Play.com taking the piss, can anything be done?

pastryboy
pastryboy Posts: 1,385
edited February 2011 in The bottom bracket
Anything aside from moaning at them that is.

Ordered a TV for £400 three weeks ago - said 4-5 day dispatch which got changed and changed again.

It's been back in stock for a few days now - at £500. My status has been stuck at 'order placed' the whole time meaning it should be dispatched asap.

It's no longer possible to get the TV anywhere for less than £485 now so it's pretty obvious what play are trying to do. The question is, is there anything to stop them doing it?

Comments

  • markmod
    markmod Posts: 501
    If you placed your order at £400 that is what you should pay for it, when new stock comes in to fulfill your order. Why do you think you will have to pay more now?
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    OK maybe it isn't that obvious then...

    What I mean is they're taking orders at £500 and don't plan to fulfil the orders at £400. Leave me hanging for a week or two then tell me it's out of stock whilst they get the extra £100 off someone else.
  • lemoncurd
    lemoncurd Posts: 1,428
    Have you contacted Play?

    If so, what is their response?
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    I contacted them a few days ago and got some cut and paste waffle that didn't answer the question. I've contacted them again asking what's going on and pointing out one might suspect they're trying to 'cash in'. I could call them but it's a scripted Indian call centre brickwall.
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    If they haven't taken your money you have no contract or rights.
  • straas
    straas Posts: 338
    Had this experience before, ended up cancelling and ordering from elsewhere about a month later.
    Havn't used play since, they seem to be pretty unreliable for any 'high ticket' items
    FCN: 6
  • lemoncurd
    lemoncurd Posts: 1,428
    I'd ring again, it's a low cost line. Ask to speak to a manager if it looks like they're spinning a yarn.
  • Red Rock
    Red Rock Posts: 517
    Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:
    If they haven't taken your money you have no contract or rights.

    +1
  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    Red Rock wrote:
    Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:
    If they haven't taken your money you have no contract or rights.

    +1

    +1. If they haven't billed your credit card or you have not yet paid them anything then you are have no contract. For a valid contract you need offer, acceptance and consideration.

    Have you paid them £400 for the TV? I suspect they only take payment from customers when they are ready to dispatch goods which has it's benefit. The price could go down.
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    That's what I suspected and no, they haven't debited my card. The answer to my original question then is no, just keep moaning at them.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Call them on 01534 877595. Direct into the office in Jersey IIRC.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • Ollieda
    Ollieda Posts: 1,010
    dilemna wrote:
    Red Rock wrote:
    Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:
    If they haven't taken your money you have no contract or rights.

    +1

    +1. If they haven't billed your credit card or you have not yet paid them anything then you are have no contract. For a valid contract you need offer, acceptance and consideration.

    Have you paid them £400 for the TV? I suspect they only take payment from customers when they are ready to dispatch goods which has it's benefit. The price could go down.

    Not as simple as that. Check their "terms and conditions" to see what stage they say acceptance and consideration has passed. Most companies say it is when money is taken and item dispatched but up until recently some places stated that taking your details and confirming your order was acceptance and consideration, it depends on the contract you agreed on.

    More than likely play know what they are doing and will say acceptance and consideration at point of dispatch, in which case you have no rights.

    Just try playing the old "customer service - i'll phone watchdog" line. Might get you somewhere
  • Ollieda
    Ollieda Posts: 1,010
    just had a look on their website:

    "4. No contract for the sale of any product will subsist between you and Play.com until Play.com confirms that the product(s) have been dispatched to you by a confirmation email. This confirmation e-mail amounts to an acceptance by Play.com of your offer to buy goods from Play.com or a third party supplier that is engaged on your behalf by Play.com (whether or not you receive that e-mail)."

    So basically only at email conformation do they accept your offer and it's a contract.

    The only option you have is to contact them and "convince" them to give it to you at that price as an act of goodwill.
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    It's not an act of goodwill - it was the correct price at that time and the same as other retailers were charging in the sales.

    Thanks for the Jersey number above - I'll try it this afternoon if I don't get anything constructive back from the email.
  • Ollieda
    Ollieda Posts: 1,010
    what i ment pastryboy is that there is not contract between you and them so there is no reason for them to give it to you for that price - other than in the general intrest of the company to keep you as a happy customer so they would honor the original price as an act of "goodwill".

    They can't just give you the TV for £400 but if they do, what they are effectively doing is selling at £500 and giving you a £100 "goodwill" discount. Might not seem goodwill but it's simply what its called
  • Ollieda
    Ollieda Posts: 1,010
    good luck with the phone call though, hope they do give it to you for £400
  • pdsalmon
    pdsalmon Posts: 55
    I had a problem with Play.com recently, after exchanging emails I gave up and emailed the Cheif Executive, copying in the email threads - 4 hours later it was sorted out and with a £10 voucher too.

    PM me if you need his email address.

    Pete
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=32 ... lz&z=a.gif
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    I didn't bother chasing this up then out of the blue got a phone call today.

    They said they can't fulfill the order but as a goodwill gesture they are letting me have the 46" version of the TV (I ordered a 40") at the same price. It's currently £500 on play and over £700 anywhere else.

    Problem is, I only just had room for the 40" in an alcove . I got the tape measure out and quickly realised there is absolutely nowhere to put it. On the other hand, it was a bargain so I had to accept. Now need to explain to the missus we've got a massive TV coming and no room to put it anywhere...

    Play.com I take it all back!
  • Ollieda
    Ollieda Posts: 1,010
    If the 46" retails at £700 why not sell it on for as near to £700 as you can and buy the 40" at £500 that way you get your 40" and a bit of dosh ontop
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    It did cross my mind but unless I sold to someone local there'd be a massive delivery cost and a lot of hassle sending it. Prospective purchaser may be put off by the lack of a warranty.and I doubt I'd end up with anything left over.

    I think I'll just get the wife to move out.

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