The Mail Bag
Limited Edition Items
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My wife purchased the double 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Box Shirt, as a Christmas present for me. She paid the full price of £99.98. She was, therefore, staggered to see that Everton recently reduced the price to £49.99.
She wrote to Robert Elstone before Christmas but, as she had not received a reply, I e.mailed a copy of the letter to Ian Ross, with a request that he pass the letter on to Mr Elstone, as we did not have his e.mail address. I also mentioned that, if a reply was not forthcoming by 8th February 2010, we would refer the matter to the Trading Standards Office. Mr Ross replied:
‘Hello
Of course I will pass on the letter to Robert Elstone - but I have to say there really is no requirement for such latent aggression.’
I know that Mr Ross has a reputation as a poor communicator, but I was rather taken aback by his lack of customer care skills. Even if he thought I was being aggressive, he didn’t need to say so.
My wife then received a dismissive letter from Mr Elstone the following day, as well as an equally dismissive letter from Kitbag.
Apart from wanting to highlight to other fans the disgraceful treatment by Everton of its supporters, I am seeking the views of others, about what I consider to be sharp practice of the Club, in that I fail to see how they suddenly decided (a couple of weeks before Christmas) that a limited edition gift can suddenly be worth 50% less. This does not inspire loyalty, and I shall not purchase another item from the club shop. For the sake of clarity, this issue is not about the money, but the principle.
The views of other fans as to whether the Trading Standards Office would consider my complaint, would also be appreciated.
Jimmy Walker, Posted 20/01/2010 at 10:29:11
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Its value is only what someone is willing to pay for it.
If it had come down £10 or even £15 you’d think oh well, Jan sales an all. But a 50% reduction on what should be a prestigious purchase is nothing short of a joke. The club marketed this product in such a way that you would not expect it to loose half its value in 2 weeks time.
I’d demand the difference was refunded. Good luck to you.
you don’t want to pay top price for things everybody knows you have to wait for the sales & even then prices may be reduced further if there’s a lot of stock to clear - on the other hand, you could wait too long for the lowest price & find the item you want is no longer available.
I don’t think the club should be expected to offer to refund the difference, but it might have been a reasonable gesture of goodwill to send you a voucher towards future purchases.
But let me flip it around on you. If the price had gone up 50% would you jump up and send a check for the balance that you owe?? Of course you wouldn’t. It’s the way it is, just deal with it. If businesses had to constantly update everyone before every purchase they make, that it just might be going on sale in a month, nothing would get sold. Everyone would wait for the item to go cheaper, cheaper and cheaper.
Don’t think you have a case with Trading standards but see your point about it being a limited edition.
Also you never printed the letters to Ross or Elstone so how do we know you weren't a bit of a git. Just saying is all. Fair's fair.
I can’t see the guy overreacting to a simple enquiry or question. Well not that much anyway.
Finally don’t some of the proceeds go to a charity? Wouldn’t your wife be comforted in the knowledge that her 99 quid is helping someone somewhere or an organization do something good.
If you want to save money at Xmas, do your buying in January, whether its a tv or a sofa or in this case a limited edition package its always going to be cheaper come January.
Have you ever booked a late deal holiday and got a real bargain? Did you feel sorry for the guy who booked it 4 months earlier at a far higher cost?
Enjoy it for what it is and save the rant for something more worthwhile like the state of the nation!
Anyway latent means "potential, but not evident" so it is a poor choice of words on his part. Either you were aggressive or you were not. You are clearly a lifelong fan and a potential "consumer" for the rest of your life so a more considerate tone would have been appropriate either way.
Do you honestly believe, trading standards are going to penalise a company for giving a ’half price January Sale’? Your selfishness is incredible. I guess there were a lot of people who couldn't afford 100 quid for the shirt before Xmas, but were made up they can scrape together 50 to get it in January. You honestly believe it's right to deny those people?
By the way, ’limited’ means limited to the number of people who want to buy one.
That’s life unfortunately, it's all about light and shade. This time you have experienced the shade, next time it might be the light — you pays your money you takes your chance.
However, if you really are that bothered about it.
Return the original and buy a £49 one with the refund.
If you can't because its been worn or damaged buy a new one at £49 and return it with the receipt for your £99 one asking for a refund (unwanted gift). You then get to keep the original for the cost of £49.
If there are none left then the club have done a good job commercially and you can console yourself that you are probably one of the many who paid the high price rather than the few who didn't, safe in the knowledge you are in the possession of a desirable item as demand has out-stripped supply.
If you’ve not got the receipt then that’s hard lines I’m afraid.
But I’d focus on what you’ve got, not what you haven’t, it’ll make you a lot happier.
My heart pumps piss. Please let me know how I can send something to tide you over this dreadful spell you are currently experiencing.
Now Crimbo has gone it’s not so likely to sell so it’s worth less and comes down in price. If you want to get Christmas 2010’s presents in January 2011 your wife can save a packet, but you’ll miss opening them at Christmas.
Personally, I have decided to shop tactically at Everton so this season I resisted the temptation to buy a Home shirt in the Autumn (especially as it will only be worn in Summer by me) for £40 plus postage and bought one last week from the Online shop for £22 and free postage. I’ll get less use out of it before another design comes along, but I’ll be able to wear it from now till August so who cares?
You haven't got a leg to stand on with the trading standards if a shop reduces goods in a sale.
It’s the same principle with a football jersey. If people will buy it for £100, sell it for £100. If people won’t buy it for £100 but will buy it for £50, sell it for £50. It’s pretty basic business and every company does it so there’s no reason to complain.
Take it back to where you purchased it and demand a refund then walk out the store put on some kind of disquise walk back in get another plus £50 change. You need to do it this way so as not to draw any attention to yourself... clever.
Worst thing that can happen is they suspect something and refuse your request, call the old bill and raid your place for any forensic evidence, so you must get rid of any prints and material residue on the razor.
Hope I was of help and please keep us informed.
Trust me - keep it simple - return / fake return / no return.
It's the only way.
Any response from EFC was probably better than any they were required to give. They have supporters who they want to keep, but only so many hours in the day.
But keep the good bits of this. Remember the funny old love that was invested into this (frankly daft) present by the person you describe as ’your wife’. So long as she didn’t have to starve your kids to buy it, she did well
I spent £10 on a stocking filler for my B/Rovers born and bred partner this year — an Everton scarf. She loves it. Love anything given in love.
Limited items are first come, first serve, you’re paying the premium so you can get your hands on them earlier.
Or you can hedge your bets and buy them close to end of season. Kits cost a tenner by then. The only problem you face is maybe not getting stuff in your sizes. Like the alternative home blue shorts, only XXXLs left! This is the second season I missed out on the home blue shorts.
I would be peeved if the purple kits are discounted. Supposedly the profit/premium goes to charity.
Good luck with Trading Standards, Jimmy; however, personally I wouldn’t waste the stamp.
My friend works in London for the Investment Bankers Everton use for foreign currency transactions. He said Everton got £1M for Neill not £750k as reported and at the same time his bank paid an installment on Heitinga's fee to Athletico Madrid, so has the Neill money gone on outstanding debts? — Because so far it hasn't gone on a new purchase.
If that was me, I would have responded in the same way the same as one of the dopes across the park, Dick, and would have told you to go and do one. Criticising a club for having January sales FFS!!!
The same happened to me with the Sergio Tacchini range, I bought a t-shirt and trackie top. I am a little fed up that 2 months later they are now 65% off but I would never in a million years think to blame the club and then go as far as to complain to them.
I also bought the Purple top but if that was reduced I wouldn’t be all pissy about it.
Get over it, you miser.
I took a Tacchini top back to the Liverpool One shop as it was too small it was an Xmas present and I replaced it with the fully zipped tracksuit version which was now half-price, which meant I still had to pay an extra five quid as this tracksuit was a bit more costly and I had to pay the pre-Xmas price.
I then went to Henry Lloyd a few shops down and had to do the same, it’s called Xmas time and the January sales and it happens every year, mate.
If the Club had sold the kit saying that it was limited to a run of 500, and then went on to sell thousands of them, you would have a case, but are you really suggesting that you wish to take the club to Trading Standards for "making a really nice gift much more affordable just in time for Christmas"?
Best of luck with that, although if you are successful, I could do with your help getting a couple of restraining orders lifted. (Denise van Outen first, if that’s ok.)
Got to agree with most of what was said even if some of the responses were a little over the top.
What I would say is, whilst it would be nice to see your original email, it is bad practise to respond in such a way. I deal with aggressive and snotty people on a daily basis in my job, some of them are real wind up merchants with a really nasty edge, but there is no need to be so flippant when responding. Perhaps he should’ve asked a secretary to respond as I’m sure they would have been more eloquent.
I don’t see any mileage in officially complaining though. The reduction was indeed huge, but your mrs must have know that there was a chance it would be reduced and the value is not that relevant as it was a gift that surely you were very pleased to receive.
Put it down to experience mate.
COYB!
So I checked the current exchange rate and they should only be charging me €116.00. Something which needs to be addressed, especially when the only way I can purchase Everton merchandise in ireland is through the Everton website.
1) As others have said, I don’t think you have a leg to stand on to be fair, it’s just standard practice for January sales etc. If I were you I’d just be thankful that you have a wife who is indulgent enough to buy you something so nice for so much :-)
2) I wouldn’t worry too much about the email from Ian Ross either. You should be thankful that he didn’t call you a "drunken knobhead Evertonian" or threaten to sue you for defaming his character which he has done in the past (as well as describing the Fortress Sports Fund/Christopher Samuelson AGM farce as "a means to an end"). How the man ever got a job in public relations/communication I’ll never know.
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1 Posted 20/01/2010 at 16:41:45
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If your wife was happy to pay £99 then what, really, does it matter, that others get it cheaper in the sales?
I don’t see how loyalty comes into it to be honest.