ELC: New TV ad

csh_2

I seen the new ad for the Early Learning Centre the other day, the one with the cowboy toy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FWpoTlPJao

This is a brand bew ad campaign and at the bottom it states toys shown from £6.40 to £32.

I liked the look of the the big yellow playset thing for my son so went on the website to see how much it was.

It turns out its the Hapopyland Martian Moon Playset priced at £40!

I emailed them and asked them to confirm if this was the right set and why was it advertised at £32 and being sold for £40.

They 'Promise' to email back within 24hrs. 36 hrs later they confirm to me that it is the same and its now £40 and prices are 'subject to change'

I work in retail and I'm aware that things constantly change price BUT any TV ads etc that we do we keep the same price for the duration of the campaign. The ads have only just went to air with this lower price.

In the email CS offered to give me the set at £32 if I phone and order through them and quote someones name but I wanted to buy it instore as its £4.95 delivery.

Anyway, ramble, ramble, ramble. Whats the legalities on advertising something at one price and selling at another. Theres no small print on the TV ad.

Hintza

Why not say fine but I don't expect to be charged for P+P.

Freddie_Snowbits

Oh dear, there are a few posts like this at the moment.

One thing springs to mind is

E&OE

Hintza

Just watched the video. Looks like a big oops from the ELC. I wonder if the TV add will be changed I suspect it will (since it is just text).

Could be a bit of sport to be had in their shops .

somethingcorporate

csh wrote: »

I seen the new ad for the Early Learning Centre the other day, the one with the cowboy toy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FWpoTlPJao

This is a brand bew ad campaign and at the bottom it states toys shown from £6.40 to £32.

I liked the look of the the big yellow playset thing for my son so went on the website to see how much it was.

It turns out its the Hapopyland Martian Moon Playset priced at £40!

I emailed them and asked them to confirm if this was the right set and why was it advertised at £32 and being sold for £40.

They 'Promise' to email back within 24hrs. 36 hrs later they confirm to me that it is the same and its now £40 and prices are 'subject to change'

I work in retail and I'm aware that things constantly change price BUT any TV ads etc that we do we keep the same price for the duration of the campaign. The ads have only just went to air with this lower price.

In the email CS offered to give me the set at £32 if I phone and order through them and quote someones name but I wanted to buy it instore as its £4.95 delivery.

Anyway, ramble, ramble, ramble. Whats the legalities on advertising something at one price and selling at another. Theres no small print on the TV ad.

An advert (or price on the shelf) is merely an 'invitation to treat' i.e. they will be willing to be open to offers on that product (but don't have to accept one at any price without having to give a reason, it's their property after all).

There are issues around false advertising but I would suggest a vague range (i.e. priced £5-£32) would not be specific enough against any single product to be construed as false advertising and the prices could quite legitimately be higher. I think the fact that they offered to sell you at £32 then it's a result and you should take them up on that offer.

Good luck!

csh_2

Hintza wrote: »

Why not say fine but I don't expect to be charged for P+P.

I prob would have done that anyway. I'm just a bit hacked off when its toys that they make look so fun, advertise at one price and sell for 20% more!

kwaks

somethingcorporate wrote: »

An advert (or price on the shelf) is merely an 'invitation to treat' i.e. they will be willing to be open to offers on that product (but don't have to accept one at any price without having to give a reason, it's their property after all).

There are issues around false advertising but I would suggest a vague range (i.e. priced £5-£32) would not be specific enough against any single product to be construed as false advertising and the prices could quite legitimately be higher. I think the fact that they offered to sell you at £32 then it's a result and you should take them up on that offer.

Good luck!

I would say £6.40 - £32 was not vague at all.

somethingcorporate

kwaks wrote: »

I would say £6.40 - £32 was not vague at all.

"Toys Shown from x to y" is an incredibly vague statement. Whilst the prices appear to be specific what they are applying to is not, hence the suggestion that it was vague.

Hintza

somethingcorporate wrote: »

"Toys Shown from x to y" is an incredibly vague statement.

By stating that it saves them listing them all individually.

Thereforethe cheapest will be £6.40 and the most expensive £32 nothing vague at all. It is not even as if the expensive one can be broken down into it's component parts.

But I imagine that the TV advert will have been changed by now so OP should probably accept the offer.

somethingcorporate

Hintza wrote: »

By stating that it saves them listing them all individually.

Thereforethe cheapest will be £6.40 and the most expensive £32 nothing vague at all. It is not even as if the expensive one can be broken down into it's component parts.

But I imagine that the TV advert will have been changed by now so OP should probably accept the offer.

Sorry which is the cheapest? which is the most expensive? how many are there? how much was the cowboy figure alone?

Answer me these questions accurately (from the advert alone) and I will believe you that it wasn't vague.

Since there was literally NOTHING specific in the advert you're going to have a tough job!

wealdroam

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Sorry which is the cheapest? which is the most expensive? how many are there? how much was the cowboy figure alone?

Answer me these questions accurately (from the advert alone) and I will believe you that it wasn't vague.

Since there was literally NOTHING specific in the advert you're going to have a tough job!

From the advert alone, I would expect the price for each item shown to fall between £6.40 and £32.00.

Are you saying that that is an unreasonable expectation?