Unavailable items listed for store

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xpd

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#298829 20-Jul-2022 07:20

The art of advertising unavailable goods seems to be a growing trend for NZ based online stores.... and it bites. (Yes, I know, its "marketing", but at its worst)

What am I referring to ?

You want a certain item. You go to your usual supplier, and search their store for it - bingo, find it. Click on it with intention of buying it and..... "Unavailable". Yet the listing on the search results gives a price, and no mention of it being unavailable.

Mightyape is one of the worst I've come across for this.

The only way I can see them legally getting away with this sort of practice is that they do show its available 2nd hand from their marketplace.

I'd prefer it did not show a price on the search results and/or have some sort of marker to indicate its not available new.

MA are not the only ones who do this, I just find it really (beep beep beep) frustrating.

Off to have my morning hot chocolate now...... better be some available.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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#2944079 20-Jul-2022 09:01

I agree. This sort of thing is annoying, particularly when searching for hard to find products. My main objection to this is they show a price, which presumably was their most recent 'new' price, not the current used price. The listing should clearly show "Used, from $18", not some fictional $20 price.

The only way I can see them legally getting away with this sort of practice is that they do show its available 2nd hand from their marketplace.

Arguably, that could be considered bait advertising under the Fair Trading Act (1986) S19.

xpd

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#2944087 20-Jul-2022 09:21

Hmm... wonder if MA have even thought about it :)

19 Bait advertising

(1) No person shall, in trade, advertise for supply at a specified price goods or services which that person—

(a) does not intend to offer for supply; or

(b) does not have reasonable grounds for believing can be supplied by that person—

at that price for a period that is, and in quantities that are, reasonable having regard to the nature of the market in which the person carries on business and the nature of the advertisement.

Might drop MA a line and see what they say....

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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Behodar

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#2944089 20-Jul-2022 09:34

Mighty Ape seems to have 'fallen' quite a bit over the past couple of years. Don't forgot to sign up to the newsletter and set your delivery location while you're there, like those constant popups remind you to do...

Handsomedan

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#2944097 20-Jul-2022 09:46

I have this a lot with hard-to-find mountain bike components.

Having a fleet of older and constantly used bikes makes for upkeep. Upkeep requires parts. Older or compatible parts are hard to find.

Often a search will uncover a said gem, which is "stocked locally" - only to find that it's out of stock and even if using a site that has a tick box for "in stock only" in their search criteria, it still often displays results that are unavailable.

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#2944102 20-Jul-2022 09:58

Just happened this morning with the Warehouse. Bought something online a week ago showing as available and getting a refund today because it wasn’t. They did give me a free shipping voucher though as reward.

xpd

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#2944109 20-Jul-2022 10:13

Eva888: Just happened this morning with the Warehouse. Bought something online a week ago showing as available and getting a refund today because it wasn’t. They did give me a free shipping voucher though as reward.

Dont get me started on TWL..... :D

Was watching livestream for Hot Wheels, TWL were major sponsor etc, was announced in stream if you go online in 30s, you can order a limited edition car. So did that, got confirmation email etc, then week later "Sorry, out of stock, have a free shipping coupon".

Their inventory system is very hit and miss (same as KMart).

I was insulted by the coupon offer, as 1) didn't get what I wanted (now selling for $90 online!) 2) Order was for PICKCUP, 3) I get free shipping anyway via all the coupons out there.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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#2944148 20-Jul-2022 11:22

Behodar:

Mighty Ape seems to have 'fallen' quite a bit over the past couple of years. Don't forgot to sign up to the newsletter and set your delivery location while you're there, like those constant popups remind you to do...

As predicted, they've been dragged down by the Kogan takeover, like anyone who's ever interacted with Kogan said would happen.

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richms

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#2944168 20-Jul-2022 11:58

Behodar:

Mighty Ape seems to have 'fallen' quite a bit over the past couple of years. Don't forgot to sign up to the newsletter and set your delivery location while you're there, like those constant popups remind you to do...

Kogan.

They also list things that I cant get next day with primate because they come from kogan in AU or further away, they still have no way to not show me a craptonne of books that I don't care about when searching for things.

Richard rich.ms

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#2944170 20-Jul-2022 12:02

xpd:

Dont get me started on TWL..... :D

Was watching livestream for Hot Wheels, TWL were major sponsor etc, was announced in stream if you go online in 30s, you can order a limited edition car. So did that, got confirmation email etc, then week later "Sorry, out of stock, have a free shipping coupon".

Their inventory system is very hit and miss (same as KMart).

I was insulted by the coupon offer, as 1) didn't get what I wanted (now selling for $90 online!) 2) Order was for PICKCUP, 3) I get free shipping anyway via all the coupons out there.

Free shipping with them is worthless because you always get that on themarket for almost the whole range of things, and there is usually another 5% off when bought on there too.

I think they're killing the warehouse site slowly with the move to a market login for the warehouse, and it seems that because I have used different emails for the sites that will lose my wishlist etc. They killed 1day off and moved it into the market a while back.

Retail web sites in NZ are crap almost everywhere. That's why I go to amazon and aliexpress since places surprise you with shipping costs at checkout or worse, just put that something is a large item on it and dont let you order it.

Richard rich.ms

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#2944204 20-Jul-2022 13:21

richms:
xpd:

Dont get me started on TWL..... :D

Was watching livestream for Hot Wheels, TWL were major sponsor etc, was announced in stream if you go online in 30s, you can order a limited edition car. So did that, got confirmation email etc, then week later "Sorry, out of stock, have a free shipping coupon".

Their inventory system is very hit and miss (same as KMart).

I was insulted by the coupon offer, as 1) didn't get what I wanted (now selling for $90 online!) 2) Order was for PICKCUP, 3) I get free shipping anyway via all the coupons out there.

Free shipping with them is worthless because you always get that on themarket for almost the whole range of things, and there is usually another 5% off when bought on there too.

I think they're killing the warehouse site slowly with the move to a market login for the warehouse, and it seems that because I have used different emails for the sites that will lose my wishlist etc. They killed 1day off and moved it into the market a while back.

Retail web sites in NZ are crap almost everywhere. That's why I go to amazon and aliexpress since places surprise you with shipping costs at checkout or worse, just put that something is a large item on it and dont let you order it.

Or order a large item from the warehouse for pickup, and they slap a $30 fee on it because it’s oversized…..

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#2944208 20-Jul-2022 13:32

This has happened to me but in real life! I went to New World the other day and they were all out of Tabasco sauce. Don't even get me started on how this is a clear breach of the Geneva Convention.

THEN they had to gaul to leave the little electronic LCD label on the shelf in front of the empty space, telling me the price AND that it was discounted! Super Saver my arse!

You better believe I pulled that little LCD display off and ate it.

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#2944221 20-Jul-2022 14:32

muppet:

You better believe I pulled that little LCD display off and ate it.

It's the only decent thing to do.

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#2944378 20-Jul-2022 17:00

Loismustdye:
Or order a large item from the warehouse for pickup, and they slap a $30 fee on it because it’s oversized…..

And its not like they will even put it in the ute for you for that price, just wheel it out on a weird trolley that they expect you to bring back to them after loading it. Mine wasn't $30 but it still had a cost and the stuff wasn't in the local nearby stores.

I'm wanting to get another couple of storage cupboards but with the hassle last time dealing with warehouse picking up big things I really cant be bothered. Mighty ape are not much better with pickups when getting a moderate size TV too.

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#2944383 20-Jul-2022 17:14

richms: ...just wheel it out on a weird trolley that they expect you to bring back to them after loading it...

They want that trolley back? For $30 and no assistance, I figure it was mine for the taking - after all, how am I now going to move said oversize item at home?

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#2944387 20-Jul-2022 17:24

xpd:

Hmm... wonder if MA have even thought about it :)

19 Bait advertising

(1) No person shall, in trade, advertise for supply at a specified price goods or services which that person—

(a) does not intend to offer for supply; or

(b) does not have reasonable grounds for believing can be supplied by that person—

at that price for a period that is, and in quantities that are, reasonable having regard to the nature of the market in which the person carries on business and the nature of the advertisement.

Might drop MA a line and see what they say....

If it's normally available through their supply chain but currently out of stock then they are ok. If it isn't normally available, or only available at inflated price then it's bait advertising.

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