Advice Req: John Lewis Price-Match

Sponge

I ordered a new TV, over the phone, from my local John Lewis store. It cost £1199 and came with a free DVD cinema system. The system was advertised as free with the TV, not a discounted TV/Cinema package. I placed the order on Christmas Eve, for delivery the first week in January.

I used JL as I wanted the 5 year warranty and their Never Knowingly Undersold Policy gives me 28 days to apply for a refund should I find the same product cheaper. (This is why I made the purchase over the phone from the store, not via the internet.) I asked the chap on the telephone to confirm I could apply for a refund should I find the TV cheaper in the New Year sales, he said yes. I specifically mentioned the free DVD system and if it would effect any pm, he said no. He said it was free and it was just the price of the TV that mattered. Happy with this, I proceeded with the order.

Currys are now doing the same TV for £899.99, so I emailed JL and asked them to pm. They agreed, but have said as I got a free cinema system they will deduct it's value (£200) from the pm and refund me £100. Alternatively, they will remove the cinema system from the order and credit me the full £300. Now I don't know about you, but in my mind this means they are charging me £200 for something which was advertised as free.

As you can imagine, this is not what I want. More importantly, it's not what I was told when I bought the TV. They are saying the chap I spoke to was wrong and that they have to compare like-for-like. My arguement is that the cinema system is free and, as confirmed by their member of staff, not part of a package at all. I should therefore get the full refund and still received the system.

At my request, the person I spoke to has now passed the matter to a higher authority (his supervisor), but I expect the same reply.

Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? Worse case scenarion, I'm happy to lose the system as I get the TV for £899 and the JL 5 year warranty, but I want what I was told I could have.

This does raise another issue though - following their arguement, if they want to compare like-for-like then why don't they add the cost of an extended warranty to any product they pm? (This would put the total Curry's price of the TV + warranty way up and over the JL price.) Basically, they aren't comparing like-for-like at all.

dmg24

TBH I think you are being greedy.

From their website:

The comparison must be with exactly the same item (brand, model, colour, size etc) and both we and the competitor should have the item in stock. We match the shelf-edge price the competitor displays, but not a negotiated or special price for particular individuals (e.g. their store card holders). We expect the goods to be offered on equivalent terms, and so we take into account any ‘hidden extras' charged by the competitor, such as delivery charges for items that would normally require delivery.

The item is not like for like i.e. the other retailer is not offering the 'free' extras. Therefore the price is adjusted to reflect this.

donny_osmonds_mad_fan

but surely the extras were 'free' if the deal was to charge you for them by raising the price of the tv then it isnt technically free and surely that is mis advertising in some way shape or form and it should have been sold as a package deal rather than buy this, get this free.

the lady paid x amount for the tv, JL said here have this for FREE so surely she only bought and paid for the tv.

the like for the like clause would surely maybe mean package deals or maybe say something with an extra built in maybe for a computer where one model has so much memory and another looks the same but has a different amount.

the deal from JL was buy the tv and we give this to you as a gesture it's free....

I dont think the OP is being greedy, JL gave it to her for free the lady paid for the TV only not a package deal so surely it should be included...nothing greedy about it..she is just trying to money save and get the best possible deal which this whole website is about and as we all know at times you do have to play big companies at their own game...

I would fight it and if the supervisor questions it and says the same then maybe ring trading standards because in effect john lewis are now wanting to charge you for the free extra which means surely their advertising/offers were wrong in some way.......wont hurt to get their take and advice on it.

olly300

Reading JL terms and conditions:

We expect the goods to be offered on equivalent terms,

The fact that JL offer a freebie on the tv - in this case a DVD cinema system - and Currys don't, means that the tvs are not offered on equivalent terms.

Oh and if you want to argue about the extended warranty that JL offer free on tvs and Curry's don't, then JL can turn simply turn around, thank you for bringing that to their attention and inform you that the price match on this occassion is completely off due to the different terms.

Stores are very clever with the wording of their price match terms and conditions, and you need to ensure that everything is exactly the same otherwise they can refuse to honour them.

dmg24

donny_osmonds_mad_fan wrote: »

but surely the extras were 'free' if the deal was to charge you for them by raising the price of the tv then it isnt technically free and surely that is mis advertising in some way shape or form and it should have been sold as a package deal rather than buy this, get this free.

the lady paid x amount for the tv, JL said here have this for FREE so surely she only bought and paid for the tv.

the like for the like clause would surely maybe mean package deals or maybe say something with an extra built in maybe for a computer where one model has so much memory and another looks the same but has a different amount.

the deal from JL was buy the tv and we give this to you as a gesture it's free....

I dont think the OP is being greedy, JL gave it to her for free the lady paid for the TV only not a package deal so surely it should be included...nothing greedy about it..she is just trying to money save and get the best possible deal which this whole website is about and as we all know at times you do have to play big companies at their own game...

I would fight it and if the supervisor questions it and says the same then maybe ring trading standards because in effect john lewis are now wanting to charge you for the free extra which means surely their advertising/offers were wrong in some way.......wont hurt to get their take and advice on it.

Trading Standards would have a good old laugh if you rang them (whilst at the same time thinking 'Greedy old so and so') ...

The item is free subject to buying the specified tv. Therefore it is not free in the true sense of the word, and JL are not saying that it is so. The only way that it would be a truly free item is if we could all walk into the store and say 'I'll have one of those please' and not have to buy anything with it.

The description given by JL is what is known as a 'mere puff' i.e. you need to read the terms and conditions behind the sale. In this case, the 'Never Knowingly Undersold' guarantee is part of the t & c's, and therefore the relevant information stated by myself and olly300 applies.

Also, as olly300 states, JL's policy is discretionary. They have every right to withdraw it at any time.

uktim29

I cannot believe people will try and bring in Trading Standards (or suggest it) to try and get a DVD cinema system for free.

superscaper

TBH John Lewis will refuse price matching even if everything is exactly the same. If same model exactly with the exact same warranty coverage from a real brick store. If it means matching by going down a lot in price then they'll refuse even if it contradicts their own pricematching policy. So it doesn't surprise me if they try and get out of it with the freebies, no matter what they say on the phone (the phone support people always tell you nonsense anyway).

donny_osmonds_mad_fan

uktim29 wrote: »

I cannot believe people will try and bring in Trading Standards (or suggest it) to try and get a DVD cinema system for free.

what I actually said was to get their take and advice on it.....they are their for advice in such matters and I personally would rather take their view on it rather than people on an internet forum...whilst forums are useful you often get a lot of know it all or rather think they know it all so I was merely suggesting that maybe just maybe she/he rings the people who can advise her better, it was a suggestion and no need for trying to belittle it...:o

uktim29

donny_osmonds_mad_fan wrote: »

what I actually said was to get their take and advice on it.....they are their for advice in such matters and I personally would rather take their view on it rather than people on an internet forum...whilst forums are useful you often get a lot of know it all or rather think they know it all so I was merely suggesting that maybe just maybe she/he rings the people who can advise her better, it was a suggestion and no need for trying to belittle it...:o

That isn't what Trading Standards are there for.

donny_osmonds_mad_fan

ahh well you best contact them yourself then and advise them to remove the word 'advice' that follows their phone numbers when you search for local offices etc

Surrey County Council
Trading Standards
Mid Surrey Area Office
Bay Tree Avenue
Kingston Road
Leatherhead
Surrey
KT22 7SY


Notes: Consumer Advice line: 01372 371717. Business Advice Line 01372 371737. Minicom 08451 28 13 84. .

uktim29

I think you'll find thats for advice if your out of pocket etc, not on how to get a DVD cinema system for free!