A very respectable move. Points.com, or any other company with undesirable pricing (even IF it is their doing, not their partners), is not "fleecing" nor "fraudulent" just because they offer what some deem a bad deal. Such accusations should be reserved for companies that engage in true bait and switch, deception, and illegal practices.

I believe the term people are trying to come up with is "gouging".

The State of Maryland or Montgomery County passed a then recent anti-gouging law when the gas prices started getting very volatile a few years ago.

The government indicted a small non-franchised gas station owner who was charging nearly twice the rate for gas as "everyone else" within a pretty wide area (mid-five dollar range, as I recall).

The owner's excuse was that he was planning to go on vacation for a couple weeks which meant that the station would be shut down during that time, not making any money, and he wanted to make the money ahead of the trip by selling gas at a higher rate.

That was open advertisement of the rate being charged, and potential customers had the choice to drive to another station with a different price, but he was still charged by the state for gouging.

Unfortunately I don't have the follow-up to this story--what the verdict was.

Steve32

First, "price gouging" refers to essential items (food, fuel, etc.), which reward points certainly are not.

Second, "gouging" occurs when there is a monopolistic situation, not when there are alternative sources readily available. Not only do many loyalty programs allow the purchase, transfer, conversion, etc. of reward currencies, but there are other means and services by which to accomplish this as an alternative to Points.com. Even if Points.com was the only means available, it wouldn't stem from a protected position - other companies may certainly enter the game if desired.

Last, just because a concept is illegal doesn't make it inherently wrong, evil, or even illogical. Laws that prohibit "gouging" actually make the market *less* optimal because high prices actually help to determine the most efficient use of scarce resources and also encourage suppliers to absorb additional risks and costs in an effort to increase availability.

Same experience. Then I just tried to exchange some Continental miles for Delta and their stupid/slow web site (I have a 50Mbps FiOS connection so I know its not on my end) cannot seem to recognize my credit card no matter how many times I try to enter it. No chat support during business hours and and apparently no email response either. Something tells me they might be in financial trouble.

A shame really. The business model seems plausible and could work but their execution has been awful.

Agreed. It's a terrible site/company. As you, I also emailed and received nothing. Why doesn't the site take down the email "contact" since Points.com just blows off inquiries?The site just has its canned Q/A's and so if you have a specific question or issue, Points.com expects you to just suck it up. Also, it's not like you're getting any big bargain but, for some people, I suppose it makes sense. I detested doing business with them so much, that I decided to book a FF trip to an alternate destination for fewer miles than use it for a trade and book a trip for 4K more miles needed. Points.com sucks.

Points.com is essentially a pawn shop for airline miles. They take something that you have no use for, offer you a fraction of the market value and flip it for profit. I�ve used their services twice for accounts that had <2,000 miles that I knew would go to waste. I never had a problem with my transactions and got something tangible in return.

If people want to �pawn� 25,000 miles for $100.00, that�s on them. IMO, that�s no different than electing for immediate gratification instead of taking the time to sell your item on Craigslist or eBay where you will get a fairer market value.

Believe it or not, not everyone that earns frequent flier miles aspires to turn them into a reward.

+1

Good summary.

I have to agree with this. Dealing with Points.com is analogous to selling/buying at a pawn shop. Except maybe, with nobody behind the counter to answer questions. I imagine there are some decent pawn shops---but every time I window shop at one I roll my eyes at what ripoff prices pawn shops are asking for outdated, and used merchandise. You can often buy newer model, latest edition, etc., merchandise on sale at a retailer for less than what a pawn shop is hawking. You get some people who don't care about a decent return for a product and others who, for whatever reason, decide to buy it at an inflated price. Yes, that's an excellent analogy.

As I have quoted in numerous threads about Points.com, they are horrible to deal with and should be avoided.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...ot-joking.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...oints-com.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-zip-code.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...nd-2005-a.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-com-saga.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/s-p-m...dishonest.html


coup de gr�ce:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-per-mile.html


Feb 2011 one:

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thewan...ive-ever-seen/

Nonetheless, every once and a while, a new thread pops up in here about their terrible service.

Here is a boilerplate for an old letter many of us wrote to many then-discovered email addresses for employees at the company, citing reference to one employee who avoided us at all costs during a long ago promotion... Maybe it still has use today. Maybe some of the email addresses are still good, as it was CCd to all personnel listed herein. At the time it eventually did result in a successful outcome as they had no choice but to respond and solve the issues. You gotta push it with these sorts of people!:

From: XXXX
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 10:23 PM

To:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Subject: FW: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate attention required

Dear Management and Board of Directors of Points.com:

I participated in your promotion with Ebay Anything Points last June. I have been trying to get the last of my miles to post since last summer. The bonus was offered by your company, so we are not dealing with a third party here. If you will review the correspondence below with Lissa Romano you will see that I sent numerous messages inquiring about the miles. I was mostly ignored by Lissa and your company. I am appalled that you would not post miles that are legitimately mine. I am very upset about the amount of time I have had to spend to get miles due from the various vendors in this promotion and the miles due from points.com to double them. I would estimate I have at least 40 hours invested in just trying to get the bonus miles to post.

It is absurd that Lissa has taken at least 3 lengthy vacations during this fiasco. She didn't have the courtesy to respond to my numerous messages, she never called, she didn't assign the duties to a coworker in her absence and she resolved nothing.

And I am a paying customer to points.com!!! I am beginning to question your company's sense of ethics, your regard for the customer and your lack of follow though. Please respond to me with a fair and equitable solution to my problem in light of how much of my time has been abused.

I thank each of you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,
XXX

Interesting thread history. What really rankles me with this company, it makes little (am I being generous?) or no effort to respond to inquires through its email link. What an arrogant attitude.

indeed, which is why I feel it is up to US/me to spread the word about these idiots as best I can--by posting my speak and my links any and every time I can--until they change, which they never ever will!

I just used points.com for the first time and I'm totally happy with it. I had 7,702 miles in Continental's program that I will never use since I'm dedicating myself to AA miles for the foreseeable future. So I wanted to convert CO miles to AA.

Based on comments here, it sounded like points.com was a ripoff and I should use the Web Flyer mileage converter to find the method to best maximize my transfer. The converter gave me two options, but both involved first converting to the Amtrak program...which I wasn't a member of and which you can't make a transfer to unless you have "Select" status...which I was waaaay off from since I wasn't even a member yet.

Anyhow, the two Web Flyer converter methods would have resulted in either 3,000 or 1,500 AA miles produced from my original 7,702 CO miles. This was moot since the Amtrak thing prevented me from doing so.

So in comes Points.com. I figure it will give me an awful exchange rate, but at least I'll get something for these CO miles. Then, lo and behold, points.com turns my 7,702 Co miles into 2,368 AA miles. Not bad at all considering the Amtrak method would have netted 1,500 or 3,000 had I been able to do it.

Welp, that was my experience. Don't be afraid of points.com!

SH9168--you might want to look at this:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...consumers.html

+1 Tailgater. You beat me to it, lol.

Points.com has good upfront marketing because they CONSTANTLY come up in here as a question --like the OP has asked: Should I use them? What do you think? etc...

NO. Do not use them. Spread the word.

Here are some examples as to why you should never use them.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...ot-joking.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...oints-com.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-zip-code.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...nd-2005-a.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-com-saga.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/s-p-m...dishonest.html


coup de gr�ce:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-per-mile.html


Feb 2011 one:

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thewan...ive-ever-seen/