Online/Instore prices

Chrissi

Just out of interest I was wondering what everyone's feelings are about this.

I checked out a book I was wanting from Waterstones at the weekend, £15 online, £25 instore. Great, order online I hear you all say! One slight problem, I was given vouchers for my birthday (Love 2 Shop ones, can be used in Waterstones) and wanted to use them. I hear you all saying 'Spend them on something else somewhere else and buy the book online!' - another problem, I do not have a credit or a debit card, I have the most basic of basic bank accounts (Protected Trust kinda screws me for anything else and I hate making money for banks), so I physically can't order it online. I know I could ask someone else to order it for me, but, meh, it seems a bit daft, especially when it's a store we have many branches of locally.

Now I understand that selling online you have less overheards to deal with etc, but £10 difference on a book seems a bit excessive to me! Maybe I am just a moaning minnie, but I can't be the only one a bit piddled off by this.

sweetstudent

Not really, you could always purchase a prepaid mastercard, however i would not recommend them as they charge for almost every transaction you make.

I don't see why people complain about the difference of store and online, online books/dvds come from a central warehouse = more stock and less staff = lower prices. I think many people prefer to buy from a 'bricks and mortar' store as opposed to a website. I personally buy almost all my media from iTunes or Amazon/Play.

Sorry to sound harsh and unforgiving but by you only having a basic bank account you are limiting yourself, i am onl 24 and i would be lost without my Debit/Credit Cards........

What are you going to do when/if you want to get a mortgage or finance, without a credit history you may find it very difficult.

Chrissi

Thanks, if you actually READ the post above you would maybe realise why I only have basic bank account - it ain't through choice!

I don't want Finance and never will again in my life, wouldn't thank you for it. If I don't have the money to buy something I will do without it, I have been screwed over royally by banks and finance companies and now want as little as possible to do with them. As for a mortgage, I am quite happy renting thank you very much, anything goes wrong with the place then the Landlord is responsible for any repairs etc. I will be quite happy renting for the rest of my life, wouldn't thank you for a mortgage, at least with my rent I know where I stand, after seeing the stress and straing friends have gone through with their mortgages recently I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Anyway, that was getting it off the main subject and I really can't be arsed with another argument today.

Helix

Waterstones are one of the better companies that let you use their own gift cards online (not love 2 shop ones) not many places do. Its just unfortuntate that you don't have an actual Waterstones gift card not a Love 2 Shop voucher

dottylotty

Chrissi...no your not alone in being peed off with this!
A couple of years ago I made the choice to hand back debit/credit cards as I was getting deeper into debt.
Obviously sweetstudent cannot understand what its like NOT to have these items and actually how difficult it is to manage without them!
I luckily managed to get myself back on track and asked my bank for my debit card as life was so diffciult without them...booking holidays, hiring a car/van! loads of things that others take for granted.

Ive now noticed a lot of places take Paypal, maybe Waterstones do as well? Although this doesnt help with the voucher situation.

Or there are 3v cards you can buy and use like a debit card, but again like sweetstudent says you have to pay a charge to use these.

Helix

If fact I just thought of something. Can't you use the Love 2 Shop voucher to buy a Waterstones Gift Card? Then you will be able to use this to order the book you want online without a Debit Card.

zenseeker

Helix wrote: »

If fact I just thought of something. Can't you use the Love 2 Shop voucher to buy a Waterstones Gift Card? Then you will be able to use this to order the book you want online without a Debit Card.

I am pretty sure that you cannot use vouchers to buy vouchers.

SmileyHappyBeing

Maybe if u go in-store and explain the situation they may do a swop like the prev posters have said, worth a try, the worst they can say is no...

anfear

Chrissi,

I agree with sweetstudent, those prepaid cards can be expensive. But if you have no other means to buy online you might be missing out on deals. I got one of the prepaid cards recently and if you use them right they arn't too bad. (still not as cheap as regular debit cards). Check out some of the better ones on http://www.money.co.uk/prepaid-cards.htm
Some of them are free to use online.

catch22

You could try and sell the voucher using ebay etc for £20, therefore you have £5 extra. Admittedly your also losing £5 but if there is nothing else you want it's worth it....

causey25

I don't think you would have any problem using your love2shop voucher to buy a W gift card in a branch, which you can then use online.