Retailers Told - Sort Out Your Pricing Claims

Consumers have had enough of confusing pricing policies and misleading value claims, says on-line electrical retailer value-direct.co.uk. In a new report issued today - 'Clarity begins@home, a call for clarity of pricing on the high street and on the web', value-direct.co.uk is calling for clarity of pricing both on the high street and on the net and value-direct.co.uk is urging the government to take a closer look at how prices are displayed both on and off-line.

Just 18% of the British public questioned by MORI Technology on behalf of value-direct.co.uk trust most shops to be honest about their prices. 48% found it annoying that delivery was extra on items such as fridge freezers that they could not get home themselves, whereas 61% of Internet users felt prices on the Internet should always be quoted inclusive of delivery before you decide to purchase. 57% felt that prices quoted should always include VAT.

Ian Bland, Joint Managing Director of value-direct.co.uk, an e-tailer offering a choice of over 5,500 electrical appliances, feels that it is time for the market to be treated, and regulated as one.

"It is in consumers' interest for prices to be advertised and displayed in a consistent way. 52% of Internet shoppers tell us that they tend to compare Internet and in-store prices which is why we are making a call for clarity and transparency of prices across the market."

41% of those questioned felt Government should encourage retailers to price goods honestly with just one in ten saying that industry is best left to regulate itself and be left free to set its own prices.

value-direct.co.uk will be using the report findings to launch a Crystal Clear Pricing Campaign. It will be presenting its research findings to government and is encouraging consumers who feel they have been misled on price by a high street or an on-line retailer to contact their local trading standards office. Alternatively, they can contact the Crystal Clear Pricing Campaign at P.O. Box 271, London, WC2B 5LS

• Consumers Urged To Know The Facts Before Deciding To Buy
• Price Is Not The Key Factor In Consumers' Interpretation Of Value For Money

ABOUT value-direct.co.uk

value-direct.co.uk - winner of the 2000 Fast Track 100 Award for e-Business Achievement sponsored by IBM.

value-direct.co.uk was founded in 1995 with the combined savings of the two founders Ian Bland and Bart van Mourik. Sales grew from 163393,000 in 1995 to 1636.5m in 1999. It is the third fastest growing e-tailer in the Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 league table of Britain's 100 fastest growing unquoted companies. In March 2000, value-direct.co.uk was acquired by Internet investment and management company bizzbuild.com.

Technical details

MORI Omnibus. Nationally representative sample of British adults aged 15+, face-to-face interviews carried out between 6-11 July (2,001) and 3-7 August (2,254) 2000. Results are weighted to reflect national population profile.