Tesla is Threatening Cybertruck Buyers to Take Delivery By the End of December; Otherwise, the Company Says They Will “Forfeit” Their $2,500 Deposit
As the end of the quarter approaches, Tesla appears to be pressuring Cybertruck buyers to complete their purchase by December 30. Otherwise, the company is threatening to confiscate their $2,500 deposit and cancel their order.
For years, Elon Musk has said that Tesla should move away from the end-of-quarter sales rush; however, the EV maker is once again resorting to pressuring buyers in order to meet end-of-year sales targets.
The first person to bring this issue to our attention is Brok Butcher, who is a Cybertruck buyer from Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Brok has already paid Tesla $2,500 to configure a Cybertruck, but due to unforeseen financial difficulties, he says he needs more time before he can complete the Cybertruck purchase.
However, as mentioned above, Tesla is giving him an ultimatum to either take delivery before the end of the year or lose his $2,500 deposit.
The Cybertruck buyer shared his ordeal, writing…
“Crazy how Tesla wouldn’t at least allow me to use my $2,500 deposit for a future Cybertruck.”
Below his post, Brok included a screenshot of a conversation he had with a Tesla sales representative—Josie.
The Tesla representative writes…
“Hello, Brok, you have exceeded your final hold on your Cybertruck and have been assigned a truck that is on island readily available.
Please let us know if you intend on taking delivery by 12/30. If we do not hear from you, we will assume you are no longer interested, and your order will be automatically canceled.”
This is a very cut-and-dry message to receive from a company trying to get you to spend $100,000 on one of the company’s vehicles. The attitude of the Tesla sales representative is as if Brok owes Tesla money rather than someone trying to make a sale.
Given this unprecedented message, Brok responds by saying he can’t finalize the purchase currently and writes back, “I need more time.”
However, the Tesla rep responds in a very cold manner, writing…“Your order will be canceled with your deposit forfeited.”
This is a very rough manner of treating a customer. Brok replies by asking why he couldn’t at least use the $2,500 deposit for a future Cybertruck. Brok writes…
“That doesn't seem fair. Why can't my deposit be for the time I can order my Cybertruck?
It shouldn't be forfeited.”
In response, the Tesla representative wrote back, saying the company has the right to take his $2,500 deposit.
Here is what the Tesla representative wrote…
“When you placed your deposit, you agreed to the terms and conditions of it being non-refundable and to take delivery once the vehicle is available.”
This is technically true; when configuring a vehicle, Tesla makes you sign a contract that says the deposit is non-refundable, and if the buyer no longer wants to go ahead with the purchase, Tesla will take the deposit.
However, in Brok’s case, he is not asking to get the deposit back. He is still interested in purchasing a Cybertruck; however, given his current financial struggle, he needs more time.
At the very least, I believe the Tesla representative should have been understanding of Brok’s situation and approached the issue with empathy rather than acting like he stole money from the company.
Overall, it’s interesting to see Tesla resorting to high-pressure tactics to meet end-of-year sales targets. Please let me know what you think in the comments. Share your ideas by clicking the red “Add new comment” button below. Also, visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.
Image: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
For more information, check out: Tesla Cybertruck Owner in Canada Says the Truck is “Dangerous” After Experiencing First Drive in the Snow; Forced to Slow Down to 25 Mph on the Highway & Stop Multiple Times to Clean the Headlights
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.