MSE News: Tesco halves Price Check maximum refund

geordie_joe

luxor4t wrote: »

"Tesco claims the changes are a result of customer feedback."

I can't imagine anybody said "Oh, you are giving me far too much money, please, please cap it before I drive Tesco out of business by recklessly buying overpriced items so that you have to pay me back!"

You have fallen for the same con millions have fallen for over the last few decades. Tell someone it is "the result of customer feedback" and they will think the customers have asked for it.

They asked customers if they liked the price check, customers said "yes, we are getting loads of money back". They thought "We are giving the customers loads of money back, how can we change it so we don't give them so much back"?

So they change it and announce that it is "the result of customer feedback", which is true, just not the way you think.

PS. I don't mean you personally, just people in general

oldvicar

I can't wait to hear a clever remark from Asda. Such as when Tesco first introduced a cap on its price promise last year:

Daily_Mail,_25_March_2011 wrote:

Tesco has responded to the problem by putting a cap of £20 on the value of refund vouchers.

But Asda said the problems demonstrated that Tesco was unable to live up to its promises on low prices. A spokesman for the store, Nick Agarwal, said:

Nick_Agarwal,_Director_of_Comunications_-__Asda_Stores_Ltd wrote:

'If you claim to be the cheapest, call me old fashioned, but it helps to really be the cheapest.'

cootuk

They can't all be cheapest, though what is cheap in one chain may be costlier in another, and vica-versa so the savings cancel out. People do seem happy getting a few pounds pricematch voucher back, which keeps them going back to the same chain.
Splitting the shop between two or more chains whilst exploiting offers to stock up may bring the lowest overall cost but with more hassle.

premierfella

These price check schemes are largely a gimmick, and given that many suggest that the comparison prices in the systems are not always accurate, you can't even 100% rely on getting the benefit of them. This one is worse than most as it only compares against one supermarket anyway!

As for the "Tesco claims the changes are a result of customer feedback" spin, this is peddled so regularly by companies (not just Tesco) that company marketing bods at head office don't even bother any more to check whether the statement is true or not (so leaving their companies open to accusations that they've forgotten what the word honesty means).

In this case, I suspect the customer feedback being referred to is probably nothing to do with the limit change - more likely it just refers to Tesco asking customers whether they think "Price Check" or "Price Promise" is the more suitable name.

zaax

luxor4t wrote: »

"Tesco claims the changes are a result of customer feedback."

I can't imagine anybody said "Oh, you are giving me far too much money, please, please cap it before I drive Tesco out of business by recklessly buying overpriced items so that you have to pay me back!"

I laughted at that as well. I wonder if the people who say that really believe we the general public would actully believe that. At then end of the day it just puts Tescos one notch lower.

Obukit

Probably to pay for the massive "Hello" signs they've been putting up as part of their "store makeovers".

Maybe it's just me but I can't help but hear it in a "Smiley McGee" voice from Family Guy. It means I'm always smiling when I walk into the store, but probably not for the reasons the interior designer would have wanted!

callum9999

To be fair, their claim about customer feedback is perfectly valid. It doesn't require a customer to specifically ask for the limit to be reduced - but for it not to affect them.

I.e. they could do a survey and 99% of people could respond saying they never get more than £10 back. That is one scenario where they are adjusting it "based on customer feedback" without customers actually requesting a reduction.

As to the various price checks, they're better than nothing but easy to fall foul of. While you're instore you will invariably slightly change your shop to fit in with special offers (e.g. KitKats instead of Wagon Wheels, 2 packs of bacon instead of 1 etc.) - this then instantly makes your shop cheaper than it would be at the competitors, though if you got what you wanted originally (or chose different substitutions in the other store) you could have easily been better off elsewhere, despite the price check saying you saved money.

henlans

premierfella wrote: »

These price check schemes are largely a gimmick, and given that many suggest that the comparison prices in the systems are not always accurate, you can't even 100% rely on getting the benefit of them. This one is worse than most as it only compares against one supermarket anyway!

As for the "Tesco claims the changes are a result of customer feedback" spin, this is peddled so regularly by companies (not just Tesco) that company marketing bods at head office don't even bother any more to check whether the statement is true or not (so leaving their companies open to accusations that they've forgotten what the word honesty means).

In this case, I suspect the customer feedback being referred to is probably nothing to do with the limit change - more likely it just refers to Tesco asking customers whether they think "Price Check" or "Price Promise" is the more suitable name.

Very true, I totally took the !!!! out of this offer. I have had to many gift vouchers to show. I will post my story soon! (in the SUN) lol

henlans

Going to rewrite!