The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found that Dion Wired was dismissive in its response to a complaint about one of its advertisements that it was ordered to remove.
Warren de Koning complained about the store’s advertisement for the LG 24 inch LED Monitor (Model 24MP58VQ-P.AFB) for R999 on its website.
De Koning went to two branches to purchase the monitor. At the first branch the staff asked him where he saw the advertisement and instead tried to sell him a 19 inch monitor. The second branch also did not sell him the monitor.
Dion Wired said the screenshot De Koning had taken of their online store and sent to the ASA did not show the monitor as being out of stock.
The ASA accepted that mistakes happen‚ but said that stores must take reasonable steps to correct it and accommodate aggrieved customers. Otherwise they must explain what happened.
The ASA ruled Dion Wired had only disputed the screenshot supplied‚ but not the price. It also ruled that Dion Wired did not say the offer was only available online or that De Koning had misunderstood the advertisement.
“All the Respondent’s online advertising bears the legend‚ ‘Check stock in your local store’.”
The ASA added that Dion Wired disputing the screenshot De Koning provided had shed no light on what happened.
“This argument is dismissive of the complaint without providing the ASA with relevant information to the effect that there is stock of the product and why‚ therefore‚ De Koning was advised otherwise.”
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