Toys r us - free item offer in catalogue with no expiry date shown but shop refusing

Imska

I have a copy of the Toys r Us Christmas catalogue. On the page with the Thomas items it says in the middle of the page that if you spend over £50 on Thomas items you can have a free pop up tent worth £29.

I checked the T&Cs at the bottom of the page and all it said was that the £50 must exclude the price of the tent. The only other T&Cs shown at the bottom of the same page were that free standard Delivery with a purchase over £29.99 was valid until Oct 31st.

Last night I went to order £62 worth of Thomas items but couldn't get the free tent offer. I emailed customer services to query how you added the free tent and they replied that the offer expired on Oct 31st.

I replied to them that an expiry date for this offer was not specified on the page.

Their reply to this was that yes it was. It was specified at the bottom of the page. I've come home from work and have again checked my copy of the catalogue and it does not specify anywhere on the page that the offer for the free tent expires on October 31st. It only mentions the expiry date for the free delivery.

Is it just bad luck for me that I missed the offer or is it worth me scanning the page from my version of the catalogue to keep pursuing this? I'd like the free tent for my son but if I don't have any rights then I don't want to keep on contacting them however peeved I May be.

Thanks

frugal_mike

They can refuse to sell you anything they want for any reason other than legally forbidden discrimination (age, gender, sexuality, race etc). Until a contract is formed then they don't owe you anything.

If you scan the page and send it to them they might make you an offer of goodwill, but they don't have to.

Imska

Thanks. Thought that this would be the case but thought I would ask.

SuperHan

In contract, I believe that ambiguity must favour the consumer (I'm not sure how true this is, but I remember learning it somewhere)... However, as at the stage of advertising, it is just an invitation to treat, as Frugal Mike says, they are able to decline any sale on whatever (non discriminatory) grounds.

Goodwill is your best option! (Also if you do scan, please post here.. I'm intrigued with how it's worded.)

unholyangel

SuperHan wrote: »

In contract, I believe that ambiguity must favour the consumer (I'm not sure how true this is, but I remember learning it somewhere)... However, as at the stage of advertising, it is just an invitation to treat, as Frugal Mike says, they are able to decline any sale on whatever (non discriminatory) grounds.

Goodwill is your best option! (Also if you do scan, please post here.. I'm intrigued with how it's worded.)

Its covered by unfair terms. In that where a term can be interpreted more than one way, the one most favourable to the consumer will prevail.

However as you so wisely put it.....there is no contract here as acceptance did not occur.

arcon5

As most it would be an issue for the advertising standards agency - but it's likely to be a genuine mistake that's not put anybody at a loss so probably not done anything wrong