I regularly buy continence aid products on behalf of a disabled family member i help care for and chemist warehouse have seen it upon themselves to increase the price on this commonly bought & used product from $34.09 last month to $46.99 this month…our monthly order has now increased from $165 to $234.95!
an effin 38% price hike for a medical health aid thats needed daily by the disabled & elderly? seriously…wtf chemist warehouse?
..thankyou. very thoughtful comment and what i was hoping for rather than the barrage of comments defending price jacking & blatant profiteering by chemist warehouse
You’ve yet to demonstrate that they’re profiteering rather than merely setting a price that reflects their supply chain and demand, and that they’re doing this sooner than others because they have higher turnover.
If they really wanted to profiteer they’d charge the same as every other chain for prescriptions instead of a fraction of those prices. They don’t.
guess i'll be adding my negative review to the growing horde of dissatisfied customers…a pathetic 1.7 out of 5 stars, from 2,800+ reviews. effin lol!
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/chemist-warehouse
looks like chemist warehouse have lost any semblance of customer service and competitive pricing
….maybe thats why the owner can afford a $43 Million home in Toorak?
https://www.theage.com.au/national/chemist-warehouse-owner-s…
why shouldnt be able to afford a house like that? They built the company and continue to grow the brand. Should he live in a 1 bedroom apartment?
You also forget the owner doesn't actually operate all the chemist warehouse outlets. Each one has its own manager etc.
Thats why he gets to sit back and relax in his 43m home. He actually knows how to run a business.
You're acting like he personally signed off on the price increase lol
look up their reviews and experiences of people working there…..theyre shit and most agree thats the case
yet you continue to shop there and have continued to but because one of your products increased in price suddenly they are the bad guy.. rightio….
I dont need to look up reviews. I personally shop at CW all the time and haven't really had any bad experiences. Infact i find their prices to be very competitive. Not only that they offer same day delivery to my area so thats a plus
@lltravel: so basically youre a fan of chemist warehouse and youll defend their price hiking & profiteering as long as it doesnt effect the products you buy….got it.
@franco cozzo: Ooo so it’s ok for OP to continue shopping there like he said here until it affects the products he buys, just not anyone else
What is the word for this sort behaviour from OP?
@lltravel: Notice how this guy doesn't seem to care about price humps at other retailers like ALDI, Coles, … the list goes on.
Just Chemist Warehouse only!
Hello, i am the ceo of chemist warehouse and we dont care.
You really think negative reviews is going to turn people away because one product you buy has gone up in price?
Its a business and they are there to make money. I think people forget companies operate for one thing. PROFIT.
literally adding nothing to the conversation
yep he should GFO with his facts and information. spoils a perfectly good whine.
mate..you think this is a whine? this is me just getting warmed up for dealing with their customer service
@franco cozzo: This has nothing to do with customer service though? The staff don't set the prices, HQ does, unless it's a managers special item. You dont even what you're angry about now, just angry about everything.
HODL!
Wait. Umm.
China has to pay for its blue water fleet somehow.
Hm. If only there was an external, global reason for products everywhere to be increasing in price.
oh it must be….uKraIne & sUpPLy cHaIn IsSUes!!
geez…what a bunch of suck jobs. so much loyalty for such a crap discount chemist.
if this was a 40% increase on the price of dominos or chicken effin nuggets this place would be revolting and baying for blood
May I suggest this deal to you.
Some meditation may help calm you down and clear your mind, so you'll stop reading "shop elsewhere" as "give CW your money, I love CW and price jacking"
Literally everyone has said shop elsewhere, that's the opposite of loyalty lol
Just buy products where it's cheapest or price match. It's not hard
post is obviously for OP to vent off his/her anger on spending more dollars for adult diapers, he/she got nothing better to do but to come on here and b!tch about a price hike and how they will not spend their millions $ per year on adult diapers at CW anymore. and when confronted with the basic reply of, "shop elsewhere" starts having a sook.
near 40% increase for an essential medical healthproduct….and you want to defend it?
Shop elsewhere is defending it?
The dude wants all of us to boycott CWH. 🤣
Must've been banned from Reddit :P
@franco cozzo: The lack of respect, continued insults, bullying, and hypocrisy coming from you is altogether amusing.
@franco cozzo: You realise you’ve just linked to your own unsubstantiated bullying and insults? Is that wise?
@2025: stalking my profile for unrelated content just to persist in trolling?
that seems to be something a mentally unwell person who is fixated would do….?
@franco cozzo: Unrelated? Is that true? How do you justify this claim?
Comment in this thread = Reddit
Comment in other thread = Reddit
There seems to be a concerning pattern of behaviour exhibited by you.
OP doesn't like the concept of open-free-market.
i dont like rich corporations ripping off pensioners the elderly and disabled…because you know….im not a (profanity)
Right….. so it would be ok if they were young and or able-bodied?
pensioners the elderly and disabled = most likely on low incomes, most likely to feel negative impacts from the 38% price hike
Plenty of fragrances reduced by more than $12.90 increase on the MoliCare product.
I’m pretty happy that they can bring those fragrances down cheaper, and offset the discount with this increase.
Thanks OP for bringing my attention to this and their website, and having me check out their catalog! I’ve got a nice order on the way.
enjoy your scumbaggery
Oh I will! And I’ll smell nice doing it! Thanks again champ!
….it wont mask the stench
@franco cozzo: Btw the usual price at Terry White in 2013 was $40.99 This is right in line with inflation according to the RBA calculator…
Looks like CW absorbed the price increase for quite some time.
@franco cozzo: I have a 7 year old link to back up my statement? What have you got? Your word? That link was actually 2014, not 2013. Small typo.
@franco cozzo: What? Do mean I should just take my business elsewhere and not hassle random people on the internet about their opinion?? I’m just following your lead! I thought it was ok to do. After all, you’re doing it!
What did you expect lockdowns and covid fear would do to prices?
40% price rises are very uncommon and not something youd expect for a product of its type.
imagine if the same were to happen to sanitary products?
Some have gone up. I just buy dependant on sales etc. Plus sanitary product is sold at more places whereas high absorbancy contince wear is more specialised.
More likely there's been a price rise from the supplier and Chemist Warehouse just has so much stock turnover that it hit their sticker price faster than everyone else.
Get in fast before the price rises everywhere else.
yep…bit concerned everyone might follow chemist warehouses lead. not something pensioners, the elderly and disabled can afford
You keep talking about pensioners and disabled. I have to point out that these aren't the only people that use these products. I just think the labels aren't necessary is all. It's a mum, a dad, a brother, a sister, a child, a professional middle aged worker, a young person and old person, someone who is bedridden, someone who has had an operation, someone going through chemo or someone who has toilet restrictions. Ppl will follow chemist warehouse because it's already in their pipeline. But we as consumers can be more savy, shop elsewhere, pick brands that are more competitive and share information.
all good points…i only used those labels because theyre relevant in this case.
you are right that this is a product a lot of people use irrespective of age or physical ability
It's not Chemist Warehouse's lead. Read again.
The supplier has jacked the price. Chemist Warehouse has increased their price accordingly.
The other places that are currently $10 less are still advertising their old price.
When they run out of their current stock they will also increase their price and it will be by more than $10.
What you should be doing now is looking for a different brand of incontinence products.
Most will send you free samples if you call their customer hotline, so you can try find a good alternative
You are making me defend a scummy company, so to be clear - if you met Jack Gance you would have stopped shopping at Chemist Warehouse a long time ago. Predatory is an understatement- they have literally broken laws in the expansion of their chain, and bankrupted honest businesses that have respected those laws.
Find an independent local pharmacy and ask them if they will price match all your orders you will be their loyal customer. I guarantee you they will treat you better than Chemist Warehouse, the bar is at zero
best reply so far. much better than all the mindless chemist warehouse fanclub here
Buy in bulk
yep…always have done so & for convenience as well as carers already have a lot to get on with
Damn, I didn't read this before I replied below. I hope I didn't come out seeming cold on you.
I m sure you are crying now.. the moment you will see something cheaper at chw you will be running there. CHW surely not the cheapest but sometimes you pay for convenience, stocks and yes cheap price. You always shop around thats why u r on ozb.
I have always successfully got price matched plus further discount at chw.. plus i havent seen anyone whining so much.. not even my child. Are you ok? Hope you get some help!
no, i have this thing called principle see… as far as im concerned chemsit warehouse can shove their predatory pricing, crap customer service, atrocious working conditions, 15 year old website, shitty instore experience and use it as a rectal suppository…
After all the issues you have with CHW for so long and Yet you were still going there till the price went up, why? Sure you are man of "principles"
Are you the reason why CHW increased the price because the had enough of you and telling you to go somewhere else.. nice strategy I would say.
we cut them some slack because they were cheaper….now theres no excuse for their poor customer service, terrible stock inventory & now, predatory pricing.
643 …..1 Star Reviews on Trustpilot tell a similar story
@franco cozzo: So i was right. For sure you will go there again if you find cheaper price. Mr Principle
@BargnHuntr: youre so astute & perceptive! i am in awe of your observations! how could i not see this?!
@franco cozzo: Cant wait you to Start another topic on OZb about Ozb having 10yr old looking website and ppl are bla bla bla
Best of luck.
Does your family member qualify for the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme or the equivalent of what it is in your state?
If so they may be able to get like 6 or 12 months supply free from Health
CAPS scheme would be most applicable…only covers several months use unfortunately
Ok as long as you are aware it's better than not knowing
absolutely…any assistance in this area is appreciated
They are taking the piss!
…thats a decent reply. well done :)
well customer service is also appalling….sent an email enquiry 3 days ago from our account and have yet to receive any response….not even an auto-reply to indicate receiving my enquiry. great stuff chemist warehouse..
it's always been appalling
especially in store
you have a script and there's like no one there and yet they take like 15minutes to fill it
or
you line up and there's a dedicated click and collect line it's never a person on it and then you line up with the rest of the plebs
or
they don't know how to put through a gift card
or
they refuse to price match and fart around so much that they want you to give up
I need some of your overpriced chemist product after pissing myself laughing at OP's expectations.
competitve pricing & decent customer service is too much ask for, eh champ?
you could always just piss off out of this thread if you have nothing of value to contribute?
Goodbye then!
you again…? shit level troll has an unhealthy obsession it seems?
What are you expecting? People to solve your problem for you? Solidarity from other people?
Free market says they can charge what they like. Yeah an increase like this sucks, but what can you do? Every other person here would shrug their shoulders and find the next cheapest supplier and get on with their life.
Do you not think we need to do something about giving the elderly and disabled access. How that tide is turned will be interesting, but I suspect that would not happen without some elder abuse stories coming out. How the elderly and disabled are treated in society is despicable.
The concept of easy accessibility to period products was a big deal when I was in high school. We would never apply free market principles to period products these days, but we fought to have that changed.
@SausagesPizza: Absolutely. And a price increase like this sucks. But CWH are pretty reliably the cheapest for many (most?) things, and it seems unreasonable to think they'd change that practice (which they built their entire business on!) just to annoy a small group of people who rely on their products. I'd lay a large sum on betting their suppliers increased cost, and other chemists will need to follow suit next time they order.
@SausagesPizza: essentially this price rise equates to about $700 more per year for just this one cost for the disabled and non-mobile adult in question. a huge amount for a pensioner
This is probably not the best solution, but the prices will continue to rise. So, after a few months try save some money and purchase more boxes.
NB:
(It looks they like they already do…)
….exactly. its all we can do to mitigate rising costs on this essential item
This is a perfect example of why government's need to cap/fix prices, to prevent greedy capitalists and their cashed up shareholders from ripping people off.
The advertising might say that prices are going down and staying down, but in reality the exact opposite is happening. Albo, it's to step up and do something useful for the first time in your life.
thank you for your considered reply…..this is what i was hoping for; to spark some discussion rather than a barrage of abuse from the chemist warehouse cheap perfume fanclub
Always pays to shop around and not just assume chemist warehouse (or anywhere else) is the cheapest. I agree the cost of some essential items is out of control and sometimes subsidies don’t really help - ie they just jack up the prices accordingly. It is a lot of work for the consumer to get a fair go, especially when they are relying on someone else to do their shopping - sometimes with limited resources.
No doubt businesses need to profit, but when it’s essentials it needs to be fair and reasonable.