Warning / Price hike , VAT

[tomatwark]

The next time I buy I will definitely be ringing around asking for discounts (and yes, that includes Festool as well). And I think that everyone else should as well - if you don't tell them their prices are too high they'll continue to take us for mugs.
quote]

Good luck with Festool, I used to work for a Festool dealer and Festool will not let any of their dealers discount the tools no matter how big or small they are, they will let them discount accessories though ( this may have changed but I doubt it )


Tom

 

[beech1948]

>>>>Retailing is a cost intensive and delicate business to be in where cash flow, footfall, and loyalty are crucial commodities. Not all retailers realise all of the areas where they can make their business a success, however, few will conspire (I use the word deliberately) to charge unnecessarily high prices. I'm not surprised retailers have not joined the thread to explain themselves - they don't really need to and to try would require some belief that they were being honest and un-biased when it's clear from the tone of the thread that ain't likely to be the case.<<<<

Retailing is NOT a cash-cow. Open your eyes and take note of the first businesses to fail/suffer when the economy is under pressure. Currently there is only one major high st retailer that is consistently performing well in the current trading conditions and that can be attributed to expertise at attracting customers rather than repelling most of them through high prices whilst making a few extra quid from those that continue to shop with them - the latter does not sustain a business!

It's not a conspiracy.[/quote]

I disagree with most of this. Recent experience ( and I can give you a hundred more examples) is that in Spain I can buy a 2 litre can of ant killer powder for about £2.15. In the UK the price is £8.79.

Bloody why. This is too much of a difference to be ascribed to tax, rent, etc etc.
In the UK the retailer attitude is that they have a sheepish and cowed clientel, and as you say they do not have to explain themselves. What an attitude.

Al

 

[spiderg]

I totally agree, it's no longer a case of supply and demand being the retailers' excuse, it's pure greed. However on saying that, I was on another forum recenty where the guys were talking about being ripped off by ebay sellers. There was a reply which I thought was stupid considering, he said, an item is worth what you wish to pay for it. In my eyes, a rip off is a rip off. The cost of production plus a mark up should determine a price.

 

[matt]

I didn't say retailers don't have to explain themselves... I said I'm not surprised they don't try. Unless you work in retail it seems you can't even begin to comprehend how it works which breeds an attitude that a retailer would struggle to defend themselves against. Evident in the posts - need I say more?

I'll not even attempt to speculate on why ant powder costs more in the UK simply because I'm not familiar with the market in either Spain or the UK. Similarly I'm not familiar with the cost of trading in Spain versus the UK. And a whole bunch of other things that would influence price.

There is one area where I'd challenge the true value of goods... That's branded merchandise. More is the fool that will pay a premium for a name/brand (and then complain about the price no doubt) when there is no discernible difference in quality to an alternative or un-branded equivalent. This is one area where the brands have got the consumer by the balls and they don't even have to squeeze to make the consumer lap it up. The retailer doesn't really benefit - most of the profit makes its way back up the line to the supplier as the cost of goods is commensurately higher. What little extra there is goes in to retailing "value" merchandise at advantageous prices to serve that secondary market. Therein lies another valid point... Retailers work to achieve an overall margin which is a composite of all the variances at product type level and the more granular level of individual products. The point being that it does not add up to "greed"...