B&Q Lots of plants, not much logic

Sheila64

In garden centres I always check the marked-down shelf as often there is nothing wrong with the plants that a good watering or a repotting can't solve. I've just bought two such plants from my local B&Q in Sheffield.

The original price for each plant was £2.98 with a large red and yellow sticker on each pot saying '2 for £5'. On top of this was a more recent sticker saying 'Clearance. This plant half marked price'. As I was buying two identical plants I took this to mean half of £5 i.e. £2.50 but the check-out receipt showed the pots had been scanned individually at £2.98 -£1.48, that is £1.50 each. (Which isn't exactly half the marked price anyway, but never mind). A total of £3 instead of £2.50

I went back to the check-out and was told by the cashier that that was simply how their system worked and there was nothing she could do about it. Her colleague agreed but I politely persisted. As I clearly wasn't going to leave it, on a matter of principle, after several phone calls around the store she managed to rouse someone who presumably had more authority in the matter although he did not introduce himself as a manager. He could not see my point either and tried to argue that as I already had the 10% off for shopping on their senior citizens day what was I complaining about?

I pointed out that that was irrelevant and the company should honour their pricing promise. In the end he agreed to pay the small rebate (it was only going to be pennies but it wasn't the money so much as the principle) and said he would rephrase the labels in future to make it clear, though he did not say it wiht much conviction. He took some time and eventually returned, shoved some coins in my hand and walked off, clearly, by his expression, mentally labelling me A Difficult Customer. Outside the store I looked in my hand and found 25p! So, B&Q, not only a flawed sense of logic but poor numeracy.

As I say, it was only a matter of pennies but on more expensive items it could have made a significant difference. But mainly what was depressing about this was the customer-unfriendly attitude of the staff and their failure, or refusal, to embrace a simple piece of logic.

maninthestreet

The original offer of '2 for £5' was superceded by the 'half marked price' offer - and you were orginally charged a little bit less than that. All seems logical to me.

JezCooke

It's perfectly normal for reduced to clear items to be excluded from multi-buy offers, never come across any store that handles this situation in any other way.

It said half marked priced not that any multi-buy offers would be half price too, other than them overcharging by a penny per item (they should round in customer's favour really) then I can't see that they did anything wrong or "illogical".

iclayt

The marked priced was £2.98. Plants with this price were marked 2 for £5. Then these same plants went to Clearance, where they became half the marked price.

All that's happened here is the original sticker was left on rather than being removed or covered completely with the new one.

We had to be careful of this kind of thing when I worked in a bookshop - it was too much faff to remove every sticker but we had to be careful to cover up the old offer if a certain title was going into a different offer, otherwise it became 'open to interpretation' (blagged) like this.

Also, always check your change as mistakes cannot be rectified after leaving the premises

Money-Saving-King

I wouldn't have assumed you can also get any promotions half price as well as the plants for half price. It does sound like being difficult to me. You questioned B & Q's logic, to be honest I think it's more a case of yours!

lucy03

Sheila64 wrote: »

I pointed out that that was irrelevant and the company should honour their pricing promise.

As far as I can see you should have been charged £2.98. I imagine they didn't use their discretion here because they felt the pricing was sufficiently clear. Sometimes till systems do miss these and consumers can get some bargains, but IMO it's best never to assume this.

paddyrg

Once, when Sainsbury's had a different EPOS programming, the 2-for-1 and other reductions were cumulative in that the first item would ring up at discounted price, then the second, then the credit for the second item at the full price. One night through sheer luck I got a carrier bag full of kiwi fruit and was paid 40p to take them away!

Most EPOS systems don't combine discounts any more sadly...

[Deleted User]

I agree it's normal and ok - although it sometimes means it's not worth buying the rubbish! :-/

eschaton

Sheila64 wrote: »

In garden centres I always check the marked-down shelf as often there is nothing wrong with the plants that a good watering or a repotting can't solve. I've just bought two such plants from my local B&Q in Sheffield.

The original price for each plant was £2.98 with a large red and yellow sticker on each pot saying '2 for £5'. On top of this was a more recent sticker saying 'Clearance. This plant half marked price'. As I was buying two identical plants I took this to mean half of £5 i.e. £2.50 but the check-out receipt showed the pots had been scanned individually at £2.98 -£1.48, that is £1.50 each. (Which isn't exactly half the marked price anyway, but never mind). A total of £3 instead of £2.50

I went back to the check-out and was told by the cashier that that was simply how their system worked and there was nothing she could do about it. Her colleague agreed but I politely persisted. As I clearly wasn't going to leave it, on a matter of principle, after several phone calls around the store she managed to rouse someone who presumably had more authority in the matter although he did not introduce himself as a manager. He could not see my point either and tried to argue that as I already had the 10% off for shopping on their senior citizens day what was I complaining about?

I pointed out that that was irrelevant and the company should honour their pricing promise. In the end he agreed to pay the small rebate (it was only going to be pennies but it wasn't the money so much as the principle) and said he would rephrase the labels in future to make it clear, though he did not say it wiht much conviction. He took some time and eventually returned, shoved some coins in my hand and walked off, clearly, by his expression, mentally labelling me A Difficult Customer. Outside the store I looked in my hand and found 25p! So, B&Q, not only a flawed sense of logic but poor numeracy.

As I say, it was only a matter of pennies but on more expensive items it could have made a significant difference. But mainly what was depressing about this was the customer-unfriendly attitude of the staff and their failure, or refusal, to embrace a simple piece of logic.

I'm surprised they never paid you £5 to get rid of you.

Multisaves never apply to reduced items unless otherwise stated.

Next time, don't make a fool of yourself over a few pennies.

arcon5

There's usually notices stating 'not in conjunction with any other offer'.

Looksguywalker

arcon5 wrote: »

There's usually notices stating 'not in conjunction with any other offer'.

Where? Not in any B&Q I've ever been in.