The Great Habitat Rip Off

Rainyday

Hi

First time posting here so not sure if this topic has been covered.

I looked at the Habitat website today before heading to the shop in Arthur Street Belfast only to discover that the prices on the website quite a bit cheaper than the prices in the store itself.

For instance, a set of 6 Prime Hi-ball glasses were £5 on their website but the Belfast store was charging £9 (although reduced in the sale to £7).

I can't understand how they can get away with this - they are a UK chain store after all and I suspect the prices on their website reflect prices across their other UK stores.

Have emailed them to ask why the difference.

IvanOpinion

Hi RainyDay
Welcome to the site.

There is nothing new about this .. it is the same for most companies. Basically many places charge significantly more for giving you the pleasure to dander around their shop and talk to semi-human life form known as a 'shop assitant' (they are probably just covering their overheads).

A prime example is PC World. If you go into their store the prices can be very high whereas if you go onto their site many items can be found at half the price ... and all you have to do is order it on the site and then dander across to the store (1 hour later) to pick the item up and pay for it (no P&P, no waiiting for several days).

I have seen similar with Curries, Tescos etc.

Ivan

criminal_smile

Hi rainy, As Ivan says, these are in effect two different businesses. Hosting a website does not incur anywhere near the costs of running a chain of High St shops, so you would expect, in most cases, to pay more in the shop than online. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this either. I know of instance where people have tried to argue instore that they should get the goods for the same price as advertised on the internet, but to that I would say.....if it's available online, why not buy it there. People still seem to want to speak face to face with a shop when buying goods, and while in practice this may be prudent for certain items, in general it makes a mockery of having online shops. TBH, I'd rather order stuff online than have to drive through the traffic, try to find parking, walk to the shop, stand in a queue, and do the same then to get home. So I might have to wait a few extra days for the goods to be delivered, but I've saved on petrol, parking, the cost of the goods, and my time. Makes moneysaving sense to me.

BigAl94

As far as I am aware, the Habitat store in Belfast is a franchise rather than a "branch" of Habitat. This also applies to the Dublin store. This may also affect prices charged locally.

Rainyday

I received a response to my email enquiring why the difference - see below.

I can understand why online retailers charge less but in Habitat's case - you can't order online but have to go instore to purchase and in Belfast, that means paying over the odds.

Response from Habitat to my email:
"Thank you for your e-mail.
I'm sorry that you are unhappy with the prices in the Belfast branch. Unfortunately even though it is still in the UK, they are a franchise store, and as such are not part of the main Habitat group and pricing structure. They order the stock they want to sell from Habitat direct and ship it at their own cost the Belfast which they reflect in their prices. I do apologise that we have no control over this since it is a franchise outlet. Sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause you."

criminal_smile

Good call, BigAl :T