Chemist Warehouse Online Bait and Switch?

scottishdave on 19/11/2019 - 11:45
Last edited 19/11/2019 - 11:47

I have been buying a generic script item through Chemist Warehouse for years. The price that Chemist Warehouse and other online pharmacies advertise is $29.99.
On the Chemist Warehouse site it now shows "Temporary Low Stock" and you cannot buy it online and they suggest ringing your local Chemist Warehouse branch. I rang a number of their branches and they said they haven't stocked the $29.99 generic for months and the only generic they sell now is the GH branded generic at $49.99. I was told that they have no intention of stocking any other cheaper generic brands of this item in future.

Is this a new "bait and switch" tactic?

Should they remove the web page showing the $29.99 priced item that they will never stock again? This is almost anticompetitive behaviour because when you do a Google search for the item, the Chemist Warehouse for the no-longer stocked item comes up first, pushing the competitors' genuine entries for the same item at $29.99 further down the search results.

I contacted a few other online pharmacies with brick and mortar stores and they sell the cheaper generic and another for $29.99. I'm going there this afternoon to buy from one of their pharmacies.

By the way, I know from a friend of a friend who used to be a pharmacist that the cost price for the item is around $5.

I'm wondering if Chemist Warehouse are doing this with other generics across a range of pharmaceuticals, pushing their customers onto more and more expensive generics when competitors can sell the similar generic items at half the price?

Health & Beauty

Related Stores

Chemist Warehouse
Chemist Warehouse

Comments

  • mbck on 19/11/2019 - 11:56
    +9

    The argument of cost price is pretty null imho. Unless you are wanting to study being a pharmacist, fork out huge capital outlay to open a pharmacy, only for you to get meds at cost price…

    Plus, cost price is one thing, but soon you'll find you'll have to pay labour, rent, outgoings. Obviously you want to make sure you are paid for your effort in doing everything…

    In regards to bait and switch, nah that's not it. They just have amazing SEO (or putting lots of money on it). Bait and switch would be, "hey come buy this for 10 bucks" and when you went there, the SAME ITEM is actually 20 bucks.

  • Hybroid on 19/11/2019 - 11:58
    +8

    Is this a new "bait and switch" tactic?

    No. Next?

    • cameldownunder on 19/11/2019 - 16:05

      That was boring !

      • Hybroid on 19/11/2019 - 16:45

        Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?

  • brokenglish on 19/11/2019 - 12:02

    I think it’s only for particular item or at particular branch. When I checked the price for my prescription online at Chemist Warehouse and Terry White, the cheapest I could find was $25+. Then I went in store (CW), they gave me the $3.99. Triple checked to make sure it’s the correct med. At least the label is correct. I didnt ask about the online price just in case they changed the price LOL

  • scottishdave on 19/11/2019 - 13:10

    Below, is a link to an ABC Radio National program transcript on pricing in the pharmacy sector. On the web page, the transcript is collapsed, so click "show" on the same line as "Transcript" to show the transcript text.
    https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/h…

  • JimmyF on 19/11/2019 - 13:13
    +3

    I have been buying a generic script item through Chemist Warehouse for years.

    Is this a new "bait and switch" tactic?

    Do you know what bait and switch is?

    You think they're playing the long game by selling it cheap for years on the plan that stock would run out and then shift you over to a more costly product?

    Should they remove the web page showing the $29.99 priced item that they will never stock again?

    Its listed as not in stock online and ring the local store. Clearly they have stock somewhere

    This is almost anticompetitive behaviour

    Nope

    I contacted a few other online pharmacies with brick and mortar stores and they sell the cheaper generic and another for $29.99. I'm going there this afternoon to buy from one of their pharmacies.

    Ok problem solved

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 19/11/2019 - 13:30
    +11

    OP's thread title is a bait and switch.

    They advertised a juicy bait and switch switch reveal. Instead I come in here and OP is not offering a juicy bait and switch reveal but instead is offering a boring pharmacy conspiracy theory.

    • orangetrain on 19/11/2019 - 14:14
      +7

      I reported him to ACCC. I hope I get a refund for time spent on this thread.

  • dasher86 on 19/11/2019 - 16:06
    +1

    Sounds like OP found one in a 1000 or so products which has been discontinued in the supply and no-one in the broader business has picked it up to change the website.
    And of course customer service doesn't know so just refers them to the store.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/11/2019 - 16:39
    +2

    CW is just not good at maintaining their website when it comes to prescribed medicine.

    As for stock level and such, It's a franchise so it's really up to the individual business owner.

    • Fiximol on 19/11/2019 - 18:40
      +1

      It's a franchise

      Well now that's a topic for another discussion ;)

  • Serenestyles on 21/11/2019 - 14:19

    a refund for time lol can you let me know if you get some I want 20 years please thanks

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