Tesco misprice policy discussion area

Joel_4

Odd_Fellow wrote:

Ah, No? Merchantable quality and a product being fit for the purpose it was sold is also about buying something because you were led to beleive that it would do something or exhibit properties that it will not or does not.

Ah, fortunately in my 3 year career at Tesco I've never had that then, lol.

Then again I suppose we do occasionally get stuff like "I was told these DVD-Rs would work with my DVD player by the gentleman on electricals..", in which case we'd swop it, usually informing the customer to check themselves if it was - or + they actually needed

Joel_4

ilikepoints wrote:

Was at my usual Tesco's yesterday in the North or England. They refused to do the refund and keep product on some meat - only gave refund. Two big fat blokes basically told me where to go and that I wasn't having any more free food out of them and laughed at me and were very aggressive. I certainly have had quite a bit of stuff, but nothing like a free PC or anything - probably little more than £100 worth in total (maybe averaging 20 quid over 5 visits). Also said I could contact head office if I wanted..

I have to be honest and say that I have refused refunds for people that we know genuinely 'do it on purpose' as it were.

I'll normally offer the difference back, which is, to the bets of my knowledge, acceptable in terms of trading standards (I have contacted a local office previously in a long running argument at the time, and they advised that if the retailer was seen to be accepting the mistake and compensating the difference, as well as removing the offending price it was within reason).

The biggest offender I dealt with was a guy who studied SELs and the 'pack price' - e.g. 8.9p per 100g, thats displayed on most SELs.

He argued some were wrong, and for example - 89p per 100g, and we had a 150g pack on the shelf for £1.34 - which he justified as overcharging.

We roped head office and seeked further advice, and in the end it was agreed that rounding would occur (although I believe they do show a decimal place), and that this information was for a GUIDE only.

So he was banned from the store in the end.

In terms of contacting head office, you'll probably get a standard reply letter apologising, saying that its not usual service for our stores, and that we trust on future visits that you will receive the high standard of service you would expect from the store etc etc blah blah.

It may be worth contacting the store by telephone and nicely asking to speak to the Customer Service Manager - I wouldnt advice the store manager, as they normally palm the stuff off to the CSM anyway - and arranging to meet the CSM and find out for yourself why they declined to offer the policy as stated.

I understand how people feel that the policy is stated there, but unfortunately some people do abuse its intended 'goodwill'-ness, and Tesco is within its right to decline to offer that service, as it were

(And before you critercise - trying being a staff member and getting overcharged! Its another story then....)

Dick_Dastardly_3

Odd_Fellow wrote:

What about Merchantable Quality? The item must be fit for the purpose it was sold, surely

Correct-to-mondo, as those Mutant Ninja Turtles would say.

This is all part of the Sale of Goods Act (& services). The item must be fit for the purpose it has been sold for (ie washing machine should wash clothes and they should come out clean, not just wet), of merchantable quality, etc. By merchantable quality the goods must last for a 'reasonable' length of time, etc, for example, if you buy a washing machine or whatever, and it breaks down after 14 months and is virtualy unrepairable, you will be able to claim for a new one / refund or repair under the act. So when Curry's try to sell you additional insurance note that a serious fault, could be rectfied via enforcement of this act, if it occurs within a period that one would not expect it to occur. I know it to be true as I have done this myself, got a better one as result at no additional via the supplier from the manufacturer.

Obviously the duration of the items usage depends on basically how much you pay (overcharge refunds don't effect this issue) and thus what you expect (ie if buy bottom of range washing machine the expected quality will be less than a top of the range model).

The first point of call in rectifying an issue under this act is directly with the supplier, as that is who the sale of goods act is aimed at.

Dick_Dastardly_3

Joel wrote:

I have to be honest and say that I have refused refunds for people that we know genuinely 'do it on purpose' as it were.

I'll normally offer the difference back, which is, to the bets of my knowledge, acceptable in terms of trading standards.

QUOTE]

Naughty Naughty Naughty.

A clear breach of a stated advertised policy, thus an infringement of the relevant advertising regulations. You are probably correct in that trading standard would be satisfied as the breach under the CPA has been dealt with. A person does not even have to buy a product for Tescos to be in breach of the CPA, the misleading price is the offence.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/facts/misleading.htm#faqs

The Advertsing Standards Agency would be less than impressed by the lack of adherance to a clearly advertised policy.

OUR PROMISE

In the UNLIKELY event blah blah Money Back .... KEEP PRODUCT..... blah blah

ilikepoints

Joel wrote:

I have to be honest and say that I have refused refunds for people that we know genuinely 'do it on purpose' as it were.


The biggest offender I dealt with was a guy who studied SELs and the 'pack price' - e.g. 8.9p per 100g, thats displayed on most SELs.

He argued some were wrong, and for example - 89p per 100g, and we had a 150g pack on the shelf for £1.34 - which he justified as overcharging.

We roped head office and seeked further advice, and in the end it was agreed that rounding would occur (although I believe they do show a decimal place), and that this information was for a GUIDE only.

So he was banned from the store in the end.

I

Thanks for the reply. I would never mess around with minor 1p misprices like that guy - I only ever buy stuff when it's so obvious that they can't reasonably refuse. This particular misprice was possibly the most obvious ever, which is why it is especially strage they should refuse it.

I guess you can refuse people the refund if you really want to it does seem wrong though if it is a clear misprice though - I just hope you don't become aggressive and abusive and waste people's time on purpose like at certain stores? Do you (or the management, or people in charge of the meat section) have some sort of set target for refunds now or something? The way they try to wiggle out of these things at my store you'd think that there were on some sort of incentive schmeme for not giving refunds?

Incidently all the offensive people were in management - normal customer services staff are great most of the time and never really give me any abuse/intimidation. It's the managers, head of departments etc who are the problem people - so i guess I have no where to go if they are more powerful than head office.

sarahg1969

But how does one know if one's been overcharged unless they've looked at the price ticket and picked up the item anyway, and made a conscious effort not to tell the cashier that the price is too high?

Dick_Dastardly_3

ilikepoints wrote:

Was at my usual Tesco's yesterday in the North or England. They refused to do the refund and keep product on some meat - only gave refund. Two big fat blokes basically told me where to go and that I wasn't having any more free food out of them and laughed at me and were very aggressive.
QUOTE]

Those big fat blokes won't be laughing once you have phoned HQ about the matter, have you still got the product or not, I hope that you held onto your products, as the matter will be easier to sort out in your favour, if not no worries you'll still be able to drop them in it from a great height. They'll be up for the high jump, or at least a serious rollocking from the store manager after he has been seriously rollocked by HQ, probably after HQ have spent some time on the phone to their law department, who will have told them not to be so 8888ing stupid. I can guarantee this !

First port of call HQ, discuss issue, etc telling them they are in breach of CPA (quote DTI on previous post), then discuss the fact that they have breached advertising regs, then discuss the criminal matter of harassment, and whether they think its something that you should consult the police about. Tell them the exact consequence of their non-compliance (trading standards, Newspapers, various competitors, etc), and your expectations, whether store apology in writing, refund, etc.

Edit : the reason why department heads, meat, diary, whatever are usually so agressive is because it makes them look incompetent to their boss, and him to his. Also most of the time these guys don't seem to have a clue about retail law.

The whole point of the policy is to 1. stop prosecution for breaches in the CPA via the sweetner 2. Find out which stores are slack at pricing integrity thus opening Tescos up to prosecution.

Joel_4

!!!!!!_Dastardly wrote:

OUR PROMISE

Yeah, and I like to break promises

Nah, seriously, I'm only to do what I'm taught to do. In fact, I'm very suprised that someone here has had a refund for 4 computers in full and been allowed to keep them - I'd be interested to know what store it was, because I've seen duty managers argue for £50, never mind £400.

Saying that, I saw nothing on instore email about such an overcharge refund (and most things like that get reported alllll the time to each other stores to highlight potential scams) either... so I'd still be very suprised if they truely got all their money back.

Humm, I wanna see that refund receipt for £1,200 odd now

Anyway, moving back onto the point - they obviously feel its an acceptable risk to deny the full stated 'policy' (promise lol) to someone who they feel might be taking advantage.

And as for refund targets - no. The money is usually reclaimed through manfacturers for most products - the only 'target' on CSD is for product reports (which is when we refer a product back to its manufacturer via a special report) - but overcharges are logged as 'waste' to the store.

Joel_4

!!!!!!_Dastardly wrote:

Those big fat blokes won't be laughing once you have phoned HQ about the matter.... serious rollocking from the store manager after he has been seriously rollocked by HQ.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Oh deary dear, how many times have I seen a HO referred complaint.

You'd have to get a job there to understand why I laugh so hard at those that think they are gonna get you sacked when they shout "I'LL REPORT YOU TO YOUR HEAD OFFICE!" as they walk out.

ben500

ilikepoints wrote:

Was at my usual Tesco's yesterday in the North or England. They refused to do the refund and keep product on some meat - only gave refund. Two big fat blokes basically told me where to go and that I wasn't having any more free food out of them and laughed at me and were very aggressive. I certainly have had quite a bit of stuff, but nothing like a free PC or anything - probably little more than £100 worth in total (maybe averaging 20 quid over 5 visits). Also said I could contact head office if I wanted.

Anyone else in this position? I suppose at least I haven't been banned, though I don't especially like Tesco so it wouldn't really bother me if they did that. I don't really like annyong people too much, but given the way they treat me they certainly deserve it (tthe same members of staff even had significant attiitude problems before I started checking for misprices).

Should I contact head office or will they ban me if I do so? Maybe Trading sStandards would be a better option? I'll be shopping at Sainsburys from now on given the way tesco treat me. Whilst it concerns me that they refuse to honour what's written on the wall right behind them, it's the abuse and intimidation which is what annoys me more than anything.

Contact head office and complain, if they have overcharged you then you are entitled to refund and replace and Tesco or its representatives cannot put a limit on this other than to restrict it to the amount of purchases you have made, as for you seeking to be overcharged as I have said so many times before it is up to Tesco to get their prices right if they did you wouldn't be able to would you?

Plain and simple you were fobbed/frightened off as usual, why anyone would feel guilty about availing themselves of r&r I cannot understand Tesco are plundering the country with the steady stream of misleading advertising and overcharging there is absolutely no reason to feel sorry for them!

It is tantamount to pickpocketing its own customers every time they visit the store, it is theft pure and simple.