Are they within their rights to do this?

Reeves

I think I may know the answer to this one but here goes anyway.

We found a cooker we liked on the website of a major retailer who only sell appliances on-line and not in their stores.

It was advertised at a reduced price of £415, a saving of nearly a £100 off their listed price of £505.

We didn't order it straight away as we needed to do some more checks regarding dimensions etc but now 2 days later the price has gone up another £52 to £467, but still at a reduction.

The cooker is under a banner or section stating January Sale. When I asked why the price had changed they said they adjust them to price match competitors but can they do this when it's supposed to be a sale item?

I know this might seem like sour grapes for missing out but are retailers allowed to do this?

AfterDark

As long as you've not already ordered it and they did not have a big banner saying for example on offer till the 30th then they can change the price to what ever they want.

Anihilator

If the price had got cheaper would you still expect to pay the higher price?

pitkin2020

Invitation to buy................they can change the price as and when they like until a contract has been formed.

yummymummy79

pitkin2020 wrote: »

Invitation to buy................they can change the price as and when they like until a contract has been formed.

Yep, that's the one, although being fussy it's actually invitation to treat

Tozer

yummymummy79 wrote: »

Yep, that's the one, although being fussy it's actually invitation to treat

You're 100% right.

Now - for a bonus point - analyse the difference between an invitation to treat and the principle set out in Carlill -v- Carbolic Smoke Ball Company...

Still has me stuck!

Spartacus_Mills

Tozer wrote: »

You're 100% right.

Now - for a bonus point - analyse the difference between an invitation to treat and the principle set out in Carlill -v- Carbolic Smoke Ball Company...

Still has me stuck!

Doesn't Carlill revolve around the promise made being more than just a mere sales puff but a guarantee which was then incorporated into the contract when it was formed. Statements like "New Crelm cleans your teeth better than any other toothpaste" are just sales puffs and not construed as a guarantee. Didn't the smokeball company offer a guarantee, backed by cash, that if you used it you would not get ill or they will stump up £100 and when Carlill got ill having used it Carlill wanted the cash, not unreasonably, and didn't they claim it was a mere sales puff ?.

It is a few years since I did it but that is my memory of it from my CIPS studies.

Tozer

Spartacus_Mills wrote: »

Doesn't Carlill revolve around the promise made being more than just a mere sales puff but a guarantee which was then incorporated into the contract when it was formed. Statements like "New Crelm cleans your teeth better than any other toothpaste" are just sales puffs and not construed as a guarantee. Didn't the smokeball company offer a guarantee, backed by cash, that if you used it you would not get ill or they will stump up £100 and when Carlill got ill having used it Carlill wanted the cash, not unreasonably, and didn't they claim it was a mere sales puff ?.

It is a few years since I did it but that is my memory of it from my CIPS studies.

I think that was it. It's flooding back!

Wonder how this case stacks up with some of the more offer-like invitations to treat...?

Spartacus_Mills

Tozer wrote: »

I think that was it. It's flooding back!

Wonder how this case stacks up with some of the more offer-like invitations to treat...?

Companies have huge legal departments to protect them from this and to ensure it is a sales puff and not a commitment.

However it still happens.

Remember the Hoover free flights fiasco !!!!