Panasonic has 1p integration error

Oh dear, I have to report a bit of a goof here. Not by me, I hasten to add, but by those awfully nice Panasonic people.

The problem for Panasonic was that, according to the ZDNet UK news blog on Thursday, arniesaccnuson of Gloucester had discovered that due to a mistake or malevolent hacking or possibly both it was possible to access that part of the Panasonic website dealing with flat panel displays and get hold of a display for as little as 1p. Was this true? Had Panasonic lost its mind or control of its web site or both?

Of course not, as it turned out. “There had been an integration error,” explained the spokesperson for Panasonic. “This resulted in the offer to sell things for a penny.”

So that was OK then. Well, not quite. “At least we think that is what happened,” the spokesperson added.

“Some software was being upgraded from SAP to, er, something else,” when the problem offured the spokesperson said. That SAP software must be tricky stuff. Or maybe it was the “something else’s” fault. Anyway, the problem knocked part of the website out from Thursday to Monday afternoon. It is back up and running OK now though.

Does that mean that in the meantime users have been feasted themselves by snapping up flat screens for 1p a piece?

Sadly no. “No one would have received any good at that price,” said the spokesperson. “It is clearly covered in our terms and conditions. We will obviously give anybody who was affected a full refund.” Does that mean you will give them one penny, we asked? “Er, yes.”

Ah well. If anybody did manage to scurry away with a 1p flat screen, do let us know.