Price match policy change in DSE stores?

Forums › Off topic › Price match policy change in DSE stores?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#803727 22-Apr-2013 14:36

LostBoyNZ:
It really is a race to the bottom in many areas, even manufacturers are joining in. For example many of the 2012/2013 Samsung TV's had a lot less inputs, weren't as thin etc as the 2011/2012 models. Now some of the Panasonic's in the 2013/2014 range have reduced some features to save money.

I noticed that too, some of the sony LED ones look thicker than the model I got a few years ago, but they are also cheaper.

But these companies can't do too much cost cutting, as the product have to still be reliable for the NZ market due to the CGA. They can possibly get away with less reliable products in countries which don't have this consumer protection.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#803741 22-Apr-2013 15:16

mattwnz:
LostBoyNZ:
It really is a race to the bottom in many areas, even manufacturers are joining in. For example many of the 2012/2013 Samsung TV's had a lot less inputs, weren't as thin etc as the 2011/2012 models. Now some of the Panasonic's in the 2013/2014 range have reduced some features to save money.

I noticed that too, some of the sony LED ones look thicker than the model I got a few years ago, but they are also cheaper.

But these companies can't do too much cost cutting, as the product have to still be reliable for the NZ market due to the CGA. They can possibly get away with less reliable products in countries which don't have this consumer protection.

Cost cutting is unlikely to be in an area that will reduce reliability as that can damage their brand.

The more common areas for cost cutting are in the features, expect to see less HDMI ports, no component video input, no VGA input, reduction or removal of "smart TV" features etc.

networkn

Networkn
32350 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#803755 22-Apr-2013 15:36

You do not put a baker into tech support, you get staff who are actually suited (or you hope will be) suited for what you are looking for. If running a tech business get staff interested in tech. That does not cost you as the employer anything other than being observant. There is no need for hiring better staff it's about hiring the right staff. Of course there will be training costs and physical stores cost more but good customer service shouldn't be something that you use as a excuse to bump up the price. A commision based salesperson often relies on the sale or the upsell so actually taking time to listen to a customers needs and doing your best to actually meet them is the #1 priority as it's those things that will help your physical store get a sale for a product you can find online at a price that is often a lot less than what they could offer you in a physical store.

This is what I meant if that was not overly obvious.

Hiring the right staff costs money, the right staff, those with more experience and, interest usually want more money, we hire people who are right for the job and they are almost certainly more expensive than the minimum wage so your assertion that hiring the right people isn't more expensive would be in most cases, incorrect. On top of that you still require to train those people and the quality of that training has a cost make no mistake about it. Just because someone is interested in tech doesn't make them suited to sell it, and even that good quality vetting process costs, even if it's "just" time (I consider my time worth a fair bit).

The bottom line is very plainly this. in 95% of cases, good customer service costs the business providing it, more than firms who just have bums on seats to take orders or greet customers. Monitoring performance costs money in the format of time, and this is one of the major factors of success in businesses. You can't get it right every time but how you deal with it, can often repair the damage done by a mistake. In fact I consider every mistake we face a challenge to make that customer into a happier customer than they were before they even had the problem.

theUpload

137 posts

Master Geek

#805549 25-Apr-2013 18:46

Dick Smith Price Matching policy changed when their Doing Deals Policy came in.

They only price match if the product can go to that price without hurting the bottom dollar. If theirs room to move Dick Smith will try, if their isn't then they don't.

What they are protecting themselves from was advertising that we do it across the board and then loosing lots of $$ matching other companies who are also loosing money on their own sale price but they can cater for that sale price or they are getting a rebate, for Dick that price match meant pure loss.

In the last year of the price matching policy it changed to local only stores with stock to tide the flow of damage online vendors were doing.

gnfb

2609 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#805796 26-Apr-2013 09:58

This thread seems to have moved on to the future of retail Whenever I think that I have the future of retail tagged something crops up that makes me reconsider everything.

You would think that the lower the margins go the less staff and outlets etc etc.

I wonder about this

Also you would think that we are heading for a few huge stores death of the local shop

I wonder about this

A few things to ponder

Argos in the Uk hundreds of stores over 700 in fact
You walk in a few products on display behind glass banks of counters with catolouges on where you choose your product and then pay for same and collect at counter Is that retail future?

Manufacturers may have to change there prices if "they choose" that bricks and mortar is to survive. We know they can do this They decide how much the consumer can stand price wise hence th eprice of the new Samsung 4 being a grand and a ps3 being 300

And finally Tescos in the UK is buying up and opening up local stores little corner shops!!

Next thing you know we ill have banks in main street ...oh wait

So if you know the future of retail I would be interested to hear

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

I have two shops online allshop.nz patchpinflag.nz
Email Me

tdgeek

29743 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#805834 26-Apr-2013 10:48

gnfb1234: This thread seems to have moved on to the future of retail Whenever I think that I have the future of retail tagged something crops up that makes me reconsider everything.

You would think that the lower the margins go the less staff and outlets etc etc.

I wonder about this

Also you would think that we are heading for a few huge stores death of the local shop

I wonder about this

A few things to ponder

Argos in the Uk hundreds of stores over 700 in fact
You walk in a few products on display behind glass banks of counters with catolouges on where you choose your product and then pay for same and collect at counter Is that retail future?

Manufacturers may have to change there prices if "they choose" that bricks and mortar is to survive. We know they can do this They decide how much the consumer can stand price wise hence th eprice of the new Samsung 4 being a grand and a ps3 being 300

And finally Tescos in the UK is buying up and opening up local stores little corner shops!!

Next thing you know we ill have banks in main street ...oh wait

So if you know the future of retail I would be interested to hear

Interesting.

Online sells cheaper as lower costs
Your store example will also be lower costs, but customer can buy "in the real"

Hard to say, as some products dont require customer support (like toasters), others do, like tech.

Perhaps all stores will reduce bricks and mortar layout/stocks/support and will add on online and all or part of your example. To spread the overall business model and reduce cost but also provide ample sales opportunities for the online/offline public

Take time as the public need to feel comfortable with a new model, and have an option for buying support in some form. Interesting

gnfb

2609 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#805899 26-Apr-2013 13:35

I was just thinking of Noel lemings experiences of late. I have found that they are fairly quick to reply on the facebook page to questions. Also they have a good online real person who has more than the average phone sales person. ......................

Imagine a website where there is a skype type feed to a real person ither pop up or fulltime that is answering questions even maybe taking orders with a level meter beside her that shows where you are in the queue to be served.

hmmmm....
Makes me wish I was in a working position to think that out

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

I have two shops online allshop.nz patchpinflag.nz
Email Me

1 | 2 | 3 | 4