6 Furniture chains -'fake prices', 'not genuine', and 'tricked customers'

deanos

We had a United Carpets open up in out town a couple of years ago and i drive past it every day, there is always a 75% off one day sale or a 50% off + extra 25% off this weekend sale , so its always been 75% off since the day its opened !

arcon5

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

As a manufacturing engineer, I'm very aware of the difference in manufacturing cost, and market price.

Market price is not related to cost it's related to what you can convince the customer to pay for it, in a competitive world where there are multiple solutions and products.

Convincing the consumer that they are getting the best deal is an art, an illusionist trick, and the sooner we as consumers accept that in most cases smoke and mirrors are being used to convince us, the better.

I've come to the conclusion that the words sale, bargain, off, saving, etc should be banned.

The retailer, should display a price. The price it is today. Not the price yesterday, an arbitary recomended price, the price tomorrow. Just Today's price. Once a product is displayed at that price, it should be impossible to put the price up for 3 months. If the price is put up, after 3 months there should be a sign saying was £50, now £55.
If the price is reduced, there should be no reference to what is was before.


I use the Pringles example. It's got to be the one product with the most price changes in the most shops I've ever seen.

Was £2.46, now £1.85, Now £2.00 but 3 for £4.50. Was £2.00 now BOGOF. The market price is actually £1.20. If they are more than £1.20 I'll buy them and if not I won't.

When it comes to furniture, I work out what I need, have a look what options are out there, try to be very objective, ignore anything but the actual price. I don't care if you tell me it's 80% off today, just that you want £350 for it. Is that price fair? Well what are your competition charging for something similar.

You may well be well qualified and skilled at what you do as an engineer, but sadly this post portrays your lack of understanding of the purpose and basics of business. And certainly not aware of the practicalities.

Errata

If it looks too good to be true, it usually is. Supermarkets are quite good at elevating the price of a bottle of cheap end wine so they can knock a couple of quid of it and make it look like a bargain.

unholyangel

hcb42 wrote: »

Magnet are another one, my kitchen was quoted as £15K in the sale, reduced from "£30K" and this was in their mid range. Needless to say we wont be buying at that price!

I wouldnt buy from any company that can afford to "discount" items by such a massive amount. It either means they're trying to be clever with pricing/promotions or that they're ripping people off when selling full price (in the rare instances it happens).

End of the day everything has 2 prices. What it costs and what its worth. Some people just cant tell the difference.

More and more I'm thinking that schools need to start offering "life" classes. Dealing with everything from wiring a plug, sewing, spotting good/bad offers and also budgeting.

Errata

unholyangel wrote: »

More and more I'm thinking that schools need to start offering "life" classes. Dealing with everything from wiring a plug, sewing, spotting good/bad offers and also budgeting.

Isn't that the parents job?

unholyangel

Errata wrote: »

Isn't that the parents job?

You'd think so, sad truth is that less and less knowledge seems to be passed down now.

Many people my age have no idea how to cook, clean, wire a plug etc. The only reason I know is because I asked to. Sewing and budgeting used to be taught in schools here

prowla

arcon5 wrote: »

You may well be well qualified and skilled at what you do as an engineer, but sadly this post portrays your lack of understanding of the purpose and basics of business. And certainly not aware of the practicalities.

I would say the opposite, from the consumer's perspective. The price of an item is what it is actually offered for sale at, not what a shop says it may have been at some notional point in the past.

malchish

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

As a manufacturing engineer, I'm very aware of the difference in manufacturing cost, and market price.

Market price is not related to cost it's related to what you can convince the customer to pay for it, in a competitive world where there are multiple solutions and products.

Convincing the consumer that they are getting the best deal is an art, an illusionist trick, and the sooner we as consumers accept that in most cases smoke and mirrors are being used to convince us, the better.

I've come to the conclusion that the words sale, bargain, off, saving, etc should be banned.

The retailer, should display a price. The price it is today. Not the price yesterday, an arbitary recomended price, the price tomorrow. Just Today's price. Once a product is displayed at that price, it should be impossible to put the price up for 3 months. If the price is put up, after 3 months there should be a sign saying was £50, now £55.
If the price is reduced, there should be no reference to what is was before.


I use the Pringles example. It's got to be the one product with the most price changes in the most shops I've ever seen.

Was £2.46, now £1.85, Now £2.00 but 3 for £4.50. Was £2.00 now BOGOF. The market price is actually £1.20. If they are more than £1.20 I'll buy them and if not I won't.

When it comes to furniture, I work out what I need, have a look what options are out there, try to be very objective, ignore anything but the actual price. I don't care if you tell me it's 80% off today, just that you want £350 for it. Is that price fair? Well what are your competition charging for something similar.

This is an excellent post and excellent understanding, and lovely idea (I wish it could be put to practice straight away) . Made arcon uneasy, so he started attacking your knowledge...means a strong post.

malchish

prowla wrote: »

I would say the opposite, from the consumer's perspective. The price of an item is what it is actually offered for sale at, not what a shop says it may have been at some notional point in the past.

Absolutely!

Pinkypants

I think it's law in Germany only to display 1 price and 1 price only. Not allowed to show a RRP, Was, after event price, just the price of the product.