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Geek Culture / Big company baloney

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BatVink
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Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 18:52
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So...

In PC Zone there's a full page ad for a big sale at a big store, Unreal Tournament 2003 is now £12.99. On the ad is their web address. On visiting the website, the price is...£23.99! Not being one to let it lie, I mail them, and they tell me the website cannot offer the same prices as the shop.

Now I'm confused. We have one company, with shops and a website. The advert includes the website address. But they can't offer the same product at the same price.

My last mail...
Quote: "...can I suggest that you don't print the web address on your adverts if you don't intend to sell your products at this price on the site? I don't understand how you can't "match" this price, you are the same company. In effect, your "free" delivery is actually £11.00.

This query has highlighted to me that your online store is actually highly overpriced (84% markup), even in relation to your own stores, and will be deleted from my favourites."


Their Reply...
Quote: "While it is indeed true to say that we are part of the same company as the ******** themselves, we actually take our stock through a completely separate supply route - in our case via a third-party distribution centre rather than directly from the publishers or record companies. This means that, while the stores are able to negotiate significant discounts, the website is not fortunate enough to be in such a position. The prices displayed online are very much reliant on the dealer price as offered to us (on an individual item basis) by our fulfillment partners.

I should say that our policy of printing our web address on our advertising is very much in line with the industry, and in no way do we insinuate that we carry the same prices or offers online. It is merely an advertisement for the separate service that we provide."


I think I will offer them a larger spade, they they can dig themselves deeper, much faster.

BatVink (formerly StevieVee)
http://facepaint.me.uk/catalog/default.php
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spooky
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Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 19:34
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I know someone with a JCB if you want one.

Just read PC Zone and found the culprit on inside back cover. Very cheeky!

If your mansion house needs haunting, just call Rentaghost!
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BatVink
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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 20:00
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You spotted the very one!

BatVink (formerly StevieVee)
http://facepaint.me.uk/catalog/default.php
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Richard Davey
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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 20:48
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They've been advertising this all over the place. In all fairness it doesn't say anywhere on the advert you can buy those games for that price on their web site.

It DOES say "find a store" and gives you the URL of their store finder, not their on-line shop - which quite frankly indicates pretty strongly to me this is an in-store deal only.

If it had put the URL of their on-line shop instead you might have a case, but personally I think you're nit picking

GAME do exactly the same thing, you will find products in their shops far cheaper than on their site.

Cheers,

Rich

The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel.
Your brain's just like any other appliance: it works better if you plug it in...
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the_winch
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Location: Oxford, UK
Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 20:56
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Even so a company that has an on-line branch that sells the same product as the stores yet uses a different supply chain which disadvantages both the stores and the on-line shop is pretty stupid.
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Richard Davey
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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 21:39
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... and pretty common. The majority of stores work this way.

The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel.
Your brain's just like any other appliance: it works better if you plug it in...
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BatVink
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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 22:15
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My real job is with a major ERP company. I know from first hand experience that companies are mad for Supply Chain Management and distribution. We use SCM as a major selling point. It ensures that purchasing is done centrally, eProcurement tools allow for in-house "shopping" and consolidation of all purchasing requirements. By consolidating all purchasing, your buying power is extended and allows much better leverage when negotiating discounts.

Nobody uses different supply chains within their business any more. It may be that their internal distribution charges different sections different internal funny-money, but I doubt it's going to extend outside of the office walls.

BatVink (formerly StevieVee)
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