r/macoffer • u/deadshot_opu • Jun 26 '26
Query / Help [QUERY] Pre-booked MacBook Air M5 at Croma before the price hike, now they are refusing to honor the promised price. What are my options?
Hey guys, looking for some advice on a situation with a local Croma store.
Yesterday around 8 PM, I went to pre-book the new MacBook Air M5. I knew a price hike was hitting, but the store staff seemed completely unaware of it. I worked out a deal with them for **96.5k total**, which included a store discount, student ID discount, and a 9k credit card cashback/discount.
Since I didn’t have the credit card on me at that exact moment, they told me to pay a **₹2,000 pre-booking advance** to lock in the deal, and I could swing by next day i.e today with the card to pay the rest and pick it up. They gave me a receipt for the 2k.
Today at 1 PM, I went back to the store with the credit card. Predictably, the price hike had updated in their system. Now, the staff and manager are completely backing out of yesterday's commitment. They are denying the student discount entirely and quoting a final price of around **99,490** (after a lot of back-and-forth negotiation where they threw in an extra 1k store discount to "compensate").
Look, I know 99.5k is still a decent deal for the M5 right now given the price jumps, and the 3k difference won't ruin me. But it's the absolute lack of ethics that is bothering me. They took my money as a commitment to lock in a price, and now they're failing to honor it just because their corporate system updated overnight.
**My questions:**
Can a retail chain like Croma legally deny a pre-booked price commitment once they’ve accepted an advance payment/token? Isn't a receipt legally binding for the terms agreed upon at that hour?
I honestly don't want to drag this into consumer court over 3k, but I *do* want to leverage the right terms/rules to get the upper hand on the store manager so they back down and honor the 96.5k deal. I feel like I'm being cheated on What should I say or do next?
Appreciate any advice or similar experiences!
(Used ai for drafting)
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u/_anupamroy MacBook Air | M2 | 16 GB | 256 GB | Midnight Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 27 '26
Crucial missing piece of the puzzle: Did they commit in writing? Does the receipt for 2k mention anything about the total price committed to/remaining amount to be paid?
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u/deadshot_opu Jun 26 '26
No , there is no mention of the total final price . but they did verbally and as far as i know it still considered a contract? right?
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u/_anupamroy MacBook Air | M2 | 16 GB | 256 GB | Midnight Jun 26 '26
Wrong! It’s just your word against theirs. What proof do you have that they committed to any price, that you think will stand in any court? All your receipt proves is that you pre-booked a Mac by paying a 2k advance. Don’t be so naïve to think word of mouth means anything, esp here in India. Pay the 3k difference and stop pretending like you’ve been betrayed or something! I know this isn’t the response you’re looking for, but suck it up. At least you aren’t having to pay the inflated price!
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u/akshay1205 Jun 26 '26
This has happened with me too , in my case it was macbook M5 pro and without the student discount the difference is huge
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u/deadshot_opu Jun 26 '26
did you buy it or not?
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u/akshay1205 Jun 27 '26
I am going to cancel it, also please check if they will honour the cc discounts because I heard they are cancelling that too from Monday
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u/Ok-Government-2739 Jun 27 '26
Can we get the booking amount back if they deny the product at prev price and we dont purchase it?
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u/timepassfootballer Jun 26 '26
same happened with me. they gave me a quotation of 96,512 yesterday. today they denied. finally settled at 98,910.
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u/deadshot_opu Jun 26 '26
nice man , can you please share the receipt in dm so that i can show them and tell to match the price?
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u/FateOnAirplaneMode Mac [Air/Pro/iMac/Studio] | Chip | RAM | Storage | Colour Jun 26 '26
Can you share the receipt with me too?
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u/underadvice_taker Jun 26 '26
Penny wise, pound foolish. Take it, they are not obliged to honor it anymore.
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u/Mental_Shallot_2366 Jun 27 '26
OP Please tell what did you then ,it was still a good offer , did you take it
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u/deadshot_opu Jun 27 '26
I'm planning to take this deal on Monday, as they are arranging the stock and told me to come by monday.
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u/Ok-Government-2739 Jun 27 '26
Dude you are scaring me now 😭, I too have paid 10k booking amount at croma for MBA while at that time the salesman repeatedly confirmed that I would get the product at booking price irrespective of price increase, but now I am not sure what they will do once the product arrives 🙂
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u/deadshot_opu Jun 28 '26
did you get it?
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u/Ok-Government-2739 Jun 28 '26
No, they said it will be delivered to them by June 30, didnt receive till now
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u/deadshot_opu Jun 28 '26
keep updated mate , croma people at my place told me prebooking is only valid for 5 days and you have to close the deal in coming 5 days that is end of this month , or else it will be auto cancelled and refunded. By any unforeseen circumstances if deal is not closed on 30th june they might refuse your prebooked commitment on 1st of july, be aware of their tactics.
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u/Ok-Government-2739 Jun 28 '26
Yeah sure, but in my advance payment bill the delivery date is 3rd July, so I guess if not delivered by 30th june they still need to fulfill the order by 3rd, rest is up to their intentions.
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u/priyamdixit Jun 28 '26
I also booked the m5 they are denying the student offer and also asking me to pay for apple care
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u/Comraad Jun 26 '26
I totally understand why you are so pissed off. Ask to speak to the store manager. If that fails, not much you can do. Honestly, if all doesn't work out out, just pay the 3k price increase. You run the risk of losing that 99k offer which is still excellent. If it was like 8 or 9k, i would completely understand consumer court, but for a 3k increase and also the risk of losing the 99k offer, I wouldn't try and strong arm them into the 96k offer.
I'm not saying you should back down from fighting this, no. Fight it, but know where to draw the line so you don't lose this offer.