How much was the engine?

Please advise.

We went to a certain store in Mogoditshane to buy a car engine. Upon arrival, we were told that the engine cost P9,800. After a discount, we paid P8,700.

So, the manager told the shop assistant that the price had changed and had not updated on the system yet. He said the price was P14,000 and expected us to top up and pay the amount. We refused and requested a refund. He then changed and said it was fine, we could take it. While they were preparing to give the engine to us, another man came in - seemed like the owner - and told us they would be making a loss if we took it at P8,700. They didn’t want to give back our money and we ended up negotiating with them and taking it at P10,000.

I was just wondering if they are even allowed to do that to customers. I feel frustrated.

I think this store needs to think very carefully about how they advertise their products, in particular how they display their prices. You had a reasonable right to expect that the price displayed for the engine was the correct price and my view, as someone who isn’t an attorney, just an amateur, is that once you paid the price and they accepted your money, the engine was your property.

So, maybe the store made a mistake when they displayed the price? Yes, that might be true, everyone makes mistakes sometimes. But the time to correct the mistake was before they took your money. And if they did make a mistake and don’t want to sell you the item at the lower price, how dare they refuse you a refund? That’s completely unacceptable.

You were very flexible and tolerant when you agreed to negotiate a higher price and I think the best thing is to put this behind you. Yes, you paid more than you originally thought but you paid a lot less than what the owner wanted you to.

Maybe you’ve done ok?