Not Sure If Scam or Genuine

pip6

pip6

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 September 2009
Messages
2,206
Visit site
I placed an order very recently for a new hat, advertised £99. Order went through. This is from a reputable equestrian company, not giving out name as it may be genuine, just I'm not sure. Got this reply few days later from them:

Unfortunately, we have just run out of the Royal Blue helmets the day you ordered it, and they have been discontinued.

It has now been taken off the site.

We DO have other mixed colours at the regular price.

We have silver/white/black in stock and will be getting in theRed/black/white, BLUE/silver/black next week.

Now the hats they are offering cost £163, so a huge price difference. Do you think this was just a scam to get my details then try to sell me a more expensive helmet? The computer accepted my order, which seems odd if they had already sold out. Is it the system is genuinely inefficient & computer systems aren't talking to each other?

What's your gut instinct?:confused:
 
Sometimes, companies do advertise things they haven't got in stock, or, items with an incorrect price in error. Their checkouts should stop you being able to complete the transaction though.
Not long ago, my brother ordered a bathroom suite from a huge online company, the price was amazing! Took his payment and the following day he had an expected delivery time emailed to him. A few hours later, he then got another email saying the suites had been advertised in error. He's a bit of a grouch and went through a long winded complaints procedure. Eventually, he discovered that the suites had never existed and the company had broken the law (something to do with false advertising but had a different name!). He got compensation in the form of a different suite at the price of the one that didn't exist!
 
Maybe I'm just getting very suspicious in my old age. It just seems a big coincidence they ran out the day I placed (successfully) my order, then they come back later (having confirmed order by email) to offer me a hat (which is the same in all but colour) that costs £64 more.

I'm not after compensation, just the hat (not picky on colour) at price they accepted order for. Have sent email to them saying I feel this is the correct course of action, awaiting reply (not getting hopes up). I am disappointed, I've wanted one of these hats for couple of years, but the prices rocketed so couldn't justify buying one. Not like it's bargain basement, £99.88 is still not a cheap hat.
 
My absolute pet hate is online companies that take orders when they done have stock. I ordered a nuumed anti slip numnah and it took a fortnight to get it in which time I had to go out and buy a gel pad locally instead. I also had to chase it twice and when they did have it in they didn't dispatch same day. So they won't be getting any more orders.

Paula
 
Ring them back and tell them you don't want to pay extra and want a refund. Last time I did that for a lawn tractor advertised online (and paid for by me on my credit card) at £1099 against a retail of £1399 the sellers got very very apologetic and told me that they'd do me a deal by selling me a model that retailed at £1799 for the original price (£1399) of the one I'd "bought". I stuck and said I wanted a refund. Eventually they sold me the £1799 mower for what I had originally paid, and delivered it the next day. :D

It probably wasn't a scam, they just had limited quantities of the blue left and were selling cheap to shift them, which they did faster than anticipated.
 
I ordered some jodhpurs from a well know online company. They emailed me a few days later to say they were sorry but there must have been a miscount in their inventory as they do not have any in stock but you might like these similar ones...

I wouldn't be worried
 
I think definitely tell them you want a full refund or a hat for the price you paid. It happens and I think it is genuine but don't end up paying the higher price :-)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top