Price challenges

XlouX_2

Hi,
I am wondering if anyone can help me. I emailed an internet based companies last night with a price challenge for a HP CN216B Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One Web Enabled Printer. At the time the price on this website was £118 but amazon.co.uk were offering it at £97 but with a long lead time on delivery. So I emailed the price challenge and received an email back not long after saying they would be happy to match the price and I was to ring to place the order.

So I have got up this morning and rang the number provided to place the order at £97 and they told me it was an error by a new member of staff and they cant offer the printer any lower than £118. At this point I checked amazon who happen to have increased their price from £97 to £118 overnight, coincidence or what???

I am just wondering where i stand on getting them to honour the price promise? I don't buy that fact that they have a new member of staff, i think it is just because amazon have now increased the price, which is not my problem, my price challenge was accepted yesterday at £97!!

I am currently awaiting a call back from management so would appreciate a quick reply if anyone has any ideas!

Thanks

12bdebt3

Ask them to listen to the recording of the call. They can't make false promises, Amazon are responsible for what their employees say on the phone. There was a case a while ago where Argos accidentally put pices of a laptop at £50 rather than £500, due to an error a member of staff made, I think they ended up selling them at £50 to honor the agreement, ven though it was incorrect.

XlouX_2

Sorry it wasnt amazon who i'm trying to buy from its a company called Laskys.com who have agreed to match the price of £97 (from amazon who have now increased it to £118) and are now saying they cant as it was due to human error!

Going by your experience I should be able to argue the point as it was promised yesterday via email?

Thanks

12bdebt3

XlouX wrote: »

Sorry it wasnt amazon who i'm trying to buy from its a company called Laskys.com who have agreed to match the price of £97 (from amazon who have now increased it to £118) and are now saying they cant as it was due to human error!

Going by your experience I should be able to argue the point as it was promised yesterday via email?

Thanks

You can argue it.

Company law is difficult to understand but basically one act/law will say a company is responsible for what an employee says. Another act/law will say that they are not responsible as long as necessary action is taken to sort it out.

You have a slight chance but I wouldn't expect them to give it you at the agreed price. Technically it was an invitation to treat, you were offered that amount and you accepted it so you both entered a contract.

Too much of company laws covers too many things. Companies like Amazon make sure that these guidelines go in their favour, so they don't even have to pay for good lawyers because they already know what they can do. All a good lawyer does it argue their point using a particular case/law. Huge incorporated companies like Amazon manipulate the laws so things go in their favour. So I am sure if they really want to that they can find a law that says they don't have to sell it you at the agreed price. You will only really ever be offered it at that price as a gesture of good will.