A bit of a moan

[martyn sharp]

i have just been to southampton to visit a well know hobby store,chain we went down there so my much better half could get my Christmas present, a new radio setup I happen to see a cradle that I had been looking for and picked it up and went to pay for it at that pint i was told it had gone up to cover the dropping pound now this was old stock and was out on display  and was priced up at £18.75 but at the till came up at £19.99. My poor wife then quickly work out that the radio set that was going to cost close on £500.00 was going to cost a lot more as they were telling other customers the same that all goods had gone up to cover the pound dropping. now i appreciate that prices go up and shops are having a bit of a rough time of it but i felt a bit riped off so from now on i would be NOT using that store again .or there internet site

Martyn

martyn  

[David Ashby - Moderator]

A quick scan on the distributor websites shows how prices have gone up, sometimes shockingly so in recent weeks Martyn but I guess it's up to the individual shops as to whether they increase the prices of existing 'paid for' stock sitting on the shelves or not.  

What radio were you looking at?   

[Stephen Grigg]

Hasnt the V,AT gone down,I think there is alot of price upping excuses going around due to the plummeting pound,did things go down when the dollar was 2 to the pound!

[martyn sharp]

it was the futuba 10c 2.4 , i understand that prices go up but it seems you get a better deal from the small independent shops and a lot more help

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Vat went down but the exchage rate induced price hikes have been startling. One ARTF model I noticed that was retailing for £160 back in the summer is now £215.  

[Alan B]

I think they are actually breaking the Law there Martyn. The shop should have charged you the advertised price or it should be removed from the shelves or refused to sell it to you..  I have in the past have gone to pay for some items and had the same problem. The shop normally has said - oops our mistake and only charged at the advertised price or deal.  It can normally come down to the goodwil of both parties.

I wanted to buy last year from one of the major model suppliers a aircraft and engine combo of which was advertised in this Magazine and on their website. When I placed my order they told me they had stopped that deal. My reply was - then why are you still advertising the deal? There was a brief discussion with the boss on the other end of the phone. The reply came back - I could have the original deal as it was advertised at that price.  Again  goodwill between Retailer and Customer.

[Andy Taylor]

and they wonder why we buy off the net from far eastern countries,

im all for supporting my local shop, well its nearly local 60 miles

andy

[martyn sharp]

I think these guys work on commission as well as a basic wage and I guess i wasn't a regular so so goodwill just doesnt  seem to exist yet I seem to get outstanding service from some modeling retailers, BRC hobbies for one ,  unfortunately this was meant to be a bit special as we made a day of it etc.

Martyn  

[Pete Stevens]

I visited my local model store to buy a DX7 to be told if I didn't get one in this batch of stock they would be £50 more after Christmas! thats a lot when you consider the overall price and doesn't reflect the drop in the value of the pound or the drop in VAT. I guess we've all been used to cheap stable prices for a long time.

[Lima Hotel Foxtrot]

Goodwill doesn't come into it.

If an item is on display for £10, then that is the price they have to sell it at. They can not suddenly charge £15 at the point of sale because some numpty forgot to change the price tag. The only time this doesn't apply is when at the point of sale they charge less because the same numpty forgot to put on a lower price.

Either way, the shop has a legal obligation to charge the lower price. If in doubt, talk to the manager or trading standards and maybe the Citizens Advice Bureau. I also think you have the right to claim either the overcharge back from the shop or some form of compensation under your statutory rights as a customer. It's the law!

[Tim Mackey]

Not true LMH. The price on the ticket is actually no more than an invitation to you to offer that price - if the seller wishes not to sell it to you, for any reason at all, then he is NOT legally required to do so. Most shops will of course as a gesture of acceptance take the money asked for on the invite, but if they refuse, - tough - they are not even required to state a reason for refusing the sale, or indeed for refusing you entry into their premises!

There is no compulsion for anybody to sell, or anyone to buy, anything at a displayed price - the wording used to be "that it was an invitation to treat" though It is probably different now. As far as deliberately misleading you, that is hard to prove all the store needs say is that it was a genuine mistake - which it often is.

Trading standards will of course be able to approach the store and "have words"  and persistent offenders could be prosecuted for misleading advertisements.

[Lima Hotel Foxtrot]

Really? That's not how I was trained as a saturday boy, many moons ago. Although that was probably due to a fear of litigation and bad press more than anything else.

 But I think the point here is "Be aware of your rights as a customer" (espescially so if buying over the www) and maybe try to haggle a discount!

[Tim Mackey]

Well as someone with over 30 years of senior management in multi-store retail, I think I am pretty close to correct.

Granted, it is a while since I retired, however, I wait to be corrected by those perhaps more up to date with things

[Ultymate]

From what I see when standing market with my son the whole world has adopted the "Car Boot mentality" i.e. they want to barter all the damn time no matter how carefully you display your prices. At the end of the day you can always suggest they go forth and multiply

[Lima Hotel Foxtrot]

Timbo - forum moderator wrote (see)

Well as someone with over 30 years of senior management in multi-store retail, I think I am pretty close to correct.

Granted, it is a while since I retired, however, I wait to be corrected by those perhaps more up to date with things

Fair 'nuff, good point well made, and so I bow to your superior knowledge and experience! Like i said, it's been a few years since I worked in a shop.

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Ultymate wrote (see)

From what I see when standing market with my son the whole world has adopted the "Car Boot mentality" i.e. they want to barter all the damn time no matter how carefully you display your prices. At the end of the day you can always suggest they go forth and multiply

Absolutely , I don't envy small model shop proprietors these days

When we studies law a few decades back we were taught that the ticket price is just an 'offer to buy' and the retailer isn't therefore duty bound to sell it at that price, assume things are still the same..... 

[ken anderson.]

do'es the term "ripoff britain" not come to mind we used to go to the shows expecting t o grab a bargain--and now find you can pay exactly the same price as the high street--that after you've paid a few quid for petrol/diesel to get there and a few quid to get in................................

[Tim Mackey]

In fairness, the traders attending the shows often sold stock at below normal margins, and have several loss leader lines there also -  hoping that volume would counteract the negative effect....and remember they too had / have to pay hefty sums to rent the pitch! It was never really logical of us consumers to expect prices to be lower at a show - the operating costs to the retailer is much higher than if he simply stayed at home and sold through his shop / website.

Many traders attend the shows because they "have" to not because its profitable for them - if they dont, the competition who do attend soaks up all the punters.

[andy watson]

Ultymate wrote (see)

From what I see when standing market with my son the whole world has adopted the "Car Boot mentality" i.e. they want to barter all the damn time no matter how carefully you display your prices. At the end of the day you can always suggest they go forth and multiply

And what's wrong with that?

If I can get a discount- often by doing little more than asking, then I will.  I always say if I am buying for school- sometimes that gets me a discount, or some freebies thrown in for the kids.  Haggle away I say!

[Ultymate]

I suggest you see it from the other side of the counter sometimes

[andy watson]

What is there to see?

 If there is an item at a price I am unwilling to pay, by offering to buy it for less I am giving the shop owner a choice where before he had none.  He can make a sale- albeit at a lower price than he was hoping for, or he can wait until someone that is willing to pay the asking price.  If I just look at the same item, decide it's too much and so don't purchase then the shop is guaranteed not to get a sale.

As you so eloquently put it, they can always tell me to go forth and multiply.

[Ultymate]

Andy I was'nt being rude and we do indeed give discounts when people make a substantial buy with us i.e. multiple items but it's now getting to the stage where people ask at every purchase on small items even less than £1.00 in value and it gets a little waring to put it mildly

[Tim Mackey]

Welcome to the wonderful world of retailing

[Phil Claridge]

correct me if i am wrong, but trading started with barter and haggling i understand ultymate when the cost is neglible but love to haggle the price down a bit on bigger stuff. some of the show traders wil come down quite alot later in the day if you take a chance and they dont sell out. also look for kits being reduced if its been raining any time during the show and the boxes got wet some kits less than half price  regards phil

[Ultymate]

I'm not talking modelling goods here Phil I'm talking day to day street trading at various markets in N. Wales and N.W. England and I don't mind the barter principle as such but sometimes it comes across with a very beligerant attitude, mind I can do beligerant as well as receive it all makes for good banter

P.S. we do a natty line in banter 50p a pound to you missus