DJ incorrectly advertising sales (IMHO)

[Mal]

Since the new website design, I often see "rotating" ads on the front page advertising sales. However, they are often misleading.

Take the following:



If you click on the advertisement, it just takes you to the booking engine. No T&Cs are shown.

Now, I know that sale isn't for every date. It's only for flights in early April onwards. So when I search earlier dates, no discount is apparent.

I hope they fix this up. The ACCC would be very interested in misleading behaviour like this (and while "conditions apply" does help mitigate the advertising, it doesn't completely put them off the hook).

[BTW, the T&Cs are:
*Discount applies to Saver and Flexi fares only. $75 discount is applied to one way fares each direction, as per the fares displayed on the Best Fares page of the Virgin Australia website. International return fare may vary with the addition of local taxes and charges. Seats are limited and may not be available at peak times or on all flights. Fares advertised on the internet cost $15 more when booked by phone. Fares are correct as at 9 March 2012 and are subject to change. Fares are on sale from 12 March until midnight 14 March 2012 unless sold out prior. For travel from 3 April until 12 December 2012. International flights between Australia and New Zealand are operated by either Virgin Australia (NZ) or Air New Zealand. Saver Fares: checked baggage charges apply to all Saver Fares. Pre-pay $25 online for up to 23kg of checked baggage per person per one way flight, $30 by phone on an existing booking, or pay $60 at the airport for the same allowance. Flights departing Perth pre-pay $30 online for up to 23kg of checked baggage per person per one way flight or pay $60 at the airport for the same allowance. Velocity Platinum, Gold and Silver members are exempt from these charges. Change/cancel fees apply. The applicable change or cancel fee will be the fee published on our website on the date you request the change. Name changes and refunds are not permitted. A credit/debit card surcharge of $7 per person per one way flight is applicable for flights internationally. Flexi Fares: A Flexi Fare allows changes, cancellations and refunds (fees apply). It includes priority check-in, a food and beverage package and a 23kg luggage allowance. The Fare difference is payable on changes made within fare rules. Flight cancellations are $80 via the Internet, or $100 via the Guest Contact Centre. Refunds are subject to a refund fee of $100, correct as at 24 Oct 2011. All fees are subject to change; please refer to www.virginaustralia.com for more information on change, refund and cancellation fees. Conditions apply, visit www.virginaustralia.com for more information. ]

 

[Stuser]

Since the new website design, I often see "rotating" ads on the front page advertising sales. However, they are often misleading.

Take the following:

View attachment 6366

If you click on the advertisement, it just takes you to the booking engine. No T&Cs are shown.

Now, I know that sale isn't for every date. It's only for flights in early April onwards. So when I search earlier dates, no discount is apparent.

I hope they fix this up. The ACCC would be very interested in misleading behaviour like this (and while "conditions apply" does help mitigate the advertising, it doesn't completely put them off the hook).

]

are you suggesting that the ad is misleading because it doesn't mention the limited dates or destinations available with this reduction?

 

[Mal]

are you suggesting that the ad is misleading because it doesn't mention the limited dates or destinations available with this reduction?

Part of the issue.
No (obvious) T&Cs for that promotion are available anywhere on the DJ site - especially not on the site that you click through to.
No indication that the discount is $75 off each way rather than $150 that will be taken off the flight.
An indication that not all NZ destinations are covered by this sale based on the limited information available on the site you click through to.
No correlation between the promotion above and the prices on the site you click through to (ie - they look like separate sales).

Individual sales should have their own micro-site which spell out the T&Cs. The front graphic should indicate the dates of travel and dates booking is required by (ie - When does 72 hours end?).

As I said earlier - The ACCC does like ads like these. Not enough information to ensure a customer is not misled.

 

[anat0l]

Are you going to file a complaint?

Your point has merit, but unless it's raised as a complaint then no one would really care.

 

[markis10]

Are you going to file a complaint?

Your point has merit, but unless it's raised as a complaint then no one would really care.

Thats ignoring the repeated history of Virgin Australia responding to feedback on AFF, to say no one cares is a little dramatic, after all we got toasters!

 

[anat0l]

Thats ignoring the repeated history of Virgin Australia responding to feedback on AFF, to say no one cares is a little dramatic, after all we got toasters!

Noted, though that does depend on Virgin Australia treating this with appropriate apprehension. They may not deem there is anything wrong with the ad at all.

I suppose my point was more on the legal side of things, and thus the reaction of the regulatory bodies, i.e. in this case the ACCC. As they say, "It isn't illegal until you get caught".

More to the point, even if the ACCC were to find this out and commence a case, I doubt VA would be up for much damages anyway (probably purely punitive at worst, or a slap on the wrist at best).

 

[oz_mark]

No indication that the discount is $75 off each way rather than $150 that will be taken off the flight.

I don't quite get this point, it does say that it is $150 off a return trip.

I do agree, though, that when 'conditions apply', those conditions should be readily located.

 

[awilcockson]

after all we got toasters!

And 'real' Lemon, Lime and Bitters.
And tomato chutney/salsa for the toasted sandwiches.
And a birthday cake

 

[Mal]

I don't quite get this point, it does say that it is $150 off a return trip.

I do agree, though, that when 'conditions apply', those conditions should be readily located.

When they list prices on the next page they show $75 off fares. But i have no idea if that's the same promo or another. Being facetious, should i expect another $150 off the sale fares that have no correlation to the sale?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[Virgin Australia]

Hi Mal,


Let me try to address some of your points


If you click on the advertisement, it just takes you to the booking engine. No T&Cs are shown.
Clicking on the web banner will take you to our 'Best Fares' page, where you will see the travel periods as well as the end date of the offer. It also shows the full Ts&Cs for flying with us down the bottom.


Now, I know that sale isn't for every date. It's only for flights in early April onwards. So when I search earlier dates, no discount is apparent.
Due to how our back end works, the discount is already applied You are correct - the offer is only from 3 April to 12 Dec. So if you search before that, you will not see a discount. This date is listed on the Best Fares page. This is a VERY long/generous travel period though, longer than most of our sales. It even includes travel over Easter, school holidays!


No (obvious) T&Cs for that promotion are available anywhere on the DJ site - especially not on the site that you click through to.
The information is shown on the Best Fares page, ie dates, promotion end as well as our standard terms and conditions to fly with us.


No indication that the discount is $75 off each way rather than $150 that will be taken off the flight.
The web banner does read that it is $150 off a return flight. The fact that you are able to book a single sector and receive the corresponding $75 off, well spotted! Again this is due to our back end.


An indication that not all NZ destinations are covered by this sale based on the limited information available on the site you click through to.
All NZ destinations have most flights discounted, though in saying that I have seen that Hamilton and Dunedin aren't discounted when you fly out of Sydney. It is fairly obvious that a route is discounted by the fact that there is a promo end date next to it.


No correlation between the promotion above and the prices on the site you click through to (ie - they look like separate sales).
The fares include the discount (not sure what you mean by separate sales)


Individual sales should have their own micro-site which spell out the T&Cs.
As mentioned already, the information is housed on the Best Fares page.


The front graphic should indicate the dates of travel and dates booking is required by (ie - When does 72 hours end?).
In a perfect world perhaps you're right, but when you have multiple destinations, and multiple travel periods etc the banner real estate to market the message will be compromised. The sale period & travel period is actually the same for all of the NZ destinations in this sale. This info is all on the Best Fares page – this date shows when the 72 hours ends.


Hope that helps answer your questions

 

[anat0l]

The front graphic should indicate the dates of travel and dates booking is required by (ie - When does 72 hours end?).
...
This info is all on the Best Fares page – this date shows when the 72 hours ends.

A suggestion then - next time there is such a sale, how about just saying the date/time when the sale ends?

For example, instead of saying "for 72 hours only", say "Hurry! Book by 14 March 2012 11:59pm AEDST"

Or, at least change the banner graphic daily so that it reflects the days left before the sale ends.

Or, have some sort of dynamic banner which has a countdown clock?

 

[Virgin Australia]

A suggestion then - next time there is such a sale, how about just saying the date/time when the sale ends?

For example, instead of saying "for 72 hours only", say "Hurry! Book by 14 March 2012 11:59pm AEDST"

Or, at least change the banner graphic daily so that it reflects the days left before the sale ends.

Or, have some sort of dynamic banner which has a countdown clock?

Fair points. Will pass that feedback on.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Now, I know that sale isn't for every date.
This date is listed on the Best Fares page. This is a VERY long/generous travel period though, longer than most of our sales. It even includes travel over Easter, school holidays!

And to the part about including Easter and school holidays, may I say VA......thank you so very, very, very much!
As a father with school aged kids and holidays to organise, you have no idea how much this minor fact is so very much appreciated. Please keep this part up.

Now, grovelling finished, I have a bone to pick with you (let's face it, I enjoy a grizzle ) but why didn't you offer up this NZ special BEFORE the last pearler with Aussie destinations. I was tossing up about a ski holiday to ZQN, but chose instead a week in......wait for it.........MEL . Now I'm sure MEL will give us plenty to do, but I've just missed gluhwein by the fire and apres skiing in and around ZQN for a week at HSW.....................I'm not about to forgive you quickly for that VA!

 

[GeeZed]

) but why didn't you offer up this NZ special BEFORE the last pearler with Aussie destinations. I was tossing up about a ski holiday to ZQN, but chose instead a week in......wait for it.........MEL . Now I'm sure MEL will give us plenty to do, but I've just missed gluhwein by the fire and apres skiing in and around ZQN for a week at HSW.....................I'm not about to forgive you quickly for that VA!

Maybe because this was actually an Air NZ initiative and DJ just happened to have to follow as they would with the trans Tasman codeshare arrangement.

 

[Mal]

Due to how our back end works, the discount is already applied You are correct - the offer is only from 3 April to 12 Dec. So if you search before that, you will not see a discount. This date is listed on the Best Fares page. This is a VERY long/generous travel period though, longer than most of our sales. It even includes travel over Easter, school holidays!

I don't have issues around the generosity of the offer (and indeed think it's great) - but the front page doesn't indicate the excluded dates. I don't think Virgin Australia would get away with that if it was a paper based advertisement. And the way the web pages are constructed it is flimsy too.

The information is shown on the Best Fares page, ie dates, promotion end as well as our standard terms and conditions to fly with us.

But conceivably I could think that the $150 off is on top of that... Qantas (eg Book Qantas International Flight Specials from Brisbane to London, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Dallas, Buenos Aires and more.), and Jetstar (can't link - their website is not working properly) manage to do this much better.

All NZ destinations have most flights discounted, though in saying that I have seen that Hamilton and Dunedin aren't discounted when you fly out of Sydney. It is fairly obvious that a route is discounted by the fact that there is a promo end date next to it.

Excluding Hamilton, Dunedin etc from SYD (And yes I noticed this while looking at the sale last night!) does seem to be against the spirit of the sale and information on the front page. Keep in mind that the only exclusion is "direct flights only" on the DJ website where the sale fares are offered. However, this is not published anywhere else on the website AFAIK.

The fares include the discount (not sure what you mean by separate sales)

How does Joe Public know that? Remember they've clicked through from the front page and are expecting $150 off a return fare.

As mentioned already, the information is housed on the Best Fares page.

Not all of the T&Cs relevant. Remember the "Direct Flights only" rule, and that's not published for Hamilton/Dunedin etc.

In a perfect world perhaps you're right, but when you have multiple destinations, and multiple travel periods etc the banner real estate to market the message will be compromised. The sale period & travel period is actually the same for all of the NZ destinations in this sale. This info is all on the Best Fares page – this date shows when the 72 hours ends.

I feel that a specific page dedicated to this sale would make things clearer. Plus more information on the front page. But I know the world will ever be perfect.

Hope that helps answer your questions

Thanks for the detailed response.