Officeworks Declined My Price Beat in-Store

PriceSensitive on 29/03/2025 - 09:30
Last edited 29/03/2025 - 09:53 by 2 other users

Hello fellow OzBargainers, just a bit of a heads up here.

I managed to get a good deal on a price beat at OW.

Whoever I spoke to (head office line) offered to let me provide payment details over the phone to which I declined, thinking the price is locked in under my details. I thought it would be more secure just to pay in store.

So I drive to the store and unfortunately, it had to go through an anal store manager and they provided some BS reason about it being below cost and they couldn't give it to me for that price. My understanding is that if I'd paid for it already and had a tax issue invoiced, it would just be a click and collect.

So now I missed out on the deal AND the wasted 30 mins driving to the store and back for nothing.

Don't make the same rookie mistake I did.

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Comments

  • 87percent on 29/03/2025 - 09:42
    +9

    So just call up the price beat store and get them to match it again and then pick up in store

    • akyeeeahdude on 29/03/2025 - 10:20
      +5

      I tried that once and the 'Manager' ended up having an argument with them and hung up on them. Insane. I ended up calling back whilst in the store and paid for it over the phone and then did a click and collect. They made me come back later for the click and collect though.

  • pencilman on 29/03/2025 - 09:45
    +10

    Yeah. Can't be bothered taking the risk of the same experience as the OP and wasting the time driving in to Officeworks.

    Do the price beat on the phone and click and collect. Takes a while to get through on the phone, but better than having to argue at the store.

  • McMaferMur on 29/03/2025 - 09:46
    +1

    Bikies
    Viet gang

    • djones145 on 29/03/2025 - 10:08

      batman

    • Porker on 29/03/2025 - 10:23

      Why Viet though? There are lots of types of gangs.

      • McMaferMur on 29/03/2025 - 10:39

        They are small, but not afraid to die just just come and slash you no talk just action.

  • McMaferMur on 29/03/2025 - 09:48
    +2

    Whats the deaL, why you didnt share it… thats the mistake, therefore ow refused to help you

    Hehe kidding

  • Neoika on 29/03/2025 - 10:26
    +1

    You need a one time use credit card (via Zip, Revolut) or at least dynamic CVV supported card for this kind of situation.

  • JimmyF on 29/03/2025 - 10:27
    +5

    Whoever I spoke to (head office line) offered to let me provide payment details over the phone to which I declined, thinking the price is locked in under my details. I thought it would be more secure just to pay in store.

    You thought wrong.

    This is office works, why didn't you pay over the phone?

    • Neoika on 29/03/2025 - 10:33

      Security reason for OP. I think Officeworks gift card can be used online so that it should be eligible over the phone as well. Another way is: have a close amount gift card ready.

      • McMaferMur on 29/03/2025 - 10:40
        +1

        Greed (of more and more saving) leads to destruction

        • Neoika on 29/03/2025 - 11:07

          OP can just buy Officeworks digital gift card on giftcards.com.au with no discount. The amount can be customized to a dollar and just for this purchase.

      • JimmyF on 29/03/2025 - 16:14
        +1

        Security reason for OP

        Which again, the OP thought wrong thinking Office works is some fly by night shop that was going to steal their details.

        Credit card usage over the phone or online, the risk is the same. All the agent on the phone is doing is punching the details into a website.

        • tz001 on 30/03/2025 - 08:00

          That's not quite correct. Over the phone, the call recording can have the card info. Less humans, more secure, generally speaking. I looked after tech for a call centre and multiple e-comm sites. That said, I still would have paid over the phone!

          • JimmyF on 30/03/2025 - 09:27
            +1

            @tz001:

            Over the phone, the call recording can have the card info

            Correct

            I looked after tech for a call centre and multiple e-comm sites.

            So you know that its any access of these recordings are recorded and the general pleb doesn't have access to the call data

            That said, I still would have paid over the phone!

            Agreed, as I said, Office works isn't some fly by night place.

      • mattyman on 30/03/2025 - 08:03
        -1

        Gift cards cannot be used online.

        • Neoika on 30/03/2025 - 11:05

          I have checked the T&C for Officeworks gift card. Do not mix up with Ultimate gift card or other.

          • pixxelpusher on 01/04/2025 - 00:47

            @Neoika: Do you know if in store you can use whatever gift card you want, and mix multiple gift cards to complete a purchase? Like a few Officeworks digital ones and a physical Ultimate gift card?

            I'm still unsure in store how strict they are on multiple payment types, like can you also throw some Flybuy Dollars into the mix as well?

            • Neoika on 02/04/2025 - 00:22

              @pixxelpusher: Flybuy Dollars may not be used there. It is all up to the cashier who may make up some rules.

              • pixxelpusher on 02/04/2025 - 16:32
                +1

                @Neoika: Actually went in there yesterday as I couldn't wait any longer. They actually did accept flybuy dollars that I had loaded onto my flybuys card, as well as a mix of physical and digital gift cards and the rest on credit card. So a total of 5 different payment types were used in the end. This was also on a special order item that they didn't stock onsite and had to order in. So yes it may be up to the cashier, but in my case it all worked out.

                • Neoika on 03/04/2025 - 00:16

                  @pixxelpusher: Okay, it is not hard to find it beforehand. I am pretty sure that OW did not 5 yrs ago, just like flybuys pts not earned.

                  I have only been to OW once (for AmEx offer) in the last many yrs. I am sure that one can live without it.

  • AndyC1 on 29/03/2025 - 10:44

    Had a similar experience years ago until I asked the store to call head office as they had agree to price match and then they price matched as I also said if they did not then I would have to call head office and make a formal complaint that the store did not adhere to the price beat conditions.

  • Bignudge on 29/03/2025 - 10:48
    -3

    Officeworks are dodgey af with their price matching. Your luck may vary depending on:
    1. The time of the day (just opened, break/lunch time, 3 minutes before closing time)
    2. The number of customers waiting in line
    3. The person behind the counter (new Christmas casual, or a seasoned 5 year top employee)

    And even if the planets and stars line up, there's always a snobby supervisor hovering around those two registers like flies around shit… trying to overlook and decline every single price match request.

    An honest tip to other Ozbargainers out there, do your price match 5 mins before the store closes. All I'm going to say is that I got a a Samsung 49" screen price matched (beaten) with a site selling in USD. That shit ended up being less than half price, with full warranty and invoicing.

  • ihbh on 29/03/2025 - 11:02
    +11

    Confucius says: A bird in the hand is better than one in the bush.

    • Bignudge on 29/03/2025 - 11:04
      +1

      I thought it was" A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush"

      • ihbh on 29/03/2025 - 11:11
        +2

        He was trying to get the same "bird" in the store vs guaranteed over the phone, not two. So this was a no brainer, leaving aside his security concerns.

    • c64 on 29/03/2025 - 13:47
      +1

      not necessarily, a little pecker is better in bush than in hand

  • Chris Topher on 29/03/2025 - 14:23
    -2

    I just had 2 bad experiences with O.W. after being a loyal customer for a looooooong time.

    They have now lost me. I had to drastically lower my standards and buy from gasp Gerry /gasp.

    • Yummy on 29/03/2025 - 14:46

      You…

      • Chris Topher on 29/03/2025 - 18:43
        -1

        My humblest apologies. :-(

        Is JB HiFi acceptable to my peers or should I go Temu? O^O

        • Link is youtube and safe *
    • tenpercent on 29/03/2025 - 21:36

      Please share your harrowing tales.

      • Chris Topher on 30/03/2025 - 10:45

        Ahh okaaaayyy.

        Ordered online and paid for delivery of a printer: https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/epson-ecotank-et-4810-multi-f… on the 27th Feb.

        After a few weeks waiting I rang to find out what's going on as the the printer was still showing as available for delivery but it had gone up $100 since I paid. The reply on the phone "It is on back-order as there are none in store, oh.. none in Victoria, but wait.. there's none in Australia."

        So I went to the local store to get a cheap laser printer to tide me over, they only had 1 colour laser in store, too expensive so I canned that idea. While I'm here "do you sell car satellite navigation units?" The reply from the customer service person "Oh, I don't know."

        So I left, went to Gerry, got an upgraded model printer, same original price +$100 and Sat-Navs galore. A very friendly and knowledgeable sales guy to boot. Online order cancelled now waiting for refund.

        /end story - thank you for your time. :-)

  • DoctorCalculon on 29/03/2025 - 21:34
    +1

    Provide payment details over the phone to which I declined

    Their over the phone payment system is very secure. Likewise for Bunnings.
    You could have also paid using a Revolut disposable (one time) card.

  • thereyougo on 30/03/2025 - 09:34

    I tried to price match a D-Link router JB had for $100 while OW had for $169, while they looked identical and the floor staff nearly done the price match, the manager intervened and checked out the product code, it was identical except last two digits, WTF!
    It's the same router for gods sake. Why advertise price matching if they're going to do everything in their power not to give it o you.

  • b0rnwithabeard on 30/03/2025 - 11:41

    So I drive to the store and unfortunately, it had to go through an anal store manager

    well there's your problem, you had to go to Officeworks, not The Anal Store.

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