Real specials? (Laptops etc.)

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Real specials? (Laptops etc.)

andrewnzer

25 posts

Geek

#289935 10-Oct-2021 17:43

I've been looking to buy a relatively cheap laptop recently, I already have one and in no rush and I've seen some prices go up and down on the same products from the same companies.

There's been a fare bit in the media lately about NZ companies giving the impression there giving specials when really there not and the moral and legal situation surrounding that.

I thought this was interesting, just a copy of a customer service chat I had on the Harvey Norman website.

(HarveyNorman.co.nz chat:)

Need more info on a Product? Ask here and we will respond as soon as we can.

Me: If a product has "GREAT DEAL!" beside the price does that mean it's on sale and not the normal price?

Harvey Norman: Hi there, thanks for reaching out. Yes it means is on special

Me: Are you sure because it's $100 more than it was last week. "Link to product".

Me: Hello?

(No response for another 4 minutes and I closed the tab.)

What do y'all think about this kind of thing? Harmless?

Lias

5589 posts

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#2792865 10-Oct-2021 21:24

The commerce commission has fined companies for similar behaviour in the past.. Worth a complaint.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

andrewnzer

25 posts

Geek

#2793024 11-Oct-2021 10:27

To be fare the price may have gone "normal" , down , up (probably best to give them the benefit of the doubt.)

So it went:

(Price they said it was before I noticed) $600 (Normal prices on other products seem to have black writing)

(The week before October 5th) $450 - "Special, was $600 ends 5th of October" , Red writing

(October 6th) $550 - "GREAT DEAL!" , Red writing

Feels misleading but I assume it's not illegal , I'm guessing there's nothing illegal about implying it's a special with the colour of the writing and superlatives? And they claim it's still down from the "normal" price.

andrewnzer

25 posts

Geek

#2796706 17-Oct-2021 13:03

Now at $594 , 6 dollars from it's highest ever price and still on "special" with a "HOT PRICE!"

https://www.harveynorman.co.nz/computers/laptops/acer-aspire-1-14-laptop-intel-celeron-4gb-ram-128gb-emmc-a114-33.html

Edit: one percent off lol

MadEngineer

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#2796708 17-Oct-2021 13:18

I wouldn't buy that laptop if it were free

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

andrewnzer

25 posts

Geek

#2796720 17-Oct-2021 13:43

MadEngineer:

I wouldn't buy that laptop if it were free

N series CPUs get more powerful every generation just like any other CPU family. 15 - 30% more instructions per cycle every generation. There fine now for lots of uses. They benchmark higher than early mobile i3s and i5s.

Azoth

2 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#2796740 17-Oct-2021 14:55

Lias:

The commerce commission has fined companies for similar behaviour in the past.. Worth a complaint.

Honestly commerce commission is so under resourced to police all of this unfortunately.

They should be doing this stuff, suppose atm they have bigger fish to fry like supermarkets.
https://comcom.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/competition-studies/market-study-into-retail-grocery-sector