Companies that do price gouging with Covid-19 related products

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Networkn
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#2449102 28-Mar-2020 21:40

Stu: My parents are in a retirement village, about half an hour from where we live. Apparently, Bidfood is now available to provide food deliveries to residents. Pricing? Well, a couple of examples mum provided: Weetbix, 1.2kg, $~11 and some odd cents (Countdown currently $7.60). MallowPuffs, $6~ (Countdown $3.70).

I'm trying to get dad to sign up with Countdown and their priority assistance service. At least it will be cheaper.

My inlaws were so reluctant to get online shopping, in the end I remoted into my FIL computer and did it with him.

They still didn't want to do it even after that, so we placed an order on my account and shipped what they needed direct to them.

My FIL was onboard, but my MIL deeply suspicious worrier who had concerns they might get seconds or taken advantage of. Sometimes it's easier to go with the flow as it was causing her quite some distress.

skyplonk

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#2449109 28-Mar-2020 21:53

Hi All

Went to New World in Pukekohe today, very impressed.

While Countdown have no specials, and arguably prices could have increased on some items, New World was business as usual and plenty on special and plenty of multibuys.

I have always shopped countdown, but if New World continue to have decent specials over this period, they have won my business.

Hats off to New World.

networkn

Networkn
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#2449113 28-Mar-2020 21:58

skyplonk: Hi All

Went to New World in Pukekohe today, very impressed.

While Countdown have no specials, and arguably prices could have increased on some items, New World was business as usual and plenty on special and plenty of multibuys.

I have always shopped countdown, but if New World continue to have decent specials over this period, they have won my business.

Hats off to New World.

My wife was able to get some reasonable specials, also from New World. My wife prefers Countdown, but I definately prefer NW, especially since I have a good relationship with thier produce buyer, and he has been good enough to get items for me on special order. I also think their fish is fresher, though usually we order fish online as they stock varieties outside the usual 5 that supermarkets carry.

On a side note, one thing I'd love to see supermarkets do more, is on the label for fish, market it Red, Green, and Orange for how badly overfished it is, and make sure they have reasonable stock of some of the lesser stocked items, which aren't under pressure, and encourage buyers to look away from things like Gurnard.

Stu

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#2449114 28-Mar-2020 22:11

@networkn - my parents are also reluctant, but we'll get there. One way or another. I think I'll end up ordering for them also.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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MikeAqua

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#2449901 30-Mar-2020 09:53

Senecio:

What @sbiddle just said. No stock available during a promotion is an absolute no no.

Not an uncommon scenario pre-covid. Product x is on special but none on shelf.

Mike

Senecio

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#2449977 30-Mar-2020 12:00

MikeAqua:

Senecio:

What @sbiddle just said. No stock available during a promotion is an absolute no no.

Not an uncommon scenario pre-covid. Product x is on special but none on shelf.

You can thank my friends in demand planning for that.

Baseline forecast 50 units per store per day
Promo uplift 50 +10 units per store per day
Actual sales 200 units per store per day!

networkn

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#2449980 30-Mar-2020 12:01

Countdown will return to providing specials.

Psychologically, this may help people to stop panicking as they equate this with "normal service resuming".

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mattwnz

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#2450063 30-Mar-2020 13:55

skyplonk: Hi All

Went to New World in Pukekohe today, very impressed.

While Countdown have no specials, and arguably prices could have increased on some items, New World was business as usual and plenty on special and plenty of multibuys.

I have always shopped countdown, but if New World continue to have decent specials over this period, they have won my business.

Hats off to New World.

Unfortunately some towns don't have a choice if the town only has a single supermarket. So we are forced to shop with a small expensive store, where the prices are higher due to location and small size of the store, combined with a lack of specials running. I hope they do bring in some form of regulation, especially if lockdown extends, because at the moment there isn't a competitive market due to this. It may not be a priority yet, but I suspect some people are going to really start struggling, and the last thing they need is to be paying more for their weekly shop. When each product can cost a significant amount more than another store which is known to have cheaper prices, that can add up a a far higher bill.

MikeAqua

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#2450065 30-Mar-2020 14:01

mattwnz:

skyplonk: Hi All

Went to New World in Pukekohe today, very impressed.

While Countdown have no specials, and arguably prices could have increased on some items, New World was business as usual and plenty on special and plenty of multibuys.

I have always shopped countdown, but if New World continue to have decent specials over this period, they have won my business.

Hats off to New World.

Unfortunately some towns don't have a choice if the town only has a single supermarket. So we are forced to shop with a small expensive store, where the prices are higher due to location and small size of the store, combined with a lack of specials running. I hope they do bring in some form of regulation, especially if lockdown extends, because at the moment there isn't a competitive market due to this. It may not be a priority yet, but I suspect some people are going to really start struggling, and the last thing they need is to be paying more for their weekly shop.

PM is supposed to be having a press conference about supermarket at 4pm.

Mike

lchiu7

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#2450091 30-Mar-2020 14:57

Not here yet but some major grocery outlets in the US are refusing to honour returns for some goods citing possibly health reasons and in some cases, not rewarding those who stockpiled during the initial days and now now find they didn't have to.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/03/27/return-policies-age-coronavirus-target-suspends-returns/2901761001/

One quote in the article

Neil Saunders, managing director of retail consultancy Global Data, said retailers don't want to encourage hoarding and don't feel the need to reward people "who have behaved badly during the crisis."

And

https://q13fox.com/2020/03/20/signs-suggest-some-costco-stores-arent-accepting-returns-on-high-demand-items-amid-covid-19/

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mattwnz

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#2450097 30-Mar-2020 15:09

lchiu7:

Not here yet but some major grocery outlets in the US are refusing to honour returns for some goods citing possibly health reasons and in some cases, not rewarding those who stockpiled during the initial days and now now find they didn't have to.

I am not sure they allow returns in NZ anyway, unless the product has a defect.

lchiu7

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#2450098 30-Mar-2020 15:10

I've been able to return stuff at NW at CD with no problem. Just show a receipt.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

mattwnz

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#2450146 30-Mar-2020 16:11

Government have created a reporting mechanism for the public - pricewatch@mbie.govt.nz

tdgeek

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#2450172 30-Mar-2020 17:01

skyplonk: Hi All

Went to New World in Pukekohe today, very impressed.

While Countdown have no specials, and arguably prices could have increased on some items, New World was business as usual and plenty on special and plenty of multibuys.

I have always shopped countdown, but if New World continue to have decent specials over this period, they have won my business.

Hats off to New World.

We shop NW, I did some, not much $138, Friday. With all this specials chatter I just checked the receipt. $2 odd, promotions, and $6 odd Clubcard, thats all about normal, so yes, well done.

Ill need to use Countdown for online, as wife wants online. Id prefer the store.

shrub

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#2450246 30-Mar-2020 19:00

Check out Dragon PC prices. eg ryzen 5 3600 on special 22% off @ $393. last weeks normal price was $296

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