[blazey]

Originally Posted by West Ender

An instance of when a little knowledge (of the law) can be a dangerous thing (for the shopkeeper):-

About 33 years ago, when we were having a lot of power cuts, I wanted a big brass oil lamp, functional and ornamental. My husband saw one in an ironmonger's shop window, in Durham City where we lived at the time, priced at £12 so he went in to buy it. The assistant had a look and said she was really sorry but the one in the window had the wrong price on it and it should be £20. My husband said he was sure the law said they were obliged to sell the item at the advertised price but the shop manager said no it didn't.

At that moment a friend of ours, a police superintendent, walked into the shop - in uniform (he'd popped in to buy a screwdiver on his way home from work). My husband called him over and asked if he was right to demand the lower price, to which our friend replied, "Oh yes, definitely." Faced with a policeman's word the manager sold my husband the lamp for £12.

Outside the shop my husband asked our friend if he had quoted the law correctly, to which the friend replied that he really had no idea; he was, at the time, in charge of Traffic. I have a feeling the shopkeeper was in the right - but I was happy to have the lamp, which I've still got. A case of Might (in a uniform) is Right.

Well based on the law we talked about earlier the shop keeper would have to have been correct, because at the point u asked for the item you where only in the negotiation stage of a contract, and if he wishes he can change his mind about the price just as you can change your mind about buying it.