Shoppers take advantage of Amazon and Boots price glitches
Technical errors saw goods go for bargain prices over the weekend.
Technical price errors meant shoppers managed to bag goods from Boots and Amazon online this weekend for just 1p.
A huge number of heavily discounted items including mobile phones and mattresses were snapped up by eagle-eyed shoppers.
The biggest was error on Amazon, where countless items went for next to nothing between seven and eight o’clock on Friday evening. The problem occurred when RepricerExpress - a piece of software used by retailers who sell through Amazon - marked thousands of sellers' items at 1p.
RepricerExpress automatically changes the cost of items for sale in the marketplace to keep listings competitive. The idea is that this means the retailer doesn't need to constantly monitor the marketplace, though in this case that's not a good thing.
The retail giant said that most of the orders were cancelled after noticing the mistake and that it managed to resolve the problem within an hour of it being reported. However, the incorrect prices took a few hours to get back to normal. Amazon has said that the orders will be reviewed and sellers won't be penalised for the error. However, retailers have reported orders taking advantage of the glitch have gone out, so at least some will be honoured.
Cheap loot at Boots
Meanwhile at Boots this weekend, the website allowed you to order three Frozen gifts sets were available for £10, rather than the actual price of £30. The glitch was spotted yesterday by HotUKDeals members, some of whom took advantage of the reduced price. The sets are now sold out, and it appears that Boots will be honouring the sales. To mark the season of festive generosity, some who took advantage of the deal say they will be giving theirs to charity.
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Do you think that shoppers were right to take advantage of these errors? Let us know in the comments below.
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Comments
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These were obvious mistakes and, as such, did not have to be honoured. The only times I have 'taken advantage' of errors has been when a shop has been displaying a cheap price but charging a higher price and didn't change the price when the error was reported to them. Only when I claimed, and got, the price difference did they change the price. Meanwhile they had been acting illegally. Mike
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Were shoppers right to take advantage of this error? I think the easy answer comes in the form of a question. Would you want others to deal with you in the same way if you made a mistake?
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Amazon often makes mistakes in the descriptions, and have always honoured them when I have complained.
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16 December 2014