Ignorance of stock levels Why?

[toad a caravan]

I placed an order for for four pop out caravan hinges.No problem with acceptance of monies.then I waited and waited and waited
Oh dear they have been discontinued.This was from a source I considered efficient..As luck would have it I am not needing the items urgently which is a good thing .Why not check stock before debiting any monies or is that to big an ask..

 

[Mr Plodd]

Sadly a common experience.

Some retailers appear to take your money and only then order stock from their supplier! Bordering on sharp practice in my view.

 

[GaryB]

I have been restoring classic cars for many years, the last few years concentrating on American cars, in the US there are LOTS of specialist industries supporting the hobby. Over the last 10 years or so, several niche UK STOCKISTS have also sprung up, claiming to offer several parts off-the-shelf (note that a lot of older American mechanical parts were shared across different brands). Sadly a lot of them simply have a part number on-the-shelf and only order "your" bits when they have your cash, simply becoming the middle-man in a transaction I could have done myself of going direct.

Stock holding is classed as dead money which I understand, but to advertise bits as being in-stock when they're not is just wrong!

 

[JRT]

Had this recently when I ordered a lawn mower.

Clearly given the time taken to dispatch they didn't actually hold stock but a separate company they used did. Evidently they struggled to find one also. It was a 'run out' model so I wasn't confident I was actually going to get one. But eventually I did.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Stock holding is classed as dead money which I understand, but to advertise bits as being in-stock when they're not is just wrong!

Ah but they dont say its in their stock do they?

 

[toad a caravan]

I glad the same doesn't happen in pubs

 

[Mandarin]

I ordered a Fiamma caravan store awning and privacy room, allegedly in stock from a supplier who shall be nameless. They cheerfully took the £1000 odd pounds, and then told me they were awaiting stock from Italy!

It was two months before the final part arrived with us.

Sharp practice indeed.

 

[RogerL]

Some online suppliers make a point of informing customers that that won't take payment until the goods are ready for shipment - a great pity this isn't mandatory.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The way the law works in the UK, the onus is on the buyer to ask all relevant questions before entering into a contract to buy. If stock levels or delivery time is an important issue for you, you need to ask before paying.

However if a seller makes a broad statement like "All items in stock" and you use that statement as a reason bor buying from that particular supplier, provided you tell them that before you agree to buy, that becomes a material term of the contract. If subsequently they tell you it's not in stock. They are in breach of contract.

Perhaps it would be wise to ask the seller about their stock level on the product before you commit to purchase.

 

[Mr Plodd]

If buying on line that is not a simple thing to do!

 

[Dustydog]

CRA gives you 14days cancellation time from date of receipt of the goods. Thus imo you can cancel for a full refund in the OP situation

 

[ProfJohnL]

If buying on line that is not a simple thing to do!

No more difficult than giving them a phone call, and if they don't publish a landline phone number, that should be another red flag.

 

[JRT]

No more difficult than giving them a phone call, and if they don't publish a landline phone number, that should be another red flag.

Except when the agent you are talking to only has access to the same information regarding stock that the buyer on line does.

'yes we have stock' often just means our system is showing that we have when in fact it means 'our supplier might have have one'.

As I found.

 

[Buckman]

CRA gives you 14days cancellation time from date of receipt of the goods. Thus imo you can cancel for a full refund in the OP situation

However sometimes you can wait a very long time for a refund and may need to chase up the supplier.

No more difficult than giving them a phone call, and if they don't publish a landline phone number, that should be another red flag.

If buying Online why would you want to phone a supplier every time you want to order Online? Sort of defeats the purpose of buying Online. Many businesses no longer have a landline as soon landlines will be redundant anyway. No landline is no longer a red flag, but one still needs to be very cautious as you indicate.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Back to back ordering has been around for many years. Can be annoying but mostly not a problem.

 

[toad a caravan]

I will not mention the retailer as it is a widely known business that most will know only to well..as I said in my first post it would be very inconvenient if there had been any urgency.