Free Pampering Treatment with the Body Shop

mangadarkogirl

Hi Everyone, just wanted to know if anyone else is having trouble with this offer?

Basically last year at xmas, The Body Shop were offering a free pampering treatment, in a salon of your choice if you spend over xyz. I did this and recieved a form to fill in. So I played my part, got the treatment info back and picked reflexology in Manchester.

Now here's where it began...six weeks later I got a call whislt at work saying that the treatment was not avaliable in the salon I wanted and I had to pick another. So I called back and was told the lady who I needed to speak to was not avaliable and she would call me back. No call back recieved. So I then called every afternoon and recieved the same answer, not avaliable, will call you.

I have called over 13 times now, every time someone at TLC Marketing, who are running the promotion on behalf of The Body Shop would ''promise'' a call back that day.

Having no joy, I emailed TLC and the body shop three weeks ago and recieved no reply from them either. So I called them this Tuesday and they said they would forward it onto the relevant dept. Baring in mind, that I've been calling the company since March on a premium rate number, which hiked up my April/May phone bills.

I got a call this Thurs (5th June) from a lady at TLC trying to book the treatment. We went through several options and I decided to have my treatment in Reddish. The lady said to leave it with her to organize and she would call me back later. I have NOT received a call back, leaving me in the air AGAIN!

I don't know what to do now, I've just sent another email, saying that I am willing to take both companies to a small claims court. It's so frustrating! I've done everything they've asked and three months later, still no treatment.

So has anyone else booked this offer successfully or are they in the same predicament? Any advice or options would be great.

Thanks.

mangadarkogirl

Ah well, no-one's given me their opinion. If there is anyone else who is having trouble, I've decided to go to the small claims court.

nasty_nas

Ive had no trouble with this personally but i wouldnt take this to small claims court as it would be a waste of my time and im not sure if you actually have a case that will hold up in court?

Im not 100% sure though best to get a few more replies before you do anything

KittyPryde

Good luck OP, but i'm not sure small claims court is the answer either. Perhaps a strongly worded letter to the Head Quarters of the Body Shop would do, even threatening small claims but not actually doing it.

So annoying when companies advertise things but don't fulfill them, good luck.

destresserai

Before taking to the small claims court - which I don't think you have a case for - think about contacting your local trading standards office. They should be able to advise you better on where you stand I would have thought as this is a "trading" issue ie you traded with Body Shop under specific terms which they have not met. Bear in mind that this is only my opinion and not a fact though!

zztopgirl

I had something similar last year. Boots did a gift card, put £20 onto it and get a free pampering treatment. I sent off the form and receipt, got back a booklet, chose my treatment and salon and never heard anything back.

I chased it up by phone, and even went to the salon, who told me they were not participating with this offer. I actually got a call a few days before the offer expired, asking me when i would be having my treatment before the expiry date.:eek:

It didn't cost me anything if you exclude 2 stamps and phone calls, so i just forgot about it, but i wonder now if this is the same company?

Savethekipper

I think TLC are the same firm that were supposed to provide me with a pampering treatment via my Nectar Card. I rang a couple of salons off the list they provided and no one even answered the phones. After numerous phone calls I finally got my "free" manicure and to be honest it was a good job I hadn't paid anything as my manicure lasted about 3 minutes!!!

mangadarkogirl

Hi, thanks for the comments. Yeah I have asked them both to contact me within the next three days or I'm taking it further. Trading Standards seems to be the way to go.

Oh dear 3 mins? See, the salon's their offering are miles away from where I live, more in Cheshire than Manchester! I'm doing this out of principle now. Will let you know how it goes.

sacredbamboo

I think an online complaint to the Advertising Standards people - and letting the Body Shop know what you are doing, might get a result without further expense.

Gosia

I agree most of these pampering treatments seem to be a con. I had a similar problem with an offer ran through Waterstone's last year. I think it was also being ran by some sort of Marketing Company, needless to say I had to e-mail them about 10 times before I got my voucher. I eventually got it and took it to the local hairdressing salon named on the voucher - and they said that they didn't know anything about this free haircut offer. Needless to say I left and after all the hassle couldn't even be bothered to chase it up again.

mangadarkogirl

Well I got a call yesterday and it's supposedly booked. Althought I don't know the name of the salon!
The woman who called on Thurs had done nothing! So there you go, a quick threat of legal action and its all booked. Why it took 3 months I don't know. Will also be writing to the Body Shop head office to complain, sending a copy of my last phone bill.

Will report back after treatment.