Specsavers 2 for 1 illegal?

pbartlett

There are two separate offers here and they are not linked.

1. you can have two pairs of glasses and we will only charge you for one. No? You don't like that?

2. OK we also have another offer - buy one pair from us and we will knock £48 off the list price.

Manxman_in_exile

I tend to agree with the OP.

If the offer is two for the price of one, but you don't want that offer, then they really ought not to discount the price of one - if that is what the OP is saying.  It's misleading people into paying more than they need to - if they don't want two pairs in the first place. 

spakkaman

pbartlett said:

There are two separate offers here and they are not linked.

1. you can have two pairs of glasses and we will only charge you for one. No? You don't like that?

2. OK we also have another offer - buy one pair from us and we will knock £48 off the list price.

I get your point. Not sure I agree.  They are charging a higher price for two pairs on a two for one offer than just one pair on its own. This makes the two for the price of one deal disingenuous.

The fact is by offering me a discount to just get one pair they are probably seeking more profit in the deal as the free pair probably costs them a bit more than £48.  This makes sound business sense but it goes against the advertised deal of two for the price of one.  This takes them into a dodgy area of trading practice.

Manxman_in_exile

pbartlett said:

There are two separate offers here and they are not linked.

1. you can have two pairs of glasses and we will only charge you for one. No? You don't like that?

2. OK we also have another offer - buy one pair from us and we will knock £48 off the list price.

But those two offers are contradictory and misleading.  You are not getting two and being charged for one because you can get one pair much cheaper than what you pay on two for one.

pbartlett

I definitely see what you are saying but maybe if I rephrase it.

The glasses 'cost' £100 - that is the list price in the window.

The customer has two options:

1. pay £100 and get 2 pairs

2. pay £52 and get 1 pair.

Of course, if you combine the offers then offer 2 gives you 1 pair for £52 and then add offer 1 and get 2 pairs for £52 - but that combining two offers.

There is no offer 3 which says 'we will take £48 off the list price and then also give you two pairs for that money'. Would be nice if there was - but there isn't!

You can always of course have the argument what is the 'real' price of the glasses - is it £100 a pair or £52 and is all this marketing smoke and mirrors.

born_again

Manxman_in_exile said:

I tend to agree with the OP.

If the offer is two for the price of one, but you don't want that offer, then they really ought not to discount the price of one - if that is what the OP is saying.  It's misleading people into paying more than they need to - if they don't want two pairs in the first place. 

If only you knew how much the frames & lenses cost. You are already paying 1000's % profit on the glasses. But they then do have all the costs to come out of that 😜

Manxman_in_exile

born_again said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

I tend to agree with the OP.

If the offer is two for the price of one, but you don't want that offer, then they really ought not to discount the price of one - if that is what the OP is saying.  It's misleading people into paying more than they need to - if they don't want two pairs in the first place. 

If only you knew how much the frames & lenses cost. You are already paying 1000's % profit on the glasses. But they then do have all the costs to come out of that 😜

I know that!  Your point really emphasises the point the OP is making.  This sort of two for one offer makes buying specs even worse value.

I'm a bit surprised that more posters here don't agree with the OP.  (That it's misleading I mean.  I don't think it's illegal - may be unlawful)

Flight3287462

We all know it is a marketing gimmick, should have gone to another optician that charges per pair without any dubious offers.

Manxman_in_exile

pbartlett said:

I definitely see what you are saying but maybe if I rephrase it.

The glasses 'cost' £100 - that is the list price in the window.

The customer has two options:

1. pay £100 and get 2 pairs

2. pay £52 and get 1 pair.

Of course, if you combine the offers then offer 2 gives you 1 pair for £52 and then add offer 1 and get 2 pairs for £52 - but that combining two offers.

There is no offer 3 which says 'we will take £48 off the list price and then also give you two pairs for that money'. Would be nice if there was - but there isn't!

You can always of course have the argument what is the 'real' price of the glasses - is it £100 a pair or £52 and is all this marketing smoke and mirrors.

But the customer doesn't know they have two options until they decide to haggle, do they?

Specsavers don't have two adverts in their window, one saying "Buy one pair of ZZZ spectacles for £52" and the other saying "Buy two pairs of ZZZ spectacles for the price of one pair - only £100!"  That would be bonkers!

So far as the customer is aware, one pair costs £100 and so do two pairs.  It's clearly misleading if Specsavers are willing to discount the price of a single pair.

molerat

On what basis was the discount offered ?  Maybe the 60+ 20% so not available to all.  You cannot stack offers.

Even if you do have the 2 for 1 it does not include the extras, my last "free" pair cost me £100.   We now buy 1 pair with 20% discount and a pair of £20 readers.