Ethics Issue-Retailer Screw-Up In My Favor

The other day I was viewing the web of a major, large, un-named retailer that I have not done business with for 2 years. I saw listed in a special front page adv. section of their web a reference to one of my favorite white burgs on sale at one-third the usual price for future (end Sept.) delivery. I re-registered and ordered 6 bottles. My credit card was charged and the order confirmed and shown on my new account. Today, I was browsing an email adv. from the same retailer, and the price of the same wine, still on sale, was double. The wine above it, a lesser wine from the same producer, was at the price that I was charged. I went back to their regular web, and the wine I ordered was still at the price I paid. Obvious to me now that the listed price I paid was was not intended. What is my obligation, the retailer’s, what would you do or expect? I am not looking for a legal answer, but what is fair and right. The reason I stopped doing business with this retailer 2 years ago was a screwed up order (not the first time) I called “The Wine Order From Hell”. They were fair with me that time, but only after 2 months of frustration and multiple emails and phone calls. They lost and could not find part of a confirmed order. Not a price issue. Notwithstanding, I would like to do the right thing.

Tough one. Two good answers:

  1. It’s hard to go wrong with: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. You know what the right course of action is - just do it.

  2. Karma. You got jacked around by them in the past so this is obviously the universe making things right.

Hmmmmm. I’d probably flip a coin.

You can’t control the behavior of others, but you can do the right thing.

Hmm… Interesting, since if you’d never seen the email you’d just assume a blowout sale.

I think the past experiences aren’t relevant as to what the right thing to do is now. Yeah, they color things, but the right thing is the right thing. To me, I think that is to email them and say “Hey, I ordered X off the web for $N which was the price on your site… but your email says it’s $2N. Love a deal but which price is correct? If it’s the higher one, you guys might wanna update the site.” They can choose how they want to respond - but you’ll know you were in the right.

So after thinking about it and getting a SECOND confirmation email, I decide to do the “right thing” and call customer service. Before I could fully explain, he knew it was the mis-priced white burg. Asked me what I wanted to do? I asked if they would honor confirmed (2x) price. Response was “everyone makes mistakes and they could not”. I cancelled. Then he tells me it will take several days to post the refund. I told him that was BS, my wife owns a retail store and it takes less than a minute to process, and I didn’t think his outfit needed the float over the weekend. Checked this AM, and refund restored on day of phone call. Their web-site was corrected.

Well now you know you should REALLY stay away from this retailer.

What retailer?

Er, hold it, you ordered the wine at price X. They had mispriced it in the email and it was 2x on the site… and they would not honor the 2x price?? WTF???

No, Rick. They wouldn’t honor the twice confirmed, yet incorrect by half, price.

Oh. Hmm. Sorry, but that sounds like the OP expected someone to honor the very low price that they knew was a screwup. Sorry, no sympathy. You knew it was a screwup and, frankly, I don’t see the point of calling them just to see if they were going to honor the price it was ordered for. The entire point of calling should have been to say “Look, I think you guys screwed up and, much as I’d love this wine for that price, I don’t feel right about it.” If you just wanted them to give you the ultracheap price, you could have let the order ride and see if they shipped it to you.

Always nice to know we can count on you to assume the worst in any situation, Rick.

And we can count on you for the supercilious personal attack that has nothing to do with the topic Guillaume.

Explain to me, given the facts, what I’m missing. What was the point in calling only to be put out that they wouldn’t honor the wrong price? The OP ASKED what the right thing to do was… Rather obviously it’s to inform the shop of their pricing error and not rip them off. Instead, he seems put out that they wouldn’t honor the incorrect price. Unlike you, I’m going by what he actually writes above vs making shit up in my head.

EDIT; You know, after re-reading the OP’s followup, I think I WAS jumping to conclusions. The latter part of the note (about the refund) colored the tone in my mind, but that was my assumption, not something the OP stated.

So let me clarify what I thought I had made perfectly clear. When I ordered, paid for the wine and got confirmation, I thought it was a great deal and did not think the wine was mispriced. I only came to believe that it was mispriced 2 days later when an email adv had a price of $ 16 more per bottle over the $ 24 I was charged. For those who can’t add. I paid $24 when the correct sale price should have been $40 (non-sale price $60). At the time I saw the special email adv, the price on their web was still $24. After reading the first 3 RATIONAL responses above, I decided to call to let them know of the error on their web and on the 2 confirmations I had received. The last confirmation, still at the wrong price, was 10 minutes before I called. I did NOT expect them to honor the lower price (but there is no harm in asking), and did not call for that reason. Just to let them know and correct their mistake, which by the time I spoke to customer service they knew about and had corrected on their web. As a matter of law, they might have been held to their offer and my acceptance and payment. But as a lawyer, I have plenty of issues I get paid to handle, I do not need any more for free. That is why I asked for a non-legal response. Just to know what you would do. I was not upset they did not honor the quoted price, only the fact that it would take them 4-5 days to refund my charge. I did the right thing and expected them to do the same. The name of the retailer is not relevant. I don’t need more wine, but 6 bottles of 08 Jadot 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne Duc de la Magenta at $24.00 would have been nice. I wonder sometimes whether it is worth posting here; some people don’t read carefully and are so quick to criticise.

The irony here, of course, is that you never took delivery of the wine. If you had, and had been sent the ‘cheaper’ wine, would this thread have been titled: “Retailer screws up and sends me wrong wine!”

deadhorse pileon

Also, while credits can be processed ‘instantly,’ they sometimes do take up to a week to show up on your statement, as I learned with a recent $950 Staples purchase that was double-charged to my card. It was really fun dealing with them on that. [suicide.gif]

I am completely baffled by any post that takes Mr. Broder to task over the course of action he decided to take in this matter. IMO, he handled it admirably – the retailer, if anything, owes him a “thank you.”

Not according to Rick G. [whistle.gif]

If I read Rick’s most recent post correctly, he backed-off his previous position quite a bit after reconsideration.

I give him credit for seeing that. Reading back, I realize now that he had edited what I had originally read. flirtysmile

Agree with you completely on this. Most retailers would honor the price “as sold” and correct further sales

Robert, put in a good word for me in heaven (if you get there before I die). Oh, and say hi to the Care Bears for me!

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