Boots/Virgin Active offer

starving_artist

Boots launched an offer on 10 September offering half price gym membership at Virgin Active when ordering £75+ at Boots.com.

I was going to place my order yesterday - 11 September - but the website was being soooo sloooow I gave up. Today - 12 September - when I logged on to complete it the offer had disappeared. Boots are now saying that the offer was withdrawn yesterday. That's 48 hours after it went live!!!!

:mad::mad::mad:

The words 'Hoover' and 'fiasco' spring to mind.

dmg24

Where is the rip off? You hadn't even placed an order!

How do you compare it to the Hoover free flights situation?

starving_artist

It's a rip off in the same way that Hoover promoted an unrealistic offer which they could not fulfill. I certainly intended to place an order on the basis of that promotion and only did not do so because the site was so slow. Customer services even told me that even if I had placed the order yesterday I would have had an email saying I couldn't take up the offer. How many other people were caught out? The point I am making is that it is not right for companies to promote unrealistic offers in this way, viz tour operators offering bargain holidays that don't exist.

The web page said the offer was when you spent £75 in a single transaction IN SEPTEMBER. They claim they underestimated demand but when I asked how many memberships they had allocated all they would say is 'thousands' and ALL had been taken up IMMEDIATELY ie. after placing the order and receiving confirmation 'thousands' apparently took out memberships the same day.

dmg24

Hoover could not fulfil an offer to those that had placed orders. You had not placed an order, an intention to place an order has no legal standing. Therefore you have not been ripped off.

If people that have placed orders are denied the offer they may be able to take the matter further. However, I would imagine that they will be able to cancel their orders if they wish to do so, and therefore they will not have incurred any expense, and hence they have not been ripped off. Also, the terms and conditions are likely to cover the situation where there is an excessive demand, though without seeing them I cannot comment further on this.

DCFC79

To have been ripped off you need to have spent money which you didnt, yes its unfortunate that its happened but you havent lost out though

starving_artist

ok what about all the people who bought the goods but haven't yet taken out the membership because the offer states they have 21 days to do so? Boots told me all available memberships had been allocated.

Yes I am sure they will offer the opportunity to return the goods and get a refund but then again I'm sure Hoover did the same.

And yes I personally was not ripped off but some people most certainly have been. I made the post as a criticism of shabby corporate practice. This is the Praise, Vent and Warnings Board isn't it?

Perhaps I chose the wrong term. Perhaps 'scam' would have been more appropriate.

dmg24

It is not a scam either. It is an offer with limited availability, which most offers are.

Do you have an example of anyone that has completed an order, and not been able to subscribe to the offer?

starving_artist

I disagree. It did not state it was a limited offer.

I would say it broke the ASA guidelines 30.1-3

30.1 Promoters should be able to demonstrate that they have made a reasonable estimate of likely response and that they were capable of meeting that response.
30.2 Phrases such as "subject to availability" do not relieve promoters of the obligation to take all reasonable steps to avoid disappointing participants.
30.3 Promoters should not encourage consumers to make a purchase or series of purchases as a precondition to applying for promotional items if the number of those items is limited.


According to Boots all available memberships have been allocated. It is not credible to suppose that everyone who placed an order within the 48 hour period also immediately took out membership.


Do you work for Boots or do you just feel compelled to be an apologist for shabby practice?

dmg24

Do you have a copy of the terms and conditions of the offer?

Still waiting for you to come up with someone that has suffered any detriment!

I do not work for Boots. I do however know the difference between a scam and an oversubscribed offer! :rotfl:

burnley219

I very very very very nearly pressed buy and lost £75. It was only by chance I stumbled across the thread in this forum.

I was a bit annoyed cos I quite wanted some of the £75 worth of stuff in my basket, which was basically free as I intended to rejoin Virgin Active next week anyway!

someone asked for the offer T&C, I've pasted below, and a google for "Boots Virgin Active" will give you the Boots page *which is still live* as the first result.

7 (The Offer is non-transferable, non-exchangeable, cannot be redeemed for cash and may be withdrawn or amended at any time.) seems a little unfair to me. It gives the provider a lot more rights than the consumer, and they could effectively provide only 1 months membership at half price and then request full prices.


Terms and Conditions

To be eligible for this offer (the "Offer"), you must be a Boots.com customer and have spent £75 or more in one transaction. The £75 threshold excludes the purchase of infant milks (up to 6 months), items on prescription, gift cards, gift boxes and delivery charges.
You must be registered with Boots.com and logged in when placing your order.
This offer is not available in Boots stores or online at Boots flowers, Boots kitchen appliances, BUPA Health Checks, Boots Digital Photo Centre, Boots services websites (Opticians, Boots Insurance Services) or with other third party websites unless otherwise stated.
The Offer entitles you to half price Virgin Active full flexi rates gym membership fees for up to 12 months from the date the membership is taken out (at Virgin Active's discretion and subject to successful completion of a pre-activity questionnaire and acceptance of Virgin Active membership terms and conditions including club rules).
Following the expiry of the discounted period, your Virgin Active gym membership fees shall revert to Virgin Active's standard retail rate.
In order to qualify for this Offer you must take out gym membership in any Virgin Active club within 21 days of the date you placed your order. You should take your order confirmation email or till receipt and photo ID to the Virgin Active health club.
The Offer is non-transferable, non-exchangeable, cannot be redeemed for cash and may be withdrawn or amended at any time.
The Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
The Offer is made by Boots UK Limited of Nottingham NG2 3AA. Registered in England 928555.
Virgin Active and Boots UK Limited will pass your details to their commercial partners in connection with the Offer and your membership for administrative purposes only, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Skint_mummy

I have been scammed!
I placed an order for £76 from Boots on line yesterday am while the offer was still 'active'. I only placed this order to take advantage of the 'offer'! I am now £75 out of pocket for nothing!!!!!
The sales guy from our Virgin gym wrote down on paper that we will be eligible for the offer if we bring in a receipt and ID. He knew we were going down tomorrow to join. He called us tonight to say that the offer has been withdrawn!!!! I am fuming!
He says that they have 50 people at that gym expecting to take up the offer! He also said that he feels they will have to honour it as they have offered it.
In my opinion they should because 50 people taking up that offer is better than 50 people going else where!