Wiz'n'Ton

Can't actually believe it but the very first bit of poor customer service here that has got me absolutely spitting mad was just now - from a brit, in a brit shop!

I mentioned in previous posts about being able to buy Haribo sweets here in ChCh at the 'Little Britain' shop on Riccarton Road.

Just went there - with a fellow Kiwi - and got some sweets after enthusiastically showing the Kiwi all our wonderous UK stuff like Jaffa Cakes and Blackpool rock. All within earshot of the cashier, and even had a quick chat about how business was etc with them.

Anyway, $3 it clearly says on the pack. Go to counter and put $4 down with the sweets. Lady takes money and scans sweets and says '$3.50'. I say no - it clearly says $3, so it is therefore $3. Lady says nope - it's $3.50, the price has changed. I say well that's all well and good but I am paying $3. She insists that I am not, and then REMOVES the sticker from the sweets and says 'well it doesn't say $3 now so it is $3.50!' and gives me the 50 cents change. As I have no principles, and really wanted the sweets, I grumped and groaned and caved in - slinking off, sweets in hand but with a distinctly sour taste in my mouth.

So, for the sake of a measly 50 cents they have lost my custom for ever and I will not be reccommending them again. Silly silly person.

luvwelly

It doesn't surprise me at all.. it's hardly service with a smile in Cool Britannia in Wellington either.......I hardly ever go in there as they do not stock much I want anyway.....just teabags slightly cheaper than Kirks and that's it really. Now if they stocked M&S stuff it would be another matter.

I think under UK law they have to let you have any article at the price on it (within reason) but it may well not be the same here.

Such a shame you didn't stick to your guns...they probably don't care either way though because it probably isn't their business.

In general I think customer service is uniformly friendlier here than in either the UK or the last EU country I lived in. I came across an indifferent guy in a petrol service station last week and it was the first time that had happened..he wasn't rude just obviously bored stiff with his job.....ah well back to the real world I thought .

Wiz'n'Ton

Weird ain't it? Overall I have yet to leave a shop feeling as mad as I did about this. Yeah, service can be slow at times here, but refunds have never been an issue, shop staff are generally decent enough and all that.

I am prob a bit mad at myself too for caving and I now feel I should have stuck to my guns. The odd thing to me though is if that same person (a 100% brit herself by the accent) was at Asda or Woolies or whatever and they tried it on, I could see her creating a massive fuss. Can't take them back though as they are now sitting in my tum.

For the sake of 50 cents and at the risk of losing repeat business personal reccommendations to others, why make an issue of it? It just makes no logical sense. Maybe my pink shirt (hey, it IS Valentines Day! ) offended....?

luvwelly

Yes..maybe it was the wrong time of the month and she didn't get any Valentines this morning.

Avid

Totally agree. But see what happens if you need to complain about something.

Ohhhh!! The mask soon slips!!!

luvwelly

I can well believe that too but as the service is generally good, there is little to complain about. UK Law is very much on the Consumer's side....not so sure about here in NZ.

Kiwiprincess

Both countries have incredibly similar laws actually to do with fair trading acts. I suspect one person was consulted and then went to the other country to provide ‘consulting’ services on the trading and consumer acts…stupid stinkin’ consultants.:curse:

One sneaky rule is that a shop doesn’t need to actually sell you the item (in both countries). Yes, kind of defeats the idea of a shop SELLING items but there ya go. Consumer websites talk about airy fairy trading ideas and negotiations but it seems each act was kind of designed to be as unclear and sneaky as each other. All talk about a sale, until it has gone through as simply "an invitation to buy".

BBC Page (a bit clearer that other consumer sites it seems)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/your_rights/goods.shtml

Which?
http://www.which.co.uk/reports_and_c...7_120266_2.jsp

Consumer NZ
http://www.consumer.org.nz/topic.asp...nttype=general


Essentially the rule which most shops go by is if the price is wrong on the label then they sell it for the lower price. But some shops, particularly smaller shops will dispute this.

But i think this probably sums it up.

Maz

That's awful Andy! That would have me spitting teeth, too.

Wiz'n'Ton

Wow Kiwiprincess - that's some awesome linkage and info there, cheers! The NZ one says this:


Pricing mistakes
If an item is advertised for sale at a particular price, but you get to the shop only to be told that there has been a mistake and the item is, in fact, more expensive, the trader doesn't have to sell you the item for the advertised price. They are entitled to claim if a genuine mistake was made.

The Act recognises a "reasonable mistake" which may have got through the checking system, or has perhaps been caused by the actions of a third party. However, if a particular trader is always claiming that a "genuine mistake" has been made, they may be in breach of the Act regardless of their plea.

In the past, a supermarket has been convicted and fined for charging higher prices at the checkout than were on display.


This seems to be about advertising, rather than on-the-shelf pricing (which is, I suppose, advertising itself in a way) and says that a shop doesn't HAVE to reduce the item. Maybe we've been too spoilt by supermarkets giving a refund and the item for free in the event of mistakes? Either way I am now chilled out enough to just 'let it go' <deep breath>

Wiz'n'Ton

I was proper mad at the time, the maddest I've been here in NZ yet, but have digested the items concerned and am now at peace with the world.

Lovely

crap coffee

ditto...................

I feel pretty much the same way. They are very very unfriendly........................Why, Oh why?................................. Weird ain't it?

irnbru14

I always have a natter with the owner of Cool Britannia when I'm in, generally seems quite friendly! There is a Scottish girl in the branch in Lower Hutt who always seems quite smiley and chirpy too...

But getting my Irn Bru fix in McPhee's in Tawa at the moment as its only 5 mins drive from work!!!

crap coffee

(once) I had a quarrel over prices with the Scottish girl. I was pretty mad!

I don't mind Chris though. He is cool. I sometimes have a natter with him.

Maz

I've never even set foot in Cool B.

irnbru14

Call yourself a proper ex-pat...