Hi cheapies community,
Is against Fair Trading Act to offer price beat by 5%, and when I request for it online for them to reject it by saying the stock is not available (even though it was available at the time I requested).
And then later that night, it magically becomes available again but at the lowered price of the store I asked them to beat by 5%.
Just seems so dodgy and suspicious, and very frustrating of course.
Seems suspicious and makes me question an error they had during their black friday sale last year.
I bought something on sale from their website but they cancelled my order without my knowledge, I later saw that their website was still displaying the item for sale so I messaged and asked if they had it in stock, they replied saying they do but it has a purchase limit of 1 and I can still buy it online. I mentioned that something doesn't add up as I had ordered the item during the current sale but it was cancelled with no email or communication given that a) this happened and b) why it happened. They later responded saying their website was wrong and actually there was no stock available and no indication when stock would be returning. I chalked it up to poor website management and communication or whatever but maybe there was more to it and they didn't want to sell that item during the sale for a discounted price.
Thanks for sharing. It's very suspicious. We went into the store recently to buy something else and saw the item we tried to price match available in store but at the original/unlowered price. So can now confirm they definitely just lowered the price online to avoid price matching us online. Definitely very dodgy practice. Makes me really angry - don't offer a price match policy if you are going try dodgy ways to decline them.
I stopped shopping at their NZ store because the prices are just ridiculous. The Bugaboo Butterfly is $799 here with no discounts ever, while in their Australian store it's AU$639. I was able to get a price match down to AU$599 last year, and they even included a Bugaboo handle worth $50 for free. After a tax refund at the airport, it comes down to $600 NZD and is treated as free luggage when flying with a child.
And recently I had a warranty service with Bugaboo, no question asked when I am showing an Australian receipt and requested parts to be delivered in NZ.
good to know :)
When Babycity on was on sale for their bugaboo butterfly. We submitted a price match request on Baby bunting website to price beat. Unfortunately, they didn't get back to us for well over 10 working days. We ended bought the butterfly on Babycity at $594 nzd free delivery. It was a day after babycity sale ended, baby bunting emailed back to us said they can't price match as the price is the same as Babycity. A very dodgy tactic by baby bunting to delay price matching.
Their price beat policy may as well not exist based on my experience. Have sent through requests previously, only to have them take an age to respond, after which time the price has miraculously changed or the sale price at their competitor has ended. It seems designed to avoid price beating any way possible, and for the sake of 5% is not worth missing out on a competitor's price.
Others mileage may vary, but I wouldn't both with them anymore.
I actually sent them another email to call them out on it. No reply so far and it's been over a week… thanks for sharing everyone.
You could try telling them that, if they are not prepared to play fair, you will report them.
Whether you can be bothered is another thing of course!