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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

is it illegal to charge for something then make it available free?

47 replies

throwingawaymyshot · 28/09/2020 16:32

I am a member of this industry body who have been doing a number of expert webinars that you sign up to for a fee. So fees for members and higher fee for non member. I took part in one last week which wasn't that great to be honest - stuff I could have found out myself from the internet. The industry body have now put all the webinar recordings on YouTube and anyone can see them - without paying. AIBU to be really pissed that I paid an £80 fee for a webinar that was not only shit but which I could have gotten for free? Is it illegal? What should I do and who could I report it to? Should I let it go? £80 is a lot of money to me.

OP posts:
KrakowDawn · 28/09/2020 16:34

A company may change its prices at any time. You could try asking for a refund though. Did you give feedback at the time of the seminar?

MidnightCitrus · 28/09/2020 16:34

Of course its not illegal

You could ask for a refund if you dont feel it delivered what it promised

CuriousaboutSamphire · 28/09/2020 16:34

You can ask. Sometimes, with such a short time period, good organisations, who want more if your business, will refund or offer a voucher.

But no, it is not illegal.

AdoptAdaptImprove · 28/09/2020 16:36

You had the advantage of joining the event live that you could ask questions or be part of the live discussion. That’s usually the difference.

BigBadVoodooHat · 28/09/2020 16:36

Is it illegal?

Grin

Erm, no.

Someone can sell something at a certain price for a time, then choose to give it away in the future if they like. 🤷‍♀️

Why would that be a criminal offence?

nevermorelenore · 28/09/2020 16:40

I doubt it's illegal. They'll probably give you a refund if you complain.

pastabest · 28/09/2020 16:41

What should I do and who could I report it to? Should I let it go? £80 is a lot of money to me

But you were willing to pay it, the fact that it's free now is irritating but no different to buying a new pair of shoes and then seeing them in the sale a few weeks later.

Why on earth would you think you had any legal recourse in this situation?

Original poster
throwingawaymyshot · 28/09/2020 16:43

making it available for free online 3 days later? There really must be some kind of rule preventing this. £80 fucking quid for something I could have gotten for free and I'm expected just to suck it up?

OP posts:
ZoeTurtle · 28/09/2020 16:53

You could have "gotten" it for free but you thought it was worth £80 and you paid. No, there is no rule preventing this.

AnythingLegalConsidered · 28/09/2020 16:55

Feel free to complain to them that you feel aggrieved and overcharged: you may get a goodwill refund, but no it’s not illegal, and if you suggest that it is then they will laugh at you.

caughtalightsneeze · 28/09/2020 16:55

They can charge what they want, when they want. It's annoying to spend money on something that you don't feel was worth it, but that's how it goes sometimes.

wowfudge · 28/09/2020 16:58

If you want a refund I would write to them and say how disappointed you were with the content for the cost and that this has been compounded by them making it freely available on YouTube. I'd probably say it wasn't up to their usual high standard or it sounds as though you're miffed just because it's now available foc.

FKATondelayo · 28/09/2020 17:00

I'm pretty sure that if you reduce price of something online with 30 days of buying it, the consumer has the right to request it at that price. Certainly that's something I've done with Amazon before - got a refund on something bought just before big discounting.

Cocomarine · 28/09/2020 17:02

Why would there be a rule preventing it? Why would it be illegal?
What an odd thing to think.

It’s up to them if they want to put it out free so soon afterwards - it won’t do them any good for repeat custom (unless they’re really good interactive sessions so worth the cost for that). So I wouldn’t waste your time complaining to them on that basis.

However, if the content was poor, complain on that basis.

You say it was all stuff you could have read online... that’s true of a lot of things. But did they bring together lots of sources as a “one stop shop”, to save you time looking on line? What was the Q&A potential?

Zilla1 · 28/09/2020 17:05

Not sure why you think there must be a rule, OP. There may be in some jurisdictions though I'm not aware of in England and Wales. If they won't offer a refund, I suppose you could try and argue there was an implied term that the same product wouldn't be given away for free but don't be surprised if the selling organisation doesn't agree (or PTSL).

Good luck, I suppose.

iklboo · 28/09/2020 17:07

There may be in some jurisdictions though I'm not aware of in England and Wales.

Nope.

bonjonbovi · 28/09/2020 17:08

@FKATondelayo

I'm pretty sure that if you reduce price of something online with 30 days of buying it, the consumer has the right to request it at that price. Certainly that's something I've done with Amazon before - got a refund on something bought just before big discounting.
Any evidence of this?
VodselForDinner · 28/09/2020 17:09

@throwingawaymyshot

making it available for free online 3 days later? There really must be some kind of rule preventing this. £80 fucking quid for something I could have gotten for free and I'm expected just to suck it up?
Our of interest, who/what body/organisation do you think should make that rule and govern it?
HunterHearstHelmsley · 28/09/2020 17:09

I can see its galling but its not illegal. They could offered it free for some people and charged others and that would have been fine too (as long as not for discriminatory reasons). Ask for a refund by all means but I'd suggest not going in all guns blazing.

roastbeetrootsalad · 28/09/2020 17:13

Not illegal but very annoying.
I'd put a bad review in the comments on YouTube and wherever else you can put a bad review.. their social media, in a tweet with them tagged etc.

Cocomarine · 28/09/2020 17:15

Some companies will refund something that just been reduced, as a gesture of goodwill. For the small number of customers that ask, the goodwill is either worth more, or they recognise that they cost of processing a refund, re-selling, and taking the item physically back into stock (if the customer decided to take back and re-buy) is going to cost them anyway.

Why on would there be legislation to demand that though?! Why shouldn’t a retailer be able to put something on sale?

You reduced some beans for a day because they’re short dated, to believe cost price cos you need them gone quickly - and recouping some money is better than nothing. Then you’re liable to potentially retrospectively lose money on a month worth of previous sales?! I don’t think so!

mumwon · 28/09/2020 17:16

I bet they are using it as a sales technique - & maybe its abridged & a lead in to something more expensive?

woofwoof1880 · 28/09/2020 17:25

Is it illegal?

No

What should I do

Nothing

and who could I report it to?

You could try calling the police and asking for the webinar special fraud team.

Should I let it go?

It wouldn't take Elsa to figure out that you should.

£80 is a lot of money to me.

You could alway contact the company and see if they can offer a refund as a goodwill gesture.

VeganVeal · 28/09/2020 17:25

PO, log it with 101

BigBadVoodooHat · 28/09/2020 17:27

I'm pretty sure that if you reduce price of something online with 30 days of buying it, the consumer has the right to request it at that price.

So when the January sales start, the whole nation can demand a refund of the purchase price of their entire Christmas shopping, in line with the revised sales price? Confused

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