MSE News: Flaw revealed in John Lewis 'Never Knowingly Undersold' price guarantee

Former_MSE_Guy

"The store has come under fire after it was revealed its guarantee won't apply on many electricals ..."

Read the full story:
Flaw revealed in John Lewis 'Never Knowingly Undersold' price guarantee

thelawnet

Hardly unfair, I've read many forum posts of people getting John Lewis to price match a competitor in order to get JL's 5 year guarantee 'free'.

They aren't required to price match at all.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

Then they should drop this so called "guarantee" with immediate effect. It's just a BS marketing gimmick that isn't worth the paper it is written on, is dishonest, and should be illegal.
Misleading pitches like theirs really irritate me.
A bit like the "UP TO 99% OFF" on selected items - which usually means that two items have been marked down by 0.1%.
Charlatans, spivs and con artists.
No wonder so many MPs used to buy from them.

Loanranger

Not unfair at all!
John Lewis are comparing like with like.
Isn't this what Martin tells us to do when comparing insurance prices?

WestonDave

Hmm - on one hand its fair enough that they want a like for like match otherwise it could get a bit daft - Argos is £5 cheaper but you have to collect it from John O Groats whereas JL deliver free etc. However if JL are adding non standard benefits that no-one else is offering in the market - e.g. free extended warranties or non standard length warranties (for example JL offer 2 or 5 years, whereas most do 1 or 3 years) - then its clear they are never going to price match and so it becomes a meaningless gimmick.

The real question is whether they are actually being as clever as they think. If I were marketing JL (and you + they will be glad I'm not!) I would be a bit wary of this policy creating a groundswell of bad feeling rather than being a positive tactic. It might be better to market on quality and benefits rather than trying to compete on outright price.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

Whatever someone's view of it, I do feel that John Lewis are shooting themself in the foot with this one. If they are using this bit of bogus marketing to get people through the doors, only to tell them that they won't price match, that may well be worse than never offering a misleading promise in the first place.
You see, once I realise that a company is trying to take me for an idiot, I put myself out not to do business with them.
Not that they are bothered, because I am small fry and they are big fish.
Maybe their strategy does gain them sales over all but it wouldn't work with me.
Mind you, I'm a tight git. I would rather go to freecycle anyway

Paulgonnabedebtfree

WestonDave wrote: »

Hmm - on one hand its fair enough that they want a like for like match otherwise it could get a bit daft - Argos is £5 cheaper but you have to collect it from John O Groats whereas JL deliver free etc. However if JL are adding non standard benefits that no-one else is offering in the market - e.g. free extended warranties or non standard length warranties (for example JL offer 2 or 5 years, whereas most do 1 or 3 years) - then its clear they are never going to price match and so it becomes a meaningless gimmick.

The real question is whether they are actually being as clever as they think. If I were marketing JL (and you + they will be glad I'm not!) I would be a bit wary of this policy creating a groundswell of bad feeling rather than being a positive tactic. It might be better to market on quality and benefits rather than trying to compete on outright price.

Pretty much my view but you say it much better than I.

Sooler

The trick would be for JL to price match and give the same length warranty.

Argos Washing machine £219 with 1 year warranty

JL Washing machine £279 with 2 year warranty - no price match

JL price match Washing machine £219 with 1 year warranty.

gt94sss2

Paulgonnabedebtfree wrote: »

Then they should drop this so called "guarantee" with immediate effect. It's just a BS marketing gimmick that isn't worth the paper it is written on, is dishonest, and should be illegal.

Agreed - especially since expensive electronic items like washing machines and TV's will be covered for up to 5-6 years via the Sales of Goods Act - regardless of whether you buy it from John Lewis or another retailer - and regardless of whether they 'officially' have a 1, 2, 3 or 5 year warranty..

Regards
Sunil

meher

but they clarify it: as long as their service conditions are comparable, such as delivery charges and guarantee terms

Comparable service conditions include factors such as:

• delivery charges and timescales
• guarantees provided free or at a charge
• fitting or installation services, including accreditation of fitters, scope of workmanship, materials used and timescales

Paulgonnabedebtfree

meher wrote: »

but they clarify it: as long as their service conditions are comparable, such as delivery charges and guarantee terms

I've not seen their ad but it's a fair bet that the price match bit is in 10 feet high lettering emblazoned in lights and the finer details are in two point high lettering that you couldn't read with a hubble telescope . And, if you are really lucky, the two point high lettering might even be a different colour from the background.
They should start a new company. "Chameleon Marketing Ltd."

Yeah I know, I know. I do rip the pi55 out of some of these companies' tactics.