Is Camper discount legal?

spacegirlfive

Hi,
I have just been sent a 50% off code for sale items at Camper (I would happily share the code but it is one-time use only).
However, when I apply the code to my chosen items, it takes 50% off the ORIGINAL SELLING PRICE rather than the CURRENT SALE PRICE. This means if I buy a pair of shoes at the £95 sale price, it charges me half of the original £125 selling price (£67.50).
My question is, while I appreciate the generous discount, are they allowed to do this and then call it 50% off? Because it's not...
Thanks in advance for advice...

geordie_joe

spacegirlfive wrote: »

are they allowed to do this and then call it 50% off? Because it's not...

I'm pretty sure it is legal. A well known national diy chain was on watchdog last year for doing the same thing.

They were having 50 - 60% off sales on their kitchens and many people wrote in and said the kitchens were more expensive during the 50% off sale than they were before it.

What they were doing was this. They would sell a kitchen for, say £1000. Then they would increase it to £2,500 for a couple of weeks then put it back down to £1000. They called the higher price "the reference price". And when they had 50 or 60% sales it was off the reference price.

So on a Sunday you could buy the kitchen for £1000, then on Monday the 50% sale started, but it was 50% off the reference price, so the kitchen cost £1,250 on Monday.

Watchdog didn't mention it being illegal, and I'm sure they would have if it was.

spacegirlfive

Thanks for the reply. However this is a little different, as they are still selling (without the special code) for the sale price, but referring back to the full price once you apply the discount code.

I suppose the word 'illegal' is a bit strong but I thought they might be breaking some sort of trading standard by doing this.

Jim_Jupiter

Your code probably has a disclaimer it can't be used with any other offer. The shop will argue their "Sale" price is a different special offer, thus negating that price when you apply the code to it.

tomtontom

Had you bothered to read the terms and conditions (which were only a few lines long) you would see the 50% was off the full price.

Fosterdog

It would be perfectly legal, if they have a sale on with say 10-25% off for all customers they are allowed to offer 50% off to whoever they want but it doesn't mean it's 50% off the sale price but an extra % off the original price to make it up to the 50%.

bris

tomtontom wrote: »

Had you bothered to read the terms and conditions (which were only a few lines long) you would see the 50% was off the full price.

There are thousands of useless threads on here that could be avoided by simple reading a few lines of blatantly obvious text.

spacegirlfive

bris wrote: »

There are thousands of useless threads on here that could be avoided by simple reading a few lines of blatantly obvious text.

I am quite astonished at your rudeness, bris and tomtontom; there is simply no need for it. The anonymity of the computer allows you to write to people in this impolite, condescending way and I imagine (hope) you wouldn't speak to people face to face like this.

In actual fact I DID read the text on the disclaimer, and I understood what was being said. If YOU had bothered to read my question properly, I was asking if they were allowed to take the discount off the full price rather than the sale price as they were currently selling at the sale price. The more constructive comments replied that yes, it is apparently allowed.

Maybe if one doesn't have an answer to the question being asked, it is better to keep your thoughts to yourself; there is no obligation to reply.
Thanks to those who actually answered my query.

mije1983

spacegirlfive wrote: »

are they allowed to do this and then call it 50% off?

Yes they are because you are getting 50% off as a result of having the code. Other people who didn't receive the code, or just stumble across the website, are only receiving roughly 25% off.

spacegirlfive wrote: »

Because it's not...

It is.....


It may not be normal, or in the best interests of customer satisfaction, but I can't see they have done anything illegal.

fluffnutter

geordie_joe wrote: »

I'm pretty sure it is legal. A well known national diy chain was on watchdog last year for doing the same thing.

They were having 50 - 60% off sales on their kitchens and many people wrote in and said the kitchens were more expensive during the 50% off sale than they were before it.

What they were doing was this. They would sell a kitchen for, say £1000. Then they would increase it to £2,500 for a couple of weeks then put it back down to £1000. They called the higher price "the reference price". And when they had 50 or 60% sales it was off the reference price.

So on a Sunday you could buy the kitchen for £1000, then on Monday the 50% sale started, but it was 50% off the reference price, so the kitchen cost £1,250 on Monday.

Watchdog didn't mention it being illegal, and I'm sure they would have if it was.

That's not legal.

daytona0

spacegirlfive wrote: »

I am quite astonished at your rudeness, bris and tomtontom; there is simply no need for it. The anonymity of the computer allows you to write to people in this impolite, condescending way and I imagine (hope) you wouldn't speak to people face to face like this.

In actual fact I DID read the text on the disclaimer, and I understood what was being said. If YOU had bothered to read my question properly, I was asking if they were allowed to take the discount off the full price rather than the sale price as they were currently selling at the sale price. The more constructive comments replied that yes, it is apparently allowed.

Maybe if one doesn't have an answer to the question being asked, it is better to keep your thoughts to yourself; there is no obligation to reply.
Thanks to those who actually answered my query.

They answered your query and they weren't that rude...

Ultimately, you posted without potentially checking the terms and conditions (which is 99% likely to outline the conditions of use) and you didn't even post a copy of the t's and c's for people to check for you! Therefore, you are going to expect some less-than-happy people because the solution is quite possibly attainable without need for this thread in the first place.

However rude you think they were, they ultimately did put you on the right track given the information we have at hand and it is also important to undersntand that none of us have the terms and conditions information in front of us so guessing is our only option really. If you follow the advice given by bris and tomtontom (ie ready the T's and C's) then your answer will likely be there. If not, please post them up and we'll investigate it further for you.