Price match con - High street stores.

PhatDad

Hi,

I had an idea the stores were working together but had it confirmed recently by a Curry's salesman.

You see I've been trying to price match as I have some insurance vouchers for Curry's and can find the TV's elsewhere for a lot cheaper but obviously Curry's don't pricematch those stores. They only match four stores.

Now, is it me or does anyone else find it strange that I can find the exact same television in comet or argos BUT the model number is a digit or two different. So one TV in curry's is model number 5010 and in comet it is 5020. Same spec, same design, same tv only the sticker on the back is one digit different.

My wife didn't believe me when I mentioned it but then the store assistant backed me up and said that when the DSG group order they tell them what they want and the model number. I take it this is what the other stores do too, effectively working together to prevent the price match guarantee.

I hates it, wish I had vouchers to another company.

advent1122

Will the vouchers cover you for the tv that has to be replaced?
If so I fail to see your gripe.
I had my tv damaged and was given vouchers to replace the tv, whether I could find it cheaper elsewhere I cared not a jot, I had my tv replaced.

PhatDad

It's not really about the vouchers though it's this 'Price match' deal that they do, knowing full well they can't be beat because of the four stores they allow you to price match they work in tandem with to make sure none of them have the same model numbers despite the TV's being the same models.

The high street stores would have a lot more bargains IF they competed fairly between themselves rather than using this system.

advent1122

Why bother with a price match. If it is cheaper elsewhere and they are being awkward with a price match, I just buy it from the cheaper store.
No big deal.

PhatDad

advent1122 wrote: »

Will the vouchers cover you for the tv that has to be replaced?
If so I fail to see your gripe.
I had my tv damaged and was given vouchers to replace the tv, whether I could find it cheaper elsewhere I cared not a jot, I had my tv replaced.

To add though, no, the vouchers do not allow me to get a like for like TV. I currently have a top of the range, at the time, 21" Sony TV and they gave us the vouchers worth 19" Sony LCD claiming that the lcd tv is better quality. This is for our living room so a 19" tv is no bigger than my computer monitor and would really look out of place due to it not being a CRT filling the space. I'm prepared to add a little extra to get the larger tv that will suit our needs better but we're forced to shop where any tv on it's shelves can be found 150 quid cheaper elsewhere.

PhatDad

advent1122 wrote: »

Why bother with a price match. If it is cheaper elsewhere and they are being awkward with a price match, I just buy it from the cheaper store.
No big deal.

Because I have vouchers from my insurance company so HAVE to use this very expensive company.

EDIT: I forgot to add, they don't even price match their own Dixons which is a cheaper store.

Jakg

Dixons = Internet only to get the lower prices.

It's unfair to expect a real shop with big overheads to compete against the internet only arm of itself.

PhatDad

Jakg wrote: »

Dixons = Internet only to get the lower prices.

It's unfair to expect a real shop with big overheads to compete against the internet only arm of itself.

Yeah but they compete with argos where the same tv we want is 150 quid cheaper. Richer sounds, much smaller retailer and they have the tv just as cheap too. But, Argos have the different model number but same tv and Richer sounds isn't one of the approved DSG price match companies.

PBA

PhatDad wrote: »

To add though, no, the vouchers do not allow me to get a like for like TV. I currently have a top of the range, at the time, 21" Sony TV and they gave us the vouchers worth 19" Sony LCD claiming that the lcd tv is better quality.

Well then this is nothing to do with the retailer, you need to take this back to the insurance company.

KidMoe

PhatDad wrote: »

To add though, no, the vouchers do not allow me to get a like for like TV. I currently have a top of the range, at the time, 21" Sony TV and they gave us the vouchers worth 19" Sony LCD claiming that the lcd tv is better quality. This is for our living room so a 19" tv is no bigger than my computer monitor and would really look out of place due to it not being a CRT filling the space. I'm prepared to add a little extra to get the larger tv that will suit our needs better but we're forced to shop where any tv on it's shelves can be found 150 quid cheaper elsewhere.

To be fair, the visible screen size on a 19" LCD is about the same as a 21" CRT, so the insurance company are correct in this respect. The only difference in size would be that the LCD tv is thinner. If the TV is HD ready as well it should offer better picture quality too.

Patrick20

KidMoe is correct 19" LCD screens are the same as 21" CRT

The fact that you can get a 19" LCD now for a 21" CRT means that you are getting new technology for old technology. So you are benifiting not the company.