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Price Matching

grateful1

grateful1

Oh My!
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
19,607
Yes, I would like real feedback on how you - as the consumer - feel about 'price matching'.



Price matching is a marketing strategy.

Personally - I feel it's a gimick to waste a consumer's time.

As a seller, either offer the lowest price available to you ....or don't.

If you are not upfront about your sale price....then it appears(to me) you are not being fair.

As a buyer, I expect the selller to have a price on what they are selling.

In this forum...'auctions' and 'make an offer's' are not an option (from the 'rules' and my interpretation).



As a seller - am I able to post - "You show me a price and I'll see if I can match that price?"



Again, personally, I'm not afraid to ask for a lower price even at a retail store. I think most people are not comfortable with that option so, marketing brought in a tool -'price matching'- to help the consumer ask!!



So - how do you preceive 'price matching'?



Interesting PDF. <PDF>
 
I use it all the time when I shop.

Store A has three items on sale, store B has one other item on sale. Rather than run back and forth across town, I take the sale ad to store A and get all my items in one shot.

Retailers are in business to make a profit. If they can sell an item for 20 bucks when it only cost them 50 cents, then they will do it.

If that same 50 cent item does not sell or if a competitor has it for a lower price, then the retailer can either lower the asking price to compete or go out of business.

Why do cigar shops sell a stick for 3-5 times MSRP? Because people buy them at that price. If no one bought them at that inflated price, they would lower it to a more reasonable level.

As long as people are willing to buy an item at a certain price, that is what it will sell for.
It is up to we, the consumer, to do our research before we buy. Many folks do not do that research. That is why Thompson cigar can sell sticks at a higher cost. Folks see their ads all over the place and order from them rather than search for a competitor with a better price.
 
I have used it in the past, especially when they offer to beat the price by 10% (at least i can save on the tax on the particular item).
 
I could not agree more, if you were just up front it would be easier on everyone. I look a price matching just like I look at mail in rebates. They make you feel like they are looking out for you, by trying to save you money when in fact it is all B.S. They figure most people are going to buy a product regardless and most won't bother to ask for the price match or won't bother filling and sending out the rebate and waiting 4 months for the check. A message to retailers: Just cut the crap and make it easy and give us the real price! :angry:
 
Good question, Gary.

How I view a particular vendor regarding this practice depends on how they position this tactic in terms of their overall marketing strategy.

I am inclined to view a vendor more favorably if they have a credible marketing approach. For example, if they lead with responsive service, high quality goods, and good prices and oh, by the way, will price match at their discretion.

This tells me that they are confident in their ability to meet market needs and that they value and will work to cultivate a certain type of customer.

I am inclined to view a vendor less favorably if they lead with price match. This tells me that if I want good value for my money, I'm going to have to work for it and that I should make peace with that nagging doubt in the pit of my stomach as to whether I left something on the table.

Requesting a price match as a customer is a different thing altogether. Some feel comfortable doing it at every opportunity and others do not. Over time, each type of vendor tends to attract customers with consonant views about the nature of the buy-sell transaction.

Wilkey
 
Very rarely will I use a price match. Like others have said, it's really making the consumer do all the work. I'm more attracted to customer service (before and after purchase), good prices and conveniency. I would rather use a place who provides all the above and pay a little more. You tend to run into less complications in my experience, just to save a buck. It's just not worth it.

A message to retailers: Just cut the crap and make it easy and give us the real price!
Click to expand...
Well put. :)
 
I try not to be a haggler, but there are appropriate times. For instance, I went into a novelty shop on the boardwalk in OC one night trying to find some lighter fluid for a Zippo, and this guy (won't say his race) was trying to sell at 4oz bottle for $15!!!! So I told him I could drive to 94th street and pick it up for $2.50 and then he offered $5 for it. I still said no way and told him I could up the street a ways. Since he wouldn't budge, I just left. I don't even used light fluid anymore since I got a Z-Blazer :laugh:
 
I too am in the hot and cold camp.

If a retailer is using me to price his inventory, I won't do buisness with him.

If retailer appears to be honestly trying to sell at the lowest market price and offers price matching to correct minor inconsistencies, then I am attracted.
 
I, as someone who works in the retail market, understand all the concerns spoken about here. I think it comes down to intent by the retailer. You see my company, who will remain nameless here, proactively seeks to have and actually promises to have the same or lower price on any given item in the market. We do use the price match and beat it by 10% as a thank you to the consumer for bringing to our attention the fact that someone is beating us on a price. When this happens we change the price to match the competitor. The reason for our price match is addressed to us in just this manner, a thank you to the consumer.
 
Great feedback!
It's nice to know how others view and deal with situations. :thumbs:
 
Nice, thanks for the help, While I am here


I look at my time most importantly. As when anything, yea I can look around for the lowest price and spend my time doing so. To me it would have to save me thousands of dollars. Not trying to act like a big shot here. I will do the reasearch to a certain extent and find a price I am comfortable with, then let the wife at em. Shit she is no joke when it comes to hagglin or price matchin. Phew I feel uncomfortable sometimes. Now if I make up my mind that I am going to put the time and effort into it, I will cut the guy off at the knees however that is more of a game to me.

Prolly makes no sense, but price matching would be more of a game to me to see how low the guy will go, if I had the time. I have done it and enjoy it. They type A personality usually gets in the way, I make a decesion and go for it and move on...
 
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