Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without amusing mistakes by online retailers.
UK toy retailer Hamleys, famous for its teddy bears, amongst other things, was the subject of a lot of web traffic recently, following a glitch in its voucher system which potentially allowed shoppers to secure a 60% discount.
The Woolworths.co.uk website crashed under the weight of traffic when they tried to sell a 42" flatscreen LCD TV for £150. The going rate for this product is approximately £1,500.
Both companies have, apparently, decided not to honour the inadvertently generous discounts. Hamleys issued a statement on their website, and Woolworths are reported by a third party source as having decided not to sell the TV at a 90% discount.
These mistakes are easy to make, given the continuously changing nature of a retail website. However, key to these famous brand retailers being able to avoid a legal obligation to supply the goods is the contractual formation process set out on their site and the use of robust terms and conditions. Online businesses should check that if they fell foul to the curse of the missing zero, they would not be committed to make the sale.
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