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Laptop Purchase from Dell

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  • 24-12-2009 5:15pm
    #1
    mdl100
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭


    Hi all

    I purchased a laptop from Dell yesterday. However today I received an email from them to say they made a mistake on their pricing and they would not be sending out my laptop. They have refunded the money. However I have a receipt for the transaction. Does anyone know if the National Consumer Agency can help with this?

    Thanks
    Michael
    Tagged:


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    #2
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    This is a common occurence and it falls under the concept known as "invitation to treat"

    Essentially, what this means is that a retailer does not have to sell you an item at the price advertised. You can offer to buy a product and it is only when the retailer accepts your offer that a contract is formed. When consideration is made (i.e. payment) the contract is complete.

    The retailer is protected in the case of a pricing error on their part. (i.e. an employee mistakenly prices an item for E5 instead of the correct E500. This means that the retailer is not obliged to sell at the lower, loss-making price).

    This gets hairier though in the modern era of shopping where we have automated purchases. Mistakes can get through the system without human intervention. Payment can be made in good faith by the consumer, but the retailer only becomes aware after the fact that there has been a mistake.

    So far, there have been mixed outcomes with regard to such incidences. Generally, the retailer has stood their ground and refused to sell the goods (i.e. Littlewoods and the laptop debacle, where many people took deliberate advantage of a clearly wrong price). On the other hand, a pricing error at Aer Lingus resulted in A.L. honouring some of the sales, following a public outcry on Joe Duffy.


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    #3
    dotsman
    Registered Users Posts: 3,636 ✭✭✭dotsman


    If it's anything to do with this thread, then no - it's pretty obvious the price offered was a mistake, that you were just trying to take advantage of (not blaming anyone for trying, just that there's no point crying if it doesn't work:)).

    From a legal side, I could be wrong, but I think it's down to whether they took the money from you. Has the transaction been posted to your cc account? Anyone know the specifics on this?


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