Why noel leeming refuses to answer stock availability requests?

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Forums › Finance and wealth management › Why noel leeming refuses to answer stock availability requests?

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#960117 1-Jan-2014 21:28

richms:
blakamin: I just went to a HN here in Adelaide with a print-out of an aussie online retailers price and they price matched it. Saved $150 off the HN special price and $470 off the RRP. I didn't really think it would work. The bloke wanted to add the shipping price, so I looked it up on my phone, and it was free shipping. He was happy with that!
Not as happy as me tho!

If they want to add shipping, will they bring it to your house as well? If not tell them to GTFO with adding shipping.

Yeah, I thought it was a bit weird, but as it was free, I didn't care!

insane

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#960120 1-Jan-2014 21:39

richms: Dse wouldn't price match every time I have asked. Even to the warehouse next door to them.

I guess things have changed at DSE since I worked there (2004-2007). We'd happily match B&B, NL, HN etc in the later years when that first started surfacing, there was no 'price matching policy' that I was aware of. Most of the time it was for cameras and laptops as DSE hadn't really gotten into TV's in a big way, except for at their Power House stores.

Suppose times have changed and customer loyalty is no more, can't really blame them for protecting their profitability.

ethannz

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#960152 1-Jan-2014 23:48

richms: Dse wouldn't price match every time I have asked. Even to the warehouse next door to them.

Dick Smith does price match, though I have it on good authority that it is something that will be done when customers ask, and is not advertised.

However the crucial point is DSE will not match a price that is below their cost price.

mattwnz

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#960250 2-Jan-2014 12:40

ethannz:
richms: Dse wouldn't price match every time I have asked. Even to the warehouse next door to them.

Dick Smith does price match, though I have it on good authority that it is something that will be done when customers ask, and is not advertised.
u
However the crucial point is DSE will not match a price that is below their cost price.

I dont think other retailers will either, as they will use their terms and conditions to get out of price matching. If a retailer is offering something below cost, ot will probably be a loss leader and advertised as limited quantities, although not always.

Rikkitic

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#960253 2-Jan-2014 12:49

I also ran into this and it is extremely irritating. It's like they want to actively discourage customers from doing business with them. I happen to live in a rural location and I rang to see if the item I wanted was in stock. It was during the holiday sale. They refused to tell me. So I am supposed to drive 50km just to see if the item is in the shop, which it may or may not be since it is being promoted on sale? This is the stupidist, most customer-unfriendly policy I have ever encountered and I will go out of my way never to buy from Noel Leeming again. I don't care what their excuse for this arrogant policy is. Whoever dreamt this up is an idiot. Do you hear me, Noel Leeming? You have really angered at least one potential customer, who buys a lot of electronics goods, and who will make a point of not buying from you in the future!

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

sbiddle

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#960295 2-Jan-2014 13:52

Rikkitic: I also ran into this and it is extremely irritating. It's like they want to actively discourage customers from doing business with them. I happen to live in a rural location and I rang to see if the item I wanted was in stock. It was during the holiday sale. They refused to tell me. So I am supposed to drive 50km just to see if the item is in the shop, which it may or may not be since it is being promoted on sale? This is the stupidist, most customer-unfriendly policy I have ever encountered and I will go out of my way never to buy from Noel Leeming again. I don't care what their excuse for this arrogant policy is. Whoever dreamt this up is an idiot. Do you hear me, Noel Leeming? You have really angered at least one potential customer, who buys a lot of electronics goods, and who will make a point of not buying from you in the future!

I think it's a little unfair to just blame Noel Leeming for this policy. Many retailers adopt this very same policy for the very same reasons Noel Leeming do.

Retail is a very competitive marketplace.

Rikkitic

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#960307 2-Jan-2014 14:10

sbiddle: Many retailers adopt this very same policy for the very same reasons Noel Leeming do.

Retail is a very competitive marketplace.

Valid point I suppose but Noel Leeming is the one where I ran into the wall so they are the one I'm angry with. Regardless of who does it, the policy is still stupid and short-sighted, calculated just to anger people. To me it derives from the old shopkeeper mentality that customers should just shut up and pay their money and be grateful that the shop is willing to sell them something.

If retail is so competitive, maybe retailers should start making more effort to serve the customer instead of serving themselves. If price-matching and other practices is a problem, it is a problem for the retailer. Don't make it a problem for the customer.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

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sdavisnz

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#960351 2-Jan-2014 16:33

the real reason is because half the suff we "have in stock" is faulty and not re-sellable and we are just waiting on our supplier to credit the faulty stock back to us.

eg we have 3 in stock .

1 on display
1 faulty unit out the back storeroom.
1 customer return "14day i don't like it policy" - but nothing wrong with it,

and then customer comes in looking for a brand new sealed unit and is annoyed.

3 in stock does not mean 3 ready to sell.

we like to under promise - over deliver. not the other way round.

-Steve

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Dunnersfella

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#960391 2-Jan-2014 18:59

Rikkitic:
Regardless of who does it, the policy is still stupid and short-sighted, calculated just to anger people.

I think you may be pushing the boat out a little to far here...

Rikkitic

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#960560 3-Jan-2014 10:03

Dunnersfella:
Rikkitic:
Regardless of who does it, the policy is still stupid and short-sighted, calculated just to anger people.

I think you may be pushing the boat out a little to far here...

You may be right but as I said earlier, I live a long way from town. Maybe this policy can be justified for those who live around the corner from the shop and can easily pop in, but for people like me it is pure discrimination. I have lived in different countries around the world and I have never encountered anything like this anywhere before. Normal businesses are eager to sell things to their customers and go out of their way to provide customer service. Here you have franchises that control everything centrally and dream up stupid one-size-fits-all policies like this. I stand by what I have said on the subject.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Geektastic

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#960913 3-Jan-2014 20:13

Rikkitic:
Dunnersfella:
Rikkitic:
Regardless of who does it, the policy is still stupid and short-sighted, calculated just to anger people.

I think you may be pushing the boat out a little to far here...
You may be right but as I said earlier, I live a long way from town. Maybe this policy can be justified for those who live around the corner from the shop and can easily pop in, but for people like me it is pure discrimination. I have lived in different countries around the world and I have never encountered anything like this anywhere before. Normal businesses are eager to sell things to their customers and go out of their way to provide customer service. Here you have franchises that control everything centrally and dream up stupid one-size-fits-all policies like this. I stand by what I have said on the subject.

I tend to agree. I am sure Costco, John Lewis, Tescos, Ikea etc all have these same issues yet they would rarely if ever refuse to answer a customer query.

MikeB4

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#960915 3-Jan-2014 20:22

Geektastic:
Rikkitic:
Dunnersfella:
Rikkitic:
Regardless of who does it, the policy is still stupid and short-sighted, calculated just to anger people.

I think you may be pushing the boat out a little to far here...
You may be right but as I said earlier, I live a long way from town. Maybe this policy can be justified for those who live around the corner from the shop and can easily pop in, but for people like me it is pure discrimination. I have lived in different countries around the world and I have never encountered anything like this anywhere before. Normal businesses are eager to sell things to their customers and go out of their way to provide customer service. Here you have franchises that control everything centrally and dream up stupid one-size-fits-all policies like this. I stand by what I have said on the subject.

I tend to agree. I am sure Costco, John Lewis, Tescos, Ikea etc all have these same issues yet they would rarely if ever refuse to answer a customer query.

Of course they wouldn't, I hear they have harps playing in every store. Its just the colonies that do things sooooo badly

turnin

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#961335 5-Jan-2014 00:18

Ok so someone needs to invite retailers to contribute stock level data of all advertised products to a open public api. Crowd sourcing will police their honesty. I don't think lag is an issue nor do I think its a fault in their systems. Its a bit condescending and shows that they think people are stupid and forgiving, people are neither, especially after a hour trip across town prior to xmas. /grrr>

Dunnersfella

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#961359 5-Jan-2014 07:45

You can say things like "open public api, crowd sourcing, condescending" etc.

But the thing is, their business, is their business.
Buzz words and open source concepts are nice, but they're worlds away from the reality of running a store, whether it's bricks and mortar, or web based.

turnin

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#961360 5-Jan-2014 08:10

their business relies on public participation. Without it they close. Intentionally misleading the public by advertising goods with low stock levels is a popular practice and the solutions I suggested could make an impact. Can you improve on it ?

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