Amazon Price Error Angers Buyers

New York City, In an apparent Oct. 4 gaffe, Amazon.com advertised and sold 40-inch LCD Samsung televisions for $1,899 apiece. Today, the price shown for the same product is $3,699.99, over a 90% increase.

Customers who purchased the discounted televisions were sent automated e-mails stating deliveries would not be completed because of the pricing error.

Several disgruntled customers voiced their opinion on Amazon’s handling of the situation on the company’s Web site, including one who wrote, “In any bricks and mortar store, you’d pay the advertised price and walk out with the merchandise, even if they screwed up the price. Apparently this does not apply to big on-line merchants.”

An Amazon spokesperson said the company may consider answering the complaints beyond the automated responses sent to customers.