal a day too late, and was upset that I missed it. Now it seems like I was saved a lot of aggravation.
I have owned Surefire products since they were practically the only game in town in the tactical flashlight market. And that’s just it, they aren’t the only game in town anymore. Had they not honored their deal, I feel they would have lost my business forever to one of the other manufacturers. As it stands hearing this story I will be dubious of them in the future.
firefly
I agree. They aren’t the only game in town anymore. Their pricing usually fall on the high side compare to others.
The yeti
Ive had several bad experiences on amazon . Will order something cuz its cheap. But they cant ever produce the item. Its just a way to get u clicking on their junk
James R.
That’s strange. I order at least 200-300 times a year with Amazon. Most of my purchases are through Amazon and I’ve never had in-stock issues.
I can count on one hand how many delivery issues I’ve had, and they’ve all been because of the USPS.
fred
I order all kinds of stuff on Amazon – most with them as the seller, next most frequently with them as the fulfillment agent via Prime and less but still a lot via third parties. I’ve spotted some scams – prices too good to be true from “just launched” third parties. Amazon, once alerted, is pretty fast in taking these “offers” down. I never fall for the scam – where a third party asks that you call them directly to provide payment info. I did try to order some 9Ah Milwaukee batteries recently via a third party that was offering them bundled with a charger for a price that was a few dollars cheaper than others were offering the battery alone. They said that they had stock ready to ship. I ordered 2 sets – and a few days later I received an email that my order had been cancelled – but offered an alternative that was not well-priced.
Regarding delivery, I’ve had some problems at one of my houses – with Amazon (their own service) telling me that things were delivered (meeting their 8PM promise) – when in fact they show up the next morning. I’ve also had Amazon shoot me emails telling me that delivery dates on Prime Orders have been revised because of lack of availability. On these sorts of things I probably should complain – but it usually not worth (they have extended my Prime membership a few times based on some foul-ups) the bother.
Andrew
For at least a year the go-to resolution for a missed delivery window has been extending prime membership by a month. It’s not a grand gesture but I find it’s worth the 5 minutes.
firefly
I experience has been similar. I usually don’t bother to complain if it’s just a one time experience. Once I have had a few miss delivery I tend to give them a quick phone call and they have been extending my prime membership as well. I agree with Andrew, it’s not a grand gesture but good enough to keep me happy.
Don
As a business owner If you had posted a deal online then it should be honored. Doesnt matter if you lose money over it. Your word is your bond with your customers. If you cant honor it, you will lose those customers and in the long run alot more than money.
It is much harder to get a customer back than it is to keep one and keep him happy. That goes for any business. I didnt even see this deal at any point so I have nothing to gain or lose here but unless I see some clear sign that Surefire makes good on this, I am gone as a customer of there’s.
Donny
Don, are you a small business owner? I am. Sorry mistakes happen and I’m not going to put myself out of business because of it.
Eric
I don’t know why anyone would even want these lights. The only reason I can see to buy one is if you have to have something that was made in the USA. Otherwise there are far superior lights on the market for similar or less money.
James R.
What do you recommend?
Eric
My first recommendation is to avoid anything using non rechargeable batteries unless it’s a light that is going to sit in your car or a drawer for years at a time without getting used. For cases like that a lithium battery is good option. Be it lithium AA’s or CR123’s. For anything else use lithium ion or eneloops.
If your wanting to spend $40+ then Zebralight, Armytek, Olight, and Thrunite are all solid brands. I love love love my Armytek wizzard pro headlamp. Emisar is pretty new to the game but have been very well received. Though so far their lights lean more towards toys for enthusiasts than something that I would recommend for someone to EDC. Though it is pretty fun to get 4000 lumens out of a light the same size as the Surefire that Stuart posted.
The EDC I always seem to go back to is my BLF A6. It’s a 1400 lumen $20 light that was designed by a bunch of flashlight enthusiasts on the BLF forums. It’s a nice mix of throw and flood that works for me. I’ve carried it most days for the last two years. The downside is that it’s sold by banggood so your going to wait at least a couple weeks to get it, and don’t expect much in the way of customer service. Though you could post on the blf forum and get some help there.
Another budget option is Convoy, like the BLF lights your not going to get much in the way of support, but they’re solid well built lights.
wle
i second the BLF A6. nothing is better for the money..
Nate
Nightcore has some very good edc lights, zebralight have good headlamps. Coast even from Home Depot.
Nate
Nitecore*
Another great flashlight maker is Fenix.
I have used surefire and gave up on them long ago when they didn’t keep up with led technology.
Chance
Have you personally owned and used Surefire lights everyday as well as another brand? I would like your recommendation for other lights that are as compact, as bright, machined as well, with the high level of customer service and quick shipment of parts that Surefire has. Actually, I would like a recommendation for lights that are “far” better in all those regards. And yes, being made in USA is a huge part in my decision to use Surefire lights.
Nathan L
I have a 4 sevens flashlight i bought 10 years ago that surpassed anything surefire was offering then. I had already had a problem with a surefire light that made it too unreliable to use as a bike light. This 2xAA 4 sevens light has been dropped and abused as my bike headlight (with a generic twofish lockblock mount) and touring camp light and never had a single problem. It also has a moonlight mode, which was an almost unique feature back then and essential for a light that would be a headlight and also used in a stealth camp and tent with limited recharge opportunities. I checked out the 4 sevens site just now before typing this and see that it is closed, but that the owner is overseeing a transition to new ownership. I’d suggest that anyone who wants an innovative, quality light with quality service will probably still have a hard time doing any better than with the next evolution of 4 sevens.
firefly
It really depend on your need. For EDC I love my Nitecore SRT 7. I have had it for years and I haven’t had any problem with it. I love the smart ring that allow me to dial in the exact brightness. I can also adjust the brightness while the flashlight is off. I hate flashlight that made me jump through a series of mode to get to my preferred brightness level. The build quality is exceptional on my unit.
I don’t own any Surefire flashlight myself but I have tried them out. I have also heard great thing about their QA and support department. The vibe that I got from Surefire in the early day of LED light is that they are going for the tried and true method. They seem to focus on reliability and durability. That was the early day of LED and that was when Surefire is pretty much the only game in town. I found their LED lights selection in the early day was rather lacking. I discovered Nitecore and it has served my need well. Nowaday their LED lights selection has been growing. I wonder if they still stayed true to their original moto.
Tim
I believe you have the right idea Stuart. Honoring a few of the lights at the original price. No need to include the other free light if it wasn’t an official offer (advertised).
The biggest issue is the lack of prompt communication. That’s the fastest way to lose my business.
skfarmer
i understand the whole customer service thing but mistakes happens. i don’t see how someone is obligated to offer something at a mistake price. they obviously need to refund the money and if they choose to honor it, great the only thing they really owe you is an apology and answer as to what happened. if this is an ongoing issue or they actually send an inferior item unlike what is described then there is an issue.
if you go into a store to buy something and accidentally give them 100 dollars too much do you want it back or say i made a mistake, keep it.
as consumers and purchasers we deserve to be treated fairly and honestly but i don’t think we are not entitled to profit from a mistake. if they choose to honor a mistake, good for them but it is hardly worth getting your panties all bunched up if they don’t.
Stuart
I agree.
My main complaint isn’t about Surefire not honoring the legit-seeming flashlight discount, or the freebie that seemed to have stemmed from an error or human mistake. I don’t feel entitled to “profit” from their mistakes.
The issue for me is Surefire’s handling of the situation. No apology, no instructions, no follow-up. It suggests that they simply don’t care about their customers.
Even in the wording of their all-caps message, they’re no accepting responsibility for what happened.
There are so many different ways to handle mistakes and errors like this. But I can’t imagine anyone being happy with how they handled this matter.
fred
Who knows – but maybe a lawyer wrote the message – with the thought that you should never fess up to anything less you be sued.
I’m not a flashlight collector – but its a sad commentary on Surefire and their lack of business acumen.
FD
Surefire way to lose a lot of repeat business and miss out on some people not even putting their first order in …
jason
Life happens. Mistakes were made. Their choice if they want to honor the pricing. time to move on to other things.
Pablo Coniglario
Screw SureFire. They don’t care about us useless little peons that they rarely offer any deals to. When they do, they mess it up (somehow), and do little to nothing to resolve it.
They have those big cushy Government contracts to fall back on, why should they take care of us?
Been loyal to SF for ~15 years, NO MORE! They’re lights are outdated, use crappy tinted emitters, no rechargeable options. The days of SF being the cream of the crop lights have passed, you can get MUCH better bang for your buck elsewhere.
And yes, I totally agree 100% on the authors opinion on how the matter SHOULD have been properly handled. Of course deny those leeches that ordered outlandish numbers of lights to do nothing else than re-sell. What a shame, I really am saddened at the whole ordeal…
Rich
I ordered 2 myself, one for a gift. When I called to ask them the female on the phone did not apologize and she said it would not be shipped and then she hung up on me…
I have a bunch of surefire products cause people seem to think they have a great product, the customer service is horrendous. I will be looking for other companies to spend my hard earned money.
Chance
Well, after receiving multiple emails from Surefire, on a sob story, one apologetic, yet another thanking me for being a loyal customer and helping to make them who they’ve become (not sure if that’s a good thing or not), and even one responding to a question about my order that had long since been canceled, I finally received an email telling me that the items from the sale are all in stock, the ordering system is working properly, and the sale pricing is still being honored so I can go ahead and place a new order. So I did. Wouldn’t you know it, several days later I get an email saying that every last item in my order is back-ordered, including batteries!! You would think of all things they would always have a bajillion batteries in stock.
How could Surefire possibly fail so bad? I’m still waiting for a warranty replacement of a faulty Sidekick from a month ago, and now more back-orders after receiving an email telling me that all items from the sale are in stock. I’m quite brand loyal, but I may be giving up on Surefire at this point. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice. . . . . .
JR
Surefire is just incredibly bad at customer service. I ordered during their Christmas sale and 3 days later they said everything was on back-order. I waited weeks and finally used their web form to request status of the order. No response. Waited another couple of weeks and tried again, no response again. Yesterday, I called them and was told some UPS trucks had been stolen and likely my order was on one of them I was promised a call back. After I hung up, I noticed a response to my webform request claiming the order had shipped. I checked the UPS track and it showed the package had been destroyed in shipping & disposed of. No call from UPS or from Surefire when this happened a month ago. I called today, and now they claim they will call me back again or email or something. Their reps literally do not care about the customer.
Based on this, Surefire is on my DO NOT BUY list.
realitycheck
Why would you buy anything but a Malkoff Devices flashlight?
Stuart
Price.