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Merlin Annual Pass 'Sale'

Tom said:
No, but they can sell it for £11 one day, have a sale where it is £9 and then advise that the soon-to-be normal price is £12 - which is what has been done here.
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Not if the sale is based on the later price, rather than the previous one, as is the case here. They cheated by technically increasing the price in November followed by a sale so I doubt anyone has a legal case against them.

But we can argue the legal rights or wrongs as much as we want. This is a PR screw up, one in a long line of PR screw-ups and its amateur. You can't say something that causes the sort of backlash they have had, a successful strategy, and just like the MAP restructure, Price increases and added restrictions that have come before a compatent team could have sold the changes FAR better.

And I am not personally buying a MAP this year for a variety of reasons. Never particularly been a slave to Merlin parks and travel far and wide but I won't be visiting the midways or southern parks so a MAP is pointless.
 
Dave said:
This is a PR screw up, one in a long line of PR screw-ups and its amateur.
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I note you say you have given up (and I respect that), but nevertheless - here we are, people still buying but complaining. One needs to accept one's position as a Merlin's female dog or move on! There are simply too many people that seem to like to voice their disgust at the way they've been treated, but continue to submit themselves for that treatment.
 
Tom said:
The sale is for new passes, not renewals - I literally cannot be any clearer.
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I'm sure the renewal price has a £10 more expensive price crossed out (I.e single premium renewal usually £159). Giving the impression that the renewals are on sale (even if that word is not used).

Price increases are sadly part of life. What sticks in the throat is like last years drinks bottle fiasco Merlin have tried to spin this as a good deal. If they were just honest then no one would be that bothered.
 
Having to queue for god knows how long just to get to the tickets desk to book a timeslot - and then come back and have to queue again later - at both the London Dungeon and Madame Tussauds is a joke. Things like that are the real indicators of where this company is going under public ownership. These cuts and squeezes are starting to snowball now.
 
Tom said:
Having to queue for god knows how long just to get to the tickets desk to book a timeslot - and then come back and have to queue again later - at both the London Dungeon and Madame Tussauds is a joke. Things like that are the real indicators of where this company is going under public ownership. These cuts and squeezes are starting to snowball now.
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To me that is the opposite, the attractions are too popular and cannot cope with the high visitor numbers. Madame Tussaud's is particularly full of foreign tourists who (and Ive never understood why) are happy to queue.
 
One would guess that they would still have MAP entrances at the attractions, and might push online booking instead...

Of course, it removes the entire "fancy a trip to X today?" aspect of the trip, which is dull...
 
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The law states that the period an item is at a "sale" price cannot exceed the length of time it was at the higher price. The higher price must have been charged first. Thats why you see stores having to actually print on the bottom of tv adverts etc the date period it was charged at the higher price. Merlin havent done this. They have gone straight to putting up the price immediately, then advertising it as a sale, when it isnt.

Tom - with all respect, if you want to be one of these people who dont speak out or point out something a company has done which is blatantly wrong and false and just pay up, then go for it, but there are plenty of others who have a justified right to make a point about this, because what Merlin have done is wrong.

Yeah price increases are a matter of life, totally agree,, though one must question a 15% increase when inflation is just 1% at the moment, and one must also question the manner in which this was done, and the false advertising which followed trying to con people into thinking they were getting a good deal.
 
GaryH said:
The law states that the period an item is at a "sale" price cannot exceed the length of time it was at the higher price. The higher price must have been charged first. Thats why you see stores having to actually print on the bottom of tv adverts etc the date period it was charged at the higher price. Merlin havent done this. They have gone straight to putting up the price immediately, then advertising it as a sale, when it isnt.

Tom - with all respect, if you want to be one of these people who dont speak out or point out something a company has done which is blatantly wrong and false and just pay up, then go for it, but there are plenty of others who have a justified right to make a point about this, because what Merlin have done is wrong.

Yeah price increases are a matter of life, totally agree,, though one must question a 15% increase when inflation is just 1% at the moment, and one must also question the manner in which this was done, and the false advertising which followed trying to con people into thinking they were getting a good deal.
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Has anyone reported the sale pricing to Trading Standards or the ASA?

I'm not too fussed as still cheaper than 2014 prices but if people are so wound up about the crossed out price, do something.
 
GaryH said:
Tom - with all respect, if you want to be one of these people who dont speak out or point out something a company has done which is blatantly wrong and false and just pay up, then go for it, but there are plenty of others who have a justified right to make a point about this, because what Merlin have done is wrong.
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I'm one of the most critical people of Merlin you will ever help to come across. I voice my opinions and to use a football term I vote with my feet (stop buying passes/visiting their attractions).

You're fighting a losing battle on this one because they can demonstrate that they have had the pass on sale for A higher price. They may get their wrists slapped slightly for showing the soon-to-be-but-never-has-been-yet price, however you need to be realistic about what you are likely to achieve. You're not going to change the business ethic of a now publicly owned company from behind a keyboard. The best you can hope for is an apology and a minor correction to a website, not a reduction in prices which is what you seem to crave. Will and apology and a minor website correction make you happy? I think not. My advice would be to give up your pass or accept your fate as just another exploited customer to a big business.
 
Was it sold at the higher price? When? Not calling you a liar in any way, just wondering.

Do you know what, like others, all I want is for Merlin to put up their hand, say, ok we made an error on this one, and we will honour the 2014 prices until it is actually 2015 (i.e. tomorrow). Thats all they had to do a few days ago and everyone would have renewed their passes, bought new ones, whatever and accepted it. So yeah, actually that form of apology would have satisfied me and others.
 
It was [previously sold at A higher price, making it a sale compared to that. Not THE higher price crossed out admittedly - but you're in wrist slap territory there, not prosecutable territory.
 
The last to posts there are straight out of the

"The Mans guide on how NOT to endear yourself to a new forum".

Proud of you both ;)

:D

As for Merlin and "why buy the pass, vote with your feet" etc.

Unfortunately, they own the park I love the most. I loved it before Merlin, and I don't like the way they're treating it.
 
Sometimes things need emphasising because the accusations of 'it isn't a sale of any description' are just wrong.
 
TheMan said:
As for Merlin and "why buy the pass, vote with your feet" etc.

Unfortunately, they own the park I love the most. I loved it before Merlin, and I don't like the way they're treating it.
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I don't find the way the parks are run hugely different to the late Tussaud's era. The annual pass is pushed a bit more but Tussaud's were already streamlining the way the parks were run in the 2000s before the Merlin merger. I think that a lot of the stuff in the parks would have still gone the way it has even if Merlin /Tussauds didn't merge.
 
The reason they will get away with the sale is because the put the prices up in November but immediately had a 2014 price held sale.

It's similar to how DFS manage it, they may get a mild "telling off" and possibly a watch dog piece (who actually watches that programme) but that's it.
 
I watch Watchdog.

Anyway...... had a reply from Merlin about this: (my thoughts in bold)

"Hi Gary, The Merlin Annual Pass website clearly states all pricing, including our decision to freeze renewal prices ( aha - so its not a sale at all, its a prize freeze as ive been saying all along) until Dec 26th. (no it didnt and there are screenshots people took on the web clearly showing it didnt) However it’s true that we don’t announce price changes through social media or generally by email (I wonder why not....), however all customers are emailed several times from -30 days before their renewal date inviting renewal. In the promotion of the Merlin Annual Pass Sale previous prices stated are for new pass purchases, not for pass renewals (ahh, so bollox to your existing "loyal" customers then eh Merlin) . Price comparisons are therefore against market prices (‘general pricing’ or the ‘was price’) for new Merlin Annual Passes in place since October. In the case of renewals because we had held down renewal prices, the comparison is with our current market prices (our RRP or ‘listed price’, as applying in retail). Although this is generally accepted practice, unfortunately this has been confusing for customers. ( EXACTLY!!!! This is what everyone is complaining about, so you admit its been a mess then!) These are still our lowest prices for 2015 and we hope that you and your family are able to renew your Merlin Annual Passes and return to our attractions to create some more memorable experiences and vote fun in 2015 (kiss my ass Merlin, if you valued your customers so much you would have admitted beforehand this was a mess and given people chance to renew)."
 
GaryH said:
I watch Watchdog.

Anyway...... had a reply from Merlin about this: (my thoughts in bold)

"Hi Gary, The Merlin Annual Pass website clearly states all pricing, including our decision to freeze renewal prices ( aha - so its not a sale at all, its a prize freeze as ive been saying all along) until Dec 26th. (no it didnt and there are screenshots people took on the web clearly showing it didnt) However it’s true that we don’t announce price changes through social media or generally by email (I wonder why not....), however all customers are emailed several times from -30 days before their renewal date inviting renewal. In the promotion of the Merlin Annual Pass Sale previous prices stated are for new pass purchases, not for pass renewals (ahh, so bollox to your existing "loyal" customers then eh Merlin) . Price comparisons are therefore against market prices (‘general pricing’ or the ‘was price’) for new Merlin Annual Passes in place since October. In the case of renewals because we had held down renewal prices, the comparison is with our current market prices (our RRP or ‘listed price’, as applying in retail). Although this is generally accepted practice, unfortunately this has been confusing for customers. ( EXACTLY!!!! This is what everyone is complaining about, so you admit its been a mess then!) These are still our lowest prices for 2015 and we hope that you and your family are able to renew your Merlin Annual Passes and return to our attractions to create some more memorable experiences and vote fun in 2015 (kiss my ass Merlin, if you valued your customers so much you would have admitted beforehand this was a mess and given people chance to renew)."
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You should email your thougts back, lol!
 
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