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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to push for more from this high street company that lied and humiliated me?

555 replies

redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 10:20

Sorry, name changing old timer to protect my RL identity on here (yawn, yes I know- please feel free to quiz me on MN howlers past and present)

I was shopping on a busy saturday in a chain. A lady approached me she was the manager.

She introduced herself and said she wondering if I would help her as she'd had no luck for the last hour and needed a candidate to take part in a radio phone in show- prizes/money going to charity and their staff and the chance to win an electrical appliance for myself???

I asked how long it would take and agreed as long as it would be swift as I felt a bit sorry for her Blush- I also asked what charity it would be for and whether it would be filmed? She was vague and said she wasn't fully briefed on the details. She then laughed and said that this was very much the "style" of their company. That they were very up on motivation for the staff, crazy competitions, incentives etc. I took this on trust and they are a very big company.

We went to her office and the phone rang on speaker phone- radio guy with jingles in background etc- asks me where I'm from, age, name etc.

It was then put on handset and I had to answer a few qs and agree whether or not to perform some silly tasks (think Chris Evans old style larking) some I did some I refused (every refusal got money for the charity)

Anyway- fast forward 20 mins and I cut ot off (as I wanted to go and was stretched for time. I'd won ££ for charity, 2 prizes for the staff and a prize for myself to be collected from the store on the following Tuesday and £3000 worth of stuff.

I was really pleased and as I fundraise for a local charity I asked if my prize could be donated to my chosen charity as well as thiers (I've got no need for another toaster of cake mixer Grin) I was told we will see on Tuesday.

I arrive on Tuesday (this place is a 55 mile round trip for me)

The manager looks solemn. She takes me to the office and tells me she's been stupid, it was a hoax, nobody was coming in.

She gave me a £20 voucher for my girl (it was her birthday) and asked me to leave. Sad

I've since called their customer services to demand an inquiry into her behaviour and to get some token for being humiliated, out of pocket and time.

They've not called me back.

They've said they're sorry but these things happen????

I've nobody except my close friend to asked and he advised me that he'd be going for the complete amount of things I was promised and to not compromise.

So your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 13:26

but the prize had to be delivered to the shop, why she went back so it can't be anywhere like that can it?

PissyDust · 30/05/2012 13:26

Blimey.

I bet it's Debenhams.

FelicityElectricity · 30/05/2012 13:27

What fartblossom said

hairylemon · 30/05/2012 13:29

OP is there a reason, apart from the obvious, why you wont name and shame?

crazygracieuk · 30/05/2012 13:29

Somewhere like Bright House?
Either way I keep checking to see if the Director has called or if the OP will name the shop.

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 13:30

Which bit FelicityElectricity

FelicityElectricity · 30/05/2012 13:32

The bit about the main loss being OP's time and whether compensation is really necessary

FelicityElectricity · 30/05/2012 13:33

Bizarre scam. Surely they wouldn't make that much money to make it worth doing?

VivaLeBeaver · 30/05/2012 13:35

Which shops have two director s with the same name.

bleedingheart · 30/05/2012 13:35

It's a lot of work to go to just to make money off a premium line- how much are we talking?! Pretty low to use the charity-angle, duping someone into thinking they'd won prizes for themselves would be bad enough!

I imagine the manager is in talks about her post at the moment.

I thought White Stuff or Joules. OP said up and coming, I think, (can't find that comment now) so not a firmly established firm.

The store didn't humiliate you though, you did something in good faith.

Gincognito · 30/05/2012 13:36

Bizarro

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 13:37

Its just that Ive said a few things, Im in a chatty mood today Grin

does seem to be a bit of an over-reaction IMO, depending on what the tasks were though. I will take it back if it turns out the OP had to do something that would mess her up though.

crunchbag · 30/05/2012 13:38

So when did you find out it was a scam, Tuesday as in yesterday? In that case don't you think you should give the company a few days to find out what happened etc before going to the newspapers and checking if money has been donated yet.

As for: I've nobody except my close friend to asked and he advised me that he'd be going for the complete amount of things I was promised and to not compromise YABU as the shop is as much a victim of the scam as you are.

FelicityElectricity · 30/05/2012 13:39
Grin Would like to hear what humiliating tasks the OP chose NOT to do.. I have a feeling the OP won't be getting a phone call from the company
skirt · 30/05/2012 13:39

I think it was def Ann Summers and the prizes weren't really cake mixers

wereofftoseethewizard · 30/05/2012 13:39

Why on earth can't you name the store?
What can they sue you for, telling the truth?
Unless you're not I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't name the store.
It won't identify you in any way.

Aboutlastnight · 30/05/2012 13:40

Is it a store with its own radio station, like Topshop?

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 13:40

I think it was def Ann Summers and the prizes weren't really cake mixers Grin just thinking about a charity being donated dildo's

swearytramp · 30/05/2012 13:41

I am completely baffled

BellaOfTheBalls · 30/05/2012 13:41

I worked in retail for 17 years. What on earth was a manager doing running around for an hour on a Saturday finding a random for a radio station competition? I have been involved in radio broadcasts at work and they are planned WEEKS in advance. There would be no running around, and would be done at a time to suit the store.

I would be concerned that the store manager thinks that is a good use of her time and that she can be duped that easily! I would definitely want more than a £20 voucher, if nothing else I would want the cost of my petrol refunded!

bleedingheart · 30/05/2012 13:41

The company didn't promise the prizes though did they? The caller did so they aren't morally responsible for providing the equivalent are they? An explanation and apology yes, but £50 for charity and a £20 gift voucher is alright.

Unless these tasks were horrific!

Original poster
redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 13:42

Operations manager called. He was slick.

OP posts:
FelicityElectricity · 30/05/2012 13:42

How many rampaging rabbits can one get for £3k these days??

TroublesomeEx · 30/05/2012 13:44

How utterly bizarre!

Still not really sure that I even understand fully, but I too am shamelessly marking my place!

nancy75 · 30/05/2012 13:46

I have just skimmed through the thread, but what do you actually want out of this?

The general gist as I understand it is that the shop manager was tricked and then so were you. You are not out of pocket and i'm guessing it didn't take too much of your time. The shop has said sorry (although it's not really their fault the manager was tricked) - so what do you want to happen?

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