I was shopping in the NorthWest World Perks Mall and came onto the OfficeMax.com site. (NW is offering double miles through December with all OfficeMax.com purchases). OfficeMax offers a "price guarantee" that they will match a competitor's price, so when I found software from BestBuy.com at $89.99 and OffieMax.com at $99.99 (same exact product, same free shipping) I ordered from OfficeMax.com (to get the NW miles) and filled out their "price match guarantee" form. The very last bit of information I filled out was the tip-off: "Competitor's Next-Day delivery charge" (can you see this one coming?). I type in $0.00--BestBuy.com offers FREE delivery, but not "next day".

A few hours later I get an e-mail from an OfficeMax customer rep, informing me that the price match guarantee request was denied because BestBuy.com does not offer "next day shipping". The $99.99 price stands.

I e-mailed back that, in effect, I was paying $10.00 (the difference in price) for their "next day delivery". I advised them to just send it out in a few days, as BestBuy.com might, and give me the $10 price match guarantee. Their response--we ONLY ship next day, and the competitor does not match that. The "guarantee" does not apply.

The bottom line: OfficeMax.com does NOT match competitor's prices, although their banner proclaiming it on the homepage of their website certainly makes wanting to shop there reassuring. No other online store is shipping with next day delivery. OfficeMax ships from regional warehouses, the others online merchants, by and large, do not. But this is NOT a price match guarantee--it is a service match guarantee. If you are shopping for the lowest price and do not need it TOMORROW, stay clear of OfficeMax--regardless of what their website proclaims.

That ends my rant. Thanks for listening. I feel better.