No closing date on competition advertisement

take everything

Hi.
I entered a competition there a few weeks back.
Now the advertisement made no mention of a closing date so i thought this wasn't an issue.
I rang them up a couple of days ago and was told that i sent the stuff in too late and therefore didn't qualify.

Does a closing date have to be explicitly advertised on an advertisement if it's going to be enforced rigorously like that?

They said there was something about terms and conditions on their website where the closing date is mentioned.
I'm not sure if the advertisement actually refers you to this or just says "terms and conditions apply"- i'll have to check.

My main query is: does a closing date have to be explicitly advertised?
Thanks.

ejmaztec

take everything wrote: »

Hi.
I entered a competition there a few weeks back.
Now the advertisement made no mention of a closing date so i thought this wasn't an issue.
I rang them up a couple of days ago and was told that i sent the stuff in too late and therefore didn't qualify.

Does a closing date have to be explicitly advertised on an advertisement if it's going to be enforced rigorously like that?

They said there was something about terms and conditions on their website where the closing date is mentioned.
I'm not sure if the advertisement actually refers you to this or just says "terms and conditions apply"- i'll have to check.

My main query is: does a closing date have to be explicitly advertised?
Thanks.

Was there no mention of terms and conditions anywhere in the ad?

take everything

ejmaztec wrote: »

Was there no mention of terms and conditions anywhere in the ad?

That i will have to check (but i'd imagine there probably was some mention).
Do you think a mention of terms and conditions is sufficient to cover their ass on this.

dilallio

Was the advertisement in the paper or publication, before or after the closing date of the competition?

take everything

dilallio wrote: »

Was the advertisement in the paper or publication, before or after the closing date of the competition?

Before.
I've sorted it out, they allowed me entry (as "a goodwill gesture").
Not sure if that's an admission by them of misleading advertising.
Anyway...

dilallio

I'd say in terms of the competition, their terms & conditions (which should have the expiry date) rule.

If however, they published the competition as part of an ad, and the competition had expired before the publication date, then you would have a case for misleading advertising.

P. Breathnach

What about other people who submitted late entries and had them rejected? What if people who submitted entries before the (admittedly ill-publicised) closing date lost to somebody who had a late entry accepted?

Not good.