Receipt - no prices

MadamRed

I was in London at the weekend, and was sold some beauty products by an extremely smooth-talking saleswoman at a store just off Oxford Street. No prices were displayed in store, but I was told that the various products which I was buying were worth £65, £40-45, £60 and £165 respectively but that if I bought two products, I would get the rest of the products free. I spent about £250 in total. However, now I'm back home I've done some googling and found that different customers have been given different prices for these products. I checked my receipt, and there are no prices against the individual products - just the total.

I should add that I count myself lucky, as some people appear to have been talked into spending £500-£800. However, I am concerned about the fact that no prices are visible on my receipt. Even when a store discount or special offer is given, usually the prices appear on the receipt and an amount is then removed as a separate line at the bottom of the receipt. Not only does this mean that I have no idea whether I paid a genuine price for the products, but I am concerned that this means that I can't return any of the products which I now regret purchasing.

Does anyone have any advice regarding my rights in this situation?

SeduLOUs

Sounds like there are no 'genuine' prices and her job is to just get as much money as humanly possible off you.

It doesn't matter whether the price was 'genuine', only that you were happy to pay it, so unless their is a fault with the goods then you don't have any rights at all.

The receipt details the total amount paid, so if one item turns out to be faulty presumably you would return all products bought for a refund to the value on the receipt...

SlowCooker

MadamRed wrote: »

I should add that I count myself lucky, as some people appear to have been talked into spending £500-£800.

How is one talked into paying that much on beauty products? This is a genuine question because I read similar horror stories about Oro Gold and I wondered about the sort of tactics they use.

MadamRed

I have no idea how people get talked into spending £500+ on beauty products. I guess it's a question of what you can afford.

For me and my partner, it was the old cliche of the fast-talker. They bigged up their products so much, and talked so fast, we didn't have chance to think about whether their claims were credible. It was only when I got home and had chance to examine the products more closely that I started to think that we had been ripped off.

At least I've been able to find prices on their website now, so it does look as though the prices which were quoted to us for individual products were genuine.

I don't live in London so returning the products in-store for a refund will be tricky. Reading reviews of the company on-line it looks like they do not like giving refunds, so I don't really want to return the products by post, especially if I can't be clear how much I might get back.

SeduLOUs

On what grounds are you returning the products?

If there's nothing 'wrong' with them then they have no obligation to refund you just because you've slept on it and realised you've changed your mind.

InsideInsurance

MadamRed wrote: »

I was told that the various products which I was buying were worth £65, £40-45, £60 and £165 respectively but that if I bought two products, I would get the rest of the products free. I spent about £250 in total.

If you buy two and the others are free how did you pay more than £230? (I assume its buy the two highest prices)

In most circumstances there is no legal requirement for them to break out separate items prices.

Realistically there isnt much you can do, you could inform trading standards if they are lying about the full price of the goods but on the basis of the number of TV programmes highlighting how TK Maxx, Asda, discount outlets like Bicester are all breaching the rules but are still trading I wouldnt hold my breath for any action

I'd put down as more of a personal learning of not to get caught up in the heat of the moment/ bargain

SlowCooker

MadamRed wrote: »

I have no idea how people get talked into spending £500+ on beauty products. I guess it's a question of what you can afford.

And you can afford to pay £250, then what is the problem? If the products are fine then they don't have to refund you, I'm afraid.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

When I worked in the Arcade, on the beach front, owner would guide us with the words.


'Customer must enjoy losing his money'

The free bingo kept the crowds in when it rained!

mandragora_2

What's the store called, and what's the name of the concession that runs this smooth-talking operation?

SlowCooker

The store is Sakare / Soap & Co

Op started another thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5031732

SuperHan

The back of my mind tells me there are some trading standards guidance/laws about having to display prices on items, I'm guessing to prevent this sort of practice, but I'm not 100% sure that it's enforceable, or even a real thing.

It's obvious that her job is to judge how much you can spend, and then get you to spend it. If you'd have negotiated, she probably would have dropped the price more.

However, you were happy with it when you left the shop at the price you paid, and as such you have no right to return. There was no coercion, you could have said no and walked away.

Put it down to experience!