Order cancelled but new items at higher prices!

smashmash

Hello Moneysavers. Apologies if this is the wrong forum but it was the closest I could find. Please can someone help me out as I am at the end of my tether.

2 days ago I ordered some sale items from Wallis. The payment was accepted and I was informed that I could collect from my local store on Friday.

Yesterday I got an email from Wallis saying that due to low stock, my order was cancelled and the payment refunded. I was in absolute disbelief that every single item could be out of stock.

Today I checked on their site and saw that not only were the items still available for sale, they were actually more expensive! Or should I say, the discounts were significantly less. Only 1 item was missing so presumably this was the item that was actually out of stock.

I was going to ring them tomorrow and ask what on earth they were playing at but I wanted a leg to stand on, so I ordered everything again (at the higher price), and was given a delivery date of next week Tuesday. If my items are in fact delivered, I will definitely print out the 2 sets of order forms and send a strongly-worded letter to their customer services department.

Has anyone ever experienced this, and what possible recourse do I have?

jenniewb

I've experienced this with other stores, but not shopped recently for clothes online (only Primark where prices are around till things sell out which they seem to frequently).

Have you tried contacting customer service? Make sure you have the order details (date, order number etc) as proof and make a complaint, you've not got much to lose but the time taken to make the call and tbh I'd be trying anything if it had happened to me, seems legal to do this as of what I've experienced but does/did put me off the stores in question as a direct result and no store wants or needs that to happen.

Nada666

But sales stock is often limited. A shop has no obligation to offer each and every item they have at a sale price - they can cap the quantity. And, of course, prices continually change nowadays.

As you have some tenders and communication you certainly have argument for them to honour the price - but ask politely to a sympathetic ear - do not go in demanding false human rights protection.

System

Wow, a shop doing exactly the same thing as a consumer would do when they see the price of an item drop after ordering.

smashmash

!!!!!! wrote: »

Wow, a shop doing exactly the same thing as a consumer would do when they see the price of an item drop after ordering.

Not sure how helpful that was, but, yes, exactly.

smashmash

jenniewb wrote: »

I've experienced this with other stores, but not shopped recently for clothes online (only Primark where prices are around till things sell out which they seem to frequently).

Have you tried contacting customer service? Make sure you have the order details (date, order number etc) as proof and make a complaint, you've not got much to lose but the time taken to make the call and tbh I'd be trying anything if it had happened to me, seems legal to do this as of what I've experienced but does/did put me off the stores in question as a direct result and no store wants or needs that to happen.

Thanks, yes, I'm planning on getting all my paperwork lined up and giving them a call. It's the principle of the thing for me.

bris

Nada666 wrote: »

- but ask politely to a sympathetic ear - do not go in demanding false human rights protection.

You mean consumer rights. Well they have contract law on their side, that is where "offer and acceptance" takes place.

By being told to go collect the order it certainly looks to me like acceptance took place which is the key point. That puts the law on the OP's side, so yes they do have an obligation to honour the contract.

In this case loss of bargain comes into play it's where you buy the goods at a higher price then sue for the difference.

The down side is that the shops know it's an unlikely scenario that anyone will bother with all the hassle for a few quid, but it doesn't mean they are right.

unholyangel

Not sure if their ordering process gives you the information, but I cant find anything in their T&C's about when acceptance takes place.

Although they do state payment will only be taken when the order is dispatched - but how could they dispatch something that wasnt in stock?

keyser666

smashmash wrote: »

Thanks, yes, I'm planning on getting all my paperwork lined up and giving them a call. It's the principle of the thing for me.

Good luck with that can see you having a problem here, totally relying on goodwill