Consumer NZ Questions ‘Specials’ at Big Box Retailers

https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/consumer-nz-questions-s…

A Consumer NZ survey into "specials" at big box retailers found customers shouldn’t assume they’re always getting a top bargain.

The consumer organisation’s online survey checked pricing at Briscoes, Farmers, Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming. It showed 27 out of 31 products were on sale at least four times but some products were on ‘special’ every week.

Six of the seven products tracked at Harvey Norman were promoted with deal-saving claims almost every week.

The Panasonic 32L Genius Inverter Microwave Oven went from a “Price Matched” $240 to a “Price Reduced” $313 the following week. It was then marked at $249 for four weeks, before rising to a “Price Matched” $298 for two weeks. Two weeks later, it was a “Huge Deal” $268.

A Harvey Norman spokesperson said it “doesn’t wish to make any comment” when Consumer NZ asked it to explain the huge variety of price promotion deals and what they meant.

All eight items tracked at Briscoes were regularly on special.

………………

https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/consumer-nz-questions-s…

Comments

  • +11

    Consumer NZ tips for buying at a big box retailer

    1. Cheapies.nz
    2. Refer to Tip 1
    • Truth.

    • +4

      I'm so thankful to have found Cheapies lol. I've forgotten how I came across this site but glad I did and registered as a user :)

      • +1

        You know- I am the same. I cannot recall at all how I found CC, but very glad I did.

        Alan.

      • Think I found it through Geekzone. I used to post quite a few deals over there then made the jump over to Cheapies last year.

        • +1

          Can't believe you've only been here eighteen months - seems like much longer!

          I'd have said you were here long before me, but maybe it was the Ghost of Wakrak Future :-)

  • We seem to have to live with this 'high/low' pricing model which has appeared to be taking over just about every facet of BB retailers in particular and many others. Aside from Cheapies which I LOVE I can only reccomend PriceSpy and the price history function. Very interesting.

    • Wish if the price history thing can be baked in cheapies. That would be the best deal of the year for me. Saving me so much time which is worth any deal posted here.

  • +1

    The way retailers price things these days I am usually of the mindset that a sale is not a sale unless its a pricing mistake :| :( #skeptical

  • I found this place after being on the gpforums thread for takeaway coupons.

    Saved hundreds if not thousands over the years with Cheapies.

    • +2

      Saved, or spent …

      • For me both.

  • +1

    When in doubt, check Pricespy and Priceme for price history to see if it's actually on sale.

  • This has something to do with the suppliers themselves and not as much the stores for shit like TVs.

  • theres plenty of stores that pretend to have a 'sale' or 'deal' but they actually increase the price, just found out when i was checking the price of some pc parts i had saved as a screenshot so i could get them to build my son a pc.
    the samsung 980 500gb was $97 a week ago, today with their black friday deal its now $108.30 lol

Login or Join to leave a comment