SHONKY: (adjective) Australian slang meaning "unreliable, unsound, dishonest, poor or of dubious quality; shoddy"
So CHOICE has awarded the 2016 Shonky Awards. Samsung and Amex were among the recipients.
But this got me wondering - what other products or brands do OzBargainers think should get a Shonky Award or at least deserve recognition for being dodgy, overrated or misleading?
I know they discounted the UberX rates in Aus a while back - they did the same in Singapore, and since then UberX was constantly on surge pricing. Not sure if they did that in Aus as well.
The four big banks.
Anyone know any libraries that have Choice magazine as part of their membership? So you can login online and read for free?
My local library (Gold Coast) gets one of them in print every month, you can't borrow them, but can browse and read them while you are there.
TPG mobile for forfeiting security balance and $11 porting out fee
I actually got my money back from TPG, I gave my 30 days notice and there was an issue their end they charged me the fee and an extra month because I went over to the next billing cycle… they pretty much said tough shit… I dug my heels in and got the money back.
My shonky award would definetly be Samsung and Telstra this year.. Watch has two year warranty plastered all over their website.. strap failed from a known manufacturing fault and seems that by Samsungs point of view the Strap of the watch is an accesory and as such only has a 6 month warranty not noted anytwhere obvious on their website or literature… neither of those two give a shit to actual honour their warranty… Telstra put their hands up and say we're just a reseller deal with the store, store says deal with samsung .. samsung says yeah it is a known issue but your out of warranty 8 months in to a 24 mont warranty… so being punished for looking after my stuff… others failed within weeks and got their replacement… f the both of them their getting no more of my business if that's how litle they care.. maybe I've just been spoiled with other retailers that do the right thing. this is the first time they have been of no help …
You bought from a Telstra reseller? Watch not on a plan with Telstra?
In which case - take aim at the reseller, not Telstra.
Watch was from Telstra Online , they had a 40% sale just after Xmas last year … they send you to deal direct with the local store and the store just put their hands up and say we dont deal with those not a high turnover,we're just a reseller deal with samsung…. the first time I went the girl said i might want to try JB-Hifi as they are a telstra reseller…. WTF !!
Strandbags.
Online they advertised 50% off a selection.
Went in store to find the gear at the front of the store still had full price marked on but as soon as i mentioned the sale they got stock from out back and wrote on the tag the sale price and passed it on to the checkout….. if noone mentioned the online sale you got done for.
Masters Closing Down Sales - Flogging advertisements for discounts, when there really isn't any.
In fact it's more the "up to" discount to sucker people in.
Rugs a million (In QLD) always seems to be closing a warehouse.
28 Degrees - Since the years go past they have added more fees and reduced functionality.
It all started when they were sold by ge money.
The fee for paying by bpay was the last straw for me, I have a bankwest card for international purchases now
That's not entirely true. You used to be able to load it up with money and use it at foreign ATMS. GE took this functionality away too.
I'd nominate Choice not for the Shonky award, but for the "sellout" award.
It used to be an excellent source for reviews of household goods and appliances, which is what I'm paying it for.
Nowadays it seems to cater too much for the super ethical progressive vegan dreadlocks master race crowd.
I stopped my sub a year ago, they were reworking the online portal when I left.
The online articles are a biatch to read. I always had to rearrange the table columns to get the info I want.
I would be happy if they just PDF'ed the paper format into choice.com.au and I'll just read those.
When I scroll down their data tables, the column headers weren't carried along so it was a jumble of numbers without heading/meaning.
Choice, I honestly wish you will live long and prosper, and please go back to your roots.
'
So true, Choice is as credible as those TV commercials dressed as segments like Zoot Review and Infochoice
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh3ahj6DnkU"
Superannuation companies who hide the fact that they are automatically giving you life insurance that you don't want. And the government and dodgy unions who support them.
nbn co/isps lack of capacity on internet services resulting in low speeds during peak, specifically iinet
Internationally, I would have a never-ending list of shonky businesses.
-Companies that advertise cheap subscriptions that in fact increase waaaay more after the first month or year. e.g. websitebuilder.com's eCommerce module doesn't even inform you the price will increase by 33% after the first month, most GoDaddy-like companies that charge above industry-average prices after the first term etc. People in the know exploit these deals but my naive clients often fall for this.
-This is similar to all those free trial companies that don't give you an option to cancel renewals instantly and require a credit card to sign up. Not as bad these days.
-All those companies worldwide that seemingly provide a service for a government but in fact have simply scammed you with superior SEO and risen to the top of Google. Think applying for a visa, registering for a business name etc. Sometimes they truly make things easier but often it's the exact same form except you've sacrificed your privacy and $100. It's for the type of people that book Tiger airways via Webjet.
You see that also with the "Build an xxxxx over 12 weeks" with the first week being (for example) $1 and then subsequent weeks being (for example) $10 and the whole thing costing $100+ when you could go to the shops and buy one yourself for $50 in one hit - but you know, the first week is only $1!
Of course the price increase for the other parts are in tiny writing right at the bottom of the advert!
Another one (from today)
Booked a Qantas flight on their website, which "unlocks" Qantas accommodation deals at the location I am travelling to!
Only they were 50% more expensive than if I booked through a UK based travel agent (I am based in Adelaide), let alone if I booked through an Australian based agent.
Shonky deals from Qantas because you've booked your flights through them and you think you're getting a good deal because you have "Unlocked" their specials!
Air Asia. You make a one way flight from Melbourne to China. Just because I am forced to make a stop over at KL, the system sees this as two separate bookings and I get charged "credit card fees" by Air Asia 2 times. Those credit card fees are not cheap !!
I thought this was common? you get slapped credit card fees on a per segment basis. absolutely ludicrous but there you go
Air Asia is a point to point airline, so multiple segments will be multiple bookings. Same with Ryanair etc.
Don't forget you have to pay for luggage on ever segment Too!
I'm at 1 with the consumer universe, bargains are everywhere, peace to all this Christmas:)
TPG. $20 Prepaid credit that you cannot get back for exiting
Amex is gr8 btw to me
Wait, I don't get that back? &$#@@#!
online ticket companies that charge to 'print at home'
absolutely ridiculous that. should be a law against it.
Wouldn't do much. I noticed that Ticketek magically upped their 'transaction fees' soon after the ACCC started their crackdown on Credit Card surcharges.
It's even worse when you can't have multiple transactions in your cart. I'm looking at you Sydney Opera House, and the $17 in fees I had to pay for two tickets to two shows.
Pickles Auctions.
Present Visa card to pay for item.
"There's a 1.1% surcharge for card"
"OK, I'll pay cash!"
"There's a 1.1% surcharge for cash"
WTF?
Is this even legal? Done they need to offer at least one method that does not attract a surcharge?
Payment by bank transfer is free, but 1) you can't take your vehicle on the day, and 2) you need to pick up your vehicle as soon as funds clears, otherwise they charge you "storage fee".
Cinemas classing you as an adult if you're over 15 when they sell you a ticket but a child if you're under 18 and wanna see Pulp Fiction. Had to go see Timecop instead. (Yep, I take my grudges to the grave!)
Anything at K-Mart under the "Homemaker" monika.
moniker
Monica
Not Australian I guess, but EA Games / Electronic Arts. Bought Dragon Age Inquisition Game of the Year edition, all the DLC comes via a one use only code and then you download it. "Buying" stuff digitally in general riles me up, they need a new set of words to describe the practice I think, "buying" or "purchasing" implies you own it, the Xbox store will even say, "you own this". If I "own" it, I should be able to sell it.
That's the thing though - you do not "own" Dragon Age: Inquisition. What you paid for is a license to play it. Given you don't own the Dragon Age IP, you dont have any rights to license it out (I.e sell it). Like it or not, digital goods with one use activation codes just explicitly enforce the rights of the IP owners.
If you buy it on disc, you can sell it though. Also, Xbox says I "own" it.
I nominate the NBN. I think those that are still waiting for it will understand why.
I concur, I'm pretty sure Jesus will be back before I get FTTN…
I nominate capilano honey.
I nominate relationships - expensive, unreliable, dubious quality, difficult and dangerous and the end results are almost always not what was advertised in the first place.
LG
For not admitting to the bootloop issues that have plagued the G4 and not honouring warranties.
Sucked in though, the sales of the g5 have been horrendous. You effed up big time LG. Customer service is everything no one is gonna buy your shlt anymore
Toll Priority.
Waiting 13 days for DSE S7 Edge (the OzBargain one) that should have arrived on the 3rd of October at the latest, according to Ebay.
I haven't recieved it yet.
Toll Business - TOLL PRIORITY (AUS)
Wed 5/10/2016 7:15 AM 1 Missort: Missort (Incorrect Branch), Action: Lodged on Charter Flight NSW COUNTRY PE
Mon 26/09/2016 12:42 PM 1 AU - Sydney. Linehaul by Overnight INTERNATIONAL PE
Mon 26/09/2016 12:33 PM 1 AU - Sydney. Into Facility INTERNATIONAL PE
Sat 24/09/2016 9:10 AM 1 HK - Hong Kong. Linehaul by Overnight INTERNATIONAL PE
Another company used Toll 2 years ago.
Had to drive 45 minutes to pick up an item from Toll's dispatch center, because "it would be inconvenient to deliver the item to my address".
The place I bought it from was 20 minutes away.
I'd be annoyed if I was Amex. Yes they do charge more depending on the industry. I'm in the hospitality industry and their rates are actually very competitive than the majority of "premium" and "super premium" - this includes cards like the diamond, gold, platinum, signatures etc. As an average these premium card msf rates are around the 2%-3% mark, all the banks are giving them out like candy and businesses have to either absorb or pass it on. Approx. 50% of our card takings are all premium and above, pay 1.1% with Amex although we have been with them for 28 years and never surcharged our customers regardless of card type and yes that even inlcudes the rip-off Diners club which is still hovering around 3.5%.
I will add that with the new govt. changes as of the 1/9 I havent had the chance to see if these premium cards have dropped or increased. So im happy to be corrected if so!
Leggos pasta sauce did a shrinky dink this year and it's not enough past sauce for 4 people any more.
Yes it went from 575g to 490g I think. I am so disappointed.
Hoyts Cinemas
We went recently to the movies, and behind the counter was the animated Style boards with all there 'combos' of Coke, popcorn, etc. Problem is, they would only stay on the screens for 3-5 seconds, before being replaced with a movie promo, or something else. further, when they were on screen, they didn't list prices. Only bundle name and contents. Then when trying to order popcorn and drink for 2, somehow it ended up being $40, which I flatout refused. I was then told there was a $21 combo with 1 cup and popcorn, but was more than the $40 worth in volume. And I refuse to feel bad for holding up the line when they've clearly gone to so much effort to make me rush my order.
I understand that they make most of there money on the concession stand, but this level of blatant manipulation is disgusting and I refuse to go back there.
This.
The candy bar is the biggest rip off by a distance. And they don't show prices except on the small screens on the checkout, and even then only for a few secs.
The reading cinema in Sunbury has a ticket, small drink and popcorn for $15. I feel sorry for people that live near expensive theatres.
I wonder if nominating and discussing companies on here could be deemed libelous if the company concerned thought such discussions were harmful to its operations/profits. My bet is Ozbargain would give up posters IP addresses if required by a court. Just a thought…
It's only libel if it's false.
I'm not disagreeing with that but proving otherwise in a courtroom might not be so easy plus a hefty legal bill would be due at the end either way.
OzBargain is 10 years old and people have shared their negative views on companies in nearly every deal thread.
I think it will reflect very poorly on any company that tries to sue someone for a single online comment buried in this thread. There's usually a good reason why people are annoyed at a company.
HAHAHAHAHAHA you are funny
I have one!
Just booked to stay at a hotel at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. Only just found out i ALSO need to buy a parks pass for $60. I notice it doesn't mention anything about this anywhere on their website
Haha just found out the lady had made a typo in her email and i DON'T need one. Score +1 for proof reading emails before sending
Which one?
Dare Furniture selling their "leather" furniture when it's really bonded leather crap
Taxis. I got double charged the other night by a rude driver. So glad Uber is going to make them redundant