When is "free delivery" not free delivery?!!

binna

I've just bought my daugter a book for a christmas present through play.com (although they are acting as 3rd party seller for BargainBooksOnline. The order stated free delivery.

Basically the RRP on the book was £6.99 (and was stated on the website, which I missed) and they sold it for £11.44. My original complaint was that they are supposed to be a "bargain" book website yet I paid £4.45 more than the RRP and would they be prepared to give me a partial refund. I had an email back see below:

The price is set by our software which keeps it competitive with other sellers and changes all the time. The price on the cover is a recommended retail price.
The RRP is clearly shown on the website and we would have been the cheapest seller on it. And, part of the fee includes the postage (which cost’s us £2.80).

Is this allowed?

tinkerbell28

Yes it is allowed. An RRP, is a recommended price only,

Frequently things will sell over RRP. First editions, limited edition blu rays. Collectible toys.

They'll charge what people will pay... They've been reasonable giving you a partial refund tbh.

binna

Thanks for your reply, they actually won't give me a partial refund. I just wondered whether they could tell me I'm getting free delivery when actually I'm paying for the delivery in the amount that they've charged me for the item?

p00hsticks

tinkerbell28 wrote: »

They've been reasonable giving you a partial refund tbh.

I don't think they have - the OP was asking for one but I can't see where it says that the seller has agreed

tinkerbell28

binna wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, they actually won't give me a partial refund. I just wondered whether they could tell me I'm getting free delivery when actually I'm paying for the delivery in the amount that they've charged me for the item?

Yes they can, every business who offers free delivery will have cost it into their business.

frugal_mike

You are of course free to return the book for a full refund under The Distance Selling Regulations if you can find it cheaper elsewhere. You may struggle to get another copy before Christmas though.

arcon5

And probably have to pay return postage which will likely take up any savings.

Lets be real now, free postage doesn't mean postage is free - just means the orders actually free from additional postage costs or postage is included in the states price or whatever other interpretation you so desire.

In fact if you are buying multiple items from a retailer you can often actually being paying more towards postage than companies offering fixed postage prices based on the order size

tinkerbell28

arcon5 wrote: »

And probably have to pay return postage which will likely take up any savings.

Lets be real now, free postage doesn't mean postage is free - just means the orders actually free from additional postage costs or postage is included in the states price or whatever other interpretation you so desire.

In fact if you are buying multiple items from a retailer you can often actually being paying more towards postage than companies offering fixed postage prices based on the order size

Agreed. Ebay is a good example. Quite often if you're buying multiple items it quite often works out better to pay postage.