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In the event of such an occurrence, which party should be held responsible?

2

Comments

  • @Dudwen821 said:

    @FAT32 said:

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @FAT32 said:

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @plumberg said:
    No one is obligated to anything. It works both the ways

    Such is life and how the flash sales work.
    Better to accept it and move on sooner

    Hope you find a deal you want.

    So by your logic, merchants have no obligation to ensure their promotions run smoothly?

    Depends but kinda yes. And even then how can you be sure the quantity hasn't been used up despite the error? Based on my experience with a lot of providers, the crash usually only happened after a few orders have gone through (unless their ordering page is very long / slow).

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @Maki said:
    No, is either the code already used by others or its not your day

    That's not an accurate description of the situation. As the screenshot clearly shows, the website crashed due to excessive traffic, but I had already successfully applied the discount code before the crash. There should always be a first-come-first-served rule in such cases.

    The code is used when you click "Deploy" / "Place Order", not when you click "Apply".

    Let me use your precise verb: Place Order. Yes, it was during the "Place Order" step that the website crashed!

    Yes that means the order hasn't successfully placed.

    So you're essentially saying that consumers should just accept website crashes during the payment process—exactly like how the merchant shifts the blame onto the customers!

    Correct.

    Thanked by 1FAT32
  • @Dudwen821 said:
    Regarding this argument, I believe I am neither the first nor the last person to encounter it.

    Correct. This happens on every flash sale (apart from the visual web thingy ones)

    Thanked by 1FAT32
  • @HuiW said:
    I thought it reached maximum usage limit since someone used it in one second

    If it's applied, it's applied. Later attempts would be invalid—it's not like repeatedly entering the code would keep showing it as valid, right?

  • @Dudwen821 said:

    @FAT32 said:

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @FAT32 said:

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @FAT32 said:

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @plumberg said:
    No one is obligated to anything. It works both the ways

    Such is life and how the flash sales work.
    Better to accept it and move on sooner

    Hope you find a deal you want.

    So by your logic, merchants have no obligation to ensure their promotions run smoothly?

    Depends but kinda yes. And even then how can you be sure the quantity hasn't been used up despite the error? Based on my experience with a lot of providers, the crash usually only happened after a few orders have gone through (unless their ordering page is very long / slow).

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @Maki said:
    No, is either the code already used by others or its not your day

    That's not an accurate description of the situation. As the screenshot clearly shows, the website crashed due to excessive traffic, but I had already successfully applied the discount code before the crash. There should always be a first-come-first-served rule in such cases.

    The code is used when you click "Deploy" / "Place Order", not when you click "Apply".

    Let me use your precise verb: Place Order. Yes, it was during the "Place Order" step that the website crashed!

    Yes that means the order hasn't successfully placed.

    So you're essentially saying that consumers should just accept website crashes during the payment process—exactly like how the merchant shifts the blame onto the customers!

    Let's be real. Even if the website doesn't crashed, you wouldn't get it either. This is because there could already be X amounts of order requests before you and although they also crashed while waiting for response - at least the request is processed hence they got it before you.

    There is another possibility: the discount code has a usage limit!
    . So even if later users enter the code, it will be invalid. Therefore, the "Valid" status shown in the screenshot is the most direct evidence.

    the "Valid" is only pre check, it only used when you click "Place Order"

  • FAT32FAT32 Administrator, Deal Compiler Extraordinaire

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @HuiW said:
    I thought it reached maximum usage limit since someone used it in one second

    If it's applied, it's applied. Later attempts would be invalid—it's not like repeatedly entering the code would keep showing it as valid, right?

    "Apply" just means attempt.

    I mean I have used a lot of different platforms in the past, even with Taobao / Amazon / other local e-commerce they all have the same design and "issue".

    Anyway at the end of the day, it is just a server. If you don't like how it is done then don't play the game.

    Thanked by 1HuiW
  • @Dudwen821 said:

    @HuiW said:
    I thought it reached maximum usage limit since someone used it in one second

    If it's applied, it's applied. Later attempts would be invalid—it's not like repeatedly entering the code would keep showing it as valid, right?

    Imagine there is a treasure (vps) and everyone have the key (promo code), you know its valid (on payment page), but when you try to open the treasure you need to fight with other people to open it, the treasure crash, when it open and no one fighting, everyone know the treasure content is gone

  • Need to tell the "child story" about how it work

  • I think you're taking entirely the wrong tone with this @Dudwen821 .. I would probably message the host and explain what happened and ask if they'd cut me another use of the coupon. Phrasing it the way you are just makes it an unpleasant encounter.

  • @zed said:
    I think you're taking entirely the wrong tone with this @Dudwen821 .. I would probably message the host and explain what happened and ask if they'd cut me another use of the coupon. Phrasing it the way you are just makes it an unpleasant encounter.

    I consulted in advance and originally let it go, but the merchant completely shifted the responsibility to the consumer, which led to this post about wanting to hear the thoughts of other consumers!

  • plumbergplumberg Veteran, Megathread Squad

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @Maki said:

    @Dudwen821 said:

    @plumberg said:
    No one is obligated to anything. It works both the ways

    Such is life and how the flash sales work.
    Better to accept it and move on sooner

    Hope you find a deal you want.

    So by your logic, merchants have no obligation to ensure their promotions run smoothly?

    No, they can do whatever they want with their site, in return on "bad customer rep"

    They only obligated to you until the form of contract happen, its after payment

    So you're indirectly confirming this is the merchant's issue. I might interpret this as a standard for whether a business has ethics.

    Lowendtalk.com
    Standards
    Ethics

    These dont match

    I have missed 100s of other flash deals.

    Who doesnt want best value for money?

    I think you are feeling hurt that something out of your control caused you to miss it.

    Its difficult to shake the feeling off.

  • @Dudwen821 said:

    @zed said:
    I think you're taking entirely the wrong tone with this @Dudwen821 .. I would probably message the host and explain what happened and ask if they'd cut me another use of the coupon. Phrasing it the way you are just makes it an unpleasant encounter.

    I consulted in advance and originally let it go, but the merchant completely shifted the responsibility to the consumer, which led to this post about wanting to hear the thoughts of other consumers!

    You just need a better F5 key and a better attitude, and next time the deal will be yours.

  • @Dudwen821 said:

    @zed said:
    I think you're taking entirely the wrong tone with this @Dudwen821 .. I would probably message the host and explain what happened and ask if they'd cut me another use of the coupon. Phrasing it the way you are just makes it an unpleasant encounter.

    I consulted in advance and originally let it go, but the merchant completely shifted the responsibility to the consumer, which led to this post about wanting to hear the thoughts of other consumers!

    Fair enough, my opinion then is shit happens and sometimes we miss out. There'll be another sale next week with a different catchy name, and another the week after and so on. Better luck next time.

  • OP reminds me of a stubborn kid, who does not want to accept reality.

    We need to distinguish between moral and legal obligation. Is hoster morally obliged to honor the price? This is easy - no, he does not (ofc, you can twist it and apply a different standard of morality, this is up to you). Is hoster legally obliged to honor the price? This is a bit more complex - no, he does not, provided the order was not final (when you receive an email with your order no etc). There are certain limitations here depending on the jurisdiction in question.

    In essence, there is no point complaining here. It happened, it happens to many people, so you just need to carry on.

  • fatchanfatchan Member, Host Rep

    🇨🇳🫡

    Yes it is the hosters fault, you must open multiple tickets to complain.

  • Another frustrated MJJ (a common nickname in tech/hosting communities)! I was going to reply in Chinese, but I decided to use English instead. First off, your frustration at missing out just proves how popular the merchant’s promotion is—so many people rushed to buy it! The server crashed, and plenty of people couldn’t get their hands on it—not just you. You tried to purchase it only to find it sold out, and you’re upset. But I have to say: the merchant did nothing wrong. Don’t they have the right to run out of stock? Why get so hung up on this? A promotion is all about speed—first come, first served. If this were a regular-priced VPS, I’d totally side with you. But dear Chinese netizen, this is a damn promotional VPS!

  • @Dudwen821 said:
    this can only be seen as unethical conduct rather than a matter of responsibility.

    We all understand your frustration in not getting a flash sale. We've all experienced something similar. Even today, there was a vendor who actually received payments but ended up refunding a bunch because their system and Paypal both failed to prevent overordering.

    But almost every comment in this thread that I've seen basically says that's how things work, nothing to be done but try again.

    @Dudwen821 said:
    I'd really like to hear everyone's views

    With your replies to other members, it feels like you are more interested in hearing someone be on your side, not what most people's views actually are.

    As @FAT32 succinctly put, you just gotta cope.

    Thanked by 1FAT32
  • layer7layer7 Member, Host Rep, LIR

    @Dudwen821 said:
    After successfully applying a discount code during purchase, I proceeded to payment but encountered a website malfunction that prevented completion. By the time the site recovered, the promo code had expired. In such cases, does the merchant have an obligation to honor the discounted order for the customer? I'd really like to hear everyone's views, as the merchant claimed the issue was my responsibility—which I find deeply frustrating.

    Hi,

    frustrating?, Yes.

    Companies fault? No.

    My wife has been today ( cybermonday ) in a shop, going to the cashier, laying the wares on the counter and expect it to pay it.

    Then the cashier lady told her that this was black friday event, and even the discount sticker is still on it, the event is over and she can not apply the discount.

    Of course as a customer she could have rampaged what kind of s*** this is to have discount stickers on wares that are actually not discounted anymore.

    Or she could have accepted that its monday, no one had time to remove any sticker from anywhere as it was weekend ( not working day here in germany ) and just dont buy it.

    She did the last one and i think going the first one way would be complete waste of energy.


    You, just like an unknown amount of people wanted to order it. Others were lucky and placed the order before the server died. You were not. Its part of the game. Next time, maybe, you will be the one who succeed and others will face this nice cloudflare screen telling them to f** off :)

    A code is valid when its valid until its not valid anymore. You cant blame the company if an even is simply over, a limited time offer is over, a coupon is over.

    Independent of this, you can definitely be frustrated about it -- just like my wife and most probably a lot of other people around black friday, christmas, valentines day or any other shopping event.

    Do it like a pro shopper and try next time to use your phone, your computer, some online server and same of your wifes/girlfriends/normal friends/dogs/cats and who ever is available to make sure that you have more eggs in the basked so its fine if 20 fail, as long as 1 succeed and be part of the problem having the website dying hard but also be one of the winners.

    This shopping events are war -- literally! We see tons of bots and what ever killing the servers of our customers like DDOS just to get the deals / prices / orders / what ever they want during this time or simply real DDOS to kill the competition.

    Welcome to this beautiful world we all created! :-)

  • @layer7 said: Of course as a customer she could have rampaged what kind of s*** this is to have discount stickers on wares that are actually not discounted anymore.

    To be fair, in the UK the shop's only legal options would be to honour the lowest sticker price or refuse to sell the item at all.

    If every item in the shop had been stickered with a discount price, they should have just not let customers in until they'd removed all the stickers. That said, in the UK shops rarely remove discount stickers. Instead, they usually put a non-price "I'm in the sale" label on instead, and then a sign above the rack that says "All sale items in this section x% reduction".

  • I’ve seen this. It’s working as expected. You were not meant to secure discount.

  • layer7layer7 Member, Host Rep, LIR

    @ralf said:
    To be fair, in the UK the shop's only legal options would be to honour the lowest sticker price or refuse to sell the item at all.

    If every item in the shop had been stickered with a discount price, they should have just not let customers in until they'd removed all the stickers. That said, in the UK shops rarely remove discount stickers. Instead, they usually put a non-price "I'm in the sale" label on instead, and then a sign above the rack that says "All sale items in this section x% reduction".

    Hi,

    then the UK's do it certainly more clever than the shop my wife was in :)

  • @ralf said: to honour the lowest sticker price

    Sticker has nothing to do with it. It is about a basic contract law principles like offer, acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relations.

  • @Dudwen821 said:

    @plumberg said:
    No one is obligated to anything. It works both the ways

    Such is life and how the flash sales work.
    Better to accept it and move on sooner

    Hope you find a deal you want.

    So by your logic, merchants have no obligation to ensure their promotions run smoothly?

    Obviously. If they want to be successful, that's generally the goal, though.

    But you must be new if servers crashing from demand is the first you're hearing about it in 2025. That shit has been a thing since the first online store.

  • @Dudwen821 said:

    @zed said:
    I think you're taking entirely the wrong tone with this @Dudwen821 .. I would probably message the host and explain what happened and ask if they'd cut me another use of the coupon. Phrasing it the way you are just makes it an unpleasant encounter.

    I consulted in advance and originally let it go, but the merchant completely shifted the responsibility to the consumer, which led to this post about wanting to hear the thoughts of other consumers!

    What responsibility? You're not out any money.

    The server crashed and lost its state information. It doesn't know if you ordered 1 or 100 of something. It's not valid anymore and cannot be used as a sale since the transaction didn't occur.

    You can whine about poor website coding or under resourced server, but not expect to receive promo price on a crash.

  • Dudwen821Dudwen821 Member
    edited December 2025

    最大的问题不是有没有获得订单!而是看待问题的角度和观点!
    商家可以不要脸不承认,你不能颠倒黑白 屏幕上明明折扣被应用了!你又说后台折扣没有被应用,那么请问网站是消费者建立的吗??那如果是这样,你要消费者如何判断?这个优惠码屏幕上显示已经被应用而实际上又后台没被应用???那归根结底误会是不是由于网站错误显示导致的?错误导致不存在的折扣被验证了你能说和你们网站没关系?那我也可以猜想你是不是从后台就抹除了我的折扣码呢,理论上这个也能做到不是吗?那正常的优惠码有使用次数如果它无效了它怎么又显示被应用成功了?我不是非得要获得的你这个福利,但是你们表达出来整件事的重点都不一致!英文终究不如中文表达的清晰!
    此贴结案,再次让我认识到中西方对待同一件事的文化差异!

    Everyone just has different positions
    , I will not participate in this discussion or respond to anyone's viewpoint. This topic is over! Good night to everyone!

  • FAT32FAT32 Administrator, Deal Compiler Extraordinaire

    @Dudwen821 said:
    最大的问题不是有没有获得订单!而是看待问题的角度和观点!
    商家可以不要脸不承认,你不能颠倒黑白 屏幕上明明折扣被应用了!你又说后台折扣没有被应用,那么请问网站是消费者建立的吗??那如果是这样,你要消费者如何判断?这个优惠码屏幕上显示已经被应用而实际上又后台没被应用???那归根结底误会是不是由于网站错误显示导致的?错误导致不存在的折扣被验证了你能说和你们网站没关系?那我也可以猜想你是不是从后台就抹除了我的折扣码呢,理论上这个也能做到不是吗?那正常的优惠码有使用次数如果它无效了它怎么又显示被应用成功了?我不是非得要获得的你这个福利,但是你们表达出来整件事的重点都不一致!英文终究不如中文表达的清晰!
    此贴结案,再次让我认识到中西方对待同一件事的文化差异!

    我重申一次:点击 "应用" 不等于下单,只是一个检测。很多平台都一样的,不管淘宝拼多多之类的。只是小商家怎么有成本搞得像大厂有队列系统之类的呢?基本上如果报错了那就是错过了。

    那我也可以猜想你是不是从后台就抹除了我的折扣码

    你想多了,不是每个人都有这个闲功夫来搞这些有的没的。


    不管怎样这个是英文论坛,请用翻译软件附上对应的翻译。

    Please use English only in this forum. (The above is not in English just for easier communication and clarification)

  • @FAT32 said:

    @Dudwen821 said:
    最大的问题不是有没有获得订单!而是看待问题的角度和观点!
    商家可以不要脸不承认,你不能颠倒黑白 屏幕上明明折扣被应用了!你又说后台折扣没有被应用,那么请问网站是消费者建立的吗??那如果是这样,你要消费者如何判断?这个优惠码屏幕上显示已经被应用而实际上又后台没被应用???那归根结底误会是不是由于网站错误显示导致的?错误导致不存在的折扣被验证了你能说和你们网站没关系?那我也可以猜想你是不是从后台就抹除了我的折扣码呢,理论上这个也能做到不是吗?那正常的优惠码有使用次数如果它无效了它怎么又显示被应用成功了?我不是非得要获得的你这个福利,但是你们表达出来整件事的重点都不一致!英文终究不如中文表达的清晰!
    此贴结案,再次让我认识到中西方对待同一件事的文化差异!

    我重申一次:点击 "应用" 不等于下单,只是一个检测。很多平台都一样的,不管淘宝拼多多之类的。只是小商家怎么有成本搞得像大厂有队列系统之类的呢?基本上如果报错了那就是错过了。

    那我也可以猜想你是不是从后台就抹除了我的折扣码

    你想多了,不是每个人都有这个闲功夫来搞这些有的没的。


    不管怎样这个是英文论坛,请用翻译软件附上对应的翻译。

    Please use English only in this forum. (The above is not in English just for easier communication and clarification)

    wow ,u can say chinese!!

    Thanked by 1FAT32
  • Sales are meant to attract customers and sometimes even sell at a loss. If a store tricks you into missing out, it’s their choice, not a loss on your part.

    Thanked by 1FAT32
  • @layer7 said:

    @Dudwen821 said:
    After successfully applying a discount code during purchase, I proceeded to payment but encountered a website malfunction that prevented completion. By the time the site recovered, the promo code had expired. In such cases, does the merchant have an obligation to honor the discounted order for the customer? I'd really like to hear everyone's views, as the merchant claimed the issue was my responsibility—which I find deeply frustrating.

    Hi,

    frustrating?, Yes.

    Companies fault? No.

    My wife has been today ( cybermonday ) in a shop, going to the cashier, laying the wares on the counter and expect it to pay it.

    Then the cashier lady told her that this was black friday event, and even the discount sticker is still on it, the event is over and she can not apply the discount.

    Of course as a customer she could have rampaged what kind of s*** this is to have discount stickers on wares that are actually not discounted anymore.

    Or she could have accepted that its monday, no one had time to remove any sticker from anywhere as it was weekend ( not working day here in germany ) and just dont buy it.

    She did the last one and i think going the first one way would be complete waste of energy.

    There was a promotion on this phone model at $488 (or something) which ended few days ago.

    So I walked into this retail shop and saw that promotion sticker is still pasted beside the phone model - checked with the staff and they immediately removed the sticker and told me sorry the promotion is already over.

    I was hoping I could get that phone at that pricing but too bad. It's a shame they couldn't honour that :(

  • Unless you actually checked out and got an invoice/charged for it, the merchant has no obligation to honor it. It does suck when you click that button and find out you lost but that's the way it & life goes sometimes.

  • @layer7 said:
    My wife has been today ( cybermonday ) in a shop, going to the cashier, laying the wares on the counter and expect it to pay it.

    Then the cashier lady told her that this was black friday event, and even the discount sticker is still on it, the event is over and she can not apply the discount.

    Of course as a customer she could have rampaged what kind of s*** this is to have discount stickers on wares that are actually not discounted anymore.

    Or she could have accepted that its monday, no one had time to remove any sticker from anywhere as it was weekend ( not working day here in germany ) and just dont buy it.

    She did the last one and i think going the first one way would be complete waste of energy.

    This sticker has to have name of the event and/or date-time limit right? Otherwise I'm pretty sure it's count as false advertising.

    Hellweg definitely honour sticker that has no time limit in my experience.

    As for OP, you need to learn the difference between physical coupon and digital ones.

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