Retailers cancelling orders and setting higher pricing

Katr1na

Hi,

I was hoping someone may have some advice on this one….

I made an online purchase early morning with a well known high street health & Beauty retailer for a few items that i planned to give as Christmas presents, which had a good offer on them. That night, i received an email to say the items were out of stock and i had been refunded, which would take 5 days to reach my account.

the following morning, i have revisited the site to find the items are showing in stock, but the price has been doubled on the items.

I think this is disgusting practice. If someone made an error pricing the item, surely they should honour this?

To add, there were similar discounts on elsewhere, but this retailer had the best. The discounts elsewhere have now expired or stock has run out so I've also missed out on purchasing these on offer elsewhere.

Do i have any rights? is there anyone i can report this bad practice to?

sheramber

The stock available at the discount may have been limited and was all sold out by the time your order was processed.

Katr1na

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82183921#Comment_82183921

There was at least 12 hours between me placing the order and receiving the email, and when i went straight back online, the higher price was listed. The retailer claims they were out of stock but its available to buy.

It feels like greed to me

strawb_shortcake

Was it Boots and their £10 Tuesday offer?

Katr1na

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82183968#Comment_82183968

No, it was Superdrug. I bought 3 of the specific item for £29, they cancelled the order as out of stock but the item is available to buy now at £59.25.

If it was online and available to buy at the higher price this morning, why did they cancel the order late last night. It just feels very shady

Alderbank

You have lots of rights.

When you buy something a contract is made between buyer and seller. From that point neither party can back out or change the terms. Are you sure you ever had a contract?

The usual process is that Boots (other beauty stores are available) advertise something for sale at a particular price (shelf sticker, website, etc.). You see that and tell them you wish to buy say 10 items at £10 each. Boots then decide whether they wish to go ahead with that. Once they agree the contract is made and you are both bound by it.

They can agree either by telling you they agree (such as an email confirming the sale) or by an action that they take, such as sending the goods. Many retailers' terms say that the contract is formed at the point when they despatch the goods. That means if they go to the stockroom and find they haven't got enough stock to supply you they haven't committed themselves to something they can't do.

What was the beauty shop and what are their terms and conditions?

Okell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82183991#Comment_82183991

As already suggested the stock available at a discount had probably run out.

That doesn't mean that new stock at full price was not available.

What advantage to superdrug is there in cancelling your order? they won't get your money and you won't be daft enough to buy at full price, will you?

Woodstok2000

2.2 After placing an order, you will receive an e-mail from us acknowledging that we have received your order and giving you an order number and a summary of your order. Please note that this does not mean that your order has been accepted. Your order constitutes an offer to us to buy a Product. All orders are subject to acceptance by us, and we will confirm such acceptance to you by sending you an e-mail that confirms that the Product has been dispatched (the Dispatch Confirmation). The contract between us for the sale of a Product will only be formed when we send you the Dispatch Confirmation for the relevant Product. If you order several Products from us which are being delivered at different times or separately from a 3rd Party Supplier, each contract is formed when we provide the Dispatch Confirmation for each Product.

2.3 Each Contract will relate only to those Products whose dispatch we have confirmed in the Dispatch Confirmation. We will not be obliged to supply any other Products which may have been part of your order until the dispatch of such Products has been confirmed in a separate Dispatch Confirmation.

2.4 We may choose not to accept your order for any reason and we will not be liable to you or to anyone else in those circumstances.

2.5 We may be unable to process your order if:

the Product you ordered is out of stock or discontinued; or

there is a problem with authorisation of your method of payment.

3rd Party Supplier has for any reason been unable to action your order for a Product they supply

Per their terms, the contract is only formed when the goods are dispatched.

https://www.superdrug.com/terms?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24350116203&gbraid=0AAAAADp4mz8EUwgKV8O3kpr6jK5catFM5&gclid=CjwKCAjwuobXBhBXEiwAYUaIleKJPRknLdrNbYWm8psy-Hb4-AGRR7vsZ5FhrZwCe6KsPUYpfcJ6cRoCp-AQAvD_BwE

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82183963#Comment_82183963

How many orders were in line before yours?

They would be dealt with before your order.

The same as you said that others with the offer were now sold out.

limited stock available for the discount offer.

Katr1na

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82184004#Comment_82184004

Hi, they have emailed saying the item didn't go out of stock. They have confirmed they priced it too low and therefore cancelled the order so that they could put it back on for more

Aylesbury_Duck

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82184383#Comment_82184383

Sounds like a genuine pricing error which they're entitled to correct, then.

Was the price too good to be true?