Nearly a year has gone by since  clear call pricing of service numbers has been required . Yet here on the Front Page of its site Very one of the major players publishes a 0844 contact  number without any call charges near it.

www.very.co.uk

They do have the alternative 0344 number which they give out for customer service etc.

If there is no response from the company, consider reporting it to ASA.

As it is the first number that people see, I suspect a large number of after-sales enquiries are dealt with on that premium rate number.

It is indeed perfectly correct that all cases where Service Providers fail to clearly state their Service Charge should be reported to the ASA.

Five minutes with Google is however all of the research that is necessary to show that Very is not alone in its breach -

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/commercial/allstarz/
http://storeblog.americangolf.co.uk/hendon/2016/05/19/tour-truck-fitting-day-ag-hendon-31st-may-book-now-0844-334-0512/
http://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/Events/eventlistings/SamBaileySingMyHeartOut.htm
http://www.ministryofpaintball.com/uk/book-now.php
http://www.debenhams.com/wcsstore/DebenhamsUKSite/faq/our_stores/contact_us.html
https://www.midyorks.nhs.uk/contact-us
https://www.uk.insight.com/en-gb/information/help
http://www.bic.co.uk/contact-us/
https://www.sjhotels.co.uk/theatre-breaks15
http://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/Tickets/TheBookOfMormon/TheBookOfMormon_GroupsEducation.asp
https://www.physioroom.com/helpcentre/?q=order
http://www.playfactore.com/new-year-toddler-classes-sign-up-now-0844-824-6030/
http://www.coxandcox.co.uk/contact-cox-and-cox
http://www.colstonhall.org/visit-us/how-to-book/
http://rockyhorror.co.uk/tour-dates
http://www.dreamboystour.co.uk/tour-dates/
http://www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk/default.aspx
http://www.kentdiscounts.co.uk/events/
http://experiences.lastminute.com/afternoon-tea-for-two-in-st-jamess-park
http://www.thebelfry.co.uk/promotions/2-nights-2-rounds.htm
http://www.romeshranganathan.co.uk/gigs/
http://thatsentertainmentshow.com/tour-dates/index.php
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/woolbeding-gardens/features/planning-your-day-at-woolbeding-gardens
http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/delivering-your-order-pgid52.html
http://www.ssearena.co.uk/contact
http://www.allpay.net/contact-us
https://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/Barton_Leisure_Centre/activity/School_holiday_activities
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/tmgroups
http://www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk/our-centres/leicester
http://www.beaumont-estate-windsor.co.uk/offers/a-royal-retreat/

N.B. These are just what came back from the first page of a set of Google results - they are only examples, not necessarily the most important cases.

Ian01 wrote on Jun 12^th, 2016 at 5:27am:

As it is the first number that people see, I suspect a large number of after-sales enquiries are dealt with on that premium rate number.

Yes i guess so. Has ASA ever slapped anybodies wrist from any company on this subject ?

Therein lies the complexity.

It falls to Trading Standards to enforce the use of 01, 02, 03 or 080 numbers for after-sales enquiries. Breaches can be reported via the Citizen's Advice national Consumer Helpline on 0345 404 0506.

Very complies as they do have an 0344 number for that, but it is on a different page, so may not be seen by all. Is it clear that the 0844 number is for orders only?

The ASA needs to be involved only when an 084, 087, 09 or 118 number is promoted without an immediately adjacent indication of price - as is the case here.

bigjohn wrote on Jun 12^th, 2016 at 3:52am:

Nearly a year has gone by since  clear call pricing of service numbers has been required . Yet here on the Front Page of its site Very one of the major players publishes a 0844 contact  number without any call charges near it. www.very.co.uk They do have the alternative 0344 number which they give out for customer service etc.

I have e-mailed them pointing out their obvious mistakes...  :-?

CJT-80 wrote on Jun 13^th, 2016 at 9:58am:

bigjohn wrote on Jun 12th, 2016 at 3:52am: Nearly a year has gone by since  clear call pricing of service numbers has been required . Yet here on the Front Page of its site Very one of the major players publishes a 0844 contact  number without any call charges near it. www.very.co.uk They do have the alternative 0344 number which they give out for customer service etc. I have e-mailed them pointing out their obvious mistakes...  :-?

What makes you think its obvious ,have you ever dealt with them. :)

Ian01 wrote on Jun 12^th, 2016 at 9:20pm:

Therein lies the complexity. It falls to Trading Standards to enforce the use of 01, 02, 03 or 080 numbers for after-sales enquiries. Breaches can be reported via the Citizen's Advice national Consumer Helpline on 0345 404 0506. Very complies as they do have an 0344 number for that, but it is on a different page, so may not be seen by all. Is it clear that the 0844 number is for orders only? The ASA needs to be involved only when an 084, 087, 09 or 118 number is promoted without an immediately adjacent indication of price - as is the case here.

Yes of course. But Re: Very Mail Order . 0844 Number Not Complying.
Reply #3 - Yesterday at 7:49pm Quote Modify  Ian01 wrote Yesterday at 6:27am:
As it is the first number that people see, I suspect a large number of after-sales enquiries are dealt with on that premium rate number.

Yes of course But has the  ASA ever slapped anybodies wrist from any company on this,and come to that have Trading Standards ever taken action against anybody in the area covered by them ?

bigjohn wrote on Jun 13^th, 2016 at 10:12am:

CJT-80 wrote on Jun 13th, 2016 at 9:58am: bigjohn wrote on Jun 12th, 2016 at 3:52am: Nearly a year has gone by since  clear call pricing of service numbers has been required . Yet here on the Front Page of its site Very one of the major players publishes a 0844 contact  number without any call charges near it. www.very.co.uk They do have the alternative 0344 number which they give out for customer service etc. I have e-mailed them pointing out their obvious mistakes...  :-? What makes you think its obvious ,have you ever dealt with them. :)

bigjohn my apologies... perhaps the use of the word obvious was wrong...

No I have never dealt with ShopDirect (the owners of the Very brand), but I would imagine they maybe quite like the N Brown Group who own Jacamo, Simply Be etc, and who use a mixture of 03 and 0871 numbers but appear to give little or no info on the cost of calling the 03 number...

It's more lack of information then mis-information, but either way we are right to challenge it.

Once again apologies :-)