Tesco clothing online - "3 for 2" warning

Tesco-shopper

I have just had a Tesco Clothing online order delivered which included a number of "3 for 2" school items and I have just emailed them to complain about how the free items are calculated.

At the risk of over-simplification (as my order was more complicated), this is the principle of how the free items were calculated:

3 items bought at £10
3 items bought at £1

By my calculation, I should get one £10 item free and one £1 item free. However, Tesco have done a different calculation and given 2 £1 items free! If I had done it as 2 separate transactions I would have got the £10 item free in one transaction and the £1 item free in the other, but by doing it as one transaction I have got less in value free ie only £2 rather than £11, so be warned in case it has happened/is going to happen to you too!

CIS

Did you pick 3 of each item or a mixture of items ?

If you picked three of the £10.00 items and three of £1.00 items then I can see why Tesco have worked it out the way they did as they would apply it the first three items on the order and then apply it again to the following three items.

jennypdolphin

With 3 for 2 it is almost always that the cheapest item is free, therefore Tescos calcuations are correct, you'd pay for the 4 more expensive items and get the 2 cheapest for free. If you wanted it any other way it would have been best to do two transactions.

Tesco-shopper

CIS wrote: »

Did you pick 3 of each item or a mixture of items ?

It was a mixture of items.

Tesco-shopper

jennypdolphin wrote: »

With 3 for 2 it is almost always that the cheapest item is free, therefore Tescos calcuations are correct, you'd pay for the 4 more expensive items and get the 2 cheapest for free. If you wanted it any other way it would have been best to do two transactions.

I had to do it in one transaction as I had to spend over £50 to use a code to get extra points.

molerat

KittyPryde wrote: »

I know what you mean, I did two lots of 3 for 2 on Boots online recently and actually assumed that they'd calculate it that I'd get the two cheapest out all 6 things free. After adding the first 3 more expensive things, it just came up as getting one free automatically. Then added the 3 cheaper things and one of those came up as free. So I was actually suprised that it ended up going the other way so I guess different companies do things differently.

Boots are one of the few companies that do this and actually made a big thing about it when they started.

Tesco-shopper

I have had a message left on my answerphone by Tesco which was very hard to hear, but basically it is tough - that is their policy.:(

I wonder if it is the same instore - have not paid attention before. If is is, then next time I will do everything in separate transactions of 3 items at a time to get the best deal.

funkymonkey1

Most shops have signs up saying that the cheapest items are free, no matter which order you place them in the basket (online) or they are rung through the till (in a shop).

As mentioned above, Boots are the exception to this rule - basically to stop someone buying 2 x £1 items and expecting to get a £10 item free.

bromleymum

Funnily enough, I bought nine items today at Marks & Spencer with the Back to School 3 for 2 offer.

I've just read this post and checked my receipt thinking the worse but happily, Marks have been very fair.

My 3rd, 6th and 9th most expensive items were deemed the 'free items'. Putting them through as three different transactions would have made no difference.

I do remember the shop assistant rearranging my basket to run them through the till.

Is the deal dependant on the computerised till or the shop assistant? I would imagine it's all computerised.

woody01

Tesco-shopper wrote: »

I have just had a Tesco Clothing online order delivered which included a number of "3 for 2" school items and I have just emailed them to complain about how the free items are calculated.

At the risk of over-simplification (as my order was more complicated), this is the principle of how the free items were calculated:

3 items bought at £10
3 items bought at £1

By my calculation, I should get one £10 item free and one £1 item free. However, Tesco have done a different calculation and given 2 £1 items free! If I had done it as 2 separate transactions I would have got the £10 item free in one transaction and the £1 item free in the other, but by doing it as one transaction I have got less in value free ie only £2 rather than £11, so be warned in case it has happened/is going to happen to you too!

They haven't done anything wrong.
You always get the cheapest items for free.

I cannot see your complaint, as it's your fault.

peachyprice

Tesco-shopper wrote: »

I have had a message left on my answerphone by Tesco which was very hard to hear, but basically it is tough - that is their policy.:(

I wonder if it is the same instore - have not paid attention before. If is is, then next time I will do everything in separate transactions of 3 items at a time to get the best deal.

Yes it will be the same in store, and is the way most shops work.