Verityboo Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Was in the market for a Hornby Shark brakevan. I intend to repaint so livery unimportant Hattons price is £9 + £4 carriage. I went to 'The Model Railway Store' in Leighton Buzzard as I was in the area after visiting Scaleforum in Aylesbury, their website has the same Shark brake van for £12 which I would have been happy to pay http://themodelrailwaystore.com/index.php?route=product/search&filter_name=shark Trouble is that the instore price was £18, needless to say I didn't bother buying. I could buy it from them online for £12 +£3.95 carriage so cheaper than I could buy it instore! 4mm scale layout but have not bought much over the past few years so was not sure if this is the norm .I know it happen in other industries. Richer Sounds who sells TVs/HiFi has cheaper online prices but makes it clear you can pay the cheaper price instore if you mention it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trains4U Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Did you ask if you could buy at the online price? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verityboo Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Did you ask if you could buy at the online price? Good question! I did not for the following reasons: I did not because I was short of time, the staff were busy (chatting!) and I did not know if it is the norm or considered rude to ask? Hence why I'm asking now so I know for the future (I am not one for awkward situations!) I mentioned Richer Sounds and they make it very clear on their web site that you can pay the online price instore if you mention it. I can find nothing on the website of the model shop above that says the same. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 When I worked at a small model shop chain we would match the web price if asked If someone was buying a number of high end products we'd check the web price for them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
11B Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Not a model shop, but Waterstones charge less on line than in the shops, when I asked my stepson who works for them told me that the shops overheads are more than the large warehouse, so prices were set to reflect this. He also told to give him the money me that he got a staff discount and would get it for me and free postage.... Sadly he does not work there now.... Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Smith Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 A similar situation exists with Walmart in the US. On line prices, including free ship-to-store for pick up, are frequently less than the same item on the shelf. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiderHead Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Not a model shop, but Waterstones charge less on line than in the shops, when I asked my stepson who works for them told me that the shops overheads are more than the large warehouse, so prices were set to reflect this. If that is true then Waterstones dont want a high street presence and should probably shut all their stores now rather than messing around keeping them open, what a laughable business model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 National Express charge a pound extra for the privilege of booking on-line. Many retailers charge less for buying on-line, some charge less for buying through their on-line shop compared to the same item they sell on their ebay shop. It will vary, and there is never anything wrong in asking for a better price - if you don't ask, you don't get. You'll also maybe get a discount for paying cash, instead of a credit card, but it may also work the other way, and some stores (aldi/similar) do not accept credit cards. It depends on how much they want you as a customer, and the state of the business competition. Best wishes, Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 A similar situation exists with Walmart in the US. On line prices, including free ship-to-store for pick up, are frequently less than the same item on the shelf. A slightly different take on this is a large computer and electronics retailer in Canada, US, UK and other parts of the world. I believe they go by a different name outside Canada & the US. Anyhow... I was looking to build a new PC system, so I checked their website... picked out the parts I wanted... and headed off to the shop. Once at the shop, I found that they neither had any of the parts I wanted, nor were their prices even close to their website. I asked one of the peons who worked there and I was told "we are not related to the website, we are completely separate entities". Yet... the store is the same name as the website! storename.ca is their site, and the big sign out front also says storename.ca! But... according to the staff, they are unrelated and are completely separate. I shop elsewhere now... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Jonboy Posted October 1, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 1, 2013 Not sure if they still do it but our local PCworld have helped the in-laws reserve online, on one of their internal PC's, for collection at the lower online price 5 minutes later.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Halfords, typically 20% cheaper on line even if you then collect from the store! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiderHead Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I shop elsewhere now... Exactly, the result of stores charging more than their own online operations is not just the loss of a sale, its the loss of a customer ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpion Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Hard to believe that a shop manager would deny a discount at the till knowing that the customer could stand there and get the discount by accessing the website from their phone They're the sort of managers the world can do without Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Some businesses apparently have funny rules. Argos, for example. I bought a Bosche multitool saw from their local store, at £70.00 iirc, a year or so ago. About three days later, I went online to see if they had any accessories for it, and found the price was now reduced on sale to about £50.00. I called in, to see if they had a price matching scheme - they did, to other stores, but not to themselves. However, they said they would refund me the £70.00, and I could buy another at the new £50.00 price. I did that, so now they have a second hand unit - I told them I had already used it, they didn't care. The assistant 'checked it over', but had no idea if all the bits were in the case (they were). I would have happily accepted the £20.00 and kept the original - it would have saved me a return trip, and them a future problem/loss. Best wishes, Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGR Model Store Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I visited the shop today, very impressed with the staff / service. Also asked about the different pricing, the price in the shop reflects the over heads the store has. But they do offer a 'click & collect'' service. So at the end of the day buy online the shops will go ... buy in store shops will stay .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiderHead Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Also asked about the different pricing, the price in the shop reflects the over heads the store has. But they do offer a 'click & collect'' service. So they are happy to sell in store at the web price if the customer goes through the inconvenience of having to preorder online before visiting the store. This procedure incurs the overheads from both the web site and the store. Just bewildering. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGR Model Store Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 So they are happy to sell in store at the web price if the customer goes through the inconvenience of having to preorder online before visiting the store. This procedure incurs the overheads from both the web site and the store. Just bewildering. I see your point, But... Not really inconvenience, must take all off 2mins to order it. Then at your inconvenience drive all way down there to pick it up ? Must remember the competition online is fierce with big box shifter companies about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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