Bedstar - Deceptive Price 'Promise'

Tim_Deegan

gordikin wrote: »

Guess where this came from? Yes it's from MSE!

Asda is promising to pay its customers the difference if they'd have paid less by shopping elsewhere.

Are there any catches?

• Of all Asda groceries, 70% are available to compare. Around 10% of products at Asda are unique to the store and therefore are not included in the price checker. Around 20% of goods cannot be checked due to "strict trading standards regulations".
  
  For instance, Asda branded frosted flakes cereal cannot be included due to small differences in the size of packets.

Yes, that's what Dreams do. You can only buy the models that they sell in Dreams. That is morally wrong, but not illegal.

But we are talking about exactly the same item sold cheaper in a different store. If you are going to promise to match a lower price, then you must stick by your promise. Retailers use loss leaders all the time to attract customers. And the accept that they may make a loss on some products in order to attract customers to their store, and then make a profit on other items.

Just like a retailer who offeres free pillows with a mattress. They have made a loss on the pillows in order to make a profit on the mattress. Or a retailer who gives a satisfaction guarantee may make a loss if they have to exchange a mattress, but it is all about giving good customer service, and giving the customer the confidence to buy from them.

gordikin

Asda sell (70%) branded products and they are included in the promise. It's their own label stuff (10%) that is excluded. How is that like Dreams?

steph25

OP i would be pretty annoyed by this aswell.
I would send them a letter or email to say i am disapointed in the fact they advertised a price promise but did not follow through with this so you are now taking your custom to another bed supplier and will recommend any friends or family members looking to make a purchase do the same.

I would then buy the bed from the cheaper place!

Tim_Deegan

gordikin wrote: »

Asda sell (70%) branded products and they are included in the promise. It's their own label stuff (10%) that is excluded. How is that like Dreams?

Because Dreams aren't including own label stuff in the promise. But what they don't tell people is that all of the products they sell have been re-named.

Tim_Deegan

steph25 wrote: »

OP i would be pretty annoyed by this aswell.
I would send them a letter or email to say i am disapointed in the fact they advertised a price promise but did not follow through with this so you are now taking your custom to another bed supplier and will recommend any friends or family members looking to make a purchase do the same.

I would then buy the bed from the cheaper place!

And that's what most people should do. Maybe then they will stop trying to con people.

gordikin

Tim_Deegan wrote: »

Because Dreams aren't including own label stuff in the promise. But what they don't tell people is that all of the products they sell have been re-named.

So Asda excluding 10% of their stock because nobody else sells Asda own label stuff is the same as Dreams who have deliberately renamed all their beds so they don't have to price match?

Anyway the point I'm making is that the Asda price promise is subject to conditions ie 30% of items are excluded from it...but it's a promise never the less!

harmony13

A promise is a promise; you don't make it unless you are absolutely sure you can stick to it ie. carry it through, or so I was taught.

artbaron

Sales Gimmick Not In Interests Of Customer Shocker!

I agree fully that it's deceptive, but so are 99.999999% of offers. It will all be covered in the small print of Ts & Cs, which they know the customer won't read as it's not feasible to do so. I think it's dispicable that the customer has to constantly be on the lookout for misselling, deceptive advertising and general weasel words but that's the way of things.

Equaliser123

I've tried clicking on their "Price Match Promise" part of the website - it links to nothing.

There is no reference to the Price Match Promise being subject to terms and conditions.

I cannot readily find ANYTHING on their website to limit the Price Match Promise in any way. Is there anything?

Equaliser123

Edit: after a bit of searching, found these:
Bedstar Ltd can only provide this service on products that:

1. Are on our website
2. Are made by manufacturers that we hold accounts with

Bedstar Ltd will not price match any of the following types of goods:

1. Shop damaged
2. Shop floor models
3. Second hand
4. Discontinued goods
5. Bulk buys ( Note that bulk purchase negotiations with other web retailers are unable to be proved)

• A price match can only be provided on current prices.
• A price comparison must come from a recognized, reputable, legally trading UK internet bed retailer.
• The approval of the retailer is up to the discretion of bedstar Ltd.
• Once the price has been matched, it will remain matched for a period of 1 hour.If the customer exceeds this time limit a new request must be made.
• The price match is non transferable. The matched price will only apply to the person purchasing the good.
• The price match will apply to the overall basket price and will take into consideration delivery charges and any other charges incurred that do not relate directly to the product.

Bedstar Ltd reserves the right to decline, terminate or revoke any request made by the customer