Slight discourse first: Drove to petrol station and saw a nurse at the petrol station. Drove from petrol station to B&Q, park up and get out. Same nurse walking ahead of me. Freaky.

Main issue: As I mentioned in my other thread, I mentioned trying to put up a shelf. I managed to find some shelf brackets. They were priced around £6 or so. Went to the counter and they came up at 50p. I was surprised so did ask if it really cost 50p, to which the till worker replied in the affirmative. Bought it.

Would you have done anything? £6 item for 50p.

Nope. Thank you very much for the saving, I'll shop here more often.

I think I'd have checked like this, mentioning the price I was expecting.

The price "on the system" is the price you pay. If it's more than the price on the shelf, you can refuse and return the item, and shop them to trading standards..

If it's less than the shelf price, they can't refuse to sell (I don't think) if it's a compuerised system. Otherwise the ticket price is an "invitation to treat" and the seller can withdraw the offer.

I'm not doubting you, but if that's the case that seems retarded.

Sale of Goods says they have to sell it for the lower price - which includes putting a higher price in front of a cheaper price on the shelf. They can pull the products and re-price them correctly, but you can buy it at the price advertised.


When did that change? Once they were aware of the mistake, they could remove the product from the shelf, re-price it and put it back out (you can't change the price in front of the customers), when I worked in retail... But that was back in the late 80s/ early 90s...

If it's somewhere like B&Q - or any major chain of stores for that matter - then I'd say nothing and take the lower price - in fact I'd rip their arm off. Who am I to argue myself into paying more, and besides they can afford to make a mistake or two, the profits these places make annually.

Now, if it was a small, independent shop, then I'd act in a completely different manner. I'd ask them to check the price, as these smaller traders don't make a huge profit so I'd feel guilty about swindling them out of money, even if it is their mistake. I always try to support the small shops first, if they don't have what I need, then go to the high street chain.

Mark

Can't believe I've got here and no one's quoted "invitation to treat".

If an item is marked at an incorrect (and lower) price than it is then it is within the right of the person selling the item to apologise to the customer and refuse to sell it for the lower price. As long as they then go and correct the error on the shop floor (I think within 24 hours).

However it is illegal to intentionally mark a lower price to get people to buy it and then refuse to sell it for the lower price.

As for the OP, in somewhere like B&Q (of HMV, Sainsbury's, etc...) I'd take the lower price and not say anything.

(8-p)


I'd argue it if they wanted to charge me more, so I'll question it if they want to charge me less. Same as I point out when I get given too much change as well as too little.

I would ask if it was the correct price, though in a small firm it might be enough for them to realise that it was a mistake. I am very honest and if they give me the wrong change tell them, especially petrol stations because they penalise the staff, and when you are on minimum wage having to pay for someones petrol is too much.

A couple of things similar happened to me. I've got a huge B & Q Warehouse near me which is run by a group of inbred cretins (and that's me being polite). I wanted a plain wooden fireplace surround and wanted to make sure I got the right one so I called a sales person over to help. Sods law got it home and it was the wrong one so had to take it back. The credited my account as I walked in with the return then didn't charge me on the way out *bonus free fireplace*

On another occasion at Ikea I was buying a small folding dining table and 4 chairs for my first flat. When I got home I realised they only charged me for one chair not four. Ah well - they can afford it!

hehe

+1, and at B&Q's prices, they deserve to be ripped off

I probably wouldn't be able to help myself, I would almost certainly make some comment about the higher price on the shelf, but if the person accepted the price that came up on the system and didn't bother to call a supervisor or someone, then I would consider that I'd given them a chance and just let them get on with it.

In a small shop, again, I would mention it, but I would expect them to take more notice of me as they couldn't afford not to.

Regarding the law, I understand that they can't sell you an item at a dearer price than that on the shelf. This happened to me recently at the same chain as the OP. Funnily enough, this was also shelf brackets. They were on the shop floor for £2.50, but came up on the till at over £3.00. I got them for the lower price.

I can't see that the same would apply in reverse. If you were prepared to take them off the shelf at £6.00 each, I can't see how you can protest after the scanner shows up 50p and you refuse to pay £6.00, but that's just my opinion, I'm not sure what the law says.

As for nurses, I went into the hospital yesterday and chatted to a nurse and when I got home, she was there at my house.

You are wrong on this point.

If the price on the till (the correct price) is higher than the marked price then the seller has no obligation to sell the item to you at the lower price.

As long as they correct the mistaken label then they have done nothing wrong.