Consumer rights...
I try to look after my money, hence I check what I buy and I also check the price I have to pay ...
I encountered the following scenario at one of the shops in my town...
I saw coffee mugs and it was on sale...was R 69.00 and Now R29.00 ... I liked the mugs and bought it for R29.00 per mug.
When I got home I removed the packaging I saw there was a price at the back of the price tag I saw/and paid in the shop ... I remove that and I saw a first price which is Was R39.00 and Now R21.00.
I went back to the shop and asked them to see the original retail price of this mug. My concern was that the up mark an item only to sell this at a perceived lower price. They could give me the retail price as R69.00 but this retail price dates 11 months back. In the meantime this item is on the list of discontinued items and was on different 'sales' at different sales prices the past 11 months...is this 'fair' and should I be happy?
My concern remains that a perception is created on an item that the saving is high only to find it is old stock which sold even at a lower price I paid for it...
Comments (35)
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I can understand if there is a flyer with an begin and end date... but a shelf in the shop with sale items, for items on a discontinued list... to have it on there for one week, and then next week off again and then again in 'the for sale corner'... indicating a massive saving, but two weeks back it even went for cheaper in the same corner...?
Maybe I m going thru Middle aged crazy,
I am not aware of your consumer laws over here, but I was assume it is legal. You were evidently happy with the price, otherwise you would not have purchased it. At least, one could argue that.
If you feel their practices were unfair, I would not shop there again. I think that is all anyone could do. Or....not shop there again and also try to return the item for a refund.
That's really not my point... It is about the perception of an saving that is created to get the consumer to buy...
Once again, I was happy with the price as my focus was on the discount I was made to belief I got per mug and not because of the end value. Again it is the whole issue of misleading the customer to get you to buy something... I will have difficulty to belief it is acceptable or legal...
Get a refund... It is not about the money, it is about the trust I have in the shops 'specials'...
Let's make it practical... (and that is more my question)...
The shop bought this mug say for R60.00 retail value one year back...The original sales price for this mug was R 69.00... thus profit of R9.00 per mug... Now this is not a consumable and depreciation could be applicable (this is what I don't know)... this depreciation is (could be) deductible as a percentage on the original retail price and deductible from profit before tax is paid. So the shop could already scored, because it is considered as dragging or slow moving items... If this is true, it is a false perception to advertise the saving based on R69.00 ... It should be a profit margin on the depreciated value on old stock...
The important thing is... If you feel you got the mug at a good price then you should be happy regardless as to whether you have been ripped off or not.
Then, it is not only about me... In SA 3.49 USD can buy 2 breads and one 2 litres of milk for a household... there are plenty people who buy based on the perceived discount they will get as they don't have access to other means to compare and to check if they will not get ribbed off... Every where we talk about the value we add, but we are so short sighted that you interpreted this email as buyers remorse and that for 3.49 USD ...
These retail items have no established MSRP like an Automobile
which would be the same across the Country. Women's clothing
is a prime example, a Sale sign that says: 70% off, gets attention, but off of what? The thing is, you bought Mugs and
paid for them, and at the time you were happy with your purchase.
the floor.
Hi Candy...have to run......
Luckylady said "there are plenty people who buy based on the perceived discount..." and sellers know this!
Perceived, is the problem. Stop "perceiving" and start educating yourself. Be an informed buyer. It is your responsibility, not the sellers. Do we really need more laws to protect, how shall I say, naive people? Pedal said it well. Everyone knows MSRP is a number pulled out of their a**. You paid the price as it was marked. End of story. Don't fall for those 70% off never ending sales.
Maybe lonely people like to know they are not alone
If you are passionate about owning a particular product,
research the hell out of it, and then make a decision, then
try to obtain it for the lowest price. Every Penny is a prisoner
to some of us.
And the best way to lure people with externalities is to convince them that they're immune to such externalities. This is why we live in a culture which speaks a lot about independence of mind but has never been more enthralled to the ploys of marketing and advertising. Convincing a person that their making their own mind up when you are in fact making it for them is the best way to manipulate people.
Personally, I run my business on a fair days work for a fair days pay. It's a motto but I believe in it. And it pays long-term when you respect your customers and intend to run your business, under the same name, for many years to come.