Tesco Lotus - What A Rip-off!

[Dario]

Be forwarned: TESCO-LOTUS is applying illegal practises to lure customers into their stores by advertising products as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free, but never have any stock"

This is the case with Dutch Mill Fresh Milk 830 ml bottle. I went last night to one of their small stores in Don Muang, but there was only a single bottle there. The 2l was also advertised as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free" for 80 Baht for 2 bottles. Guess what: only one bottle available.

13 hours later, this morning, my wife went for me to the same mini Lotus. Same scene: 1 small bottle and one2 liter bottle available. When she asked the personnel when they would come back, they said, they don't know.

My IT friend just came along. He always buys that same milk from Dutch Mill. He told me that he only got 2 bottles on the day the campaign started which was February 26, but ever since that milk was out of stock e v e r y single day.

TESCO, shame on you!!! Taking the Thai people for fools ...

[Tod]

Be forwarned: TESCO-LOTUS is applying illegal practises to lure customers into their stores by advertising products as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free, but never have any stock"

This is the case with Dutch Mill Fresh Milk 830 ml bottle. I went last night to one of their small stores in Don Muang, but there was only a single bottle there. The 2l was also advertised as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free" for 80 Baht for 2 bottles. Guess what: only one bottle available.

13 hours later, this morning, my wife went for me to the same mini Lotus. Same scene: 1 small bottle and one2 liter bottle available. When she asked the personnel when they would come back, they said, they don't know.

My IT friend just came along. He always buys that same milk from Dutch Mill. He told me that he only got 2 bottles on the day the campaign started which was February 26, but ever since that milk was out of stock e v e r y single day.

TESCO, shame on you!!! Taking the Thai people for fools ...

Wow!

You must really have a fascinating life... NOT

[Dario]

Be forwarned: TESCO-LOTUS is applying illegal practises to lure customers into their stores by advertising products as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free, but never have any stock"

This is the case with Dutch Mill Fresh Milk 830 ml bottle. I went last night to one of their small stores in Don Muang, but there was only a single bottle there. The 2l was also advertised as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free" for 80 Baht for 2 bottles. Guess what: only one bottle available.

13 hours later, this morning, my wife went for me to the same mini Lotus. Same scene: 1 small bottle and one2 liter bottle available. When she asked the personnel when they would come back, they said, they don't know.

My IT friend just came along. He always buys that same milk from Dutch Mill. He told me that he only got 2 bottles on the day the campaign started which was February 26, but ever since that milk was out of stock e v e r y single day.

TESCO, shame on you!!! Taking the Thai people for fools ...

Wow!

You must really have a fascinating life... NOT

Yaeh, I do have a fascinating life, I own several properties in Thailand and they're all paid ... cash. But I'm still careful with my money, I always have and always will.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Dario

[samgrowth]

Sorry, you are too slow. I am the one that empty the shelves, and on-sold it to Mon & Pop store for a profit.

[Dario]

Sorry, you are too slow. I am the one that empty the shelves, and on-sold it to Mon & Pop store for a profit.

If they had stock you would. Sure. But there never is any stock.

[t.s]

Be forwarned: TESCO-LOTUS is applying illegal practises to lure customers into their stores by advertising products as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free, but never have any stock"

This is the case with Dutch Mill Fresh Milk 830 ml bottle. I went last night to one of their small stores in Don Muang, but there was only a single bottle there. The 2l was also advertised as "Buy 1 - Get 1 Free" for 80 Baht for 2 bottles. Guess what: only one bottle available.

13 hours later, this morning, my wife went for me to the same mini Lotus. Same scene: 1 small bottle and one2 liter bottle available. When she asked the personnel when they would come back, they said, they don't know.

My IT friend just came along. He always buys that same milk from Dutch Mill. He told me that he only got 2 bottles on the day the campaign started which was February 26, but ever since that milk was out of stock e v e r y single day.

TESCO, shame on you!!! Taking the Thai people for fools ...

Wow!

You must really have a fascinating life... NOT

Yaeh, I do have a fascinating life, I own several properties in Thailand and they're all paid ... cash. But I'm still careful with my money, I always have and always will.

funny, i dont remeber anyone asking after your finances.

[Marksamui]

Sorry, you are too slow. I am the one that empty the shelves, and on-sold it to Mon & Pop store for a profit.

If they had stock you would. Sure. But there never is any stock.

I remember a few months back Tesco doing a 2 for 1 offer on an LG flat screen TV. I think it was about 20,000 Baht for 1 TV, and you got a second set for free.

They had loads of them left.

Wish I had brought a couple now....

[dave111223]

Try going in there and hiding the 1 bottle in the wrong place in the cooler, come back 30 minutes later when they have replaced the empty space with 1 more bottle, and watch the look on their faces as they try to figure out how you managed to find 2 bottles at the same time

[Maigo6]

No conspiracy theories yet from the paranoid posters society ?

Like that when they see a Farang walk into the store they quickly empty the shelves only to refill them again when the Farang leaves ?

Amazing.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Maigo6

[Nowhereman60]

Thai buy the sales up for their mom and pop stores. You never seen them buying large qualities of items on sale. 20 bottles of cooking oil and the sale clerk will scan one at a time.

[coventry]

Most supermarkets in Thailand carry out this practice, from what my wife tells me. I watched assistants in 'Tweekies' emptying packages of shampoo containing a tube of free toothpaste. They then put a price label on the toothpaste and put them on a shelf. So it's not just Tesco's.

[JohnC]

Also common in the UK, use the bogoff advert to lure you in and when you get there "sorry all gone"

[TEFLMike]

Many moons ago, I was a supermarket/superstore manager, but not with Tesco. However, I am aware that there are trade 'get out' clauses/requirements, not only Tesco, but any other company. I remember there being stipulations stating that 'Special Offer' products/prices are 'subject to availability'.

There are even clauses stating that some, or all of the special offers advertised may not apply to certain outlets/regions and 'Special Offer' products advertised/promoted may be withdrawn at any time without notice.

Edited March 4, 2009 by TEFLMike

[phaethon]

No conspiracy theories yet from the paranoid posters society ?

The other bottle is being held in a secret US prison in Udon...

[Maigo6]

No conspiracy theories yet from the paranoid posters society ?

The other bottle is being held in a secret US prison in Udon...

LOL....................

Good one.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Anybody thought of asking management for, what in America, we call a "rain check"? It is a promise in writing from the store that when the item is restocked, it will be sold at the advertised price.

[BigSnake]

Could very well be a case of a good deal going fast(??)

[Dario]

Try going in there and hiding the 1 bottle in the wrong place in the cooler, come back 30 minutes later when they have replaced the empty space with 1 more bottle, and watch the look on their faces as they try to figure out how you managed to find 2 bottles at the same time

UPDATE: This is for you 111223:

My Thai wife went again to that Mini TESCO in Don Muang, about 30 minutes ago. Remember, there was only one small bottle left, because my wife had bought that single 2 litre bottle which was left this morning.

Scene there about 30 minutes ago: one small bottle and one 2litre bottle available! (???)

So my wife said to the cashier guy: "I want to buy milk "Buy one get 1 free, but there is only one bottle left."

"Yeah, sorry, you have to pay the normal price of 80 Baht for that single bottle, because there is only one left."

"Oh really?" countered my wife How come there is one bottle here now, when I bought the last one this morning?"

The guy didn't know what to answer. He was at a loss of words ...

By now it is clear that every time a customer buys a bottle they make 40 Baht into their pocket. Making extra money THai style!

Edited March 4, 2009 by Dario

[lazygourmet]

At least now, after reading this topic, I know how much cost a bottle of milk.

[Jingthing]

The guy didn't know what to answer. He was at a loiss of words ...

Let's have some fun with this. What he could have said:

I was here all day and you didn't buy milk, you bought beer.

It must have been another store.

The delivery man came again because he forget to deliver the second bottle.

You must have eaten the bone.

[thaiwanderer]

it is not a rip off its a wasted journey, if that was all you were going for

[chrisjune]

maybe once you buy one bottle, a worker takes home a bottle for free... heh heh...

[dominique355]

What Tesco Lotus does is obviously false and misleading advertising. Under the new Consumer Protection Act you could sue them.

Unfortunately, Tesco Lotus is not the only company here to with these deceiving sales practices. Big C is also famous for this. The last time they advertised something like "Buy 2 get 1 free" and so I bought 6 of these apple juices. At the cashier however, I had to pay for 6 and was motioned to the Service department. There a lady gave me some vegetable juices I did not want. I complained that the advertising said "Buy 2 get 1 free" but the lady said, get one free of another 50 ml veggie juice. So I said, take back the apple juice and refund me. After a long discussion, she gave me back some money but less than I paid. Then I got really angry and if my wife would not have calmed me down, I would have called the police.

I wonder how many customer got cheated this way, in BigC or Tesco Lotus. Most Thai people, however, don't complain.

[G54]

You should tell them to Bog Off and take your custom elsewhere.

[JetsetBkk]

[Oberkommando]

Also common in the UK, use the bogoff advert to lure you in and when you get there "sorry all gone"

Not common at all.

Trading Standards and consumer protection groups such as Watchdog quickly work to see these schemes eradicated.

[Changian]

I went to Tesco a few months ago, they had a 2 for 1 deal on something or other. I forget what now. But the point is I got 2 for 1, probably on something I didn't really want or need. But as it was half price I must have thought 'Why not?' and got it.

Anyone else successfully shopped at Tesco in Thailand or elsewhere in the world recently?

[prakhonchai nick]

One of the problems of BOGOFS, or special promotion prices, is that there is usually a limit to the number of items you can buy. Sometimes 3 and sometimes 6.

Many Thai people however disregard the notices, and waltz through the check-outs with a trolley full of these items, and the cashier does not say a word. They do however refuse the farang in similar circumstances.

When I raised the issue with a manager, (having found the item out of stock, but Thais walking round with trolley loads), he told me "Thai people get angry if we restrict them". My response was that "I was bloody angry and only wanted 1 item!" As usual - fell on deaf ears!

[jeffer]

Many Thai people however disregard the notices, and waltz through the check-outs with a trolley full of these items, and the cashier does not say a word. They do however refuse the farang in similar circumstances.

Had that exact experience myself. 

[ignis]

I have been here over 5 years and Tesco is the only store that appears to offer these big discounts without restrictions.......

Go to Big C or Carrefour and there is always a notice of restrictions eg: max 3 sets/ 4 sets/5 sets and at the cashier there is also a notice stating the max anyone person can buy.. [once tried it, said max 3 sets of Pepsi Max @ 40 baht for 2, bought 5 sets at the cashier 3 sets went through at the discount the other 4 bottles went through @ 23.50 each] = one has to go to the car and then go back to the store and a different cashier x amount of times.

Just Tuesday there was a offer at Tesco for 'Malee' Sugar Free Orange or Tangerine normal price is 69 baht, offer price was 37 baht... EXP date 08-01-2010, I bought all that was there 76 in total.. = of course anyone after me would find the sheves empty of this offer.

As this was Tesco I could take all 76 cartons at the same time and all @ 37 baht each

Many of the OFFERS are confusing as it appears that it is Buy 1 and get 1 free, but in fact it is buy 2 and get the 3rd free so unless you understand the notice in Thai and you buy 2 then you will pay full price for both.