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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To send a letter of complaint to this retailer and possibly cost someone/several people their job ?

157 replies

whitebits · 18/12/2014 18:29

Back story....DS has been dropping major hints for a present he wants from Santa. The store catalogue gives the price as 6 and unfortunately this particular toy is exclusive to this store so we can't buy elsewhere. We did see a few being advertised locally on Gumtree and Ebay by private sellers for 60 (!) but DH said "fuck that (that's a direct quote Grin) I'm not paying 60 for a 6 toy."

I've gone into the store numerous times over the last few weeks only to be told that they've just sold the last one or they're waiting on a delivery the next day. DH popped into the store today as he was in the area and overheard another Dad talking about this toy basically saying thank God he got it as he wasn't prepared to pay the Gumtree/Ebay price for it. So DH went up to the counter and asked if they had the toy in stock. After much deliberation and several visits to the stock room the sales assistant said yes they had one left and DH bought it. He overheard an exchange between the assitant and another employee along the lines of "ok, we'll split the money from the next one..." Then one of the other employees stupidly/honestly told DH that he and other staff members had been buying the stock and selling it on Gumtree or Ebay for 10 times the store price !!!

Whilst I'm the first to applaud their entrepreneurial spark, isn't this just bloody wrong ? Dh was absolutley bloody fuming. I've been trying to think it through. It's different from someone wandering in off the street and buying all the stock for 6 quid and then flogging it on Gumtree at a significant mark up, isn't it? I think Dh is most angry at the fact that we've been lied to numerous times when I've gone to the store and been told they don't have any. He called earlier to speak to the store manager but they were unavailable so is thinking of emailing their Head Office to complain. We know at least one of the people involved as they have served us previously in the store. So what would you do ?

OP posts:
TallulahTwinkletoes · 18/12/2014 19:48

This sounds like a catch 22 to me.

It sells for ten times the amount on gumtree because people can never get hold of the toy.

People can never get hold of they toy because staff are buying them and selling for ten times the price.

I'd complain and mention no names.

FastWindow · 18/12/2014 19:50

I need a dodo soft toy like the one in Pirates and Scientists... ANY ideas?!

CassieBearRawr · 18/12/2014 19:50

I can't believe so many people would have someone fired over such a minor issue. Cripes.

FamiliesShareGerms · 18/12/2014 19:51

I'd tell HQ and let them worry about whether there's an issue

Andrewofgg · 18/12/2014 19:55

I don't care if it is a small privately-owned shop or a mega-chain: report it. Big companies have rights too. This is dishonest conduct. Most retailers forbid in-house purchasing for this very reason.

BreakOutTheKaraoke · 18/12/2014 20:02

Can I point out that it's only a no-no if it's in their contract. I work in retail (not there, fashion), and there is NOTHING in my contract about buying to sell. In our store, staff can put aside, but have the same amount of time to buy that a customer would- i.e. end of that day t buy it, or it gets put back out. At the end of the day, the store is getting their percentag of profit that they would like for it, the high sales are forcing up the demand for the product, and more customers are likely to want it because they can't have it. So they may just say tough luck.

slithytove · 18/12/2014 20:03

I'm in retail and this would be gross misconduct. Paid suspension pending investigation, then investigation, then if proved, the person would be at best given a permanent final written warning, but being fired is also a possibility.

slithytove · 18/12/2014 20:04

And it's an issue because it creates out of stocks for customers which isn't what the store want. And it's wrong for the employee to profit from their position other than maybe reserving one for personal purchase.

slithytove · 18/12/2014 20:05

I used to work at TRU and when zhu zhu hamsters were really popular, the staff were only allowed to buy one each.

slithytove · 18/12/2014 20:06

*gross misconduct at my company.

For instance, I can buy kitchen aids at a 50% discount. I would make lots of money buying loads of those and selling them on. But I'm not allowed within my contract.

stouty · 18/12/2014 20:09

"There is no way on earth I would have paid 60 for it."

But your DH did

"After much deliberation and several visits to the stock room the sales assistant said yes they had one left and DH bought it. "

CassieBearRawr · 18/12/2014 20:12

No she paid the £6 RRP stouty - the £60 ones are the massively inflated prices on reselling websites like Ebay.

ChrisMooseAlbanians · 18/12/2014 20:12

Complain. Don't use names. There will be CCTV...

ChrisMooseAlbanians · 18/12/2014 20:13

I am also in retail and it is classed as gross misconduct.

whitebits · 18/12/2014 20:14

Stouty - he bought it in the store for. 6 The staff are selling it online for 60.

OP posts:
LongDistanceLove · 18/12/2014 20:14

Yep gross misconduct. I would report to head office.

stouty · 18/12/2014 20:16

Oops, I see now, yes that is bad.

My guess is they are agency staff brought in to cover xmas period, no employment rights, no holiday pay sick pay etc, min wage, couldn't care less attitude, so they take what they can when they can. No need to worry about reporting them, they will be out of a job before the local store receive the letter.

storytopper · 18/12/2014 20:16

I hope you report it, OP.

There was another thread either earlier today or yesterday about a poster paying way over the odds to buy a Kaos Trap because her DS had absolute faith in Santa being able to get one for him. She was really upset with the manufacturer for under-producing - little does she know!

What a racket!

PeachyParisian · 18/12/2014 20:25

If they get staff discount it's probably on the condition that they can't sell it on. even without it's very wrong and I can't see HO being happy with them.

storytopper · 18/12/2014 20:35

This is the thread I was talking about:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/a2252045-Kaos-Trap

DraggingDownDownDown · 18/12/2014 20:39

Definitely complain!!!! My ASD son is desperate for that trap. I am so pissed off to read about that!!

LIZS · 18/12/2014 20:54

This has happened since the age of time . Tracy Island, Nintendo Gameboys, Tellytubbies et al were bought in multiples by staff (at a discount) and sold on. Obviously slightly less opportunity to profiteer in the pre ebay/internet days though. But no it isn't any different form those who buy lots and sell on, whether it be Skylanders, Frozen dolls or gig tickets.

youareallbonkers · 18/12/2014 21:00

It's not wrong. They are perfectly welcome to buy what they like and if suckers will pay more then more fool them. How does it affect you that you would want to get them in trouble?

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 18/12/2014 21:05

In the great scheme of things, I really can't get het up about this. They aren't doing anything illegal.

DraggingDownDownDown · 18/12/2014 21:06

According to Smyths online, some of their stores have got it in store. Unfortunately none are near me!