Sainsbury Customers Cash In On Web Error

Link : http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91059-1158312,00.html

Shoppers have been able to do their online Sainsbury's shopping for free after finding that they could use discount vouchers over and over again.

Sainsbury's operates one and two-hour timed deliveries for internet shoppers, with a guarantee that if the goods arrive late, the customer is entitled to a £10 voucher to spend at the online store.


An oversight meant that the codes on the vouchers could be used more than once, and could also be swapped, so that different shoppers could use the same codes.

One shopper, 35-year-old John Bradley, said he managed to get thousands of pounds of free goods.

He found he was charged only £12 for £72 worth of shopping.

"I was a little shocked. I started opening loads of different accounts with Sainsbury's, using my name, address and the same credit card number.

"I booked a delivery every day. Over the past five weeks I have received goods with a value of just under £5,000," he said.

News of the loophole spread when one shopper shared the voucher codes over the internet.

A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's said: "We have since changed the process of how the vouchers are numbered."

The spokeswoman said the problem, which emerged this week, had only been going on for a few weeks before it was spotted.

"We do not have a figure for how much was taken, or how many people were able to take advantage of this loophole," she said, adding that the timed delivery guarantee was still in operation