The great Comet (and the rest) rip-off

A._Badger

dehaani wrote: »

Virtually all retailers are doing this and to be perfectly honest, if it weren't for the idiotic customers who only buy things at a "reduction" then it wouldn't be necessary at all.

The retailers have to *establish* a price for a certain duration before they can legally advertise a "saving".

This is very much the norm for electrical retailers. When I worked in Currys, we would routinely receive products that were double the price you'd expect anyone to pay. They would be displayed in a corner somewhere for a month then suddenly, they'd be "half price" and moved to a premium display spot.

I was amazed for years at how people would fixate on the massive "saving" and nobody ever took a moment to think "would any sane person pay double for that?". People just assume that the previous *price* indicates the product's *value*.

There are hundreds of products which have been running in and out of their "normal" and offer prices for years. Sometimes I just wish people would open their eyes and see what's going on. It's far less consequential in a supermarket because of the relatively cheaper products, so they can do it more often without people getting annoyed about it.

Quite often a "deal" would run into a price establishment phase during a "sale". It happens ALL THE TIME!!! You just wouldn't normally notice, unless you work there or happen to have procrastinated about a certain product at the wrong time.

A fair point. But it is unfair to blame the general public when they have been trained to behave this way by those selfsame stores. This is partly what I was getting at earlier, when I lamented the way that Comet and DSG have decimated the traditional retail market for white goods and now do, more or less, what they like.

These devices are market distorting and trying to open consumers' eyes to such scams is, surely, one of MSE's purposes?

tomthebomb

The DSG Group (Curry's, Dixon's, Comet, PC World, etc. etc. etc.) should be avoided like the plague at all times.
As well as the shenanigans outlined in this thread there is the old "extended warranty" scam to be noted - only giving a basic 1 year guarantee while Aldi, Lidl, etc. offer the standard European 3 years & John Lewis 5 years.
Where was the Monopolies Commision when all this phoney competition was killing off the genuine traders & turning our High Streets into rip-off clones of one another.
I can only conclude that this situation must suit someone or the government would have done something about a long time ago.

P.S. Why is there only one Monopolies Commision ???

A._Badger

tomthebomb wrote: »

The DSG Group (Curry's, Dixon's, Comet, PC World, etc. etc. etc.) should be avoided like the plague at all times.
As well as the shenanigans outlined in this thread there is the old "extended warranty" scam to be noted - only giving a basic 1 year guarantee while Aldi, Lidl, etc. offer the standard European 3 years & John Lewis 5 years.
Where was the Monopolies Commision when all this phoney competition was killing off the genuine traders & turning our High Streets into rip-off clones of one another.
I can only conclude that this situation must suit someone or the government would have done something about a long time ago.

P.S. Why is there only one Monopolies Commision ???

To be strictly accurate (because the apologists will be along soon, otherwise) it's worth noting that DSG doesn't include Comet. Comet is aka Laskys and lurks behind at last one of the major web-based 'discount' brands as well.

Also, John Lewis gives a two year guarantee on all electrical goods, and three on its own brand products (which seem to be made by the Electrolux group - aka Electrolux, Zanussi, AEG and others). A five year guarantee with JL has to be paid for.

What actual basis in law there is to the habitual 12 month warranty from the likes of Comet, Currys and others seems to be a moot point at the moment.

tomthebomb

Thanks for the correction on Comet.
Sorry to correct you on JL but I have had 2 TVs from them in the last year & 5 years was included as standard. I shall of course check policy with them tomorrow when the store opens & report back.

A._Badger

tomthebomb wrote: »

Thanks for the correction on Comet.
Sorry to correct you on JL but I have had 2 TVs from them in the last year & 5 years was included as standard. I shall of course check policy with them tomorrow when the store opens & report back.

That's very interesting, thanks for the reaponse. I've been looking at JL's large appliances and there the two year guarantee on non-JL brands applies, but it seems they do, indeed, frequently give five years on TVs, as you say - which makes them an even better bet!

worcestersaver

A._Badger wrote: »

Because I was writing about a specific example - would you prefer that people
simply generalised?

I might, just as easily, ask why you are so particularly defensive of Comet. Do you work for them?

Not now or ever, i was just trying to educate you on commerce and law

A._Badger

worcestersaver wrote: »

Not now or ever, i was just trying to educate you on commerce and law

Which, as I have been successfully in business for over 35 years, suggests your powers of judgement (let alone modesty) might need a little fine-tuning.

worcestersaver

A._Badger wrote: »

Which, as I have been successfully in business for over 35 years, suggests your powers of judgement (let alone modesty) might need a little fine-tuning.

Then I hope your business continues to be profitable without somebody going online accusing you of deception when you done nothing legally or morally wrong.