Should stores honor online price errors? (DEBATE and poll)

[janette]

In your case you had every right to get the TVs you ordered at that price since your CC was charged. Ordering online for store pick up is no different than buying something from the store *at the store* and driving around back to pick it up.

Make sure you don't get charged interest for that outstanding charge before they refund. You might want to call your CC and tell them what happened which should prevent that from happening.

I think most people who ordered from Sears will find that their CC's were charged. Some were mentioning that and I thought they must be mistaken until I saw the charges on my recent activity. There is no reason that I should have been charged for merchandise that wasn't ready to be picked up or hadn't been shipped. I've only gotten a cancellation for one order so far, I plan to ride this out and see what actions they take.

 

[va32h]

Most on-line companies don't charge you for merchandise they haven't shipped.

We aren't supposed to. My merchant account agreement requires that I not charge a card until I have shipped the merchandise.

Is it a cleared charge or just an authorization/hold?

 

[janette]

We aren't supposed to. My merchant account agreement requires that I not charge a card until I have shipped the merchandise.

Is it a cleared charge or just an authorization/hold?

It is a cleared charge, actually 2 because I ordered once for me and once for neices. It posted on 10/10 two days after I ordered. I just checked and no credit so far.

 

[beattyfamily]

It is a cleared charge, actually 2 because I ordered once for me and once for neices. It posted on 10/10 two days after I ordered. I just checked and no credit so far.

I, too, have a cleared charge today for something that was canceled right away and that there was no stock of (or so they say). I also have 2 pending charges from Sears. I only placed 2 orders; one Sunday and one Monday. Not sure why I have one cleared and 2 pending. I'm so angry with Sears right now and how they've handled this whole thing.

Oh and some say that Sears probably didn't take it down or fix it because people don't work on weekends so it's not so easy to do....well, they did take it down, then put it back, then take it down, and then put it back....at least 3 times over the weekend. So someone was there trying to do something with it.

 

[Maleficent13]

Three words: Hire a proofreader.

 

[froglady]

I agree that once your credit card is charged, the price should be honored. It is the same as, say, purchasing a special order item. The merchant can't tell you that he made a mistake and raise the price after the order has been placed.

We once purchased a sterling tea service on lay-away. This was just after the "run" on silver in the late 70s, and we were amazed at the price tag. I had the salesperson double check the price with the manager before I put a down payment on it. A few days later I got a call from the store saying that it was a mistake and I would have to pay the balance immediately. A call to the state AG's office verified that they could demand full payment, but could NOT change the price. Fortunately, I had enough money to pay it off.

 

[disneychrista]

Unless peoples credit cards were charged (and then refunded). Legally they can't do that. If the buyer has a guilty conscience, they can choose to return it.
That doesn't matter. If they charged peoples CCs, they are obligated to provide the product at the price quoted OR refund the money if stock runs out. There are laws against companies doing this so it's important that they get it right.
That would be no different than paying for something from a store at a price mistake and the store manager running out to your car to get you to bring the product back in for a refund because they sold it to you for the wrong price. Ooops, their mistake. Better pay closer attention next time.

But none of this answers the basic question of should a store be held to the price posted on a website. Which is what my comments are answering.

I agree actually charging customers for product and then lying about CC being declined is bad buisness practice. But like I said it has nothing to do with whether or not an online price should be honored.

 

[Twinprincesses]

I tried to order tv's on Sunday my credit card has been charded and I just got my cancelation today. While I can understand mistakes they say the tv should have been $149.99 instead of $29.95, the numbers are not even close.

I guess when you see something that is too good to be true then it probably is.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I also have a charge on my card.

 

[bicker]

Just as print marketing is subject to the foibles of the print medium, online marketing is subject to the foibles of the Internet. The question is whether we, as consumers, want to all pay more for everything, to cover the cost associated with retailers having to honor printing or posting errors. Clearly, if we could have it both ways: Have the price honored when it is in our favor, but not have to incur the cost of honoring such errors when we're not taking advantage of them, that would be preferable. However, that's unreasonable, and I believe the vast majority of folks would prefer lower prices most of the time, and every so often being subject to a correction of a mistake.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes--especially as it seems that pick and chose who they'd honor it for and who they would not.

It doesn't take long to find an error.

Sears has burn themselves IMHO.