Halfords problems

Ken.

On the Irish site halfords.ie they advertise a tomtom sat nav that comes with a free camera(worth €90). It says to contact tomtom and upload a copy of the receipt and register on their site to get the camera.

When I tried to register the site gave me a 404 error so I emailed them. They have informed me that I have to live in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg*, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom to claim the camera.

They have told me to contact Halfords which I have done but they have not got back to me in 3 days.

Am I right to be peed off with the situation. It was one of the reasons for going with this specific sat nav. Here is the ad still up.
https://www.halfords.ie/technology/sat-nav/car-sat-nav/tomtom-go-essential-5-sat-nav-with-lifetime-full-europe

L1011

Yes, you're right to be annoyed. You haven't got what you bought effectively.

Do you actually want the nav or was there another you'd have preferred without the false claim? I'd be pushing for a full refund if I didn't actually want the unit.

Atlantic Dawn

Really odd, thought they only operated in UK and Ireland?

Ken.

L1011 wrote: »

Yes, you're right to be annoyed. You haven't got what you bought effectively.

Do you actually want the nav or was there another you'd have preferred without the false claim? I'd be pushing for a full refund if I didn't actually want the unit.

I was going to get a cheaper unit but the missus likes the camera so figured get the sat nav + free camera and I come out the end €50 better off with a happy wife.

Sleeper12

I'm on my phone so I can't find any T&Cs attached to the offer. I don't see it stating that you can't live in Ireland & avail of the offer, especially as the offer is on their Irish site.

False advertising. Sold under false pretences. You should be looking for a full refund.

listermint

Could you not have just put in a parcel motel Address.....

fishy_fishy

very first picture says at the bottom "T&Cs apply. Proof of purchase necessary. Check www.tomtom.com/summer for details." Go to the link, T&Cs are at the bottom, says quite clearly it only applies to certain countries.

And it doesn't say "Get a free Instax camera". It says get a free* Instax camera", and the * references the T&C. I think it's fair to say that they did highlight that there are conditions to obtaining the "Free" camera.

Halfords probably shouldn't have used the photo on the website in Ireland, but it's not like they didn't say that T&Cs apply.. In any event, the picture used is TomTom's picture, Halfords actually list the item as "TomTom Go Essential 5" Sat Nav with Lifetime Full Europe". Just because it's purchased in Ireland doesn't mean it doesn't qualify for the free* camera - it's that you live in Ireland that's the issue. Someone resident in the UK could buy it in Ireland and claim the camera.

The camera is worth €79, btw. Probably more sensible to buy the camera if that's what you want rather than buying the satnav to get the camera.

On the other hand, if you went into the store and someone told you it came with a free camera and all you had to do was upload the receipt online... Then you've been missold the satnav and it's worth chasing.

Ken.

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I'm on my phone so I can't find any T&Cs attached to the offer. I don't see it stating that you can't live in Ireland & avail of the offer, especially as the offer is on their Irish site.

False advertising. Sold under false pretences. You should be looking for a full refund.

It does say here in tiny writing that t&c apply but you have to go deep in to the tomtom site to find them. I never read them cause I assumed cause it was on an Irish site that ireland was included.

Ken.

fishy_fishy wrote: »

very first picture says at the bottom "T&Cs apply. Proof of purchase necessary. Check www.tomtom.com/summer for details." Go to the link, T&Cs are at the bottom, says quite clearly it only applies to certain countries.

And it doesn't say "Get a free Instax camera". It says get a free* Instax camera", and the * references the T&C. I think it's fair to say that they did highlight that there are conditions to obtaining the "Free" camera.

Halfords probably shouldn't have used the photo on the website in Ireland, but it's not like they didn't say that T&Cs apply.. In any event, the picture used is TomTom's picture, Halfords actually list the item as "TomTom Go Essential 5" Sat Nav with Lifetime Full Europe". Just because it's purchased in Ireland doesn't mean it doesn't qualify for the free* camera - it's that you live in Ireland that's the issue. Someone resident in the UK could buy it in Ireland and claim the camera.

The camera is worth €79, btw. Probably more sensible to buy the camera if that's what you want rather than buying the satnav to get the camera.

On the other hand, if you went into the store and someone told you it came with a free camera and all you had to do was upload the receipt online... Then you've been missold the satnav and it's worth chasing.

I was told that by the woman at checkout. She said "we don't have the camera here, you need to go online and register to get it."

Ken.

listermint wrote: »

Could you not have just put in a parcel motel Address.....

I went in to their branch in Naas to but it. Didn't buy online. Jusr researched online before going there.

fishy_fishy

Nosnon wrote: »

It does say here in tiny writing that t&c apply but you have to go deep in to the tomtom site to find them. I never read them cause I assumed cause it was on an Irish site that ireland was included.

I get that you're upset, but it's a click of one link. It's not "deep" into the tomtom site. It's a landing page for the offer, and then a click of "T&C". You could see on the image that it has terms and conditions.

Ken.

fishy_fishy wrote: »

I get that you're upset, but it's a click of one link. It's not "deep" into the tomtom site. It's a landing page for the offer, and then a click of "T&C". You could see on the image that it has terms and conditions.

My issue is that if they advertise it on their Irish website then most people would assume its available in Ireland without needing to go read another site.

fishy_fishy

Nosnon wrote: »

I was told that by the woman at checkout. She said "we don't have the camera here, you need to go online and register to get it."

Ah. In that case I'd chase them like mad for it because they have misled you. You might only end up with an offer of a refund on the satnav, but you don't qualify for the camera anyway so you might as well return the unit and get the one you intended to. It's not like they can whip out a camera and provide you with one.

Charmeleon

If it is actually impossible for anyone who enters the shop to get the free camera advertised then it is false advertising, terms and conditions or no terms and conditions.

Sleeper12

Nosnon wrote:

It does say here in tiny writing that t&c apply but you have to go deep in to the tomtom site to find them. I never read them cause I assumed cause it was on an Irish site that ireland was included.

I didn't see them on my phone screen.

That does change things but you could argue that the ad shouldn't be on the Irish website if the offer isn't valid for Ireland. Why advertise an offer that no one using the site in its home country can avail of the offer.

Honestly I think most reasonable businesses will see that their error was confusing to say the least.

Sleeper12

Nosnon wrote:

I went in to their branch in Naas to but it. Didn't buy online. Jusr researched online before going there.

That changes things again imo. Even if they did have the offer on the Irish site for Irish customers that doesn't mean that the offer is available in store. The ad is misleading but I no longer think they are at fault

fishy_fishy

Charmeleon wrote: »

If it is actually impossible for anyone who enters the shop to get the free camera advertised then it is false advertising, terms and conditions or no terms and conditions.

It's not impossible. Someone on a visit from the eligible countries whose satnav broke could walk in, buy one, register it online and claim the camera.

Sleeper12

Nosnon wrote:

I was told that by the woman at checkout. She said "we don't have the camera here, you need to go online and register to get it."

Jasus that changes things again. The end story is nothing like your opening post op.

Now you can argue, regardless of the T&Cs, that you were led to believe in store that you qualified for the offer.

I'm afraid that by the time I post this that the story will have changed again!

Ken.

Sorry, not changing the story. Just remembered when someone asked.

Charmeleon

fishy_fishy wrote: »

It's not impossible. Someone on a visit from the eligible countries whose satnav broke could walk in, buy one, register it online and claim the camera.

Then it would be advertised ‘for non-resident customers only’. It’s false and misleading when the shop is within the Irish market but the offer is not available for the Irish market.

august12

Nosnon wrote: »

My issue is that if they advertise it on their Irish website then most people would assume its available in Ireland without needing to go read another site.

I would agree with you, and would have presumed this offer applied if I purchased in Ireland.

Ken.

august12 wrote: »

I would agree with you, and would have presumed this offer applied if I purchased in Ireland.

That's my point exactly. I'm normally a live and let live guy but this has really annoyed me for some reason. I like the sat nav. Its a good one. I will be keeping it but now I've kinda promised the missus a camera. If I don't get her it now I look like an ar$ehole and I want someone to blame.

ohnonotgmail

Have you gone back to halfords to complain?

Ken.

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Have you gone back to halfords to complain?

I've emailed them. Can't get back to the store till next weekend at the earliest.

Vic_08

Nosnon wrote: »

That's my point exactly. I'm normally a live and let live guy but this has really annoyed me for some reason. I like the sat nav. Its a good one. I will be keeping it but now I've kinda promised the missus a camera. If I don't get her it now I look like an ar$ehole and I want someone to blame.

I'd suggest just refunding the product with Halfords and never give a penny to companies such as Tom Tom who exclude Irish customers from deals they offer to the rest of Europe but if you are determined to keep the thing then register the claim online using a parcel motel or addresspal UK delivery address and see if they process it.

Ken.

So, Halfords got back to me after I pm'd them on facebook. They tried to give me the runaround but I mentioned the ccpc and that I had screenshots of the add in place.

They got a higher up to try bullsh!t me but I stuck to my guns. Then they said they'd contact tomtom to see what they could do.

To cut a long story short this arrived today.

Sleeper12

Nosnon wrote:

To cut a long story short this arrived today.

Well done.

We have some of the best consumer law in the world imo. It's such a shame that we have to fight & fight to get what we are entitled to

GerardKeating

Charmeleon wrote: »

If it is actually impossible for anyone who enters the shop to get the free camera advertised then it is false advertising, terms and conditions or no terms and conditions.

No, a UK resident, on vacation in Ireland might buy the sat nav and be entitled to the camera.

Charmeleon

GerardKeating wrote: »

No, a UK resident, on vacation in Ireland might buy the sat nav and be entitled to the camera.

If this were allowed there would be nothing to stop a company here advertising that you can claim a free iPhone with every toaster, knowing it was only valid for people currently resident in the Pacific island of Tuvalu. It’s clearly false and misleading when anyone resident in the country the promotion is advertised in is automatically disqualified.

GerardKeating

Charmeleon wrote: »

It’s clearly false and misleading when anyone resident in the country the promotion is advertised in is automatically disqualified.

Not so much false, as incompetent, perhaps they forgot (again) that we are not part of the UK.

Time

GerardKeating wrote: »

Not so much false, as incompetent, perhaps they forgot (again) that we are not part of the UK.

Ignorance is not a defence