Free Graze box not so free

BenWinchester

I got a coupon through the post a while back, saying: "1 FREE box", with instructions of "how to get hold of your FREE first box." I left it a while, being in no hurry to try the snacks. However, today I thought I'd give it a try. So I went to their website, and after entering my promo code, all my details, card (which I was assured would only be used for initial verification) was put through to an ordering page. I selected a box, and after choosing a few preferences I was told that my box would be on its way. Excited and pleased with the experience, I logged out.
An hour ago I received a bill, for £1.99. Not sure what to make of it, I logged in and saw that my first box was half price.
Half price isn't quite free. It's close, nearly there (about half way), but not free.
I couldn't see what I'd done wrong!
I'd entered my code, chosen a box, and was told that it wasn't free.
Maybe I'd got the wrong size? Nope, I made sure that my box was the one on the coupon.
Still, it could be that the promo applied to only certain boxes? No again. All the boxes appeared as "half-price" for the first box.
I tried to phone customer services, and got the phone in my hand before I realised that there was no phone number.
I searched around a bit, and found a phone number which I thought could work.
The robot told me: "If you wish to contact customer services, please send us an email."
So I did.
No reply.
I await my £1.99 bill tomorrow morning with trepidation. But I'm more nervous about the 5:30 alarm I've set, so that I can get up before the 6am deadline and cancel the order.
All in all, my experience? Well, with no customer services to complain to, no forums to feedback, no people to talk to, no response and a bill which I wasn't expecting: peeved, to say the least.
I will not be ordering a graze box ever, and I attempt to encourage everyone else to heed my warning of false advertising.
Yours,
A displeased and "peeved" customer.

Girl_Overboard

I don't understand, why are you getting up at 5.30am tomorrow to cancel it? Can't you just cancel it now so you won't be charged? And is there an expiry date on the leaflet? I'm just wondering if maybe the free box offer had ended and it had switched to a half price offer instead? As for contacting Graze, have you tried writing on their Facebook wall? I find that a lot of companies are quicker to respond on social media than by email.

discat11

was the £1.99 for p&p?
If you don't get any satisfaction from graze it might be worth being a nuisance and making a complaint to the ASA since clearly 'free' must mean 'free' and it's certainly one of their pet hates!

williham

Sounds like there was a problem with the code, they have good customer service, so I'm sure they'll refund you. I have had lots of free boxes from graze so they do stick to their word

London50

Looking at the website it does state the first box is half price without any code {from 3.99} I just wonder if the code the OP used had run out.
It seems every so often they do either a free box offer or a half price one just the luck of the draw I think yet a quick check on the coupon shold say if there was an end date to it.

ElefantEd

I think I'd rather pay the £1.99 and not get up at 5.30am. And then sort it out later.

BenWinchester

I was getting up at 5:30, because on-line it said that I had until 6am to cancel the order, and I'd decided to give them until then to reply to my email (they still haven't).
The coupon has no visible expiry date of any kind.
And I'll try their Facebook wall now.
The £1.99 wasn't for postage, it was half the price of a supposedly free box.
Thanks for the advice:)

Cycrow

as other have said, it sounds like the code didn't go through correctly, so you only got the normal offer of half price.

I've had the offer previously, and i got a free box

Tiddlywinks

That's a lot of effort for the sake of £1.99.

Edwood_Woodwood

Can I have the free tv mag out of a newspaper without buying the newspaper?

Also, some stores have foodstuff for sale where the package says eg 50% free but the store just prices it up as a larger item!

Eg 80 tea bags, plus 80 free but just price them up as 160 anyway!

How is that free?

marleyboy

I think I would have hit the brakes once I was asked for bank details (regardless of the reason given).