The Problem of Price Matching

adam on 23/12/2010 - 00:43

I had an issue this week with appliancesonline.com.au 'declining' to price match a Good Guys advertised price on a Dyson vacuum cleaner. They have a price match 'guarantee' but said that it was cheaper than they paid for it & they wouldn't match it.

In an email I signed 'disgusted' I explained the Trade Practices Act, mentioning misleading and deceptive conduct to them. On a phone call to them I told them that they mislead customers with this 'guarantee' into believing they are getting a good price, they attract customers using this deal as advertising & that they couldn't then just change their mind & decline it. Of course, by the time I'm talking to them about this I have no interest in giving them my money anymore anyway.

So my reason for posting this here is that I want to know peoples thoughts as to whether I am right in holding them to account for what they've advertised, or whether I should just let it go as it is their right to not make a loss on sales if they wish.

I've found this issue of price matching to be a problem many times, with companies declining to price match, often clinging to some term or condition, often refusing to price match any online prices (why should they exclude these at all?), or insisting that the item must be available within some geographic radius.

Thoughts?

General Discussion

Comments

  • neil on 23/12/2010 - 01:14

    Every retailer that I've dealt with who has a price match policy always trys to make excuses. Even Officeworks causes a stink if they can but at least with brick and mortar operations, you can speak to a manager or be "that guy" and make a scene.

    Looking at their site, http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/best-price-guarantee.aspx…, it seems they have a very clear price match policy. I guess it's easier for a company to fob you off before you buy it. I wonder if they'd do the same if you bought the vacuum then claimed their price match guarantee after.

  • StewBalls on 23/12/2010 - 02:15
    +2

    Same experience as Neil, they will all try to weasel out; some more deftly than others; but some are as subtle as a brick! My fave is "we can't pricematch our own stores" though, talk about a logic meltdown; poor Mr Spock is spinning in his grave…and not only is he not dead, but he's a fictional character, he never existed! :o

    I used to be the very 'that guy' Neil mentions, and I would usually win by virtue of sheer stubbornness; however, now I simply vote with my feet, there are some retailers I just won't go to at all, regardless of their 'price match/beat' policy, if someone else has a bargain, I just shop with the blokes who offer it. Arguing with idiots just to shave a few pennies is no longer high on my list of priorities! ;)

  • Davo1111 on 23/12/2010 - 03:21
    +2

    Reminds me of this forums topic from last year price matching is killing the retail industry

    tl:dr summary: Keeps customers in big chains (arguably destorys small businesses), doesnt reward company who offered cheap price.

    I had a massive argument at BigW at the start of the year regarding bigW price matching a national woolies catalogue

    But, in rural areas where i've lived, we heavily relied on Price Matching. At a certain well known franchise, i had to pricematch their own catalogue that they had at the front of the store! seriously.

    Generally i try and go to the source. Particularly since MSY has now opened a store in canberra, it's alot more plausible.

    "We pricematch" is a throw away line these days to attract customers. But it will soon become useless to the consumer. It would be nice if ACCC just set up a price match website. Store name, and what you tried to PM. That way they can look at trends and anomalies.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/12/2010 - 09:58

      Problem with any "website" monitoring is not just the old sockpuppet, but someone with a gripe against a store, so its never guaranteed to be accurate. Just look at Tradeleaks… Great ideas, like email, but now look at the spam. Anonymity can also breed opportunity

      Back on topic. Look at the price match guarantee they have online or on paper. If it doesnt qualify the price match, or if the qualifications dont apply then you have an ACCC case. Problem is the ACCC only goes for high impact cases. It doesnt have the resources to do otherwise, there are so many frauds they cant keep up. You need media coverage so they see it as important.

      It might be a story that the 6:30pm Scum shows might pick up, it should be easy for them with their secret cameras

  • sparkles on 23/12/2010 - 12:44
    +2

    Price matching is a funny thing. Even in the same store sometimes they are cool about it, other times they fight you hand over fist. The lamest excuse is "it's below our cost" so our price match guarantee no longer applies. Really, I know there are benefits to price matching, but if people actually shopped with whoever offered the best deal in the first place, maybe there might be better deals around. Compete or die.

  • adam on 24/12/2010 - 10:47

    Appliances Online did resolve my issue by offering me the price match (which I didn't take as I didn't want to do business with them) - and also assuring me that henceforth they will price match all legitimate requests they reserve, regardless of whether it is below their cost… I hope they're telling the truth. For the record it was Andrew @ Appliances Online that I spoke to.

  • Appliances Online on 24/12/2010 - 11:39
    +1

    Hi Adam, we thank you for your understanding in this matter. We do stand by our Best Price Guarantee that can be viewed here:

    http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/best-price-guarantee.aspx…

    We will be using your experience to inform the training of all staff here at Appliances Online. We are very sorry to hear that you will not be doing business with us and hope that you might give us another shot in the future. We wish you all the best for the festive season.

  • adam on 24/12/2010 - 16:25

    Glad to see you're on here Appliances Online - it's good for you to be a part of the discussion.

  • roadtrip24 on 25/12/2010 - 10:26

    Just wanted to add that I have had an excellent customer service experience with appliancesonline some months ago and I got a good price on an oven (i think anyway).
    I've had similar price match experiences though with dick smith's and JB saying they don't price match because it is below cost and also in sydney city when they say they won't price match a store in broadway which is less than 10km away!

  • esq on 25/12/2010 - 15:49

    It's just occurred to me that I am reading a thread written by The Stig. Also, pricematching is pretty iffy if you are matching something dramatically below RRP. Great for cameras and such though, those are always sold with decent markup, even during "sales" (cf. standard US prices on Amazon).

  • Hintswen on 25/12/2010 - 20:40

    I always try to get EB Games to price match (For some reason I just prefer buying from EB Games). I have even gotten them to price match a $0.04 difference once :D

    Some of the excuses they have used on me:
    -You need to bring in a catalog, we cannot accept a print out (Printed off the page from a competitor retail store's website which showed the in-store price, it wasn't shown in their catalog)
    -The other store needs to have ti in stock and you need proof of this (Seriously how do I get proof?)
    -We won't price match new releases (wth?)

    I usually get it matched though, if not then I just try next time or get it from the other store depending on how much I want it.

    • Nutrino on 09/01/2011 - 21:19

      Hi guys,

      This is my first post…

      This is how to increse your chances of getting a price match…

      Don't go out of your way and just ruck up to a store and just ask for a price match on an item with out doing a bit of research.

      Most stores I've been to laugh when asked to price the Internet. Comon guys. You know why.

      As long as then store has a pickup point with face to face customer service, PM should be ok.

      Don't bother with www.best price-emailonly.com.au type operations.

      1. Make sure the competitor has a store, or a detonate pickup point

      2. Call the store confirm the price, make sure they have stock, NEW Non display item, and GET THE PERSON NAME.

      3. bring in the supporting paper work, and make sure it's not EXPIRED.

      4. if you PM a local internet store let the sales person know the Delivery charge. (if they PM Internet stores in the first place)

      5. Be their friend goes a long way, be honest, if you are comfortable tell the reason why you are buying from them and not the other retailer.

      Eg. Their service sucks, I always shop with you guys, in other words be nice. Dont demand a PM as your god given write.

      1. If you live in Sydney, don't PM jimmy's electricals in Alice springs… Comon

      Ok, I've taken my advice hat off and put my sales person hat on.

      I've had people who tried to PM…

      • A docket from god only knows where… We don't do that where I work.

      Was it a mates rate deal?
      Was it a beat up ex display gone thru a tumble dryer?
      Was it a staff exclusive special?

      To be a fair PM, I always ask customer if I can still get The deal at the same price and place from the original docket. If I can, ill PM. Brand new. Offer must be available to everyone.

      Where I work, it doesn't Matter weather it's under cost, we care about if it's a legit deal, hell, if it's legit, you often find our own staff PM the same items.

      • a percentage off sale, eg. Do you PM jimmys 25% off Half year clearance?…

      FIND OUT THE AFTER DISCOUNT PRICE WFS….

      Jb are nortorious for bumping prices up before a percentage off sale. Others do it to. You find most retailers cancel there special price for time period the percentage off sale in on.

      That it for now.

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