Hannants Pre-Order Price Changes

[spruecutter96]

Hello, All. 

 

In January, I put in pre-order for the ICM 1/32nd AH-1G Huey Cobra with pilot figures. The kit will be out in the fourth quarter of this year (fingers crossed). 

 

At the time of placing the order, the price the Big H quoted was around £34 (about £15 to £20 less than the other two versions of the gunship ICM are bringing out). Seems too good a price to be true, doesn't it? It's probably worth pointing out that this was the price with the standard, Hannants 10% pre-order discount included.  

 

Well, now the price on Hannant's website for "my" kit is much nearer to £55. I'm sure there is a clause somewhere in the Big H's terms-and-conditions, that says something along the lines of "we can alter any price in a pre-order situation, whenever we like". Now, although this clause would cover Hannants from a legal stand-point, doesn't the original, lower price effectively constitute false advertising? I would take a guess that (legally) the lower price would only be applied to items that the company has in its possession at the time and would not apply to "future" acquisitions. Obviously, all three of the AH-1G's are yet to be issued for sale. 

 

I have to admit that I will be buying the kit at either price, but can't help feeling a little aggrieved at the price increase. Do I have any legal basis to point the situation out to Hannants?

 

Cheers.

 

Chris. 

[IanHx]

no idea, but from a pragmatic viewpoint I'd suggest its not worth the hassle ,  especially when the difference is less than the price of a takeaway pizza.  If you were ordering 1000 of the kit, maybe, but just 1 -   life's too short.

[Black Knight]

4 hours ago, spruecutter96 said:

. . . Do I have any legal basis to point the situation out to Hannants?

In short, no

The pre-order price is only an advised estimate. An estimate of RRP price of future goods

Estimates can go up or down.

Only when they have offered an in-stock item at a certain price may you have redress.

Its complicated but if H offered a kit at £30 and you accepted the offer and then H accepted your purchase then said it actually £50 you are entitled in law to get it at £30, But if H did not accept your purchase, and changed their price there is nowt you can do.

The purchasing phase must actually reach the point of the purchaser paying for the item

[spruecutter96]

Hi, Black Knight.

 

That makes sense. Thanks for the information. 

 

Chris. 

[PhoenixII]

10 hours ago, Black Knight said:

if H offered a kit at £30 and you accepted the offer and then H accepted your purchase then said it actually £50 you are entitled in law to get it at £30

with a caveat, this being H can refuse to make the sale, with you having no comeback or rights in law.

Paul (18 years in retail, 40+ in sales)

[3DStewart]

I don't know what the law is, but common sense suggests a pre-order for a product that doesn't exist yet has to be seen as a conditional order; i.e. it's conditional on the product being produced in a time period acceptable to you and at an actual price that is acceptable to both buyer and seller.  If it's coming too late or at too high a price then it seems to me either party should be able to cancel without penalty.

 

You could politely point out to Hannants the price they originally offered and ask them to honour it. If they don't then you can, (1) learn to live without it, (2) find someone else to buy it from, or (3) buy it from them anyway if its still convenient and good value to do so. 

[alt-92]

On 3/20/2021 at 7:14 PM, 3DStewart said:

If it's coming too late or at too high a price then it seems to me either party should be able to cancel without penalty.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/help/question.php?question_id=83

You can cancel a pre-order. In fact, it's easier than cancelling a normal order with their system..

[Boman]

Firstly, it always pays off to read the terms and conditions before ordering/setting up an account. If you don't agree to the T&C's then you have to trade somewhere else.
Secondly, Hannats is a UK firm subject to UK laws, and you have to keep this in mind as there are important yet subtil variances from country to country when it comes to what is allowed or not wrt price updates. 

 

That said, this is directly from Hannants T&C's; 

"We will take all reasonable care to ensure that all details, descriptions and prices of Goods appearing on the Website are correct at all times and we aim to keep the Website as up to date as possible."

Further: 
"After you register your address you can see the correct price either inclusive of tax (VAT) or exclusive.
Unless otherwise specified prices payable for the Goods are exclusive of delivery and are subject to our right to require payment of delivery charges, insurance costs, customs duties, special handling charges and/or packaging charges as appropriate. The postage cost will be shown in the cart.
We have the right at any time to revise prices to take into account increases in costs including (without limitation) costs of agreed changes in any taxes, duties, levies or exchange rates or costs arising as a result of site conditions, delays, interruptions, lack of information and any other factor beyond our control. No price increases will be applied to any items that have been bought and paid for."

 

Basically, they can change the price at any time up to the point you actually pay for the goods. 

 

The full T&C's can be found here: Hannants Terms and Conditions