MSE News: 12 things they don't want you to know

Former_MSE_Helen · 3 March 2015 at 8:44PM

A company's job is to make money, nowt wrong with that, but here's a dirty dozen tricks to turn the system around...

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12 things they don't want you to know

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Pincher · 3 March 2015 at 10:37PM

Here's another one.

On 8th February, the EURO exchange rate was 1.34.

On the airport transfer bus, the ski rep was selling the ski pass.

Full price is € 283, as printed everywhere. The ski rep says she sells it for € 268, and she took credit cards. As I have a no fee Saga Platinum VISA card, it was a no brainer. Always a bad idea when I don't use my brain.

The credit card slip was one of those old style imprint ones, which I had to sign. On closer inspection, I am not paying in EUROs at all. She had converted € 268 into £207.75, at an exchange rate of 1.29. I did think it should be 1.34, but could not prove it, so stayed silent.

The next day, they forgot to activate the ski pass, so I had to go to the ticket office to sort it out, wasting about 20 minutes. If I simply paid the full price € 283, using the Saga card, it would have been £211.19 at the counter.

On further thought, I realised I should have paid cash in EUROs on the bus. € 268 is only £200!

The scam/system basically makes the ski company £7.75 by short changing me on the exchange rate. By paying in cash in EUROs, it denies them the profit. I get my EUROs from relatives when we visit each other, so no money changer makes a dime.

[Deleted User] · 4 March 2015 at 12:38PM

2. Zara sells its clothes at a fraction of the price...
If you plan to go to Spain (not France, not Germany), it's Zara's home country and it sells its clothes at vastly lower prices there.

OMG, who'd have known people sell the same article at different prices around the world?

However, there's no need to go abroad, some sellers sell at different prices depending on where you are in the country.

Still too far to travel, then you may find the same retailer selling the same product at a different price in the same town.
e.g. try to avoid Tesco/Morrisons etc local/express/metro type stores, but shop in their main store as prices will often be cheaper there.

Still too far to travel?
Then if buying from from HMV, then check out the store carefully. You will often find the same album, dvd, etc at 2 or more different prices even within the same store! (You pay the price the particular item is priced at, so select carfully before rushing to the cash desk)

And finally, of course, check out online prices which may differ to those instore. Ensure no added delivery charge, or perhaps choose click & collect? (Ensure terms allow you to pay the website price and not the price in store at time of collection)

MSE News: 12 things they don't want you to know

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