Currys

Boeing Guy · 07-03-2014, 19:25

Mrs BG's Steam generator iron decided to stop working tonight.... So after looking for a replacement motor and having no luck, we (she) decided we needed a new one.
So Amazon had one at £70.00, Currys £79.99 as we wanted to have a look at one, off we trek to Whitebirk.
On arrival, there are no 'assistants' to be seen, but we did see the iron, after a few minutes we spotted a couple chatting, apparently they were 'sales assistants' but as they seemed engrosed in small talk we looked for another. Spotting a young lady with her head down in her phone, I politley tried to get her attention.....after a few minutes I asked for help, at this she wandered over.

I explained that we could get the iron for £10 less on Amazon and showed her on my phone.
The girls eyes glazed over and she started into the usual its online and as such we do not price match amazon blah blah blah.
I explained that I am aware of this and would they want to lose a customer for a poxy £10. She said yes, they would not discount at all. She got rather stroppy and tried to start the spiel again.
On this I explained that we are also in need of a washing machine (ours is slowly dying) but this did not deter her one bit.

So as a final shot I explained that they would be out of business if they did not move with the times, to which she simply replied we wont.

So came home ordered on amazon, free delivery and its being prepared for dispatch now.

Currys will not get our business again, but they are great to have a look at stuff before you order online.

gpick24 · 07-03-2014, 19:32

Did you try appliances online, cheaper for some stuff. Only reason currys survive is finance sales.

DaveinGermany · 07-03-2014, 20:29

Si! Mate! What're you doing fella? You're spoiling her with all these new fandango goodies, bad move. The blokes down the Boozer will start ignoring you if you carry on with this madness!

Less · 07-03-2014, 21:14

Yes Dave, you are so right, perhaps the mods could move this to the anything goes section?
That way people will think he was making some sort of macho joke?

Less · 07-03-2014, 21:18

By the way, I honestly thought it was going to be advice on how to survive a really hot meal when I read the title.
What a let down.

Gordon Booth · 07-03-2014, 21:29

Currys also have security seals on their boxes. If you break it you can't take them back, even to change for something better.
I wanted some speakers, asked if I could take them home and listen and exchange if I wasn't happy. No, not if the seal is broken. So how do I listen to them? Your problem, sir.
Result- went to Argos, speakers rubbish, repacked and sealed carefully, took them back and exchanged for a superb, slightly more expensive pair.
I've found this before with Currys.
As you say, BG, go and look in Currys to get ideas but don't buy! They just don't seem to care about customer service and satisfaction.

Boeing Guy · 10-03-2014, 09:40

Sorry guys, been away for a few days where there was no internet.....
Less, for general curry advice, I am sure Google will throw up some interesting answers.

Gordon, if you are ever after speakers or any hi fi stuff, try Superfi, or Richer Sounds.

Margaret Pilkington · 10-03-2014, 13:03

Aldi have a steam generator iron for £44.99...Ok it isn't a branded job, but most of their stuff is very good......equal if not better than some of the branded stuff(or that has been my experience).

Neil · 10-03-2014, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Aldi have a steam generator iron for £44.99...Ok it isn't a branded job, but most of their stuff is very good......equal if not better than some of the branded stuff(or that has been my experience).

Most of their stuff comes with a 3 year guarantee but check to make sure

Margaret Pilkington · 10-03-2014, 14:50

It does Neil.

Studio25 · 10-03-2014, 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

...I explained that we could get the iron for £10 less on Amazon and showed her on my phone...

There are many reasons that distance buying is cheaper than in person at a store. Typically, it costs less to manage stock, you don't need customer-facing sales staff, no need to maintain displays, heat shop floors etc.

However, Amazon is cheapest because they have such an aggressive plan to kill off all competition. They operate with as close to zero profit as they can, a policy which means they pay virtually no tax, and which is actually embraced by shareholders. 2010 was their "worst" year because they made a worldwide profit of more than a billion US dollars, compared to a usual loss in the millions. Sales in the UK alone (not worldwide) were £4,000 million in 2012 - but they only paid tax of £2.4 million, which suggests £10 million profit, which in turn means their average markup is ¼%.

To be fair to your salesperson, I thought she sounded quite restrained. Currys also works on a barely perceptible profit margin, but that's simply because they can't compete with online sales. I'd have said "We don't price match online sites. If £10 is a 'poxy' amount, you'd be spending it and not arguing over it."

Amazon will kill Currys, eventually - first the staffed stores, then their online presence. Once they have zero competition, they can set their own prices, or continue to keep them low to stifle any fledgeling competitor.

Don't get me wrong, I think business should be "survival of the fittest". But I'm not so naive as to think that this sort of practice will have zero repercussions in future. Who knows, you might end up spending that saved £10 in income tax, increased to support ex-Currys staff who end up claiming unemployment benefit...

(I've only included one link in this post - it directs to The Guardian. If there are a bunch of others, it's Accyweb using my post as an advertising opportunity.)

Neil · 10-03-2014, 16:00

It's all about tax avoidance. Amazon UK makes sure all it's UK profits are made by it's Luxenbourg company where they pay less tax. Paying less tax means their overheads are less so they can sell stuff for less and still make money.

It can be as simple as you buy a widget for £10 of Amazon UK, Amazon UK buy it for £9 from Amazon Luxembourg and Amazon UK has overheads for postage, packaging, staff etc equivalent to 99p for your item.
Amazon Luxembourg paid £5 for your item.
That means for your £10 item Amazon Luxemburg made £4 profit and Amazon UK made 1p profit.

Tax paid in UK on 1p profit
Tax paid in Luxemburg on £4 profit

MargaretR · 10-03-2014, 18:22

The Amazon goods aren't always dispatched when they should be. I waited two months for an overchair/bed table. When I consulted their customer forums I found many disgruntled customers who were experiencing the same sort of delays, and it seemed to be mainly items from Luxembourg.

I have bought white goods from Currys (on line) in the past - I wanted their 'free removal of old appliance' service.

Barrie Yates · 18-03-2014, 01:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Mrs BG's Steam generator iron decided to stop working tonight.... So after looking for a replacement motor and having no luck, we (she) decided we needed a new one.
So Amazon had one at £70.00, Currys £79.99 as we wanted to have a look at one, off we trek to Whitebirk.
On arrival, there are no 'assistants' to be seen, but we did see the iron, after a few minutes we spotted a couple chatting, apparently they were 'sales assistants' but as they seemed engrosed in small talk we looked for another. Spotting a young lady with her head down in her phone, I politley tried to get her attention.....after a few minutes I asked for help, at this she wandered over.

I explained that we could get the iron for £10 less on Amazon and showed her on my phone.
The girls eyes glazed over and she started into the usual its online and as such we do not price match amazon blah blah blah.
I explained that I am aware of this and would they want to lose a customer for a poxy £10. She said yes, they would not discount at all. She got rather stroppy and tried to start the spiel again.
On this I explained that we are also in need of a washing machine (ours is slowly dying) but this did not deter her one bit.

So as a final shot I explained that they would be out of business if they did not move with the times, to which she simply replied we wont.

So came home ordered on amazon, free delivery and its being prepared for dispatch now.

Currys will not get our business again, but they are great to have a look at stuff before you order online.

Had the same problem when trying to buy a Satnav. Eventually found someone to question which was an absolute waste of time, so after politely suggesting that she knew nothing about Satnavs, she brought someone else, same result - the solution was Ebay. Haven't been in Currys since.

DtheP47 · 18-03-2014, 08:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

The Amazon goods aren't always dispatched when they should be. I waited two months for an overchair/bed table. When I consulted their customer forums I found many disgruntled customers who were experiencing the same sort of delays, and it seemed to be mainly items from Luxembourg.

I have bought white goods from Currys (on line) in the past - I wanted their 'free removal of old appliance' service.

I ordered some of the new wonder material Sugru from amazon last night 8:00 p.m after reading about it in yesterday's Graunidad. Email tracker notification this morning , delivery driver on his way including map showing delivering on Whinny Hill estate and I was #3 would be with me in 40 mins. Ding dong package delivered on time just now. Happy Amazon user me

About sugru - the future needs fixing - sugru