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I may be mistaken, but I don't think they have a legal foot to stand on. I remember working retail years ago and if we had a sale sign with the wrong price on a product we were required to sell the product for that price. I was told that was the law. (of course this was by the District Manager)
To demand payment so much later and you can't return the item is absolutely insane. They made the mistake, they eat the price.
It's legit. I called them back, by looking up the number to the store and using that (not what they gave me - which was the same anyways).
They said I could return the item or pay them (using any form of money that they typically accept at the register).
The original person was the person who does inventory. I doubt they would send something on letterhead or from a lawyer, because what they're doing is probably not super legal. I mean, when has a company ever come after someone to pay the difference? They locked my account - pay $300 or I can never use my membership again.
Call the corporate office and use social media. I would expose the hell out of them for doing this.
It is not really your responsibility to make it ring up at the correct price.
They should say We screwed up and we charged you the wrong price, would you mind bringing it back? They are just saying that in a more threatening way.
What store is this?
Since they have your membership to play with , it's now simply your call which you want to do.
I am honestly surprised they are allowed to do this (try to get you to pay the difference after the sale is complete). Maybe there is some line in the membership agreement about this type of situation, and that is why they are able to freeze your membership. That is my best guess.
That doesn't seem to apply here. Presumably at that price the person would not have bought the item.
Only the OP knows if he got an honest price at the register (by that I mean, he thought it was honestly the price) or if he got a sneak discount (meaning he knew the price was wrong but accepted the mistaken discount anyway.
Whichever the case, he should do what he thinks is the right thing.
I'm curious what your receipt actually says. If it says Dyson Fan $99 then I think you can legitimately tell them to pound sand. You bought the named item for the price it rang up for.
If it says something else, I would say that it could be a little murkier. If there's no name at all, then yes, that's on the manager. But if it rang in as something else - another item that would have been $99 because the manager keyed in the wrong item, then yes, they made a mistake but you as a consumer were also on notice via the receipt that what you paid for isn't what you left with.
I will say that I was once in a similar situation. I bought some furniture from Macys, and I purchased exactly what was on the showroom floor. It was a handwritten receipt but all of the various pieces were described. A little while later, I got a call saying that I needed to pay another $200 because two of the pieces were actually supposed to be $100 each. They were connecting pieces, not actual separate pieces of furniture, but had been written separately out on the receipt, describing exactly what was on the showroom floor.
Because it was furniture and needed to be scheduled for delivery, they thought they would threaten to just not deliver those two connector pieces. My response was that if I had left the store with a blouse in a shopping bag, would they have called me up to tell me I needed to pay separately for the sleeves? At that point, the manager apologized and said of course I was right, it was their mistake and they would honor the order as written. That's why I think the written documentation - in your case, your receipt - is a critical piece of information.
I called the AG's office. I have to say, it's interesting what they said. Her final comment was, "they can make mistakes". First, she was surprised that they even did a month-long investigation. And then I was told, as long as they're giving me options (return the item or pay the difference), then it's in their right to do so. I even told her I had already gifted the fan to someone and she said, "it'll be awkward, but you can still get it and return it". She did ask me if I put it on a CC, paid cash, etc. I should have asked if it made a difference.
So there you go. OR law is that they can make mistakes and as long as they're giving you options to remedy their mistake, then it's legal.
Oh yeah, my third option is to file a complaint, have the AG's office investigate and then do whatever is needed. But it sounds like they are doing nothing illegal. I gotta say, I was kinda shocked.
I'm still waiting on the GM to get back to me, but honestly, if it comes down to it, I will suck up the total awkwardness and get the fan and return it. Can't say if I'd shop there again as this is total BS, but whatevers (don't get me wrong, from a business stand point, I get it). Just know that at least in my state, any company can do this. I wonder if there's a statute of limitations. I mean, can you imagine someone coming after you for $50 a year or two later? Or for everything you've ever purchased that was "wrong"? Wow.
I called the AG's office. I have to say, it's interesting what they said. Her final comment was, "they can make mistakes". First, she was surprised that they even did a month-long investigation. And then I was told, as long as they're giving me options (return the item or pay the difference), then it's in their right to do so. I even told her I had already gifted the fan to someone and she said, "it'll be awkward, but you can still get it and return it". She did ask me if I put it on a CC, paid cash, etc. I should have asked if it made a difference.
So there you go. OR law is that they can make mistakes and as long as they're giving you options to remedy their mistake, then it's legal.
Oh yeah, my third option is to file a complaint, have the AG's office investigate and then do whatever is needed. But it sounds like they are doing nothing illegal. I gotta say, I was kinda shocked.
I'm still waiting on the GM to get back to me, but honestly, if it comes down to it, I will suck up the total awkwardness and get the fan and return it. Can't say if I'd shop there again as this is total BS, but whatevers (don't get me wrong, from a business stand point, I get it). Just know that at least in my state, any company can do this. I wonder if there's a statute of limitations. I mean, can you imagine someone coming after you for $50 a year or two later? Or for everything you've ever purchased that was "wrong"? Wow.
I wouldn't shop there again. BTW, I find Costco (I think that is the store in question?) 'restrictive' anyway. I had a membership a few years ago and don't miss it now. I think they are over-priced and limited in their inventory options. 'No likee'.
I would also post on social media so that others know the deal. Don't forget to inform Costco that you will be telling others. Word of mouth is a powerful thing... Really 'cheesy' that they are doing this to you. Oh well, we're in the age of United Airlines now...
I called the AG's office. I have to say, it's interesting what they said. Her final comment was, "they can make mistakes". First, she was surprised that they even did a month-long investigation. And then I was told, as long as they're giving me options (return the item or pay the difference), then it's in their right to do so. I even told her I had already gifted the fan to someone and she said, "it'll be awkward, but you can still get it and return it". She did ask me if I put it on a CC, paid cash, etc. I should have asked if it made a difference.
So there you go. OR law is that they can make mistakes and as long as they're giving you options to remedy their mistake, then it's legal.
Oh yeah, my third option is to file a complaint, have the AG's office investigate and then do whatever is needed. But it sounds like they are doing nothing illegal. I gotta say, I was kinda shocked.
I'm still waiting on the GM to get back to me, but honestly, if it comes down to it, I will suck up the total awkwardness and get the fan and return it. Can't say if I'd shop there again as this is total BS, but whatevers (don't get me wrong, from a business stand point, I get it). Just know that at least in my state, any company can do this. I wonder if there's a statute of limitations. I mean, can you imagine someone coming after you for $50 a year or two later? Or for everything you've ever purchased that was "wrong"? Wow.
Well that absolutely BITES. Personally though, I'm not sure I'd be done. Yes, suck up the awkwardness and get the fan back now. However, I would still have a conversation with the GM and with Corporate Customer Service and with the CC company. There may be some protections in place with the CC. For the store GM and Corporate Customer Service, make sure they know that the incident will be made known by social media.
Request that they prove what their price was at the time of purchase and how you would have been aware of that price. I've looked at the Costco website today and only see one fan there at a price of $299.
I understand that what they're doing is legal and that they made an error. This is shoddy customer service though and it feels like you're being forced to jump thru hoops due to their error and slow/inaccurate internal controls.
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Really 'cheesy' that they are doing this to you. Oh well, we're in the age of United Airlines now...
