Bait Advertising

Sorry, my bad typo, I agree with you. I meant to say Dept fo Fair trading would have no issue blah blah blah...

 

My Favourite Bait Advertising Story x 2!

Over the years, I have had issue with a particular store (not Walmart), and their use of bait advertising.

I was once in the store as it closed the evening before a new catalogue became current. There was a pallet load of an item on the floor, but I watched through the closed door as they removed that pallet. Lo and behold, only a couple in stock the next day and no more for the duration of the catalogue.

Armed with this knowledge, I once went shopping for a bicycle for one of my sons. Shock horror, they had no stock of the bike in the catalogue. However, they had one of them on display. I said that I would take that one, but they said that they could not sell it to me for liability reasons - as they might be liable because they assembled it. I pushed to no avail, but they asked me to come back on the last day of the catalogue as they might have more in by then.

On the morning in question, still no stock, but come back just before closing. Not willing to give in, I came back as advised. "Sorry, none came in."

I got "cranky". I demanded the bike on display, but they stood firm. I demanded to see the manager so I could complain about the run around that they had given me. The salesman went off to find the manager.

By this time, the store had closed. Anyhow, the manager did not turn up. The salesman arrived back with a brand new bike still in the carton, which he "surprisingly" found out back while looking for the manager.

I have repeated this process for a second bike, but only by doing it as the shop closed at the end of the catalogue period. Same outcome.

In both cases, they had stock out back. However, they were not supposed to sell anymore, and only sold me the item for the catalogue price when no other customer could take advantage of my "win".

I don't shop there very much.

 

What were the trying to do? Not sell at the catalogue price because they wouldn't make as much money?

Re the display item, no, they won't sell it for liability reasons as they stated. They weren't trying to be difficult. (a) there is the fact that they assembled it, and (b) they don't know how it's been treated whilst being a display item. For all they know, some fat bastard like me might have jumped on it, weakening the frame. If htey sold it, and it fell apart, it could be very bad.

 

sounds like its a story copied from some american website (guessing from the walmart reference) so i dont think it actually happened to him personally