SHOPPERS who queued up all night outside a Range store for a "£2,000 gift bag" have been left furious after being given just £5 and some pens.
Bargain-hunters rocked up with camping chairs and blankets at 11pm last night ahead of the grand opening of the Range's new store in Bury, Manchester today.
In its advertising for the store's opening, The Range promised the first 200 customers would receive "a gift bag with prizes worth over £2,000 to celebrate the 200th store".
But the offer seemed to create some confusion – with fuming shoppers saying some of the gifts were worth no more than £10.
The Range has since explained that the "total value of prizes and gift cards given away to the first 200 customers was £2,000".
A spokesperson for the chain said there were a lot of happy customers at the opening of the new store, and the first three people in line won special prizes including £100 vouchers, a hot tub, a kayak and a paddle board.
But other shoppers who had waited through the night for the doors to open were less pleased.
According to Manchester Evening News, one shopper, Emma Louise, who queued from 5am for the opening, said: "We were promised a £2,000 grand prize I got there at 5am with good faith that I was going to win.
"Waited four hours, spent so much money on hot drinks to stay warm.
"Finally, I received my bag, it had a pack of pencils inside, a bath bubble, a moisturiser, a bag of chocolates and gift card.
"When I spoke to the woman I asked her how much was on it and got told it would be between £250 and £500.
"Went to the till and the women said I had won ‘5’ I said 'what £500' she goes no '£5'.
"I was so upset not only did I waste my time, I wasted my money on £30 taxi to get down and £12 on hot drinks to stay warm. Feel very let down."
Another shopper added: "In the bag there was a bottle of bubble bath, body lotion, a trolley coin, bag of chocolate, out of date edible cake decorations, packet of pencils, cup cake cases, Minky cleaning pad, and a gift card which we had to take to a till to find out the value, we and everybody around us had a fiver in it.
"It was obvious they had worded the press release in a way to make it look like it was worth queuing for so they had nice pictures.
"I was there for 6am but there were one or two people who had been out all night. I just hope they got one of the decent prizes promised."
I was so upset not only did I waste my time, I wasted my money on £30 taxi to get down and £12 on hot drinks to stay warm. Feel very let down."
A spokesperson for The Range said more than 400 shoppers queued for the grand opening.
The new store is spread over three floors and 65,000 sqft, including an in-house Iceland and Iceland cafe.
A statement said: "Three excited shoppers who had stayed outside of the store overnight bagged themselves a goody bag with a £100 gift card to spend in store and amazing spot prizes.
"First through the doors was 49-year-old Claire Chapman who received a Lay-Z Spa hot tub. Ryan Wright, 26, who was second in the queue, received Kayak and sail, while the third person in the queue, 34-year-old Tracey Kerr, received a stand-up paddle board.
"All of the first 200 shoppers through the doors received a goody bag which contained gift cards ranging from £5-£100 and spot prizes which included love to shop vouchers, drill sets, door mats, art deco bin, electric heater and lots more household goodies.
"The total value of prizes and gift cards given away to the first 200 customers was £2,000."
Source: Read Full Article