Dodgy Officework Price-Match Policy

LFreshPanda on 22/08/2023 - 15:27

I had an extremely unsatisfactory customer experience with the price match at Officeworks.

I attempted to request a price match for the AirPods Pro 2 on a website, but my request was denied. Their justification for this refusal was completely unreasonable: they cited a minor discrepancy in part numbers (MQD83ZAA) in their database compared to (MQD83ZA/A) on the product due to a variation in backslashes and used this to argue that the products were not identical. I was confused Apple only released one model for AirPods pro 2 how could they become two different items?

So I inquired about if they could do a price match with JB HI-FI, David Jones and The Good Guys, and the manager said they can do it now for me(but my purpose is not actually price match with that retail). After that, I pointed out those big retailers also have a slash in part number, if you could do the price match with those retailers there is no reason to refuse to do that with the website I want to price match. Then the manager start contradicting himself by saying he couldn't match any of those big retailers either if there is a slash over there, it'll be considered as not an identical product.

I look up almost a big retailer, and there is a slash over the part number, but only the office work doesn't. So I'm supposed they utilize this to refuse customers' price match requirements.

General Discussion

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Officeworks

Comments

  • RichardL on 22/08/2023 - 15:29
    +6

    At the end of the day, price-match/beat is always dependent on the employee and/or manager regardless of their own policy.

    If they refuse, just come back at a different time or try a different store.

  • jv on 22/08/2023 - 15:31
    +3

    they cited a minor discrepancy in part numbers

    It has always been that way.

    That is why some products have a different part number at Officeworks.

    • djsweet on 22/08/2023 - 16:14

      It is true that some brands have officeworks specific model numbers (Brother for instance). However, Apple is not one of these brands.

      • jv on 22/08/2023 - 16:19

        Apple is not one of these brands.

        Then it would be easy to check what the part number says on the box instore…

  • jv on 22/08/2023 - 15:32
    +1

    I had the opposite experience.

    I tried to get a price match for a product that had different packaging. They initially refused, but when I pointed out the part number was the same, they gave in and I got it for the cheaper price (minus 5%)

  • JimmyF on 22/08/2023 - 15:58
    +4

    I had an extremely unsatisfactory customer experience with the price match at Officeworks.

    Ok, so don't buy from them and buy from the place that had the cheaper price.

    Honestly stop supporting companies that are not CHEAPER upfront. All they do is drive the other companies out of business and there will be no one to price match to.

    • pharkurnell on 22/08/2023 - 16:08
      +2

      buy from the place that had the cheaper price

      I've always wondered why this is such a challenge. Why (profanity) around getting price match…

      • JimmyF on 22/08/2023 - 16:15
        +2

        Agreed, people screw around for hours and then get in a huff as they can't get a price match, so then come online to rant about how bad xyz store is as they won't price match etc.

        Ummm ok, so why not just save all that work and just buy from the cheaper place in the first place!?

      • jv on 22/08/2023 - 16:20

        Why (profanity) around getting price match…

        Because it is 5% cheaper…

        Around $15 more saving…

        • pharkurnell on 22/08/2023 - 16:23
          +1

          and how did that go for OP? and most people who try this at OW

          • jv on 22/08/2023 - 16:24

            @pharkurnell:

            and how did that go for OP?

            If they can show the products have the same code, they'll get it 5% cheaper.

            As I said, it worked for me, even with different packaging (same product number, same barcode though)

            • pharkurnell on 22/08/2023 - 16:31
              +1

              @jv: I'll translate what you said for others.

              it got him nowhere

        • FreshPanda on 22/08/2023 - 16:31
          +1

          Yes, 5% is another factor. otherwise, we could do a price match from JB-HIFI, as they usually provide better customer service

    • FreshPanda on 22/08/2023 - 16:29

      Typically, online prices tend to be lower because online retailers lack physical stores, resulting in reduced operational expenses. The reason people are interested in price matching is primarily to obtain the product immediately, rather than waiting for prolonged delivery times.

      In my case, I urgently need to buy a gift, so I'm hoping to receive the item as quickly as possible. It would make perfect sense for me to utilize this policy to acquire the product at a more affordable cost.

      When a retailer offers a price match service, it signifies their intention to attract potential customers away from competing stores.

      • JimmyF on 22/08/2023 - 16:43

        When a retailer offers a price match service, it signifies their intention to attract potential customers away from competing stores.

        Not at all and far from it. Its a ploy to keep the prices high and make more money from the people who don't price shop. Those that do price shop, they can 'price match'.

        As I said, once all the cheap places go under, do you think officeworks will lower the prices? Heck no. So you'll be stuck with high prices.

        Do you really think Bunnings is the cheapest around with this saying?

        Our lowest prices policy means that if you find a competitor's lower price (including GST and delivery charges) on the same in-stock item, we'll beat it by 10%

        LOL they are often far from the lowest around and in most cases stock SKUs that are different to everyone else so you can't price match.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2023 - 16:02

    Are you sure they are not selling fakes? I just checked the barcode on the OW vs Hardly Gerrys website and they match.

    Does the 'a website' list the barcode in the specifications?

    • jv on 22/08/2023 - 16:22

      I just checked the barcode

      Good point.

      If the barcode is the same, then they must price match as the product from the other store would successfully scan at Officeworks as the same product.

    • FreshPanda on 22/08/2023 - 16:34

      Unfortunately, most of the website does have barcode over there.
      I don't think they are selling fakes, they are all from the same dealer. OW just remove the slash from the part number and make it to a different product.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2023 - 16:42

        You can only hope to show comparison between 'a website' and harvey noman which both show the / in the product code, then cross reference that with OW to show the same barcode.
        Or just buy from 'a website' if they are cheaper outright, any further effort may not be worth your time.

        Selling fakes was a tongue in cheek dig at OW for excluding a character from the proper part code as listed by the manufaturer and using it as an excuse to not honor policy. I don't believe they are actually selling fakes.

  • djsweet on 22/08/2023 - 16:16
    +4

    This is a dodgy employee not a dodgy policy. The policy is fine. I don't know why some employees try everything to weasel their way out of the price match like its coming out of their own pocket. Officeworks isn't even commission based, so it literally has no effect on the employee's pay.

    • jv on 22/08/2023 - 16:23

      This is a dodgy employee not a dodgy policy.

      I'd have asked to speak to the store manager.

  • freefall101 on 22/08/2023 - 17:02

    Where were you trying to price match to? Sounds like they simply didn't want to, which at the end of the day they can always do. Just go somewhere else.

    I'd go back to them and point out that MQD83ZA/A is what is written on their website - https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/apple-airpods-pro-2nd-gen-mqd… - the reason there is no / in it is because it would break the URL. Likely the same with their system.

  • Ughhh on 22/08/2023 - 18:13

    Some time ago I had a similar issue with the product number. I asked the staff to confirm if it was the same product first, then mentioned price match/beat. It worked.

  • tommypickles on 22/08/2023 - 18:53
    +1

    You provided so many specifics in your post yet you noticeably omitted who the online retailer you attempted to price match was.

    The Officeworks person had no problem matching with known big retailers who did or did not have the / in product ID, just you weren't happy with the price. You're not proving there's an issue here about Officeworks product ID match. Your argument is moot.

    What you really should be saying is "Officeworks refused to price match an online retailer (whose name I have not provided)". It is Officeworks prerogative to choose which retailers they price match.

    Take it as an L that you know it is. Drop the "Policy" part of your title post, seems closer to the truth no?

  • yellowfever on 22/08/2023 - 20:33

    Officeworks can do whatever they want.
    You need to remember that. Whether model number matches or not
    It's their store and they do what they want

    • lancesta on 23/08/2023 - 06:07
      +2

      Not really they can't advertise the service and not do it, it'd likely goes against ACL if they falsely advertised it and didn't offer it

  • Save 50 Cent on 23/08/2023 - 06:43

    ‘A website’? I can also make a website and list brand new everything I need at 75% off the RRP then walk into Officeworks. Doubt that would work.

    • knobbs on 23/08/2023 - 09:04

      That gives me an idea

    • GeorgeTropos on 23/08/2023 - 09:53

      Technically if it's linked to an abn number then technically speaking it's a legitimate store.

  • trainblue on 11/06/2024 - 22:06

    you can report to ACCC and let them sort it. Told them Office trying scam misleading advertise, scam by puting different serial patch number.

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