I thought many people would be interested in reading about this
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-10/choice-hands-shonky-a…
This Year's Shonky Awards names Harvey Norman and Latitude Finance
scottishdave on 10/11/2020 - 06:27
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I agree… they are either ex-used car sales people, or HN tech is the breeding ground for future used car sales people.
Couldn't agree more. Part of the reason why I've barely set foot in the joint for 10+ years. Classic "barrow boys" and not with any positive connotation.
sales and tech people
Didn't realise HN had them.
Tech support, like if your laptop is having problems. You send it in and some guy copies all your private files, or so I've been told. There's no strict policies or protocols around user data, it's just whatever goes, give it to some young inexperienced guys to go through. That's what I've been told anyway. They charge you professional prices but you don't get the professional service that you'd expect from Apple or Dell or whatever.
Even if HN doesn't hire the shadiest people, their HR and commission policies push people to becoming shady.
I found it really funny when some idiot here slammed me for saying that I didnt care if HN employees were fired due to covid etc.
Yeah as if I care if them dropkicks lose their jobs.
Gerry Harvey will just have a quiet chat to his mates in the Government and he'll continue ripping people off.
Don't all of this places that offer "interest free" options, do exactly the same thing that Harvey Norman does? I'm no Gerry fan, but why do they not include all of them?
""Something needs to be done about Harvey Norman and Latitude charging 22.74 per cent interest rates."
Loan sharks are cheaper
It hurts when they con vulnerable people to buy things like the infamous, unnecessarily expensive HDMI cables
https://www.harveynorman.com.au/monster-black-platinum-1-5m-…
and then get them to use Latitude Finance to pay for it.
On Whirlpool.net.au being sold an unnecessarily expensive Monster HDMI cable from Harvey Norman has become a meme for being sucked in.
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2040252Which is why Afterpay is kinda good, conditions people to accept zero percent interest as an acceptable level of interest. Afterpay are pretty good with payment reminders, text message the day and three days before every single payment now. They still earn millions a year from fees from people who ignore the reminders. This kind of conditioning has to be a good thing, keeping people aware of upcoming payments, laying all the payments out on one page, etc.
Brought a Sony Blu Ray player for under $150, tied to sell me a $50 HDMI cable, said no, offered to discount it to $40. LOL.
OG "Gold plating"
Is that rate really that high? I'm pretty sure my bankwest card is 21.99 or something. I thought it was the normal rate
My MeBank is 9.99%. I never pay any interest because I resent it being so high.
Oh jeez well shows what I know about interest rates. I'm the same though, just pay the card before the due date and all cards are 0.00% interest.
If you always pay by the due date the interest rate doesn't matter - take your bonus points and be happy.
The issue with Harvey Norman/Latitude is the targeting of the vulnerable. They are drawn in with the lure of 60 months interest free and then issued a high rate card. If they can make a certain level of monthly payment every month for five years without fail then they will truly pay no interest.
However the system is designed to let them fail. First there is a minimum payment listed that will not be enough to make it interest free. If they are late with a payment or only pay the minimum amount, they quickly accrue more debt than they can handle. Also, there's nothing stopping them putting other goods on the card once it's issued and these will not be interest free.
Also, there's nothing stopping them putting other goods on the card once it's issued and these will not be interest free.
These items, typically, are also the last the be paid off too. This means your repayments are going towards the initial interest free purchase before the interest accruing ones. Works the same with cash advances on credit cards.
I have a debit card, if I dont have the cash then I aint buying
I have no issues with HN and Latitude Finance giving people with low financial literacy high interest credit cards if they pass the rigorous credit check process.
It is incumbent on the individual to know what you are buying and what you are signing up for.
Don't blame HN for selling you expensive HMDI cables, that's what they are supposed to do, sell and cross sell.
Don't blame LF for providing an expensive credit card, that's what they are supposed to do, sell their products, no laws have been broken.
There is no irresponsible lending, only irresponsible borrowing.
They did a backflip on this one, because at one point 1-2 years ago, Choice was recommending the Handy Andy floor cleaner product in the printed mag.
We use Baking soda and Vinegar as an alternative to harsh chemicals.
I use them for sink drains, fun to do, seems to help a little in controlling drain flies.
Baking soda and a cup of Vinegar, then flush with boiling water.
Harvey Norman, in my experience, hire the shadiest sales and tech people.