misleading pricing

vikki.t

Hi I do apologise if this is in the wrong place but it's my first time posting. Anyway my problem is this:
A couple of weeks ago I was in Woolworths 22 miles from my home, whilst in there I spotted a table train set for my two yr old priced at £49.99, this I thought was a good price as I had previously seen them elswhere priced at £99.99, anyway at the time I couldn't get it in the car so thought I would ask my local Woolies to order it in for me ( i have done this previously). I had earlier got a copy of their Xmas 08 catalogue and it was in there priced at £49.99. So off I went to my local Woolies to purchase the item. When I got there it was on the shop floor priced at £74.99. I pointed to the catalogue and asked if there was a mistake. I got told it was an online price. What it states in the catalogue is "I'm online" I argued that if it was an online price it would surely say "online only". I interpreted it to be that you could order it online also. I was then told that EVERYTHING in there catalogue came from Jersey so you don't pay VAT (sorry but never heard anything so ridiculous in my life). I then said why advertise something in a catalogue in which I got from there shop if you can't purchase at the price advertised. At this point the manager was called and again told it was an online price to which I argued again. I was told in no uncertain terms that there is smallprint( Blink and you miss it!!) at the back of the book which states prices are subject to change. I said but I had seen one in the main Woolies to which she rather sharpishly told me "I don't think so" so virtually calling me a liar. I then said that we were obviously getting nowhere so I would contact Trading Standards. At this point she asked if I would like the price checking but I declined as to be honest was so wound up by this point and I left the shop.
I have since emailed their customer relations dept who replied that they had a different version of events, they didn't have to sell me it at the price advertised because of the disclaimer at the back of the book. I then replied to them telling them I would no longer shop with them and I was contacting Trading standards. Sorry I forgot to mention 5 minutes after me leaving the shop all the prices where reduced down to £49.99. Anyway, do you think Trading Standards would be interested and was I right in thinking that they had to sell me it at the price advertised as surely this is false advertising?
I would really appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks

Andy_L

vikki.t wrote: »

. Anyway, do you think Trading Standards would be interested and was I right in thinking that they had to sell me it at the price advertised as surely this is false advertising?
I would really appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks

They do not have to sell it at the price advertised, they are allowed to make mistakes. Trading standards would only be interested if they were consistently making "mistakes" in an attempt to mislead customers

Takoda

I'm confused. What do you mean "All the prices were reduced to £49,99" after you left the shop? Do you mean the train set? if it was reduced why didn't you go back in and get it?

The Jersey no VAT system is cool. Amazon use it as do Tesco online. No scam there.

vikki.t

Takoda wrote: »

I'm confused. What do you mean "All the prices were reduced to £49,99" after you left the shop? Do you mean the train set? if it was reduced why didn't you go back in and get it?

Yes the prices of the trainset had been reduced but I had already told them that I wouldn't shop there again as the manager was rather rude to me!!

pinkshoes

vikki.t wrote: »

Takoda wrote: »

Yes the prices of the trainset had been reduced but I had already told them that I wouldn't shop there again as the manager was rather rude to me!!

Well walk back in and go buy it. Definitely worth it for a £25 saving! If you're that bothered about telling them you wouldn't shop there again, then go buy a Halloween mask to disguises yourself!

Takoda

Cool. I know how you feel. I've refused to return to retailers who have seriously hacked me off too. Sometimes you feel better when you've done that. It sounds very much like they made a mistake. Personally though I'd have gone back in and bought it, while making a catty comment at the time of purchase, seeing as it was for the kids.

Rudeness from shop staff especially managers who theoretically SHOULD know better is unacceptable though.

I saw a great quote just now. I'll share it with you in case it cheers you up.

"Think of management as a tree of monkeys. The monkey at the top looks down and sees a sea of faces, all struggling to climb the tree.
But all the monkey at the bottom sees, is a tree of full of arrses.. "

I'm deliberately spelling the word meaning bottom wrong to hopefully avoid the profanity filter.

"

baddiebasher

The problem is this:

The legislaion tah covered this area has been replaced the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

these contain a set of "banned in any case" practices. What you describe is not covered there. I would submit that it is covered under the rest of the legislation.

but here lies the problem. The legislation is rather wooly. It is dependant on subjective factors and difficult to prove.

The best advice is to ignore any "previous" or "elsewhere" price.

Instead, simply look at what it is they are selling it for. If you think it is worth it, then buy (shop around first).

But, and I cannot emphasise this enough...

DO NOT RELY ON ANY COMPARISON PRICE WHATSOEVER.

You cannot guarantee that it is fair or accurate. This is also the advice given by Trading Standards.

It's sad, but that's what are EU masters have decided.