Tesco 'double-up' deals major problem

emmylou34

Sorry for the length of this post, but really need soem help as my daughter is still waiting. This is a copy of an email sent to Tesco - and copied to Watchdog - las Thursday and I appreciate it has been a abnk holiday weekend but I still have not received a reply so any help would be appreciated.

I recently received my Tesco Clubcard vouchers and saw that I could exchange them for 'double-up' rewards to be used in the 'Toys and Bikes' section of Tesco Direct.

I exchanged £40 of clubcard vouchers for £80 of rewards as we wanted to buy a new bike for our daughter who was about to turn 9 years old.

When I eventually received the rewards - a suggestion would be to email the codes thus saving paper and 8 days of waiting - I went on to the Tesco Direct website to order the bike we had chosen.

I selected the bike from the "age 8-11" category and entered all the electronic codes.

All the codes were accepted, but none of the amounts were taken from the order total. All the discounts were held over to use another time as the computer informed me that the item I had ordered was not a valid selection for use with these vouchers.

The voucher clearly states...'ALL CHILDREN'S TOYS INCLUDING OUTDOOR TOYS AND CHILDREN'S BIKES'.

I telephoned Customer Services to be told that I should speak to Freetime and was given the number.

I telephoned Freetime and was told to telephone Customer Services and was given the number.

I re-telephoned Customer Services to be told that the bike I had chosen - remember from the age 8-11 category on the website - was NOT a child's bike and therefore did not qualify. In order to qualify as a child's bike it had to have stabilisers!!!

This is not only the most ridiculous thing I have heard, but also a complete misrepresentation and fraudulent.

The bike is in fact described as a 'girl's' bike NOT a 'ladies' bike therefore even you concur that it is a child's bike.

I am left in the situation that my daughter's birthday has now passed so her new bike is eagerly awaited and I have £80 worth of totally useless vouchers.

I await your speedy response to this email and a satisfactory result for my daughter.

Any

I think this is a pretty good email.
And you are right, the excuse is pretty poor given the description of the bike!!

Any

P.S.: I think I would even print this in a newspapers:-)
Just to ridicule them and they might think twice before having a laugh at poor cusomer's behalf... And train their staff better.

photome

That is disgusting and yet another reason to HATE Tescos.

Hope you get it sorted and you get the bike you are after

Fire_Fox

Tell them you have posted on MSE - a top ten forum I believe - and we are eagerly awaiting their response ....

Enterprise_1701C

Found this on a government website -

A “children’s product” means a consumer product designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger. In determining whether a consumer product is primarily intended for a child 12 years of age or younger, the following factors will be considered:

• A statement by the manufacturer about the intended use of the product, including a label on the product if such statement is reasonable.
• Whether the product is represented in its packaging, display, promotion or advertising as appropriate for use by children 12 years of age or younger.
• Whether the product is commonly recognized by consumers as being intended for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.
• The Age Determination Guidelines issued by the Commission staff in September 2002, and any successor to such guidelines.

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/children.html

emmylou34

That bit of information is fantastic. I still have not received a reply from them - 6 days now - so I just re-sent them the original email with the addition of telling them that in light of this information I will give them another 24 hours to respond before I start legal action.

Thanks so much for your help - and I'll keep you posted.

E x

Big_Melons

Is it not a bit quick for legal action seeing as it has been a bank holiday???

Plus the fact it's something you are getting for free of course.

jackomdj

Big_Melons wrote: »

Is it not a bit quick for legal action seeing as it has been a bank holiday???

Plus the fact it's something you are getting for free of course.

IMO tesco points are not free....they are part of the reason you may shop in store & you add them into your budget to help decide where you may shop. The same as boots points.... eg if I am buying nappies I would compare the price, taking off the boots or tesco points (4x in tesco case as I use it on the other promo's) & compare it to other non point shops (eg asda)

OP - I would be annoyed too & I would expect an opening e-mail from them even if it just said they are looking into your complaint.

Hope you get it sorted soon

Nicky

Any

I agree - Tesco points are certainly not for free.
It can be classed as false advertising this... IMO..

Stranger_Than_Fiction

You could always try an email directly to their CEO, Terry Leahy, at terry.leahy@tesco.com.