Harvey Norman - Price Beat?

kimba88 on 15/09/2010 - 00:15

Hi Guys,

Last week i bought Lego Rockband for the wii at Harvey Norman's 'Massive' Game Sale they were having. I thought i was getting a bargain at $20 because the original price tag said $79.95. But when i got to the counter, im pretty sure the lady scanned it up at $19.95, but then changed it to $20. I may have read it wrong and it could have said $79.95. Anyways, if it did scan up at $19.95, you're entitled to the lower price right? I know its only 5c difference (i paid $20), but it annoyed me that she increased the price and the fact that it scanned up cheaper than the clearance price and original price made me feel like i was no longer getting a bargain.

To add to this, last night someone posted a bargain for dick smith which showed lego rockband for $15 (marked down from $30). This infuriated me more because i saw that the lego rockband wasnt even worth $79.95 (DSE $30) and i also paid more at HN's clearance price ($20) than DSE sale price ($15).

So, i went into HN today and asked for their best price guarantee. I got some weird looks from staff because i wanted a true bargain. Anyways, i had the DSE price ready to show on my phone as i had preloaded the web page so it was ready for them to look at. Then she insisted she had to check for herself on the net. Then she gave up and asked another employee if it was ok to price match. He said it was ok. So we walked to the counter and she told the checkout assistant to refund me $5 (as i paid $20, and got it matched to $15). I then asked the checkout assistant if HN beat it further because i had read that they beat it by 10%, but she said 'no we dont do that anymore'. I thought it was a price BEAT guarantee (BEAT being the key word), not a price match guarantee??

Anyone else had this sort of experience? thoughts??

General Discussion

Comments

  • ozhunter on 15/09/2010 - 00:30

    Yea it does say price beat, though it doesn't specify by how much. http://www.harveynorman.com.au/page/1255511667120/best-price…

    The T&C were written on HN Best Price Guarantee Version 1.1 November 2009.

    But it does also say "Our Best Price Guarantee may be terminated or amended at any time without notice."

    • kimba88 on 15/09/2010 - 00:33

      Yeah i know it doesnt specify how much by, but i know a couple of years ago it was by 10%. Just google it and you'll see. I was just annoyed because they didnt beat the price.. they only matched it. $15 for a game is still good, but if i know i can get it cheaper, i want it cheaper.

      There were also signs up in the store saying 'Best Price Guarantee'.

  • Davo1111 on 15/09/2010 - 01:03

    i'd write to head office, and tell them they need to update their website if they're no longer "beating" other competitors deals

  • pauly on 15/09/2010 - 02:34

    Yes, they used to have the 110% price beat guarantee long time ago.

    From their new policy:

    5.If your claim qualifies for our Best Price Guarantee, the Relevant Franchisee will lower the price by either reducing the quoted price (or price paid) or by the inclusion of bonus product or service to a value which betters the lower price.

    So technically, you should get a cheaper price than their competitors, however:

    6.Our Best Price Guarantee does not apply where:
    f. the lower price has been discounted by the competitor on the basis that the product is a display stock only, end of line, ex demo, limited quantity, clearance, second hand or similar; or

    Was the game advertised as clearance on DSE? (can't check now, their website is offline) If so, I don't think the best price guarantee applies.

    Also, is your effort for all this really worth $1.50 (max)? If it's a matter of principal over amount thingy, then like Davo said, follow this through with their head office.

    • kimba88 on 15/09/2010 - 13:30

      Nah its not a clearance item on DSE. I wont be following up $1.50. I just wanted to know whether i was MEANT to get it cheaper or not. I was wondering whether it was a price match guarantee or best price guarantee (as stated). It annoys me that they think they can lie straight to you and say they only match the price.

      • pauly on 15/09/2010 - 21:41

        If going by their price beat guarantee policy, technically you are meant to have the price beaten. So yeah, I do think that the numerous people you dealt with did not follow this policy.

        If it were me, I personally wouldn't be bothered following this through since I think the effort is probably worth more than the amount. However, I know some people would definitely follow this through as a matter of principal. Who knows, you may even get lucky and get some sort of voucher as an apology? Not saying that anyone should depend on any 'gifts', but I know someone who followed through an issue with something they purchased from Rick Hart (you guys call it clive peeters in the eastern states), and ended up getting an apology letter along with a $50 gift voucher. :)

  • infernal_max on 15/09/2010 - 03:50

    buying games at harvey norman is hit and miss, sometimes you can get a really great bargain, other times you leave the store shaking your head and the idiot that thinks someone will pay that much for a shitty game.

    I always thought their price guarentee was on selected items though?

    And dse is owned by woolies, i dare say thier cost of doing business is lower than harvey norman

    • Davo1111 on 15/09/2010 - 04:49

      And dse is owned by woolies, i dare say thier cost of doing busines is lower than harvey norman

      hmmm not really sure about that one. Harvey norman is a franchise

      DSE has 433 retail stores in Australia and New Zealand
      HN has ~600 stores

      I reckon both would use a similar importer of electronics from overseas, but yeah, cant really tell for sure :P

      • infernal_max on 15/09/2010 - 05:06

        yeah, but perhaps they share a dc that supplies big w (if you catch the drift)

  • bitcoinorbust on 15/09/2010 - 13:24

    wow and i thought i was a tightass..

    • kimba88 on 15/09/2010 - 13:33

      Its not about being a tightass, its about whether HN do a best price guarantee or price match guarantee. If im entitled to a further discount, i want it. Of course im not going to follow up $1.50 (probably maximum).. but its just whether they stick to their own guidelines

    • Davo1111 on 15/09/2010 - 16:21

      i agree with kimba88 here, its not being a tightass, its the principal of it. IF you make a "guarantee" you should abide by the conditions of that guarantee

  • aussman on 15/09/2010 - 15:36

    deal used to be give you 110% of difference so in your case difference is $5
    so 110% is $5.50

    geez i thought whirlpool was a whingepool

  • SmokeandMirrors on 15/09/2010 - 15:59
    +1

    I used their price beat gurantee about 6 months ago. Officeworks had a printer for about $29 or so and I noticed that HN had it for a higher price. When I told the sales guy about this, he said that he can match it. I then asked him about the price beat gurantee and he said that he can only lower it by $1 hahaaa :) I said fine and took it. (Fine wasn't the word I used)

    • ash on 16/09/2010 - 13:58
      +1

      lucky you, at least the guy was willing to help. My experience fared far worse.

      Last time there was a Brother printer from Tandy Electronics (now DSE) for $49 (not on clearance, just a sale), I went into HN Garden City which was in the same shopping center and asked for price match. The sales person was arrogant and took one look and said no, if you want that price you better go buy it from them soon before it runs out. Same thing happened again when I tried to get them to match a TV that was cheaper elsewhere (still in the same area). The salesman basically told me off, saying that there are other customers waiting and I can't do price match! what a joke………their service are just terrible, and their attitudes are even worse.

    • AyjeofSpades on 16/09/2010 - 14:03
      +1

      I've experienced the same :) Wanted OfficeWorks to price beat a pair of headphones, but they would only match it.

      After waiting around for 10 minutes while they called the store i was price-matching, and another 10 minutes the guy spent talking with the manager, I couldn't be bothered to push for the extra few dollars the 5% would have given me :p

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