I know the manager therefore I got a better deal than you

treeman on 28/09/2014 - 17:28

So lately I have some friends that have built houses and therefore purchased furniture, entertainment units etc from Harvey Norman in particular. Then they sprout on their Facebook that they know the manager and got the best deal. I then pm them and ask about their deal and it is something I'd never buy eg a super king ensemble or a massive entertainment unit that you can't really look up a price for. They claim they got the best price as they knew the manager at Harvey Norman etc etc.

My question is, is their deal really that good or is the manager doing what he or she does best and closing a perspective deal with some uneducated customers. We all know how tricky Harvey Norman salesmen can be with we can't possibly go less than cost price etc.

For what it's worth the story I got today was a super king ensemble for 3.5 thousand half price because she knew the manager.

Thanks

General Discussion

Comments

  • Ash-Say on 28/09/2014 - 17:37

    As far I am know, the staff can get factory price.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 28/09/2014 - 17:38

    I don't see how anyone can answer whether "their deal was really that good" without model numbers

    • cypher67 on 28/09/2014 - 18:13

      Agreed, kinda pointless post, unless we can verify if the deal was a bargain or not with models etc. The manager could have pulled a swift one or actually gave them a good deal, no way of knowing based on what you provided.

  • Settero on 28/09/2014 - 17:43

    is this the one ?
    Super King Ensemble (204mcs x 204cms); $3,900.00
    Free shipping!
    https://www.hotelluxurycollection.com/shop/item/presidential…

    cos 400$ off of that , is not bad , but not a deal that anyone random person could not bargain down to.

  • treeman on 28/09/2014 - 19:05

    I suppose I was not wanting ozbargainers to check to see if she got a good deal I'm wondering if there is any truth to a managers deal being better than what any person from the public could get with a bit of haggling.

    Will check Settero if that's the one she got.

    • cypher67 on 28/09/2014 - 19:18
      +2

      Well logically a manager has the most power within a store to do markdowns. But if your apart of a chain your still bound by policy, I was a DSE store manager but if I marked something down too far it would get flagged and Id get a call from head officer. If your a store owner and you don't have to answer to anyone else then they can markdown as far as they want because its their money. In summary, a store manager has the authority to give a maximum discount within their reach/desire, which should be the best deal you could get from that store, as they wouldn't authorize a bigger discount for a walk in because they simple cant.

      • treeman on 28/09/2014 - 19:45

        Okay thanks for that information.
        I actually doubt she knew the manager and he is likely just an employee but don't know for sure. So I assume that would be even less likely?

  • cypher67 on 28/09/2014 - 20:46

    Most employees require authorization to do any mark down from the manager, unless its within an agreed range. When I was manager an employee might ask me to mark something down for a friend, I'd take into account a few things, how old the item is, number of stock and the overall need to move the item on and then come up with a number that was acceptable by head office and the customer was happy. If an employee wanted a discount on a brand new iPhone, id just laugh. If it was say a replaced model iphone, id crunch some numbers to move it on. If it were for a VIP customer or staff, id push the boundaries on what was acceptable. If it was an item that was damaged or was really bulk and old and I needed to move it asap, I have a reason to justify going beyond those boundaries. I've sold many items below cost price, but those items would have never been in perfect condition or in any sort of demand.

  • treeman on 28/09/2014 - 21:21

    The mattress ensemble is a Chiro ultimate plush super king ensemble which is a King Koil.
    Thanks for the information so far! :)

  • ExtraSalt on 28/09/2014 - 22:34

    i know i can genuinely get better than normal deals for some homewares, most electronics and home appliances, but thats only because i sell heating and cooling products, and along the way built two-way relationships with other companies.

    I think some people boast knowing the right people just to look 'cool'. But most definitely know and get great deals. I find when i know workers, i get a bit off standard price, but the promote-worthy deals are when i know the store manager haha.

  • ilostnemo on 28/09/2014 - 22:49

    1/2 price bed from Harvey Norman is still dearer than most shops.
    Harvey Norman buy their beds from the same shop as Myers, David Jones Bed Shed etc, the only difference is the label sewn on.
    We have friends in the mattress company and buying from them saves the money. 12 years ago we bought an ensemble for $800 that Harvey Norman retailed for $3200.
    Harvey Norman will have brand names different to the others, so you can't price match, but when you see beds at 1/2 price they are still nearly doubling their money.
    There are about 3 mattress companies in Welshpool WA. The one we went to had 10 beds on show, which the retailers and hotels choose from.

  • Shadow54 on 29/09/2014 - 15:02

    Stay away from Harvey Norman

  • pakkapie on 29/09/2014 - 17:53

    A big factor at HN and GG etc is the manager has access to true cost price (where rebates are factored in), whereas average salesman can only see what they want him to see. As a friend who is a store manager I know this is how he works, and always gives me a price no other salesman can match in the same store.

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