Free Gift with Purchase Lauder

dollydiva

Estee Lauder site recently sent an email offering a free gift to the first 100 customers placing an Order over £60. As i ordered within minutes of the email, I went ahead.

The free gift was placed in my basket and I checked out with the free gift and it was listed in my Order Confirmation email AND listed in my despatch email.

But when the parcel arrived, no free gift. I contacted them via Live Chat to be told that I 'wasn't one of the first 100'. I pointed out that the gift was listed on both the Order confirmation and the despatch email.

I was then told that the gift was sold out, that I hadn't qualified and that the website 'can't be updated immediately to show the gift being sold out'. Well that's a load of old croc as I design websites myself and you add free gifts in the way you add any product and list a quantity available and once its been checked out, its removed or marked 'Sold Out'.

I've asked a Manager to call me, but wondered where exactly do I stand here? Yes, I can send the goods back to Lauder, but I really think they are pulling a fast one here and its dubious practice from such a big Company.

ThumbRemote

Two options:
1. They did it deliberately
2. They made a mistake due to poor website design

You can't prove the first, so realistically there's nothing you can do about it, except express your displeasure and take your business elsewhere in future.

visidigi

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Two options:
1. They did it deliberately
2. They made a mistake due to poor website design

You can't prove the first, so realistically there's nothing you can do about it, except express your displeasure and take your business elsewhere in future.

I think there is a big difference here - the invoice and confirmation state free gift. Therefore they haven't supplied the order they confirmed they would.

Had the entry for the gift on the invoice been marked subject to stock then they might have a get out, but they didn't, so they don't. So there is a case for SNAD - and they would be liable for return costs as the order is not completely fulfilled.

dollydiva

Even a basic, free shopping cart has the ability for you to add a free product, give it a quantity and then have the option to remove it from the site or mark it 'sold out' (depends on how you configure) once the quantity has been checked out. Estee Lauder are not going to have a poorly designed website and this is all very, very basic stuff.

I've asked a Manager to call me regarding this, so we'll see the outcome. But it all seems dodgy dealing to me!

unholyangel

dollydiva wrote: »

Even a basic, free shopping cart has the ability for you to add a free product, give it a quantity and then have the option to remove it from the site or mark it 'sold out' (depends on how you configure) once the quantity has been checked out. Estee Lauder are not going to have a poorly designed website and this is all very, very basic stuff.

I've asked a Manager to call me regarding this, so we'll see the outcome. But it all seems dodgy dealing to me!

You'd be surprised at how many big companies dont keep a live stock count and will let you add things to your basket, pay for them then tell you they're out of stock.

The problem usually isnt in the website design but rather in the stock control procedure.

ThumbRemote

dollydiva wrote: »

Estee Lauder are not going to have a poorly designed website and this is all very, very basic stuff.

The alternative is that they've done it deliberately, so either they are dishonest or incompetent.

Personally I think incompetent is the lesser of those two evils, but it's up to you what you decide to think of them.

OlliesDad

If you really feel they are being dishonest you could report them to the ASA. They will then have to prove they had enough stock etc.

However, the ASA will not force them to give you the free gift.

likelyfran

dollydiva wrote: »

Estee Lauder site recently sent an email offering a free gift to the first 100 customers placing an Order over £60. As i ordered within minutes of the email, I went ahead.

The free gift was placed in my basket and I checked out with the free gift and it was listed in my Order Confirmation email AND listed in my despatch email.

But when the parcel arrived, no free gift. I contacted them via Live Chat to be told that I 'wasn't one of the first 100'. I pointed out that the gift was listed on both the Order confirmation and the despatch email.

I was then told that the gift was sold out, that I hadn't qualified and that the website 'can't be updated immediately to show the gift being sold out'. Well that's a load of old croc as I design websites myself and you add free gifts in the way you add any product and list a quantity available and once its been checked out, its removed or marked 'Sold Out'.

I've asked a Manager to call me, but wondered where exactly do I stand here? Yes, I can send the goods back to Lauder, but I really think they are pulling a fast one here and its dubious practice from such a big Company.

That is clearly completely c-r-ap practice from E. Lauder!!
They owe you all your original monies spent, plus cost of getting order back to them, or they should send a courier - imo. Bad web design is their problem, not the customer's and if someone buys because of the promised free gift, well, it's a no brainer - their bad.