Online vs in store prices

[dennis in se pa]

I am probably the last to know this. Recently I have had two experiences that taught me something new. I went to buy something at my local Target I had found online. The price was a few dollars higher in the store. I went to the customer service desk and had them check it out. Sure enough the online price of a $49.99 item was $7 less than the store price! That's 14%! She charged me the lower price and said she always checks online before buying at Target because this happens often. I had a similar experience at Walmart. The customer service girl said pretty much the same thing. So the lesson is do not expect the in store price of something to be what is indicated online. You often have to ask for the online price, or just buy it online to pick up in the store. I guess my 65 year old brain is slowing down, and everyone but me already knows this.

[ckelly78z]

Classic bait and switch tactic. This has happened several times to us as well. I think the store is just hoping that you will relent, and go ahead and pay the higher price to prevent a hassle (which so many people try to avoid at all cost).

What we always do, is to go ahead and order it online while standing in the store, and pick it up at the sevice desk (where some store employee had to go get it off the shelf, or from the back storage room, and bring it to the service desk).......This doesn't make too much sense to me, but I can play their games also.

[masraum]

They've got to pay for the employees and building somehow. The extra cost is how.

[gprsh924]

As above, there are more costs associated with a brick and mortar store vs online, so it's actually reasonable that there may be a difference in price.

However, the likely reality is that the pricing/inventory systems don't track perfectly online/in-store, so sometimes they end up with different prices.

Both walmart and target (and virtually every other store) offer price match guarantees against their online prices, and most other legitimate online retailers.

[dennis in se pa]

My point is - you buy it online and pick it up at the store - still have bricks and mortar and the retail machine involved. But because you buy it online you save significantly. Sort of discriminates against the non computer literate, of which I am sure there still are many.

[Don Ro]

I posted this several months ago.
Frequently I will place an item in the Cart and leave it there for days.
Then I receive an email that they'll offer a 10% - 20% discount if I complete the order.
And yes, I would register w/my email address.
Same thing w/Amazon...put the item in my Wish List and go back a week or so later to see it for much less.
.
I bought a new Norelco shaver at Target by having them go to Amazon for a price comparison.
Yep, got the Amazon price.
.
Oh, and Amazon does NOT always have the lowest price...bought some copper plumbing pieces off eBay at well over half the Amazon's price.

[cstreit]

In many cases it's really not "bait and switch".

There are two primary causes:

1. Price optimization systems show that the online price has to be lower to be competitive against other online retailers. The store price can be higher because the local competition has a similar price.

2. Disconnected systems. Many retailers have completely separate systems for online pricing and fulfillment than the store systems. They simply don't connect what the two are doing.

[island911]

Originally Posted by masraum

They've got to pay for the employees and building somehow. The extra cost is how.

employees and building exist for Amazon as well. It's just that the Amazon warehouse space is on cheaper dirt, and the space looks more like Costco. But then there is the individual delivery cost.

[scottmandue]

I bought a Blueray player from BestBuy... saw it for less on Amazon... I showed them the Amazon ad and they refunded me the difference.

[porsche930dude]

the auto parts stores do this too. They advertize big discounts to buy online and pick up in store. I dont see the advantage for them and its an added hastle for me

[Bill Douglas]

I went into a local place called Blackwoods to buy a Lincoln welder. I said I prefer to support local business and would they meet an online price from another supplier. The manager looked pretty miffed and said "NO." So I bought online and it arrived from Blackwoods 300 kilometers away with free freight LOL what a bunch of Noddys.

[CalPersFatCat]

I read yesterday that your "online price" can be adjusted by the vendor based on your zip code or location of your IP address.

It did not state whether the price was higher or lower based on affluence or poverty of your zip code.

That would have been the most interesting part of the story, had they included it...

DL
Luke 2:14 KJV

[Crowbob]

The owner of the local downtown shoe store spearheaded the campaign in Michigan to begin charging sales tax on internet sales.

I asked him what his motivation was. He said it's not fair to brick and mortar stores to not have to pay sales tax for on-line purchases.

So how does our having to pay a new tax make it fair to him or to me? No answer, of course.

I told him I will never set foot in his store again and ask my friends to do the same.

[Por_sha911]

Online purchases may save you a few bucks but, if you have a problem you can't take it back to the store to get assistance and/or instant replacement.

Years ago, I worked at a car dealership in a small town. The big city dealers 30 minutes away could always beat our prices by a hundred or two (but rarely more than $50-100). Some of the price buyers smugly pointed out that they could still have the warranty work done in our shop. They were later shocked that we didn't provide them priority scheduling and a loaner car (at our request, the service manager always had them come to the sales dept to explain why). We advised them that those benefits were for those who bought the car from us. They were also shocked to find out that high volume/low markup dealer where they bought the car didn't give a flip about them and wouldn't give them that help either. So sad too bad.

You get what you pay for.