kitchen discounts (Howdens)

jerryr

Hi all,

I have seen the kitchen quote sent by Howdens to my builder. One item is a Neff gas hob which is listed as £250 after a 75% discount - so the regular / original price must be £1000. I don't know the Neff model yet but I think the normal price for a gas hob is £100 - £300 not £1000. Another item on the list is a five bottle wine rack listed at £150 after a 75% discount so the regular / original price must be £600 - which seems a lot for a five bottle wine rack.

I expect a bit of exaggeration but I am just wondering if all these discounts are genuine or just made up. Does anyone buy a gas hob for £1000? If not, isn't it dishonest or illegal to claim that the regular / original price is £1000?

Thanks...

CKdesigner

Hi

You will find many threads on here about exactly the same thing!

This is Howdens policy to create a sky high fictitious retail price then give a so called massive discount. This is done so their customer, a builder can say to their client 'I've secured a good discount for you!' And may pass on the full discount or a lower percentage.

Howdens can argue the toss about the units but this policy completely unravels when looking at branded appliance prices.

You make up your own mind about the openness and fairness of this policy and decide whether you feel comfortable about giving them your business. But I know I wouldn't because I think they set out to blatantly deceive people. Some might say I'm being a bit harsh but as business owner in the same industry I feel ashamed that there are 'retailers' doing this to people without challenge! Everyday I go to work and try and think of ways to improve what we offer and do for our customers, as in tern our customers recommend us to others. This is how I see you steadily grow a good business.

CK

woodbutcher_2

I can see what you are saying CKdesigner but most of the fitters i know often ask Howdens why they have those ridiculous pre discount prices that don't fool anyone. We price up kitchens for customers and get anything up to 87.5% discount, it's barmy. A lot of fitters, myself included, are up front with the customers on what we are paying for their kitchen and will gladly show them the invoice. We then give them a total price with fitting and it's up to them if they want to accept it. I hide nothing. Some fitters hoodwink the customers and make money on the cabinets and appliances but that is theirs and their customers concern. I don't buy my appliances from them anyway unless the customer wants me to. You can get better and cheaper elsewhere.

WannaBLoaded

Why is showing a customer a howdens invoice being upfront? Does the guy in your newspaper shop tell you how much he is making on the marsbar you are buying?

I don't know any business, real business, that shows customers trade account discount invoices.

I would never supply a kitchen and take responsibility for it in terms of issues or future problems unless i had made a profit on it.

There are middle men making a profit out of every business sector. All you have to ask yourself is

'is it what i want, can i afford it, is the price competitive'

Never mind peoples profit margins lol, everyone has to make a living.

Do you think sports direct really have 70% off their cheap trash clothes?

Do you think British gas really give you 400 pound for your old boiler, when it is almost worthless?

What about Argos when they have an item on sale that was actually cheaper to buy before the sale?

You know the house you live in, it didn't cost 200 grand to build.

Buy one get on free on pepsi max 2ltr that are twice as expensive as they used to be? What's that all about.

Ultimately, it is all marketing spin.

If you feel like you have been insulted or ripped off because your hob was 11000 quid and is now 100, put a tin foil hat on and never leave the house or spend a penny!

CKdesigner

woodbutcher wrote: »

I can see what you are saying CKdesigner but most of the fitters i know often ask Howdens why they have those ridiculous pre discount prices that don't fool anyone. We price up kitchens for customers and get anything up to 87.5% discount, it's barmy. A lot of fitters, myself included, are up front with the customers on what we are paying for their kitchen and will gladly show them the invoice. We then give them a total price with fitting and it's up to them if they want to accept it. I hide nothing. Some fitters hoodwink the customers and make money on the cabinets and appliances but that is theirs and their customers concern. I don't buy my appliances from them anyway unless the customer wants me to. You can get better and cheaper elsewhere.

OK so you accept Howdens have a policy to miss lead or deceive people and that appliances can be sourced that are better and cheaper elsewhere. so the big question is, Why do you use Howdens?

WannaBLoaded

I get a hob, cooker and extract for less than 200 pounds. Can't get it cheaper. Just googled for hob, cooker, extract package and non beat howdens.

CKdesigner

WannaBLoaded wrote: »

Why is showing a customer a howdens invoice being upfront? Does the guy in your newspaper shop tell you how much he is making on the marsbar you are buying?

I don't know any business, real business, that shows customers trade account discount invoices.

I would never supply a kitchen and take responsibility for it in terms of issues or future problems unless i had made a profit on it.

There are middle men making a profit out of every business sector. All you have to ask yourself is

'is it what i want, can i afford it, is the price competitive'

Never mind peoples profit margins lol, everyone has to make a living.

Do you think sports direct really have 70% off their cheap trash clothes?

Do you think British gas really give you 400 pound for your old boiler, when it is almost worthless?

What about Argos when they have an item on sale that was actually cheaper to buy before the sale?

You know the house you live in, it didn't cost 200 grand to build.

Buy one get on free on pepsi max 2ltr that are twice as expensive as they used to be? What's that all about.

Ultimately, it is all marketing spin.

If you feel like you have been insulted or ripped off because your hob was 11000 quid and is now 100, put a tin foil hat on and never leave the house or spend a penny!

Hi

Every business has to make a profit but it shouldn't be in a way that deceives its customers.

CK

CKdesigner

WannaBLoaded wrote: »

I get a hob, cooker and extract for less than 200 pounds. Can't get it cheaper. Just googled for hob, cooker, extract package and non beat howdens.

In life there is always someone that can make something a little bit worse for a little bit less cost.

WannaBLoaded

CKdesigner wrote: »

Hi

Every business has to make a profit but it shouldn't be in a way that deceives its customers.

CK

Great mentality, i agree.

By the way, you seem to offer free kitchen designs.

I want a free kitchen design but i am going to buy my kitchen from howdens.

Just want the design.

Can you be round by 9am please?

:rotfl:

WannaBLoaded

CKdesigner wrote: »

In life there is always someone that can make something a little bit worse for a little bit less cost.

To be fair, it is no cheaper quality than the logic cooker and hob that i just found advertised for £250 but that doesn't come with an extract

Quick, someone call trading standards they are shafting people

woodbutcher_2

CKdesigner wrote: »

OK so you accept Howdens have a policy to miss lead or deceive people and that appliances can be sourced that are better and cheaper elsewhere. so the big question is, Why do you use Howdens?

I don't exclusively but i find Howdens have a decent product at a reasonable price, once you get down to the real price. They also have 2 depots near me and it's very rare that they don't have what's needed in stock there and then. I don't know why they operate the way they do and have told them so but they seem to be successful at it and are not willing to change. I'm not interested in making a profit on supplying units and am quite happy to earn my living on the fitting of the kitchen. Some may think differently but that's up to them. I think Howdens get a lot of stick on this site sometimes but for me, they are perfectly adequate kitchen supplier who just seem to have a quirky way of doing things for some reason. You could argue that Howdens don't deceive people, he tradesmen that use them do. The appliances are a different issue and i personally feel that there's better to be had elsewhere. This is what i tell my customers but ultimately the choice is theirs. This only really applies to the Lamona stuff if i'm honest. If the customer wants say a Bosch, then i'm sure Howdens will match anyone else to get the kitchen order. Should have made it clear that the issue was mainly with their own brand Lamona.