Tesco - product on offer sold out - read this

claire21

Found this and thought it was usefull to know;

Retail is detail. That means it's all about attracting people into the shop, ensuring that they are served politely with the products they want at a price they find affordable, so they come back again, and again.

In the case of Tesco, it means inviting people into the store on the basis that they can buy a product advertised at a cut price, even though Tesco knows that the advertised product may not always be available.

This is one of the pitfalls of operating giant superstores with thousands of lines distributed through complex channels. An independent retailer can choose to tear down a poster advertising a slashed price once the product has sold out at that price.

So how does Tesco, a business to which millions of people are intensely loyal, handle the disappointment of those shoppers who go to the store and find the cut-price product is not on the shelf?

This is how. On a notice board they find 'Answers to frequently asked questions'. One of these - which shows just how many disappointed customers trundle to the store only to be let down - is: 'What do I do if I can't find a product advertised at a promotional price?'

The answer is quite cute: "Please inform customer service and they will give you a voucher which will entitle you to the same product at the advertised cut price on your next visit to the store."

So Tesco can turn a problem into a new selling opportunity, believing that the customer will return (highly likely) and that the product will be on display at a higher price (also highly likely).

This is hard-nosed retail thinking. Once a shopper has crossed the threshold of your store there is always the risk she may be disappointed. But do not let this affect your footfall frequency. Like Tesco, think of creative ways to limit the damage.


http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=197961

scubaangel

I wouldnt call it creative, I'm sure other stores have done it for years (Im pretty sure the old Safeway used to do this). Having said that it would be nice if they told their customer services at times I've had this refused a couple of times in the past!

Loonytoons

Tesco have been doing this for years but wasn't sure if they still did, thanks

broclo

Interesting and Helpful, good to know, thank you

woody505

if its a good offer its not allways posible to get hold of enough stock for example they only have so much room in there wharehouses so they wouldn't be able to order more even if they know there goign to sell out.

rebeccaj

that's what they used to call a raincheck voucher, which Tesco have done for years AFAIK.

However some Customer Services at some Tescos look at you like you've just landed from Mars if you mention this 'policy' and claim to know nothing about/never heard of it so it's not always a given that you will get anywhere even if you ask about it. :rolleyes:

mrscb

what about offers ordered for home delivery....Im expecting my Stella today,(but expecting it to be OOS).

woody505

they dont allways do rain check vouchers as soem offers spescifacly state whiel stocks last. and soem times they wont normally stock the product and only have it in while its on offer so thered be no point in giving you a voucher as it wont be coming back in stock.

durham_girl

Woody, are you a Tesco employee?