"Isn't it illegal to NOT price match?"

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Guy comes up to me wanting to a buy a new game. He tosses the case on the counter and...

SC: Best Buy has this for $39.99

Me: Oh do they? I didn't know that. That'll be $53.48

SC: Excuse me?

Me: The game will be $53.48 ($49.99 plus tax)

SC: It should be $39.99!

Me: Why should it be $39.99?

SC: Because you're supposed to price match it for me. See? *waves PDA in my face, showing the game is indeed $39.99 at Bestbuy.com*

Me: Well firstly sir, we don't price match. Secondly, even if we *did* have a price match policy it would likely not apply to websites.

SC: You don't price match?? But everybody price matches!

Me: Well, we don't.

SC: Isn't that illegal?

Me: Excuse me?

SC: Didn't they pass some consumer law awhile back that required all stores to price match?

Me: I am reasonably certain "they" didn't sir, if they had we would have been notified.

SC: So you are perfectly willing to let ME, a paying customer, simply walk out of here because you refuse to give me a $10 discount on a game? You'd rather lose my business to Best Buy??

Me: Well sir Best Buy can take discounts on their games because they can mark up other stuff to cover the difference. Digital cameras, recordable DVDs, Big screen TVs and such. We only sell games so we can't always offer the kind of prices they can.

SC: This is absolutely ridiculous! You're going to make me drive over to Best Buy over $10??

Me: The policy is what it is sir. YOU are the one who chooses where you shop.

SC: This is terrible customer service. *stomps off*

Sometimes I wish I had giant sign that says WE DO NOT PRICE MATCH but then again, SCs never read signs anyway.

[Danno]

Oh geez, reminds me of a character on People's Court recently who seemed to think "The customer is always right" is a law. Wouldn't that be a lot of fun to enforce?

[Fiyero]

I have only ever used price match once*. I usually just buy the item where it is cheaper. That makes sense doesn't it?


*Even then I felt kinda bad about it and worse later, even though both shops were part of huge chains I found out that the individual store takes the hit when you price match.

[Bloodsoul]

Don't think I'll ever price match. I mean, I have to find some tangible proof that the other business has a lesser price and, really.. that's just too much work for me.

[Mike Taylor]

Yeah, price matching is NOT required by law. It's a business practice retailers use to keep customers coming back to them. CrazedClerkthe2nd is right, though. Smaller and more specialized retailers often can't afford to do it because they pay a higher "per unit" cost to their suppliers.

[Jester]

Oh geez, reminds me of a character on People's Court recently who seemed to think "The customer is always right" is a law. Wouldn't that be a lot of fun to enforce?

Good luck with that. Holy shit, that would be a mess.

I actually had an amusing conversation with some of my bar guests this week. One of them, for some reason (not being sucky, mind you), said that immortal phrase, "The customer is always right."

Long, heavy pause as I turned my wry, sardonic gaze towards him and made a point of raising one eyebrow.

"No. They most certainly are NOT. GOOD customers are always right, sir. There are many customers, however, that are most certainly NOT always right."

Hilarity did, in fact, ensue. Especially since they completely agreed with me.

[blas]

If they ever do pass such a law, then they better it make it legal for firemen to exercise naked in public, preferably in front of my windows.

[Jester]

Blas, I am afraid that since you are not a customer of the firemen, and in fact no one really is, that law would not work the way you would like it to work. After all, it is not that YOU are always right, merely that the CUSTOMER is always right. Right? Right. Now, if you wanted waiters from your favorite diner to exercise naked in front of your window, that might work. Sorry. But you really need to be an actual customer before that alleged law would ever take effect.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Smaller and more specialized retailers often can't afford to do it because they pay a higher "per unit" cost to their suppliers.

And yet, even though our per unit costs are higher than Wally World, Target, Best Buy, et al, we still price match. Always have, always will.

When I'm in charge, price matching will DIAF. Most of the people demanding one at the clearance swamp don't meet all the qualifications for it anyway, and it's hella stupid that we don't give employee, senior citizen or military discounts on certain items because it costs us too much, but would cheerfully price match on them.

Additionally, the only place where price matching may be mandated by law is Rand McNally, where people wear hats on their feet and hamburgers eat people.

[Javarod]

I've used price match now and then, but only when its easier to do all my shopping in one stop, other wise, i go where the price is better.

[Jester]

When I'm in charge, price matching will DIAF.

DIAF? What does that mean?

[Mike Taylor]

DIAF? What does that mean?

Die In A Fire.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I've used price match now and then, but only when its easier to do all my shopping in one stop, other wise, i go where the price is better.

I much prefer going to where the price is better, but only if it's not too far out of my way.

If I have to drive way out on the far side of town (I'm in the NE side of town, a lot of the big box retailers have everything lumped together on the West side of town) then usually the savings won't really make a difference as compared to how much gas it takes to get there.

Unless I'm going on that side of town for a couple of other errands, then I can just group it all together. Otherwise I"ll just either stay on my side of town or buy the item online.

[Cookiesaur]

I'm basically a complete pushover, so if you treat me right I'll come back to you no matter how painful your prices are. Part in parcel of coming from a small town I guess; a lot of small owned businesses means you get a keen sense of customer loyalty.

There's an organic food store near here that is just gouging chunks out of me every time I visit, but the lady has the sweetest little apple-pie face ever, and she always remembers my name. (Probably as the crazy lady who spends all her money there.)

"Hello, Cookie, honey! Can I tempt you with a cookie, dear?"

And suddenly I'm five years old. YUH-HUH, LADY, MY MAMA SAYS IT'S OKAY. (Here, take my wallet . . . )

I'm basically a terrible bargain hunter. Laziness captains my ship. Unless the price difference is enormous, I go with what's closest, and has the nicest employees.

[Mike Taylor]

For most of my time at FAO Schwarz, we NEVER price matched anybody. Whenever someone would bring the issue of price up (FAO was much more expensive than other toy shops in a lot of cases), I would lay it all on the table for the customer, explaining the costs to rent the store space, the per unit issue, and the fact that our employees were paid (and trained) much better than their counterparts at places like TRU, Wal-Mart, and KBToys. I would then ask them, "Would you rather pay less and not know a thing about the product, or a pay a little more and get exactly what you need from someone who knows the merchandise?"