Granite Worktops - Truth, Lies and misinformation

cddc

dacouch wrote: »

If you're buying your kitchen from Magnets or Wickes in their "Sale" you may want to read this article first.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/11311940/Beware-tricks-behind-some-Boxing-Day-sales-shoppers-are-warned.html

Yawn... That really is not news! To be honest, anyone with a brain knows this...

Why do companies do this? Because it Works. End Of. The public expect it.

For instance, Wickes tried to move away from this in the first half of last year and their sales suffered as a result.They went back to the 50% off malarkey in the second half of the year and hey presto, sales recovered! In reality, were their offer prices any different? Erm..No! But if you wave a 50% off flag in peoples faces they come through the door. Fact sadly.

It is also a fact that the post Christmas market is the most competitive of the year for the sheds and therefore when you do tend to get the best deals. For instance, there is a lot of Interest free Credit deals on at the moment, which you will not likely see for the rest of the year.

bigjoe

Not sure if this thread is still alive, but loking for granite worktop recommendation in Borders / Edinburgh area.

dacouch

cddc wrote: »

Yawn... That really is not news! To be honest, anyone with a brain knows this...

Why do companies do this? Because it Works. End Of. The public expect it.

For instance, Wickes tried to move away from this in the first half of last year and their sales suffered as a result.They went back to the 50% off malarkey in the second half of the year and hey presto, sales recovered! In reality, were their offer prices any different? Erm..No! But if you wave a 50% off flag in peoples faces they come through the door. Fact sadly.

It is also a fact that the post Christmas market is the most competitive of the year for the sheds and therefore when you do tend to get the best deals. For instance, there is a lot of Interest free Credit deals on at the moment, which you will not likely see for the rest of the year.

Thanks, Wickes must be very proud of you

andyhop

bigjoe wrote: »

Not sure if this thread is still alive, but loking for granite worktop recommendation in Borders / Edinburgh area.

Edinburgh granite and marble at Loanhead

cddc

dacouch wrote: »

Thanks, Wickes must be very proud of you

The Telegraph must be very proud of you too...:p

dacouch

cddc wrote: »

The Telegraph must be very proud of you too...:p

I don't work for the Telegraph, I was just linking to a relevant newspaper article, you leap to the defence of your employer

cddc

dacouch wrote: »

I don't work for the Telegraph, I was just linking to a relevant newspaper article, you leap to the defence of your employer

If you actually read my post, I am not defending it, I am just saying this is how it is....and why. Besides that article is such lazy and late journalism as this has been on the press, the OFT's, and parliament's radar for several years now. There have also been plenty of threads on here about it.

Most companies would prefer not to do it as it costs money to print all the promotional material and eight different price lists a year, most of which end up being pulped.

The facts are that if you don't do it, you lose sales and market share to those competitors that do. Look at Wren. Arrived on the market a few years ago promising fair and transparent pricing...look at them now..the least transparent of the lot.

Even B&Q, who claim they offer "Everyday low pricing" actually change their prices on a whim seven or eight times a year based on what offers their competitors are showing.

If you don't like it vote with your feet...If you do, just watch..the companies will rapidly follow the consumers as they will structure their prices the way the market tells them too.

In the meantime, both you and I will be living with it until that day comes, which I suspect may well be a long time coming.

lle

When we had our kitchen fitted about 10 years ago we had laminate worktops. Then had an island installed with a granite worktop in a colour which picked out the orange flecks on the laminate. Although laminate is still good, we want to do a bit of remodelling in the kitchen and have thought of getting the granite overlay. At the beginning of this thread (abt 5 years ago) it was said that the overlay wasn't far short of real granite in price. Does anyone know if this is still the case?

spacebug

When we got a quote about 3 months ago we found that the quote from Granite Transformations was roughly the same as the quote for real granite from Mayfair Granite. We went with Quartz from Mayfair in the end and are very happy with it.

Seronera

Confucious he say.....nothing glass or ceramic ever bounce off granite worktop;)