John Lewis smartphone "error"?

Nessyjr

Yesterday (12th March), John Lewis were offering the Google Pixel 7a smartphone for £329. It was also included in their £100 off offer with the code PIXEL100. Phone duly ordered, £229 paid, confirmation email received.

Today, this email arrived:

Thank you for placing an order for the Google Pixel 7a Smartphone. We’re sorry to let you know we’ve had to cancel your order before it was processed, as there was a mistake with the price quoted for the product. The item should have been £399 (£299 once coupon applied), but incorrectly displayed at £329 (£229 once coupon applied) which means the order wasn’t completed and won’t now be delivered.

Any refund due as a result of this issue will be processed for you automatically.

The phone was removed from sale on 12/03/24 and we’re sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment this error may have caused.

Customer Service team John Lewis & Partners Presumably, John Lewis intended to increase the price from £329 to £399 before the £100 discount went live, but didn't

Doc_N

John Lewis are within their rights to do this of course, but a more reputable company would have honoured the price which they displayed. Arguably also a more reputable company would not have increased the price to cover most of the supposed 'discount' either.

John Lewis is no better than any other company these days - the days of looking after their customers are long gone. It's probably still better than an outfit like Currys - but even that's arguable.  High prices and indifferent service don't attract loyal customers, and the recent report in one of the broadsheets about the longer term survival of the non-food side of John Lewis may well be an accurate prediction of its future.

Nessyjr

Update to this bizarre event - the phone arrived this morning

Aylesbury_Duck

Similar situation encountered here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6513155/online-price-not-honoured-after-payment-taken#latest

Aylesbury_Duck

Nessyjr said:

Update to this bizarre event - the phone arrived this morning

I suggest not opening it just yet.  I'd sit tight and await any further contact.  They may yet wish to cancel the contract, and they may be entitled to.

Have you had the refund?

GrubbyGirl_2

I can't see how they could make you hand it back.

They made an offer to sell

You accepted the offer and paid

They accepted your payment and dispatched the item

You received the item

contract complete

Right up until the point you received the phone they could refuse to sell it to you and refund your money but they didn't so I can't see how they can make you send it back.  If they refund you then insist on paying again

outtatune

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Nessyjr said:

Update to this bizarre event - the phone arrived this morning

I suggest not opening it just yet.  I'd sit tight and await any further contact.  They may yet wish to cancel the contract, and they may be entitled to.

Have you had the refund?

Difficult to see how a difference of only £70 on a £229 transaction could be considered a unilateral mistake. Why should the OP have known that £229 was a pricing error rather than a good deal?

ThumbRemote

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Nessyjr said:

Update to this bizarre event - the phone arrived this morning

I suggest not opening it just yet.  I'd sit tight and await any further contact.  They may yet wish to cancel the contract, and they may be entitled to.

Have you had the refund?

I'd suggest the exact opposite. They'll be much less keen to cancel the contract when the phone has been opened and used.