Harvey Norman Price Guarantee (Match) 2019 Additional Rules/Hidden Gotchas

L[Deactivated] on 19/01/2019 - 11:25

To help others avoid wasting their time trying to get Hardly Normal (HN) to do a price match (which they call price guarantee), I thought I'll share the hidden rules/gotchas one should be aware of before approaching them.

Although HN explicitly states in their price guarantee guidelines on their website (https://www.harveynorman.com.au/customer-service/price-match…):

How do I request a Price Match?
Simply present proof of the competitor’s advertised price for the identical product, either at the time of purchase or within 7 days after your purchase.

Once your price match request is verified and the competitor’s product is confirmed as being in stock and available for immediate sale using the same payment method (and same term, if purchasing with an Interest Free Plan), we will happily match the price or refund the difference to you.

What are the exclusions?
- Offers which include cash back, bonus, bulk purchase, quantity limits or packages.
- Pricing with included delivery or installation.
- Offers not available to the general public - including trade, special event, club or membership offers.
- Clearance, seconds, refurbished, ex-demonstration or display products.
- Products shipped from or sold by third-party sellers on marketplace, auction or classifieds websites.
- Products supplied through unauthorised distributors (known as 'grey market' items) or delivered directly to customers from an overseas distributor.
- Pricing errors.
- Products with pricing set significantly lower than the recommended retail price or market value.

FAQs

What proof do I present when requesting a price match?

Simply provide a Harvey Norman Online® Live Chat team member proof of the competitor's current advertisement or website address, showing the offer's end date and any terms and conditions. A Live Chat team member may check the website to verify the lower price and availability of the product.

Once your price match request is verified, we will create an offer for you to purchase the product from us at the lower price.

Can I use ‘Interest Free’ as my method of payment?

Yes. If the competitor’s advertised price for the identical product includes an ‘Interest Free' payment option (with the same payment term), you will have the option to pay using a current Interest Free payment option.

There are a couple of hidden rules that apply beyond what is stated. They are:
- The item must come with local manufacturers warranty. i.e. must state in the ad that it is local/AU stock and comes with local manufacturers warranty. (Guessing HN will just tell you to reach out to the manufacturer directly when you need to make a claim.)
- HN only price matches "leading Australian retailers". Where "leading Australian retailers" is defined as: JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Bing LEE, and Officeworks.

Also worth noting is that any online store/website that is not part of the "leading Australian retailers" group is considered "third-party sellers" and fall under the exclusion guideline of: third-party sellers on marketplace, auction or classifieds websites.

General Discussion

Related Stores

Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman

Comments

  • Clear on 19/01/2019 - 11:32
    +3

    Not surprised to be honest. If they allowed marketplaces like eBay there is nothing stopping someone from doing a bogus listing to get a better deal. At the end of the day they're here to make money, like all businesses.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2019 - 11:41

      The additional point is not about them excluding marketplaces like eBay. But branding small retailers/shops as a marketplace, auction or classifieds websites.

      But I do see your point. Someone can quickly setup shopify store in minutes with their own domain, etc. and stick some bogus listings up and could get a better deal. However, another exclusion already covers that: Products with pricing set significantly lower than the recommended retail price or market value.

      And if someone is willing to spend $20/$30 AND the time to setup a shopify store, ABN, etc. to save themselves <$100. I think they deserve it. LOL.

  • JimmyF on 19/01/2019 - 11:57
    +4

    There are a couple of hidden rules that apply beyond what is stated. They are:
    - The item must come with local manufacturers warranty

    Nothing new here, its matching 'like for like' and stops those who always try to price match a grey import item to a local import item.

    ie what people use to use all the time with officeworks.

    • HN only price matches "leading Australian retailers". Where "leading Australian retailers" is defined as: JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Bing LEE, and Officeworks.

    Yeah thats a little limited, I guess they are trying to skip the MSY price matchers ;)

    At the end of the day people, don't reward HN with a sale if its a simple PRICE MATCH, buy from the place that offered the cheapest price up front!

    • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2019 - 12:32

      Totally agree. But most times, these smaller retailers are located in the other side of the city and it's a bit of a pain to get to, not to mention the time required to do a round trip.

      Otherwise most people won't bother with price matching.

    • try2bhelpful on 19/01/2019 - 12:56

      Interesting you mention MSY. The guy we talked to at OW says they do a lot of MSY price matching.

      • JimmyF on 19/01/2019 - 15:43

        Interesting you mention MSY. The guy we talked to at OW says they do a lot of MSY price matching.

        OW will price match MSY for sure! but we're talking HN here and I'm pretty sure good old cheap MSY wouldn't class as a "leading Australian retailer" by HN.

        Basically they'll price match the 'leaders' as they all have similar overheads etc, so won't undercut each other too much.

        • try2bhelpful on 19/01/2019 - 15:46
          +1

          Yup, I was just emphasising the point that other major retailers will accept MSY.

          • JimmyF on 19/01/2019 - 17:20

            @try2bhelpful: Its HN, they like to piss and moan a lot and complain if you don't buy from them!

            Kogan is the new HN complaining the 'GST' laws are hurting sales now. hahahahaha

  • voo123 on 19/01/2019 - 11:59
    -1

    They also refuse to match prices that were negotiated below an advertised price. Eg. Can't match a TV that was negotiated to 2700 from an advertised price of 2999 from the good guys, claiming its below cost.

    • Ridiculous Panda on 19/01/2019 - 12:43
      +4

      Why would even nogotiate a price and then go and try buying the same product from somewhere else for the same price? Seems like a huge waste of everybody’s time.

      • voo123 on 19/01/2019 - 17:10

        This TV was bought by a mate of mine from across town. I was given the invoice for reference. I simply went to my nearest Harvey Norman to ask for a price match and got refused. My last resort was travelling 1.5hrs to the same
        the good guys that honoured that discounted price.

  • Tech5 on 19/01/2019 - 11:59
    +1

    They do not always follow this though. I have had success price matching 2x$250 modems from Scorptec webpage

  • p1 ama on 19/01/2019 - 12:31

    Just buy stuff from whoever has it for the cheapest price and you won't have to deal with this nonsense.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2019 - 12:33

      Yeah. But store is like other side of city to me. Be an hour each way. Guess I didn't save much time at the end. LOL.

  • ATTS on 19/01/2019 - 13:29

    Just curious, which leading retailer is the best when there is a warranty problem?

    • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2019 - 13:42

      Good question. I'll be keen to know too. My last few warranty claims. I went straight to the manufacturer (although a couple of claims, I did talk to the store first and they just directed me to speak to the manufacturers directly! And one of these stores was Myer!).

  • mbck on 19/01/2019 - 14:25
    +1

    I've never bought from Harvey for a couple of years. Never will

  • Strahany on 19/01/2019 - 15:12
    +2

    Can’t wait for Harvey Norman to go bankrupt. I’d refuse to buy liquidated stock as I’d rather old mate Gerry not get a further cent. Sad for the employees, yes, but that’s about it.

  • bobbified on 19/01/2019 - 18:09
    +1

    I usually try and buy from the place I find the cheapest, unless I'm buying many things in one go, then I ask the place Im at whether they can do a better price because X place has it for $Y.

    A few months ago, the Harvey Norman guy asked me how much I was willing to pay for a TV. I told him the sane TV was over $1000 cheaper on Appliances Online on eBay, and if he could do anything near that, I'd be happy to buy it right now. He said that the TV was already on sale and offered me $100 off. Then he said that the eBay stores always deliver factory seconds or damaged stock, etc etc. I was quite annoyed because i knew he was full of it, so I calmly asked him if he knew that Harvey Norman also had an eBay store and if he was suggesting that they deliver factory seconds. He walked off after that. LOL

    • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2019 - 18:51

      LOL. What an Epic response.

    • Carporium on 02/03/2019 - 10:51

      Im late to the topic i know… but regarding eBay stores for major retailers… whenever there is a % off it is mostly if not entirely funded by eBay themselves. Designed to take share from amazon and the rest. Henfe why instore you cant mstch it.

      • bobbified on 02/03/2019 - 11:05

        whenever there is a % off it is mostly if not entirely funded by eBay themselves.

        I know that - I was trying to ask him if he could do anything close to the discounted. I was happy to pay a few hundred dollars more to get the TV on the day (to avoid having to wait for delivery). But this guy obviously wasn't willing to talk or didn't think I was serious in buying.

  • Frozensage on 25/06/2019 - 16:03
    • Products with pricing set significantly lower than the recommended retail price or market value.

    Isn't this like a get out clause? If it's too low we ain't matching even if it was a competitor store listed.

    • FiXXXeR on 17/12/2019 - 17:12

      Yep, and one of their online chat reps just pulled that one on me for a typical & straightforward 20%-off sale price that two competitors have at the moment. What a joke.

      So I rang up a HN store and got them to match it instead, and they were happy to oblige.

  • Vietsoldier on 11/12/2019 - 13:58

    I was in the Melbourne QV store today and the manager refused to price match with AMAZON.COM.AU saying they don't price match with marketplace sellers, then refused to speak further with me and proceeded to instruct other people to stop speaking with me when I disagreed with his interpretation of Amazon being a 3rd party seller?

    Is it me, or is Harvey Norman a disgrace! Am I interpreting their policy wrong or do they just have rogue managers that interpret their policy based on blind discretion?

    Any advice on how I best raise this terrible customer experience with HN or am I just wasting my time and we should all just stop shopping there?

    • Vietsoldier on 11/12/2019 - 14:32

      I've just followed up online with a price match request, they refused also from multiple other sellers…

      Key Takeaway… Harvey Norman's price match is a fraud and if you're after a bargain forget it… They will simply quote this part of the policy when they simply don't want to match anything! "Exclusions: Products with pricing set significantly lower than the recommended retail price or market value."

      • FiXXXeR on 17/12/2019 - 17:15

        See my comment above: online chat are less likely to accept - probably have fixed rules there and no incentives to earn a sale.

        • Vietsoldier on 26/12/2019 - 06:36

          I've had no success instore or online! And I've a $300 gift card with Harvey Norman that isn't worth much to me because they won't properly price match. I believe what they're doing is in breach of ACL LAW (for false and misleading advertising of HN's price match policy "shop with confidence"). I'm considering taking them to VCAT so that they will reimburse my $300 GC into cash or another stores gift card such as JB HIFI. If not it will be interesting to see if a judge would consider their behaviour false and misleading under consumer law.

          Can anyone with a law degree give me an opinion?

  • Schumi5 on 28/12/2019 - 09:11

    I copped this one on boxing day when trying to prove match 2 X Sonos one speakers.

    Products with pricing set significantly lower than the recommended retail price or market value.

    HN $299
    Audiotrends $228

    Called JB-HIFI and they had no issues matching the price

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