Play Rip Off !!!!!

[Brigadeer]

Everyone should read this....

Play are now charging people at pre-order price NOT price at time of despatch when prices could have dropped...

BE WARNED...

Example: Band Of Brothers R2 was £59.99 - if pre-ordered at this price you will be charged this even though it has dropped £10 to £49.99 (which is despatch price account will now say).

In the past they used to honour any price reductions...and current price NOT pre-order price.

This basically means that you have to keep cancelling and re-ordering (and loose place in queue) for all pre-orders that are reduced............

Your thoughs please.....

[graham.myers]

I preordered X files box set (2nd I think) at 85.99. It didn't arrive so I contacted them.

They said OK we'll send you another one. Hang on I said - it say 75.99 on your web site now. OK, they said here's a tenner.

That may still work - ring up an moan.

[Brigadeer]

I was on the phone to them for over 1/2 hr...spoke to girl & supervisor...but they didn't want to budge !!!!! There's customer support for you !!!!

The account can't say one price and they charge another...that's just not on !!!!!

I've spent like £4k with them...you'd think that would mean something to them !!!!

Obviously not...

Answer - don't pre-order!!

[PoochJD]

AJWK and everyone else,

AJWK - That isn't an answer. Most people pre-order stuff so that they are sure to get the title they want, which may include Limited Edition material (e.g. the Akira Region 1 Tin set).

A better answer, would be to tell PLAY.com that until they revert back to their old policy, then you shall be taking your business elsewhere, and you will be telling all other PLAY customers to do the same!

They are going to have to start getting their customer service sorted out, and not being so lippy! If a company doesn't do what you want them to (within reasonable limits, of course) then tell that company where to go, and why!

They will then start loosing customers, and sooner or later they are going to have to change this stupid policy!

Pooch

[Xeonic]

Doesn't this work the other way though?? I've seen play have £7 off SWEP2 DVD on pre-order, so if you get it now you know what price you'll be paying, regardless of the panic buying/out-of-stock malarky that will probably occur when it's released. In short, with that kind of pre-charge policy if the price looks really good pre-order, if not don't!! :confused:

[Jase]

I pre-ordered BTTF trilogy R1 when it was 39 quid, its now 29 quid and the price has been altered on my order history. Can´t say I´ve ever noticed being charged more via pre-order, did a quick check and all seems to correlate.

[koku]

Speaking of BTTF Jase, I pre-ordered a R2 copy at £27.99 from Play. I just checked my account history and it shows as £25.99 so I looked on the site and the price has indeed come down.

[Brigadeer]

This now seems to be the problem that we're looking at a different screen to them !!! The girl @ Play had my account on screen with PRE-ORDER prices not current ones which mine was displaying...ie. what you expect to be charged.

Maybe their I.T. needs an overhaul ?????

P.S> still waiting for them to phone back with a VERY GOOD explanation to why policy has changed overnight !!!!!

[Confucius]

Originally posted by Xeonic
Doesn't this work the other way though?? I've seen play have £7 off SWEP2 DVD on pre-order, so if you get it now you know what price you'll be paying, regardless of the panic buying/out-of-stock malarky that will probably occur when it's released. In short, with that kind of pre-charge policy if the price looks really good pre-order, if not don't!! :confused:

Aye it does.

Recently received 'Randall & Hopkirk vol5' that was priced in error at £7.99 at the time I pre-ordered. The price went up to the correct £11.99 but I was charged the former. :)

[Brigadeer]

The dvd box set in question is Professionals - Series 2...pre-ordered @ £35.99...but the price has dropped (and is currently on website) to £30.99...but I got charged the first amount.

I explained to them that this had never happened before and all other pre-ordered dvd's which dropped in price were honoured at time of despatch !!!!!

They said it was never their policy (???***!!!!!)

Any further comments ????

[stranger]

used them for three and a half years-always found them fair and had great customer service.:)

[BIONIC MAN]

Brigadeer

I have also ordered The Professionals - Series 2 on PreOrder
and I have also paid £35.99 , and Yes they have gone down in price ! ! Whats going on there then ,

What I will do once I rec mine is to phone them up and say someone has got them for me and then send them back , Once rec'd back I will then order them again at a later date ? ?

Good Thinking , So if there are unopened I would send yours back as well

:grin:

[Garrett]

I don’t know for DVD’s but for games some pre-order prices are generally cheaper than the price on the day or a free gift (I did get ripped of once I ordered Diablo II on pre order with a free Diablo tee shirt, which never came and no one would take responsibility for :mad: ). In this way the shop has a definite order and It helps them with their stocking.
If Play know the release price I cannot see why they cannot offer this service.
In case they do not know the price in advance could they not work on some sort of refund system?
If they cannot do this, and do not know a price in advance (cannot see this though), it seems a gamble by both parties, although I would hate to pay more, and see it a cheaper price, I would hate more to pay a low price then be charged more it the release price was higher.

[dUnKle]

Had a few this week where I have been charged at lowest price point - either in cases of price going up or down

[Rambo John J]

I preordered We Were Soldiers R2 on 30th April for £11.99 (original rrp was £15.99). Now the rrp's risen to £19.99 they've upped the price of my preorder to £14.99.
I've never known them raise the price before although I've had them drop the price after I'd preordered before (last year in the case of The Phantom Menace - dropped from £17.99 to £14.99).

It's definitely something I'll keep an eye on, not that £3's going to break the bank and they have saved me hundreds of £'s over the time I've used them. That's not really the point though is it? I'd assumed when I preorder with them it's essentially a contract that they'll charge me the amount I'd agreed to pay. The least they could do is send out an email and make you aware of a price rise and give you the option to cancel your preorder if that's your decision.
Having said that, I've yet to see Amazon honour a preorder cock-up when they put discs on-site at prices that are obviously a mistake (Hannibal for $1.00 etc).

[CWB]

Nobody has yet answered me the question "Why do you preorder?"

After all we are talking about commodity goods here. There is not going to be a shortage.

And if you don't wait for reviews and comments you could easily end up buying a duff transfer, or one with loads of edge correction.

And some sites take the payment straight away.

Tell me what are the benefits of this strange practice.

[Brigadeer]

Play have just phoned me to apologise for the problem and will refund my £5.

This apparently was due to stock received early and the price not being updated on the system before despatch.

The helpful lady then explained they will be in touch with other customers who have had the same problem.

I was told though to keep an eye on items like Band of Brothers which dropped £10 since appearing on website...

BUT you should be now charged at current price...NOT pre-order.

My faith is restored...

[kevb]

Originally posted by CWB
Nobody has yet answered me the question "Why do you preorder?"

If and when I pre-order a DVD's it will normal be a region 1 disk, as they are normally released in advance of region 2. Sometimes I pre-order region 2 because the price is lower than I would pay in the high street. Also normally, I will get the DVD on or before its date of release sometimes up to two weeks.

With most modern films released onto DVD you know the spec's of the disk at the time it's release is announced. I never pre-order before the studio announces the release. That way I know what I should be getting aspect ratio, soundtrack and extra wise. Quality of the transfer on recently released films is almost assured. I don't at present have a projector so edge enhancement is not really a noticeable problem for me luckily.

Play have never skanked me on a pre-order the last one I had was Harry Potter the price dropped by a £1. Between Pre-order and dispatch. I was charged the lower price.

[malcy]

I think the problem is with titles being reduced in price at the time of release. I have been caught out a few times by this at a few £ a time.

Seems to occur when you preorder so you are charged their pre-order price, but at street date they find out their base rrp price was too high. This happened a few months ago with Stakeout, was £11.99 preorder which I paid, as it was shipped Friday before release but at release Splash and others based their prices on a new lower rrp so Play price went down to £8.99 so lost £3

However if price is lowered a long time before release they lower your price. did with Running Man last week which I have had on preorder for over a year and now may make an appearance later this month at lower price point than originally planned. My pre-order price was reduced :)
Also you gain if you know a title will be a 2 disk at £24.99 before Play as can order at £14.99 (based on £19.99 rrp) rather than their usual £17.99 have never had a pre-order price raised if this occurs :)

[Squirrel God]

Originally posted by CWB
Nobody has yet answered me the question "Why do you preorder?"
I never used to pre-order but I shall be doing so in future for DVDs that I am prepared to pay "full-price" for.

The reason is that when DVD are initially released, the packaging is often better. For example, if I had pre-ordered The Usual Suspects SE R2, I would have got the nice cardboard foldout digipack for £15.99. It was a limited edition and after a while, Play stopped sending these out, so I ended up with just the double Amaray case version for £15.99. :(

Another example is with The Rock Deluxe Edition R2. If you pre-ordered you would have received the disk with a black slipcase. Later orders would have received the same DVD, but without the slipcase (as I did - many thanks to Malcy and others for the info on that one).

That's why I shall be pre-ordering some titles in future (and regularly checking to see if the prices have come down ;))

[BIONIC MAN]

Brigadeer

I have just spoke to Play about the £5 refund and thet advised me that yours was a special case and that you supplyed them with some good information ? ? ( Spy ) Just joking

I them asked to speak to the person in charge and said I'am just going to send the goods back and them order at the cheaper price , and said ok we will refund the £5 ,

It was like getting blood from a stone ! ! Nightmare

:grin:

[Squirrel God]

Originally posted by BIONIC MAN
said I'am just going to send the goods back and them order at the cheaper price , and said ok we will refund the £5 ,
That's always the best thing to say. I have done that a few times with situations like this. They then know that even if they say "no", you will still win because you will just take the long route to getting the cheaper price :)

[dUnKle]

I thought the majority of people pre-ordered DVDs

I do beacuse I do buy so many - its what I collect and what I enjoy - when I visit a site and theres a film I want I order it - it then arrives and I watch it - probably have around 30 or so on order at moment

[BIONIC MAN]

Yep I agree

I pre-order as the same reasons you do Have loads of films and no time to watch them

Bring on Indy & Starwars

:cool:

[Brigadeer]

Bionic Man -

Let's just say that my 30min+ phone call to Play (if recorded) will certainly help their training department on how NOT to deal with customers.

[malcy]

Originally posted by Squirrel God

The reason is that when DVD are initially released, the packaging is often better. For example, if I had pre-ordered The Usual Suspects SE R2, I would have got the nice cardboard foldout digipack for £15.99. It was a limited edition and after a while, Play stopped sending these out, so I ended up with just the double Amaray case version for £15.99. :(


Don't want to upset you more Squirrel but this is one I got from Play at £14.99 by ordering a long time before release :) knew it was a 2 disk but they based price on £19.99 rrp when they realised it was a 2 disk with £22.99 rrp they increased their pre-order price but mine stayed unaltered. Anyway now down to £9.99 in their sale.

So it does pay to preorder if you think the price is cheap can always cancel later prior to release date.

[bob007]

Originally posted by Squirrel God


The reason is that when DVD are initially released, the packaging is often better. What like gold trimmed jiffy bags. :grin:

[Squirrel God]

Originally posted by malcy
Don't want to upset you more Squirrel
It's okay, I'm over it now ;)

Just further goes to prove what I said about the advantages of pre-orders ... you paid £1 less and still got the better packaging.

I won't get caught out again :grin:

[wurzel]

Originally posted by CWB
Nobody has yet answered me the question "Why do you preorder?"

I always preorder my DVDs as I want to receive them as early as possible. It is important to me to be the first person in the street with the film and sometimes I post on here when I received mine before other people.

Unfortunately as it is the wrong time of the year for us farmers I don't get around to watching them

[wurzel]

Originally posted by Squirrel God
Just further goes to prove what I said about the advantages of pre-orders ... you paid £1 less and still got the better packaging.

I did offer to sell you my cover.