An Italian electronics retailer is seeking to reclaim hundreds of high-value tablets after an apparent pricing error led to their sale for a tiny fraction of their market value.
MediaWorld, a prominent European electronics chain, accidentally sold 13-inch iPad Air models for just 15 euros ($16.03 USD) instead of their regular price of 879 euros ($940.45 USD). The significantly discounted offer was made to loyalty cardholders.
The company processed online and in-store pickup orders, with customers successfully receiving their devices.
MediaWorld took 11 days to identify the substantial pricing mistake.
Following the discovery, the retailer sent emails to affected buyers. The company asked customers to either return the tablets or pay the difference, offering a 150 euro ($160.35 USD) discount on the full price. Alternatively, customers could return the iPad for a refund of 15 euros and a 20 euro ($21.38 USD) voucher for the inconvenience.
The incident, initially reported by Wired, began on November 8 when the erroneous offer appeared on MediaWorld’s website.
A key point of contention is that the retailer’s terms and conditions did not include specific clauses addressing pricing errors. MediaWorld is reportedly relying on a broader principle within Italian contract law.
Under this principle, a contract can be annulled if the error made was “obvious.”
However, a consumer lawyer quoted in the Wired report noted that the wide variety of promotions, some designed for publicity, makes it challenging for consumers to definitively distinguish a pricing error from a legitimate, albeit limited, sale.
The company’s communication to customers about the error was made via an informal email, rather than a formal legal notification.