Debenhams misleading prices

[persian]

Debenhams advertised a dining set in store at a reduced price but would not sell it me at that price. I have liased with their head office but they sorry it was a mistake as they never mislead customers. I took a picture of the sale add, still nothing, I have reported Debenhams to Trading Standards as I'm sure this practice is against some law, isn't it?

I have to call Trading Standards with more info tomorrow any advice would help.

 

Thanks

[BazzaS]

Did they take the money from you and then say it was a mistake? Or did you offer to pay the advertised price but they refused before they took payment?

 

Whilst deliberate false advertising is a Trading Standards offence, stores are allowed to make a mistake. If they make a mistake they can claim an advert is "an invitation to treat" and isn't binding. It only becomes binding at the moment you pay, at which point a contract is formed.

 

So, if they said "That is a mistake, we can't sell it to you at that price" before you've paid : you can't force them to sell it to you at the incorrect price. You might appeal to them or their head office to give you a deal in the name of good customer service, but you can't force them.

 

If they've rung it up on a till at the advertised price, asked you for that amount and you have handed that amount over : the critical point has been reached. If they've taken the money, even if the manager runs up shouting "that's the wrong price!" : it is no longer "an invitation to treat", but "offer, acceptance of offer, transfer of consideration" and a contract has been formed : at / after that point they can't go back on it.

 

Even if you put the cash down in front of a till, the key issue is if your payment was accepted : did they accept payment off you for the 'advertised price'?

[Conniff]

And not forgetting, did they then remove the incorrect price and replace it with the correct.

[persian]

At the checkout the price was confirmed at £1400.00 it was advertised for £351.00, the sale price was not removed,I did ask for the sale banner, of course he said no, however we took a picture of it, the next day the reduced price was removed. I saw the manager and quoted the 2008 law Debenhams had broken, he just said thank you madam, good day madam, so damn annoying.

[Old Cogger]

*Companies and Banks make mistakes* - you are not allowed to -* a judge comment to me*

[BazzaS]

True, Conniff, but they could still decline to sell it at the "wrong price" even if they'd left the "incorrect advert" up : however it would then be harder for them to persuade Trading Standards it was a mistake, rather than deliberate false advertising ......

[BazzaS]

At the checkout the price was confirmed at £1400.00 it was advertised for £351.00, the sale price was not removed,I did ask for the sale banner, of course he said no, however we took a picture of it, the next day the reduced price was removed. I saw the manager and quoted the 2008 law Debenhams had broken, he just said thank you madam, good day madam, so damn annoying.

 

What 2008 law?

[persian]

Perhaps its not law, I refer to Consumer Protection from Unfair Tradings Regulations 2008 which their action does beach, I really felt I was not the first to have been mislead, staff were so cocky, but never rude, just over polite, yes madam, sorry madam, see you again madam.

[BazzaS]

Perhaps its not law, I refer to Consumer Protection from Unfair Tradings Regulations 2008 which their action does beach, I really felt I was not the first to have been mislead, staff were so cocky, but never rude, just over polite, yes madam, sorry madam, see you again madam.

 

Take it to Trading Standards.

If they ask "how do you know your feeling that 'you were not the first to be mislead' is correct?" : can you give them any evidence they can act on?

[assisted blonde]

the price advertised was an invitation to treat, you then made an offer, it was declined they were within their rights to do this. The wrong price could easily have been a mistake which when it was pointed out was rectified, if it had been a smaller difference they may have let you have the item but it was quite a large difference. Was 1400 a price reduction on the normal selling price?

[persian]

Walk past any Debenhams and you'll see 50,60 or even 70% off blue cross sale.

I go to furniture and clearly a red sales add says an extra 10% off. "Today you pay £351.00".

I look for an assistant who says yes the price is correct, I say, yes I'll have it. The assistant calls for stock and then would you know, the price is £1400.

I argue for 10 minutes, I ask for the actual sales add, no, he said, I take a picture of it which I will send to Trading Standards tomorrow.

I felt the staff had dealt with this misleading customer prices palava before as they were so very well prepared with answers at every point.

I'm not going to let it get to me anymore. This has taught me a good lesson. Shops reduce the price of goods they cannot sell. The Blue cross sales add got me in store and normally I buy something from there I dont need.

Good bye Debenhams, I hope you go into administration.

[Conniff]

It says in a post a little further up that the price label was removed the next day. Anyone and everyone can make mistakes, but once that mistake was pointed out it should have been rectified. To leave it there when they are aware is no longer an invitation to treat, but deliberate misadvertising.

[ericsbrother]

no-one has to sell you anything, they invite you to make an offer which they either accept or decline. The price label is the offer they want and the law does allow for mistakes. If you saw a price label of £351 and took it to the till and they charged your visa card £1400 without mentioning the price difference you would be spitting feathers so it was correcly dealt with by declining your offer and telling you what they would accept. In truth, you are throwing teddy about because you couldnt have the items at the price you wanted rather than being interested in your consumer contract rights