False Advertising By Very.co.uk ??

[sunny-dave]

I've held off posting about this (in the hope that the company would at least engage sensibly with me), but it seems that they are determined to be incomprehensible on the phone, unreachable by normal email and then rudely dismissive when I eventually used a webchat to get through to them - simply not understanding that there was even a problem.

So - essentially the problem is that very.co.uk listed some cameras with a big banner saying CASHBACK - not just the one I was interested in, but several others as well.

The actual text on the page listing for the one that caught my interest included an offer from Panasonic of £200 cashback if the camera was bought within specified dates.

Being a cautious chap, I even rang the Very CS line to check that the offer was still valid - it has been going for a while - they confirmed that it was. I also (fortunately) took a screenshot of the listing page at that point.

So I bought the camera - and tried to register for my £200 - only for Panasonic to tell me that the offer closed on 30th January - I have an email from them confirming this.

So - I'm £200 out of pocket and Very won't talk to me (at least not in any sensible way). What they have done is change the listing of the item to remove the cashback offer - hence their dismissive reply to my webchat complaint.

Is there anything sensible I can do - or do I just parcel the whole thing up and send it back for a refund (without the cashback it's way overpriced) ??

Cheers

Dave x

[woofgang]

Easiest is to parcel it up and send it back :(

[sunny-dave]

Possibly Woofgang, - but I do have the time (and inclination) to cause them a bit of grief first - if only I can find a way in ...

[sunny-dave]

If they had fessed up politely to an error when I first got in touch, I'd have shrugged my shoulders and moved quickly on - it's their general unhelpfulness and evasiveness (eg the retrospective fiddling with the listing page) that has annoyed me.

[Tuvok]

Are the dates on the website clearly stated and is is clear that the offer was applicable to your camera?

Were there any terms and conditions related to the cashback?

[sunny-dave]

Full disclosure (in case they are reading this) - Very did also offer me a "come back we miss you" discount - which I used on the camera - but only after I had checked that it wouldn't invalidate the cashback.

[Tuvok]

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-complain-if-you-think-youve-been-misled-by-a-special-offer

[woofgang]

Are you on facebook or Twitter? You can cause grief by posting your story and the screenshot on social media

[Flonska]

Not sure if this is valid/current information but the Customer Director may be:- Mr Sasha Berson and the e-mail address is listed as:-

[email protected]

[sunny-dave]

Yes Tuvok - the offer is on the actual listing page for the specific camera and is very explicit and unequivocal - amount, dates and a link to Panasonic's generic T&Cs for all cashbacks.

[sunny-dave]

I've tried FB and Twitter - they just quietly remove any critical material and haven't replied to my request for a direct email address for their Complaints Team.

[sunny-dave]

Thanks, Flonska - I'll investigate that avenue

[sunny-dave]

Thanks for the Which link, Tuvok - very useful

[cashier]

Contact your local Trading Standards office.

[kvalidir]

Yeah stir up a Twitter 5h1t storm. We did that when Yodel 'lost' a package having reached the end of our rope and within 2 hours and lots of retweets they'd 'found' it.

[sunny-dave]

I may go down that route, cashier - but there may be a degree of urgency about making a decision on whether to return the camera which precludes any lengthy process.

[Old_Geezer]

Can't help with your issue, but it prompts me to relate one recent experience I had.

I was looking at blenders and found one at a lower price than most for that model at AO. Thought about spending more than I intended for a short while, then decided to go for it. Put it in the "basket", checked it, and the price had gone up considerably, immediately. I checked the item again, it was the same price I'd expected. I phoned, explained, was asked if I could get a screen capture, which I could, and was told to e-mail CS with it and ask if they'd honour the price at which it was offered.

I did and they wrote back saying they couldn't see the picture sent and could I send it as an attachment. The obvious conclusion was that they intended to honour the price if I did, as otherwise why ask to see it again ? So I sent it as a separate attachment; and they then replied that they weren't interested in honouring the stated price anyway.

So why mess me about ? Told them it was their loss and bought elsewhere. I know where I won't be buying the range cooker, the American fridge/freezer, nor the dishwasher later this year then.

[kvalidir]

They can only remove your tweets form their feed to them they can't remove your tweets per se, just hashtag em and post all over the place.

[Bazile]

I'm not a user of FB or Twitter user or whatever being on them is called

How does it work - Can they remove material if that material is not on their account ( or what ever their equivalent of a thread is - you can see as i said i don't use them )?

[sunny-dave]

Indeed kval - that may be the nuclear option if they don't reply to my (final) attempt to use their online complaint system.

[NoMercy]

Dave, have you contacted Trading Standards or Watchdog?