Vague promotion ads. How is this right?

[Deleted]

Today I want into gamestop and see a promotion. It was buy 2 get 3 free on toys to life figures like amiibo and skylanders. After looking at their promotion signs for any fine print, I talk to the clerk who then tells me that there are details not on the sign. The detail being that you pay for the two most expensive figures, not the ones you want to, in order to get the three free. It then occurred to me that there are plenty of examples of vague promotions with hidden conditions. It brings up the question, how right is this practice? Is it even ok that they spring up additional conditions randomly like that?

This has always been the case in BOGOF offers. otherwise there would be nothing stopping people buying the dirt cheap items and claiming the most expensive item (the one they really want) for free.

When it comes to promotions you will find that it whilst it looks like a great deal, there will be clauses and conditions to make sure you dont take the piss.

[volescue]

Today I want into gamestop and see a promotion. It was buy 2 get 3 free on toys to life figures like amiibo and skylanders. After looking at their promotion signs for any fine print, I talk to the clerk who then tells me that there are details not on the sign. The detail being that you pay for the two most expensive figures, not the ones you want to, in order to get the three free. It then occurred to me that there are plenty of examples of vague promotions with hidden conditions. It brings up the question, how right is this practice? Is it even ok that they spring up additional conditions randomly like that?

I have never seen an ad that was "buy 2 cheap items, get x amount of really expensive ones free" and as such, wouldn't assume such was the case.

[belfpala]

When it comes to promotions you will find that it whilst it looks like a great deal, there will be clauses and conditions to make sure you dont take the piss.

Walgreens comes to mind.

DORITOS! $3.99!
OR BUY TWO
...and use our creepy stalker card
...get 1500 points
...like paying
TWO FOR $7.48

or similar.

[breadisfunny]

well see here the problem is you went to gamestop who love to pull shady practices like this.

[Time Sage]

I can't think of any other offers that are as vague as this one. This is the most common advertisement and it is always pay for the more expensive choices and get the cheaper ones free.

I can't recall a time when I have run into an issue with a promotion being unclear, but I always stick to the "to good to be true" motto and ask before I even get my interest going.

My work recently had a sale on clerance items. Everything that was on clerance was part of the same buy one get one free sale. The system auto matched items by closest price (If you have a 5, 6 7 and 8 item it pairs the 8 with the 7, and the 6 with the 5, making you pay a total of 14). It caught me off guard since that's not normal. Items of the same price were of course auto pairs. A couple people got 40 dollar pairs of shoes free despite purchasing a bunch of cheaper items since it was the closest in prince to their other pair of shoes.

[belfpala]

well see here the problem is you went to gamestop who love to pull shady practices like this.

How is it shady? That type of deal usually "buy x, get y of equal or lesser value." Common practice.

[belfpala]

My work recently had a sale on clerance items. Everything that was on clerance was part of the same buy one get one free sale. The system auto matched items by closest price (If you have a 5, 6 7 and 8 item it pairs the 8 with the 7, and the 6 with the 5, making you pay a total of 14). It caught me off guard since that's not normal. Items of the same price were of course auto pairs. A couple people got 40 dollar pairs of shoes free despite purchasing a bunch of cheaper items since it was the closest in prince to their other pair of shoes.

Time to fire whoever sets up your POS.

[Alvito]

Not exactly. It had a condition that I had to pay for the more expensive ones. A condition that was not listed anywhere.



Because, it also didn't say I Couldn't pick it. That is the complication. It didn't say I could pick, but neither did it say I couldn't.

A condition that every buy one get one has and anybody should understand. Of course you had to pay for the ones that cost more or ppl would pick the 2 cheapest things just to get something worth far far more for free.

[belfpala]

Not exactly. It had a condition that I had to pay for the more expensive ones. A condition that was not listed anywhere.



Because, it also didn't say I Couldn't pick it. That is the complication. It didn't say I could pick, but neither did it say I couldn't.

You didn't say I could punch you, but you didn't say I couldn't either.

Connect the dots.

[Time Sage]

Time to fire whoever sets up your POS.

I suspect it was on purpose. IN the year in and a half I've worked there we've only had 2 sales that weren't Sidewalk "Sales" (AKA clearance items dragged outside for the weekend to trick people into thinking the price is lower then normal, and then put back inside without a single price adjustment) or an MOS sale, items that were in the store so long they were clearanced in our systems being sold off for a buck. The other actual real sale was a 50% markdown on clearance items at the end of the year last year. I work at a discount retailer that sells overstock and slightly defective goods at a lower then normal price. I suspect we had too much stock and I know the sale instructions came from corporate level.

[belfpala]

I suspect it was on purpose. IN the year in and a half I've worked there we've only had 2 sales. I work at a discount retailer that sells overstock and slightly defective goods at a lower then normal price. I suspect we had too much stock and I know the sale instructions came from corporate level.

Big Lots?

[Time Sage]

Big Lots?

No actually. Gabriel Brothers.