Argos pricing shenanigans on a Fuji camera.

PopeSock

I bought a Fuji S1730 camera a while ago from Argos - not a proper SLR camera, but for the £74.99 I paid for it, it was pretty decent. I spotted the deal on HotUKDeals and managed to blag one locally.

Yesterday, I looked on HUKD again, and the same deal has been posted - for £99.99, at Argos. I though it was a typo, but no, Argos are selling the same camera - here.

What's a little odd is that they state the camera's previously been available at £109.99 - making it look like you're still getting a bargain. They don't mention the fact that it's been available at the even lower price of £74.99.

I emailed Argos to ask about this, and got the following response, which doesn't make a lot of sense.. and the page is still showing it was available at £109.99

Argos wrote:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding Argos sales promotions.

I can confirm that the retail price of the above camera is £149.99, when the camera is included in a sales promotion we always quote the retail price whether the camera is on offer at £139.99, £109.99, £99.99, or £74.99.

I'm assuming there's a reason they display the price it's been on sale at previously - is this a legal requirement, or just something Argos do? Either way, it seems a bit odd.

Meepster

Yes it is a legal requirement to display the previous price when an item is displayed at a "sale" price.

PZH

PopeSock wrote: »

What's a little odd is that they state the camera's previously been available at £109.99 - making it look like you're still getting a bargain.

The camera may well have been on sale for long enough at £109.99 - so the "sale" is valid.

PopeSock wrote: »

They don't mention the fact that it's been available at the even lower price of £74.99.

Why would they ? There is no requirement for them to do so if the camera has been on sale at £109.99 for the required length of time.

I remember when milk was 20p a pint - but Tesco's neglect to mention this when they have a sale. (NB: This is totally fictitious - but does demonstrate the principle)

liam8282

First of all, are you sure it is the exact same camera with the same item number? 559/3543

Could it possibly be that this is a slightly different model?

I have myself noticed that Argos usually display the lowest amount an item has previously been sold at, but do not know the legalities about it.


Funnily enough, if you read the reviews at the bottom, it does show that it has been on sale at half price in March 2011:

From 06 March 2011

Great Purchase and Price By Katienutts
from West Yorkshire

Overall Rating

5 Stars Excellent




Picture Quality

5 Stars Excellent


Features

5 Stars Excellent


Build Quality

5 Stars Excellent


Ease of use

5 Stars Excellent




Recommend to a friend? Yes
"Amazing camera with great features and picture quality.
Bought at half price but would happily have paid full whack."

Sooler

Argos price offers are often misleading - they are not to be trusted.

Sharon87

I had the same thing with my camera, I bought it on sale for £119, use to be £149.99. It was under the 'WOW' promotion. Then when I looked at it again a week later it was still 'WOW' but back at £149.99, because 7 months or so previously it was on sale for about £200. Let's see what is is now

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5594755/Trail/searchtext%3ESAMSUNG+WB600.htm - same at £149.99.

I was having problems with my camera you see, it froze and stuck, then I plugged it in and it was fine! I was going to get it replaced but appears fine now, I'll be keeping my eye on it though!