imagine : this is a bit dodge

silversurfer

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If your banner add states Uncap'd ADSL from R520/pm i would expect R520/pm, not R520 exVat.

http://www.imagine.co.za/images/bannerthinuncap.jpg

*edit* please note the banner has now been changed and edit as promised by imagine.

Maybe its just my opinion, but that sort of thing just doesnt sit well with me, im not even sure if the other ISP's follow suite with this. But it caught my attention (which im sure they indended) ... but it left a sour taste.
 
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They are allowed to do this If it is clearly stated that this price is excl. of VAT. . . .
 
I wonder what their conversation rate is on those who click on the banner. I for one wouldnt sign up with a company that lies in their ads... it'll leave a bad taste in my mouth, as it were
 
A few ISP's do this, but not most, it always irritates me when I see a great price just to find out its ex vat, and ends up being more expensive than most.
 
They are allowed to do this If it is clearly stated that this price is excl. of VAT. . . .

No, they are not!

The Value-Added Tax Act (1991) states:

Part X - Miscellaneous
65. Prices advertised or quoted to include tax

Any price advertised or quoted by any vendor in respect of any taxable supply of goods or services shall include tax and the vendor shall in his advertisement or quotation' state that the price includes tax, unless the total amount of the tax chargeable under section 7(1)(a), the price excluding tax and the price inclusive of tax for the supply are advertised or quoted by the vendor: Provided that-

i) where the price inclusive of tax and the price excluding tax for a supply are advertised or quoted, both prices shall be advertised or quoted with equal prominence and impact;

ii) price tickets on goods need not state that the prices include tax if this is stated by way of a notice prominently displayed at all entrances to the premises in which the enterprise is carried on and at all points in such premises where payments are effected;

Part X - Miscellaneous
64. Prices deemed to include tax

1) Any price charged by any vendor in respect of any taxable supply of goods or services shall for the purposes of this Act be deemed to include any tax payable in terms of section 7(1)(a) in respect of such supply; whether or not the vendor has included tax in such price.

http://www.acts.co.za/vat/index.htm

WebAfrica changed all their advertised prices on their website to include VAT after I pointed this out to them.

Every ISP that is advertising or listing prices on their website only excluding VAT, even if they state that prices are excluding VAT, are actually breaking the law!
 
Hi All,

Unfortunately, we were not aware of this legislation and certainly have never intended to be misleading in any way. Our pricing has always clearly stated if it is inclusive or exclusive of VAT. The majority of our clients are companies who do not pay the including VAT pricing. However, now that this has been brought to my attention, we will be altering our site and all of our advertising as quickly as we possibly can.

We sincerely apologise for any misunderstanding caused.

Also please note that the link pasted above was never, ever used in any advertising - it is link to our site images folder used within our site and the page displaying that image does clearly states that the product pricing excludes VAT.
 
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Hey guys,

I know this is one of my first posts but I have spent a lot of time in these forums over the years and I have seen this same vat/ex vat thing pop-up a few times.

To be honest it's really starting to bug me. I'm pretty sure the advert (although I cant find it now) says EX vat on it so it's not trying to be deceptive at all. So yes, strickly speaking it may be incorrect but isn't calling it lying going a bit far?!?

While I'm not able to argue on the legality of it all, I don't know if the VAT act has been amended since 1991, I for one am far more interested in ex VAT pricing because I buy though my company. I'm pretty sure far more uncapped accounts are sold to companies rather than end users.

Just for the record, I have dealt with Imagine before and they have always been really helpfull and I use their uncapped product (amongst others). Simply put, its great - not to say its perfect but I've given up on the concept, but better than anything else I've found and at a btter price. (ex or inc vat)

It bugs me to see people slating them or any company (especially in these forums) for such stupid little things just because they know the companies will never call these comments what they are: just plain stupid and pretty much pointless.

false advertising....please....grow up
 
But it does not cost R520 per month, therefore it's false.
 
Hey guys,

I know this is one of my first posts but I have spent a lot of time in these forums over the years and I have seen this same vat/ex vat thing pop-up a few times.

To be honest it's really starting to bug me. I'm pretty sure the advert (although I cant find it now) says EX vat on it so it's not trying to be deceptive at all. So yes, strickly speaking it may be incorrect but isn't calling it lying going a bit far?!?

While I'm not able to argue on the legality of it all, I don't know if the VAT act has been amended since 1991, I for one am far more interested in ex VAT pricing because I buy though my company. I'm pretty sure far more uncapped accounts are sold to companies rather than end users.

Just for the record, I have dealt with Imagine before and they have always been really helpfull and I use their uncapped product (amongst others). Simply put, its great - not to say its perfect but I've given up on the concept, but better than anything else I've found and at a btter price. (ex or inc vat)

It bugs me to see people slating them or any company (especially in these forums) for such stupid little things just because they know the companies will never call these comments what they are: just plain stupid and pretty much pointless.

false advertising....please....grow up

Why advertise something as ex VAT though?
 
Companies dont land up paying VAT in the end, they claim it back, so the ex VAT price is far more relevant to them.
So for them, despite what you may think, it DOES cost R520.

Just out of interest, took a quick look around the net....
Seems companies like Absa Bank, The South African Bureau of Standards, AMEX and just about every other website I went to quote ex vat pricing only.

This is not an uncommon practice, in fact for B2B trade it seems to be standard.
 
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that banner does not stat EX VAT anywhere though, so you click on it thinking that you would pay 520, then you see the fine print about ex vat

glad to hear that the company took notice of the problem though, that shows quite a bit of integrity, at least that is my opinion
 
Again - just to clarify - this banner was NOT an advertising banner and was NEVER used on an external site. It was used as a graphic on the page which contained the pricing table of the product in question directly ABOVE the banner. Each and every line of that product table clearly states that the pricing of the product excludes VAT.
 
geek its not false

first off you can claim back if its for a business, so its 520

it also clearly states ex vat

i dont see the problem open your eyes you'll see an ex vat price

how can it be false advertising if it clearly states ex vat lol
 
Hey guys,

I know this is one of my first posts but I have spent a lot of time in these forums over the years and I have seen this same vat/ex vat thing pop-up a few times.

To be honest it's really starting to bug me. I'm pretty sure the advert (although I cant find it now) says EX vat on it so it's not trying to be deceptive at all. So yes, strickly speaking it may be incorrect but isn't calling it lying going a bit far?!?

While I'm not able to argue on the legality of it all, I don't know if the VAT act has been amended since 1991, I for one am far more interested in ex VAT pricing because I buy though my company. I'm pretty sure far more uncapped accounts are sold to companies rather than end users.

Just for the record, I have dealt with Imagine before and they have always been really helpfull and I use their uncapped product (amongst others). Simply put, its great - not to say its perfect but I've given up on the concept, but better than anything else I've found and at a btter price. (ex or inc vat)

It bugs me to see people slating them or any company (especially in these forums) for such stupid little things just because they know the companies will never call these comments what they are: just plain stupid and pretty much pointless.

false advertising....please....grow up

This i must agree on. Why bother even comment on such petty things as false advertising, which in the end is not, because on the same page of their website it states that the pricing on the banner is ex vat. I cant seem to find any "false" advertising there.
 
geek its not false

first off you can claim back if its for a business, so its 520

it also clearly states ex vat

i dont see the problem open your eyes you'll see an ex vat price

how can it be false advertising if it clearly states ex vat lol

They just updated the banner. It didn't say excluding VAT earlier. Obviously I wouldn't say something if it said excluding VAT from the start.

Why do you think silversurfer mentioned it in the first place? Duh.
 
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Look above the banner, and you see a price list. On that price list, right under the prices, it sais "(Excl. VAT)", and this is under every price. Clearly, you couldn't have missed that? And still, why bother post on such petty things? Its just not worth moaning and bitching about.
 
Again - just to clarify - this banner was NOT an advertising banner and was NEVER used on an external site. It was used as a graphic on the page which contained the pricing table of the product in question directly ABOVE the banner. Each and every line of that product table clearly states that the pricing of the product excludes VAT.

The banner changed, as promised and as quickly as we could, due to the comments in this forum, the pricing table (on the same page as the banner and in a more prominent position ABOVE the banner) did not change in any way - it has ALWAYS had Excl. VAT clearly stated on every line.

And many thanks to those in the forums who have assisted in trying to explain these points. You support is greatly appreciated.
 
Again - just to clarify - this banner was NOT an advertising banner and was NEVER used on an external site. It was used as a graphic on the page which contained the pricing table of the product in question directly ABOVE the banner. Each and every line of that product table clearly states that the pricing of the product excludes VAT.

The banner changed, as promised and as quickly as we could, due to the comments in this forum, the pricing table (on the same page as the banner and in a more prominent position ABOVE the banner) did not change in any way - it has ALWAYS had Excl. VAT clearly stated on every line.

And many thanks to those in the forums who have assisted in trying to explain these points. You support is greatly appreciated.

IE This topic is closed ;)
 
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