Readers of irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch, tell us their stories....

Sour grapes over a two-for-one offer

A reader called Rosemary was in Marks Spencer recently and picked up a punnet of strawberries and a punnet of grapes – each of which had a promotional sticker which read “2 for €5.”

“They were situated side by side and under a banner which said ‘2 for €5 on selected fruit’. It was only when I was at the checkout that the operator pointed out to me that the discount was not being applied on this multi-buy.”

Rosemary assumed it was a problem with the pricing system but it was that the promotional offer was only allowed if you bought two packs of grapes or two packs of strawberries. “I asked to see a manager as I thought this was a disgrace. I do not want to turn this into a litany of complaints about customer service in MS, but no one could explain the promotion and I was passed from person to person until finally a third representative arrived confirming that he was indeed the manager.”

Rosemary explained her issue with the grapes and strawberries and asked how she was meant to know that “2 for €5” only applied to certain types of fruit when bought in conjunction with each other. She was then told she could mix strawberries with raspberries, blackberries and blueberries – but not grapes as they were not berries.

“At this point, I said I was even more confused. Where was this specified? He then started waffling about the grid layout of their merchandise which is apparently meant to make clear to customers that these are two separate offers, despite the fruit all appearing in one long line and having the identical display signage on and above both products.”

Our reader says she went from being a bit annoyed to feeling highly indignant at what she believes to be “underhand and shoddy marketing by MS. If the checkout operator had not pointed out to me that it did not look as if I was getting the multi-buy discount, I would have probably paid full price and not realised the error unless I had the chance to fully check the receipt and believe me, with small kids and trying to pack my shopping without holding up the queue, this probably would not have happened.

“It would have ensured that MS had sold both these products at full price and I am sure that they often do. I believe it must be against the consumer code to mislead customers in such a way. Customers should not be expected to walk into a store and have to wonder what exactly the details of each particular promotion is. She wonders if all shoppers who did not “study retail marketing” can be expected to “recognise the grid layout of the fruit stall as being the defined range of a special offer”.

We contacted the store and a spokeswoman apologised “for the confusion caused by the summer fruits offer signage in one of our Irish stores. We have rectified this situation to ensure an issue like this does not occur again.”

Snap and the camera disappeared

Susan Murphy left her Canon camera in for repair to Cameracare on Dame Street in Dublin in January. “They told me that they could repair it and estimated that it would cost about €160,” she writes. She paid a €25 deposit and agreed to pay the rest upon completion of the repair. She says the camera was out of warranty but still very good.

“Since then I have called several times to see if the camera is going to be repaired. Each time I called I have been told that they would call me back but they never have,” she writes. She has also asked if the shop has lost her camera but they have assured her that is not the case.

“During the seven months my camera has been in for repair my wedding, honeymoon and my daughter’s second birthday have passed. I have now called the office at least three times in the last two weeks and have left messages for them to return my calls. They have not done this. At this stage I would like my camera back regardless if it is fixed. What are my rights?”

We contacted the company and it accepted that it had made a mistake in connection with this order. The camera had been sent for repair to the UK but our reader had not been told nor did she receive a new estimate of the cost of repair which has slightly higher than the initial price. The company said it had now been in touch with our reader and the UK company and that she could expect to receive her repaired camera within 15 working days.