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Online Shopping Site Glitch Slashes Prices for Happy Social Customers

posted by martyb on Wednesday February 06 2019, @07:42PM   Printer-friendly
from the you-get-what-you-give dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

It's 2019 and still retailers haven't quite got a grip on their online shopping websites. Coles, a large supermarket in Australia, sold products with deep discounts due to a glitch until the company found the problem and restored the system. This story comes with a modern twist with users going to social media to spread the word about the glitch on the site so others can quickly take advantage. The store was able to get ahead of the surge in online shoppers and cull some of the carts, but not before the front runners picked up their discount goods.

Oh, look, a good use for social media. What are we up to, 5, or 6 now? =)

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by FatPhil on Wednesday February 06 2019, @09:28PM (5 children)

    by FatPhil (863) <reversethis-{if.fdsa} {ta} {tnelyos-cp}> on Wednesday February 06 2019, @09:28PM (#797415) Homepage
    If the Oz system is based on the UK system, which would be far from surprising, then they do not have to honour advertised prices, as advertised prices are an "invitation to treat" - i.e. they are giving you the opportunity to offer that amount of money for the good/service, and when you do, they get the choice whether they want to take you up on that offer. Of course, automated systems are unlikely to have an agent that will refuse the price it itself advertised, I would consider that a gross design flaw. However, see my post nextthread...
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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday February 06 2019, @10:03PM (4 children)

    by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Wednesday February 06 2019, @10:03PM (#797435)

    The Australian consumer protection laws are not based on the UK system.

    Source: I live in New Zealand, and we based our Consumer Guarantees Act on the Aussie model.

    • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday February 07 2019, @12:00AM (3 children)

      by FatPhil (863) <reversethis-{if.fdsa} {ta} {tnelyos-cp}> on Thursday February 07 2019, @12:00AM (#797502) Homepage
      Thanks all who responded with clarification. Upmods delivered. I know that we gave a lot of precedent to the colonies' legal systems, and it's remarkable how much of that remains to this day, but on this one my cautiously-held presumption was wrong. Info filed away in case of later use.
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      Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves

      • (Score: 3, Funny) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday February 07 2019, @12:13AM (2 children)

        by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Thursday February 07 2019, @12:13AM (#797511)

        Thanks for responding like an adult, and not turning the conversation into the usual shouting match.

        • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday February 07 2019, @01:34PM (1 child)

          by FatPhil (863) <reversethis-{if.fdsa} {ta} {tnelyos-cp}> on Thursday February 07 2019, @01:34PM (#797745) Homepage
          Well, my initial posts were questioning and conditional on stated unsure assumptions, so I was hardly going bombastically into this thread! I'm happy to learn. The more I hear about them, the more the antipodes appeal.
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          Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves

          • (Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday February 07 2019, @07:39PM

            by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Thursday February 07 2019, @07:39PM (#797910)

            Yeah, well, I don't care what everyone else says, I think you're all right kid.