B&Q rip off and false advertising.... can you help me prove it?

Tucker

I've got an exisiting patio laid using Bradstone Buff Paving. I am in the process of extending it.

About 4 months ago, I bought some extra slabs and ever since, I've been keeping tabs on their price with a view to buying some more when they are on a special offer.

Anyway, I went onto the B&Q website and saw that ALL paving was advertised as 20% off. Great I thought, that's exactly what I wanted, I can now go and load up with the paving I need.

Only I found it's verually at the same price...... except the "quoted" normal price is a load of bull. The majority of other products appear to be the same - false normal prices, advertised as 20% off and the net price is........... the usual price!!

These slabs here: http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9374492&fh_view_size=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3c%7b9422016%7d%2fspecificationsProductType%3dtextured_stone&fh_search=bradstone&fh_refview=search&ts=1279274870402&isSearch=false

have always been £3.68. I bought about 20 at that price a short while back. They have never been on sale in B&Q at £4.48.

What a con.......... I've emailed them and I'm waiting for a reply. I intend referring it to my local Trading Standards.

Can anyone else verify 'false' pricing having purchased any of the alleged sale products of late??

Are there any B&Q employees out there that can confirm this sale is a farse?

moonrakerz

Tucker wrote: »

I've got an exisiting patio laid using Bradstone Buff Paving. I am in the process of extending it.

About 4 months ago, I bought some extra slabs and ever since, I've been keeping tabs on their price with a view to buying some more when they are on a special offer.

Anyway, I went onto the B&Q website and saw that ALL paving was advertised as 20% off. Great I thought, that's exactly what I wanted, I can now go and load up with the paving I need.

Only I found it's verually at the same price...... except the "quoted" normal price is a load of bull. The majority of other products appear to be the same - false normal prices, advertised as 20% off and the net price is........... the usual price!!

These slabs here: http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9374492&fh_view_size=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3c%7b9422016%7d%2fspecificationsProductType%3dtextured_stone&fh_search=bradstone&fh_refview=search&ts=1279274870402&isSearch=false

have always been £3.68. I bought about 20 at that price a short while back. They have never been on sale in B&Q at £4.48.

What a con.......... I've emailed them and I'm waiting for a reply. I intend referring it to my local Trading Standards.

Can anyone else verify 'false' pricing having purchased any of the alleged sale products of late??

Are there any B&Q employees out there that can confirm this sale is a farse?

There are numerous ways that retailers can advertise "sale" prices which are NOT quite what they seem and yet remain within the Law.

The most common one was that the item was for sale at the the pre-sale price in ONE of their stores for at least 28 days.
Someone like B & Q will be pretty sure that their advertising is within the Law.

The usual reason for this type of complaint is caused by customers who don't read the notice properly !!!

Have you EVER seen those strawberries that every supermarket is selling at "half price" at any other price ????

iamcornholio

Personally, I'd just get on with my life

gordikin

OP, can you explain what verually means?

ajbisgr8

Not really related, but we've just done our patio in a different paving(but also from b&q) - you can buy it by the pallet for quite a good price if you need a lot.

Our slabs were £2.82 each (bog standard price) but got a pallet for £179.23 (72 slabs) - saving around 10%.

We managed to get them in a 15% off sale, and got 15% off the pallet price too!

loracan1

moonrakerz wrote: »

There are numerous ways that retailers can advertise "sale" prices which are NOT quite what they seem and yet remain within the Law.

The most common one was that the item was for sale at the the pre-sale price in ONE of their stores for at least 28 days.
Someone like B & Q will be pretty sure that their advertising is within the Law.

The usual reason for this type of complaint is caused by customers who don't read the notice properly !!!

Have you EVER seen those strawberries that every supermarket is selling at "half price" at any other price ????

I wonder if somewhere, in some out of the way corner of the UK, there is a town where everything IS at the full price.

Ionkontrol

Welcome to the world of marketing, get used to it.

andyhop

Most building materials have gone up approx 10-20% in the last 6 months....Not always the retailer, Often the manufactor

Tucker

gordikin wrote: »

OP, can you explain what verually means?

It should be Virtually, but I am guessing you mean pricewise.

These slabs sell at £3.68 - normal price. After this fictitious discount they amount to £3.58, so virtually means they are 10p less than normal, when they should be over 70p less.

Tucker

iamcornholio wrote: »

Personally, I'd just get on with my life

I am trying to. I need to finish my patio!!:(

ormus

you will probably find it was the john o groats store that was selling em at the full retail price for 28 days.

furniture retailers do it all the time.
november/december is always a very slack period for sales, so they increase the prices to full wack.
come boxing day? hey!
half price sale.