Tackle Shop rip-off

[Phil]

Have just, almost, been ripped off. While looking on the web for some specific fishing items I came across "Mikes Tackle Shop" in Edinburgh that had all I needed. Went through the normal selection process, registered, chose postage rate, just about to click confirm when .......... low and behold our good old friend VAT appeared in the calculation :-(

Instead of things being a little cheaper than elsewhere they were in fact dearer - so beware. Here is the e-mail that I sent to "Mike":

 

>>No wonder you APPEARED to be cheaper than anyone else .................... I have just wasted an hour of my life putting together a substantial order from you only to find that non of the costs include VAT!!

 

Nowhere does it state EXCLUDING VAT !! You have lost my order and will lose many more .......... you can't just 'tack' it on at the end and hope no-one will notice.

 

I will post on the forums to make sure others are aware of this "scam" and to ensure no-one else wastes time like I did this morning!!

 

Phil<<

[zenith10]

yea a lot of people list prices that exclude vat and then add it on without telling you, lucky you found out before you ordered it though

[Peter M]

well i have just been to a local pet shop and bought sinking trout pellets at a greatly reduced cost than the tackel shop would sell them so sometimes it really pays to think about how much the tackel shop is actually charging and shop around.

[Gaz51]

The exclusion of vat is common in trade circles, eg, builders merchants etc. The price you see does not normally include vat.

 

However in shops you generally expect to pay the price you see. You wouldn't go to the corner shop and pick up a loaf of bread then start calculating the vat cost!

 

Looks to me like the shop is operating underhand tactics mate. Good job you spotted it.

 

I find many things in tackle shops are VASTLY overpriced, such as bait, clothing, luggage etc. Obviously most people MUST buy named gear but I do find other makes can be just as good if not better.

[argyll]

Sorry Phil but its a bit unfair to take Mikes Tackle apart for an error in your judgment. Mikes Tackle shop, whom I've dealt with in the past, display a note on their home page to the effect that VAT IS included in the price that you see on the page (ie its the total price that you pay) VAT is shown as a separate element on your order for your information only and to help any trade buyers calculate any VAT payments or refunds. You need new glasses mate

 

This is a copy of the response that Mikes Tackle drafted in reply to your email

 

We have recieved an email from a customer explaining that he was not very happy that our site adds the VAT on at the checkout.

 

Our site does not do this.

 

All prices displayed on our site are inclusive of VAT. At the checkout the VAT will be displayed at the bottom of the page seperate from the rest of the prices. This is not being added to the transaction, it is simply there to inform you about how much of the total is VAT.

 

Here is an example from an invoice:

 

Sub-Total: £80.74

Table Rate (Best Way): £5.00

VAT: £12.03

Total: £85.74

 

As you can see, the VAT is already in the subtotal and is not added to the total.

 

 

Regards,

Forum Admin

Edited April 15, 2006 by argyll

[Brian Carragher]

Have just, almost, been ripped off. While looking on the web for some specific fishing items I came across "Mikes Tackle Shop" in Edinburgh that had all I needed. Went through the normal selection process, registered, chose postage rate, just about to click confirm when .......... low and behold our good old friend VAT appeared in the calculation :-(

Instead of things being a little cheaper than elsewhere they were in fact dearer - so beware. Here is the e-mail that I sent to "Mike":

 

>>No wonder you APPEARED to be cheaper than anyone else .................... I have just wasted an hour of my life putting together a substantial order from you only to find that non of the costs include VAT!!

 

Nowhere does it state EXCLUDING VAT !! You have lost my order and will lose many more .......... you can't just 'tack' it on at the end and hope no-one will notice.

 

I will post on the forums to make sure others are aware of this "scam" and to ensure no-one else wastes time like I did this morning!!

 

Phil<<

 

 

The exclusion of vat is common in trade circles, eg, builders merchants etc. The price you see does not normally include vat.

 

However in shops you generally expect to pay the price you see. You wouldn't go to the corner shop and pick up a loaf of bread then start calculating the vat cost!

 

Looks to me like the shop is operating underhand tactics mate. Good job you spotted it.

 

I find many things in tackle shops are VASTLY overpriced, such as bait, clothing, luggage etc. Obviously most people MUST buy named gear but I do find other makes can be just as good if not better.

 

 

Sorry Phil but its a bit unfair to take Mikes Tackle apart for an error in your judgment. Mikes Tackle shop, whom I've dealt with in the past, display a note on their home page to the effect that VAT IS included in the price that you see on the page (ie its the total price that you pay) VAT is shown as a separate element on your order for your information only and to help any trade buyers calculate any VAT payments or refunds. You need new glasses mate

 

This is a copy of the response that Mikes Tackle drafted in reply to your email

 

We have recieved an email from a customer explaining that he was not very happy that our site adds the VAT on at the checkout.

 

Our site does not do this.

 

All prices displayed on our site are inclusive of VAT. At the checkout the VAT will be displayed at the bottom of the page seperate from the rest of the prices. This is not being added to the transaction, it is simply there to inform you about how much of the total is VAT.

 

Here is an example from an invoice:

 

Sub-Total: £80.74

Table Rate (Best Way): £5.00

VAT: £12.03

Total: £85.74

 

As you can see, the VAT is already in the subtotal and is not added to the total.

Regards,

Forum Admin

 

 

Like Gerry (Argyll) I've just had a look at Mikes website and it says quite clearly in big blue writing that all prices are inclusive of VAT. For those in doubt as to what that means, VAT has already been charged and is included in any price shown. To publicy condemm someone when the fault is your own is a bit of an own goal and if I were Mike I would be waiting to see how quickly you sent an E mail to apologise for the error on your part.

 

To those who are not familiar with VAT, unless it says "inclusive" always assume that prices are ex VAT although in this case it would appear that prices are inclusive and the web pages clearly state that.

 

Food is zero rated so there should be no need for anyone to calculate how much VAT is in a loaf of bread, regardless of the cost of the loaf , be it 10p or £2, the VAT element is exactly the same, zero.

[kempo]

Food is zero rated

 

so does that mean there is no vat on ground bait and maggots then as in theory it is edible food.?

[Peter Waller]

Are you going to eat maggots, Kempo?

 

The only good thing to come out of this is that more people are now aware of Mike's tackle Shop, and I am sure it is, for most of us, a positive thing.

[Guest Jan V]

Are you going to eat maggots, Kempo?

 

The only good thing to come out of this is that more people are now aware of Mike's tackle Shop, and I am sure it is, for most of us, a positive thing.

 

Well, if he ate maggots, then could I put him on a hook rather than a real maggot. The thought runs chills up my spine...

[Brian Carragher]

so does that mean there is no vat on ground bait and maggots then as in theory it is edible food.?

 

Yep, look forward to your review of tumeric curried maggot casserole with suet groundbait dumplings