The Consumers’ organisation Testaankoop has called in the Economic Inspectorate after the French-owned retail chain Fnac backtracked on a discount for portable speakers. Fnac had offered the speakers for sale with a 67% discount on its website. However, the French-owned, book, music and electrical goods chain cancelled ordered made for the speakers as it claimed that the price given for them on its website was “manifestly incorrect”.
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Consumers’ association Testaankoop calls in Economic Inspectorate after retailer revokes discount offer
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According to Testaankoop, three weeks ago a portable speaker was for sale on the Fnac website for 39 euros, while it normally costs 119 euros. "Many thought it was an early Black Friday offer, but a few days later Fnac canceled any orders that had been placed for the speaker as it claimed that the price that had been indicated on the website was incorrect.
Testaankoop says that this is “unacceptable”. The consumers’ association contacted Fnac. However the retailer company maintained that it was within its rights to cancel the orders.
The Economic Inspectorate said on Friday that it is looking into Testaankoop’s request. Without taking a position on this particular case the Economic Inspectorate clarified that in principle a company must comply with what it has advertised, unless it was obviously a mistake. For this to be the case the price stated must have been so low that the consumer must have known that the company had made a mistake with the price.
Fnac is reported to have told Testaankoop that the difference between the full price and the special offer was large enough for a consumer to realise that there had been a mistake. Testaankoop is not satisfied Fnac’s answer though and says that "The discount shown is not unprecedented, especially in the period prior to Black Friday. Moreover, speakers are often sold in that price category, so a consumer would not have been certain to realise that the price was incorrect."