GREAT 'WHAT SHOPS DON'T WANT US TO KNOW" HUNT

MSE_Martin
MSE_Martin Posts: 8,272
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Money Saving Expert
This Hunt calls on shop workers to collate the secrets the high street (and internet) stores wouldn't want us as customers to know. Can we haggle? What do consumers do wrong? How can we get better prices?

If you work in a shop please add your tips here.
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Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
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Comments

  • OVERTHEODDS
    OVERTHEODDS Posts: 128 Forumite
    Excellent idea. I work part time for a large supermarket and will dig up my customer service training manual to let you know what you should know, that they don't want you to know.
  • tullula_2
    tullula_2 Posts: 461 Forumite
    A friend works in Thomas Cook and told me they charge basically what they want on discounted hols. Apparently one guy paid nearly £500 over the odds for a holiday.:mad: Will I get in trouble posting this .
    Happy to be here.:D :hello:
  • Katgoddess
    Katgoddess Posts: 1,821
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    I work for a supermarket but I don't think I'm going to be brave enough to post stuff.

    My profit share is in jeopardy. ;)

    I'll see what others post first...
  • an anonymous form of posting to this thread is what's required, since it's likely that a lot of "tips" will be confidential. If anyone wants to, they can PM the tips to me and I'll re-post them here in an anonymous way.. :silenced:
  • p4psb
    p4psb Posts: 56 Forumite
    My partner used to work for a lighting shop. They doubled (at least) the price of everything they got in before selling it to customers. VAT was then added.
    In addition they had a sale all year!
  • Edinburghlass_2
    Edinburghlass_2 Posts: 32,680
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    p4psb wrote:
    My partner used to work for a lighting shop. They doubled (at least) the price of everything they got in before selling it to customers. VAT was then added.
    In addition they had a sale all year!

    That is the general rule of thumb for pricing ;)
  • James_Bond
    James_Bond Posts: 481 Forumite
    I've heard that various "GAME" and other similar shops can sell pre-owned games for whatever they want aslong as they make at least 40% profit. So if more than 40% profit is made, the workers get a share. So I guess it's worth haggling in these types of shops, although I'm haven't tried it myself.

    Rgds,

    James Bond
    The Name's Bond James Bond
  • pdrg
    pdrg Posts: 15 Forumite
    Bit of an obvious one, but extended warranties...the assistant will push and push you to take one as the shop manager's bonus is paid on his store having a 10% take in warranties (certain large elecrical chain). I once had to sell a £40 warranty on a WALKMAN (admittedly a better than average walkman, but still, that was outrageous).

    If, for some perverse reason, you *do* want an extended warranty from a large store, use it as a bartering point - as they are so desparate to get the 10% sales value on warranties, managers will often discount the goods heavily just to get you to sign for the overpriced warranty.
  • pdrg
    pdrg Posts: 15 Forumite
    Oh, and I used to work at a holiday park where the only access between the bars and the real outside world was through the 'amusements'. A boss of mine was a smart chap, and one hour before the bar closed he'd swap all the £5 notes in the till for £1 coins - so you'd get all your change in coins.

    This worked 2 ways -
    1) the kids of our upmarket guests would whine and pester their drunk parents for coins to play the games and likely as not gamble away on the penny falls
    2) as the amusements closed 30 mins after kicking out time, there were always plenty of bulging uncomfy pockets as the adults had to weave their way through the flashing lights...

    Not a moneysaving tip per. se., more a jfyi :)
  • Lucie_2
    Lucie_2 Posts: 1,482
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    No "insider info" to share, but I have learnt that most tele-sales (insurance etc) have a discretionary % discount which they are allowed to offer. Usually 10%. They will never offer you this discount unless you ask for a better price. So the next time you get a quote for car/home/whatever insurance over the phone, just ask if that's the best price they can do or are they able to reduce it slightly?

    If you don't ask you don't get.............
This discussion has been closed.
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