Consumer Rights Campaign, advice on my opening barrage requested.

somethingcorporate

But if you cannot pay in dollars the point is moot, plus you are told the actual price in £ before the transaction takes place so I really do not see what the issue is.

I've never seen a shop with products for sale with a price that does not have a £ price also.

Entimp

So it isn't wrong to advertise in $'s then charge same numerical value in £'s on checkout, especially considering it can be missed by the customer?

somethingcorporate

So it's the company's fault the customer doesn't read what they are agreeing to?

It may be an advertising issue so contact the ASA and see what they say.

Nothing to do with consumer rights though.

George_Michael

Entimp wrote: »

Ok, let me make it easier.

You walk into a high street store in the UK.

You see a product, any product in the UK.

Why state this when it is nothing remotely like the situation in question?
You did not walk into a store in the UK, and the website that you purchased from may not even be based in the UK.
It could well be in the US or somewhere in the far East and is set up to provide downloads to customers all over the world and they may not determine the selling price until you state where you live and currency that you will be paying in.

somethingcorporate

George_Michael wrote: »

Why state this when it is nothing remotely like the situation in question?
You did not walk into a store in the UK, and the website that you purchased from may not even be based in the UK.
It could well be in the US or somewhere in the far East and is set up to provide downloads to customers all over the world and they may not determine the selling price until you state where you live and currency that you will be paying in.

Don't you come around here spouting your fancy "logic"!

Seriously though, great point.

SuperHan

http://uk.blackberry.com/services/appworld/#/noToDisplay=12&categoryId=17

all prices seem to be in £ to me? And on my device, I only see a £ price. In fact, I have had to go out of my way to try to find a price in dollars.

mo786uk

IMO it is a consumer rights issue and the law specifically allows for it

What the OP is saying is that by showing you $5 they are implying you can buy the item for $5 which may well be less than £5 (which is what you are actually charged).

There should be an easy fix from Bb point of view - all they need to do is change the $ to the £ - it has nothing to do with them being free to charge different prices in different countries - no one is disputing that.

The questio nis, are people being misled into watsing time thinking they are going to get something for $5 when they are actually going to pay £5. The question is, are customers associating $5 with its converted sterling equivalent (say £3).

The legislation quoted does account for situations where you spend ages thinking you are going to get somehting at a certain price and then it changes at the last minute - so the fact that its made clear at the end may be irrelevant.

edit - my point only stands if its UK app store showing $ prices - not if its a general worldwide store aimed at anyone.

somethingcorporate

But our economy is a £ based one, not a $ based one. We don't shop in dollars in this country and nor can we control what exchange rate is applied at time of purchasing.

A quick scan of the front page of MSE shows how different exchange rates can be (15%+ difference between the best and the worst), can we complain if they choose to apply a particularly poor one from a customers point of view?

I am not sure there is any mileage in this, but feel free to all prove me wrong!

redpete

Entimp wrote: »

would any of you feel inclined to read my letter and let me know what you think?

Is it confusing, too strong, perhaps too weak? Should I add anything else and remove something you don't feel is right?

I would dead chuffed at any replies of advice.

The letter is way too long with irrelevant detail - why would the recipient wade through that to understand what you are complaining about.

You're not writing on behalf of the petition - it has no standing of itself, it is not an organisation.

Are you complaining about overcharging (difficult to win, they can charge what they like in different markets) or confusing pricing by showing in dollars and charging in sterling? Concentrate on what you are really concerned about, avoid side issues which confuse.

I'm sure they are aware that there is not parity between USD and sterling, not need to go on about it at length with pointless examples (or at all).

No need to mention conversion APIs - I'm sure they know how to implement a multi-currency trading site.

No need to include the list of threatened 'further action'.

Have you contacted Trading Standards about this to get their opinion? I would think action by them would have moire weight than a letter from the "representative of a petition" with, to date, 32 supporters.

Why is the organiser of this petition about US vs UK pricing shown as being based in Cairns, Australia?

mo786uk

What appears to be happening on the BB Playbook link is that the price is first shown in £ but when you click through to buy it, you are then shown it in $ but is the same amount i.e first you are shown £4 and then $3.99 - but cearly you dont get it at $3.99

The impression I got from the OP was that initally you only ever saw the $ until you came to buy. But this is not the case

http://uk.blackberry.com/services/appworld/#/noToDisplay=12&categoryId=17

On anothe rnote - there is a differencebetween buying a product and being shown a $ price and then being charged something different than opting to buy in $ i nthe first place if you have no choice. I dont thin kthe OP would be arguing if you were forced to buy something at £10 and had to pay in $ - but that is not what is happening here.