HOUSE of Fraser shoppers are showing off their bargain hauls after an online glitch slashed the price of bath towels from £20 to £2.
The glitch meant the towels were reduced automatically when shoppers added them to their basket on the House of Fraser website.
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It was shared by a shopper in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on Facebook less than a week ago, who said: “Bath towels down to £2 on House of Fraser website when you add to your basket.
“No code needed I’ve just ordered four only certain colours.”
Technically, retailers don’t have to honour price glitches if they are a mistake.
They usually state in their terms and conditions that it can cancel orders, even if you receive a confirmation email.
But House of Fraser appears to have honoured a lot of the orders, with plenty of shoppers sharing their hauls on social media in recent days.
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One Facebook user, who told The Sun she ordered the towels on September 12, wrote in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains group: “Thanks to the person who posted the link for the £2 House of Fraser towels.
“I received my 18 bath towels today.”
The glitch meant she paid just £36 for 18 of the Linea-branded Egyptian cotton towels, down from £360.
While another, who ordered the bargain towels on the same day, said: “Mine arrived today. Bath sheets £2 each all six for £12 instead of £120!!!
“Saved myself £108. So pleased with them.”
The posts have racked up a flurry of comments from bargain hunters with one user saying: “Mine came today, still surprised they honoured the orders!”
What are your rights if something is advertised at the wrong price?
YOUR rights on buying something for the wrong price depends on whether you bought it in a shop or online. Here are your rights according to Citizen’s Advice:
Buying in a shop:
- If you haven’t bought it yet – The store doesn’t have to sell it to you for the mistaken price but you could ask them to honour it. The same rules apply if you see an item advertised at a lower price than the one on the price tag.
- If you’ve already bought it – If a shop charges you less than the advertised price then you don’t have to give it back. If you realised that you were charged more than the advertised price, return the item and ask them to refund the difference. Keep any evidence of the mistake like the receipt and a photo of the advertised price.
Shopping online:
- If you’ve paid for it and/or it’s been sent to you – The company can’t usually cancel your order, even if it realises it’s sold you something at the wrong price. It’ll only be able to cancel it if it was a genuine and honest mistake that you should’ve noticed.
- If you haven’t paid for it – If the retailer realises its mistake then it is entitled to cancel it.
But others, who weren’t as unlucky as House of Fraser cancelled the orders, said: “Mines got cancelled!! Gutted!!”
And another added: “All my bath towels have been cancelled.”
If you haven’t paid for something online and the retailer realises its mistake then it is entitled to cancel your order.
Once you’ve paid for something online or it’s been sent to you the company can’t usually cancel your order, even if it realises it’s sold you something at the wrong price.
A retailer can only cancel it if it was a genuine and honest mistake on its part that you should’ve noticed.
The Sun has asked House of Fraser how many orders were made during the glitch and how many it’s honoured, so we’ll update this article once we hear back.
Last year, Amazon shoppers were furious after the retailer refused to honour a £10 Vileda steam mop deal.
In February this year, Currys PC World accidentally also sold £3,500 TVs for £300 but angered shoppers by cancelling orders.
And in April, bargain hunters crashed a website designed for billionaires after a price glitch reduced a £600,000 helicopter to just £550.
