Shopping Discussion

Price Matching Fun

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  • Oct 25th, 2010 11:10 pm
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Member
Feb 22, 2007
272 posts
19 upvotes

Price Matching Fun

Price matching - everybody seems to be offering it these days, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Walmart - bought a produce item, showed cashier competitor's flyer, she rang in the lower price. No hassle at all.

No Frills - bought a bunch of Swiss Chard, showed cashier competitor's flyer which advertised it for $1. Had to summon the head cashier. Flyer was scrutinized with a magnifying glass. Checked that it wasn't last years. Was asked to again point out where the ad was. Finally got it. Whew! All that for $1!

Crappy Tire - needed a trailer wheel assembly. First off, couldn't find a price match policy on their website, but it was in the flyer - match ANY competitor's price, plus give 10% of the lower price in Crappy Tire funny money.
The wheel was outrageously overpriced at Crap Tire. Discovered that Princess Auto is now online, and there it was - $20 less than crappy tire. Printed a copy, and set off to CTC Cusstomer service. Hmmmm, not sure if we price match Princess Auto. But there was a huge sign in Cusstomer service - and it too clearly said ANY competitor. Consultation with higher authority, YES, we do! But, alas, the wheel I picked up looked identical, but was not - different load range class, and they had no stock of the identical wheel. They did check around, and several other local stores did have stock, so we'll try again tomorrow. We parted on friendly terms. I could just go to Princess Auto, but am wondering how far I'm prepared to go for $4 in CTC funny money!
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Jr. Member
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Oct 26, 2009
154 posts
9 upvotes
Pacific
Went to buy something from Electronic Boutique. It was 2 or 3 cents cheaper at Superstore. EB wouldn't price match so I walked over to Superstore to buy it. It was in the same mall so no big deal on my part and I was just mostly window shopping anyways. The point of this was that EB would've gotten my business if they gave me a few cents off. :razz:
Member
Feb 22, 2007
272 posts
19 upvotes
jan_db wrote: Price matching - everybody seems to be offering it these days, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Crappy Tire - needed a trailer wheel assembly. First off, couldn't find a price match policy on their website, but it was in the flyer - match ANY competitor's price, plus give 10% of the lower price in Crappy Tire funny money.
The wheel was outrageously overpriced at Crap Tire. Discovered that Princess Auto is now online, and there it was - $20 less than crappy tire. Printed a copy, and set off to CTC Cusstomer service. Hmmmm, not sure if we price match Princess Auto. But there was a huge sign in Cusstomer service - and it too clearly said ANY competitor. Consultation with higher authority, YES, we do! But, alas, the wheel I picked up looked identical, but was not - different load range class, and they had no stock of the identical wheel. They did check around, and several other local stores did have stock, so we'll try again tomorrow. We parted on friendly terms. I could just go to Princess Auto, but am wondering how far I'm prepared to go for $4 in CTC funny money!
Went to another CTC this morning. They had the wheel assembly, cashier couldn't do price match. Joined line at customer service (1 person behind counter). No hassle, but did phone local Princess Auto to verify they had stock.
I paid, but was shortchanged the 10% in CTC funny money as promised in the price match policy sign. When I asked, my transaction had to be voided, a manager called, but, after all I got it. Whew!
What's REALLY outrageous is McGuinty's pickpocket tire disposal fee - $5.84 on a little 8 inch tire!
Deal Fanatic
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Dec 3, 2007
5920 posts
51 upvotes
GT-eh
I had a bad experience with Best Buy and Futureshop but a good experience with the stores OP said
Deal Fanatic
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Mar 8, 2005
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user01 wrote: I had a bad experience with Best Buy and Futureshop but a good experience with the stores OP said

+1 PMing BB and FS (and stooples) can be a jack in a box surprise.
Jr. Member
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Aug 31, 2008
164 posts
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tomtomtom wrote: +1 PMing BB and FS (and stooples) can be a jack in a box surprise.

I have managed to get it done with no problems in all cases but one. They check the deal (I usually show it to them on my iPhone, they accept it all the same), make sure it's the same item, and then apply the pricematch.

The one time I got hassled is when I was trying to PM iTunes cards at BB. Holiday season last year, BB had $50 iTunes for $40 and FS had $25 for $20. So I went to a BB, and I got a $50. For some reason, their authorization system was not working, but only for that particular card. All other cards worked fine, but $50 iTunes refused to activate. I say "Fine" and go and pick up 2 $25 cards, since it would come out to be a bit cheaper with PM anyway. Get hassle that they can't PM gift cards because the activated amount will be lower. Clearly tell them that no, it won't. There's two lines on the POS for a reason. One is for the GC itself, and one is a $0 item for the activation at $25. Then the cashier goes to a manager who says no, they can't PM the Gift Card. I ask to talk to the manager, since it's equivalent to their offer, which can't be activated. Goes to talk to manager, comes back and finishes the transaction.

In the end, I got it done, but it was ridiculous how the one card they had on sale was "not activating" while all other cards worked fine. However, other than that, all my PM requests were accomplished with the 10% difference automatically calculated by the cashier/Product Expert. Maybe it's just that Torontonians are less willing to do it, but here in Vancouver, it's always done with (usually) no questions asked.
Sr. Member
Feb 7, 2009
568 posts
73 upvotes
I sometimes pm at BB and FS for fun (ie ridiculous deals). Even though I don't need it, it feels good after getting something for like 90% off. It is also fun to see how far I can push (ie how many offers I can stack). I've done a price protection 50 days after purchase date at FS, just for fun (and to see if it is possible). It took a while (because the system kept rejecting it), but in the end I got it (in cash because we can't get around the system).
Newbie
May 1, 2008
7 posts
BC
Bestbuy and Futureshop often have different serial numbers for roughly the same product so it is really hard to PM with them.
The only place I have had good luck is NCIX. No hassles at all, in person or online.
Jr. Member
User avatar
Apr 20, 2010
165 posts
My first price match was done at Best Buy... They sold the Wii Motion plus for $26.99 (i think), and remembere either WalMart or Zellers was selling them for $24.92. Not a big price match, but hey if I can do it, why not. Th cashier didn't even ask for proof, I just gave him the price... I could have tried to get away with $22 or something, because I don't think he checked now that I think about it.

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I also had this one wicked price match done at Future Shop...

At times Best buy likes to sell the Sony Extra Bass Headphones (XB300, and XB500) for a low price.... while Future Shop does not.

So I saw one day BB had their XB300 ($69.99) go for sale at $39.99, Save $30!

I go to the Future Shop across the street, find the same product, coincidentally, an employee comes up and offers assistance. I tell her I want to get this price matched, she takes the product and heads to her computer in the mp3 player station.
Does her thing, scans the bar code types in this and that checks with Best Buy. Writes down a Price Match number on a piece of paper: "here, take this number and show it to the cashier when you pay."

Because price matching "meets the competitor price, and beats it by 10% of the difference", I paid $36 for the headphone which were supposed to be $70... pretty much got myself a 50% off purchase. How great is that?

Unfortunately, I sold it to my sister for $25 because the ear pad started to hurt my ears, but they sounded phenomenal.. I'm going to buy the XB700s when I finish 4th year.
Sr. Member
Feb 11, 2007
747 posts
251 upvotes
Zellers is pretty good for a price match if you go on a weekend or evening and you get a student. I remember getting the ps3 price matched. Sony announced a price drop and Best Buy and FS both had a low price but no stock. I went to Best Buy and grabbed the display price sticker and took it to Zellers and the kid working matched it. Zellers continued to have the high price for quite awhile because they were the only ones with stock. They eventually lowered the price.
Jr. Member
Aug 30, 2009
118 posts
36 upvotes
GTA
I like PM'ing with Zellers, CTC, Walmart because they don't b**** about it and simply do as policies say. Having said that I've had, like many others, terrible experiences with futureslop and worstbuy because they'll use ridiculous excuses to deny you the PM, and insult a customer's intelligence in the process. I never buy from them anymore unless it's for a PM, and if I don't get it, I move on. But when I do, I feel extra darn good about it.
Newbie
Oct 4, 2010
12 posts
1 upvote
Anybody know if Best Buy or Future Shop will price match a deal found on Amazon.ca? I found a couple very good blu ray collections on sale for like 1/2 off and would rather just go to the store and get it than to order it on line. Is Amazon considered a competitor to them?
Deal Addict
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Oct 22, 2009
3345 posts
1680 upvotes
Lethbridge
The hassles some people go to for a price match…

I get the principle of it, I even get if you prefer a store from past experience to give them the business, but I do not get going to multiple stores or driving all over the city to “save” money price matching all your items…but, I guess I consider my time more valuable than others…
Member
User avatar
Oct 13, 2008
358 posts
26 upvotes
Calgary
I just recently did a price match between Sears and FS. FS online had an obvious error for the fridge we wanted. They had it for $1299 on the website, so I printed off the ad, and took it down to Sears. They PM'd it down from $2100, plus the 10% of the difference off. Save a few pennies there on a great fridge.
Newbie
Oct 8, 2010
67 posts
1 upvote
Quebec
When I went to buy a PCM-D50 at my local Sony Style, I told them "I found this online cheaper". The clerk didn't even ask for a proof or anything: I told him $580, he gave me $600. It was that quick, that easy. You gotta love Quebec.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 26, 2008
5135 posts
55 upvotes
I price match with Skincarerx website and it is kind of annoying as you have to buy your item first, then submit a price match from any authorize US competitor that is online.
you get 15% extra back.

so far have never been denied a price match :) and the good thing is u can price match sephora for the US prices and they will usually ship those deals to ottawa :)

I have purposely not bought anything from sephora even though they are in the mall near me.
Only go to sephora o browse and get the free birthday gift.
Deal Addict
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Nov 27, 2004
1509 posts
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Most of the price matching I have ever done has between Future Shop & Best Buy. Most people think since they are owned by same company they will not but there has only been a couple of times I have been turned down. I was surprised over the summer Best Buy did a price match with HMV online. It was funny BB had a season of Smallville I need on sale for $ 49.99 but HMV online had it for $29.99 they honored that and then a month later Wallmart was selling it for $ 18.99 I went in and the credited my credit card for the Wallmart price. The craziest price match I had is I was at Wallmart and found 3 DVD movies in there cheapy bins for $ 1.97 and at Best Buy they had these 3 titles in there cheapee bin for $ 15.97 sp I did a price match so now whenever I am in market and have a few extra bucks and do not care about a all the bells and whistles DVD i'll look.
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Aug 31, 2008
164 posts
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TheBlue wrote: When I went to buy a PCM-D50 at my local Sony Style, I told them "I found this online cheaper". The clerk didn't even ask for a proof or anything: I told him $580, he gave me $600. It was that quick, that easy. You gotta love Quebec.

So... You paid more? That's not really price matching.
I've PMed at my local Sony Style for about $30 difference on a Cybershot point and shoot. They agreed to it over the phone, walked into the store, and was out in 10 minutes.
Kalel wrote:Most of the price matching I have ever done has between Future Shop & Best Buy. Most people think since they are owned by same company they will not but there has only been a couple of times I have been turned down.
That is funny, considering that Best Buy is the first option on their PM selection screen, and bestbuy.ca is the second. If they use the whole "same company" excuse, you can always tell them to go to the PM screen so they can refresh their memory on the list of approved PM retailers.
Newbie
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Oct 21, 2010
67 posts
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Wow very surprised to see all the negative comments about Best Buy. I've had only great experiences dealing with PM's there!!
Deal Addict
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Nov 27, 2004
1509 posts
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I had a friend who tried to get a pricematch with inetvideo and future shop and gopt a call saying they approved it but when he went into future shop to pick up the oder he marked for in store pick up he was told it was declined. he was ordering a bunch of tv season seasons on dvds and in some cases the inetvideo was more then 50% cheaper then the fs price. anyway he declined and left but the next day he went back and talked to a assitant manager the next day and they did honor it. i think most staff at stores cannot be bothered or do not know how to do price match so they either say they cannot do it or do not even check.

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