Key Cutter/Shoe Repair in Douglas Court Shopping Centre, Cork City

Dannyboy83

This chap charged E17 at the weekend to cut 4 keys.
I checked out the price in Bandon yesterday and it was 8.50 for 4 keys

In fact, everything in his shop from the little key rings to the key holders were exactly double the price of other places

Cabaal

Congrats you fail as a consumer, you failed to shop around which is recommended by the consumer agency before getting work done and as such you paid the extra money because of this.

Atleast you've learned its worth shopping around now

rubadub

Do you ask the price beforehand? Places like this can prey on people since many will not ask in advance. It is the same with pubs.

I would love to go to a quiet pub that you know is overpriced, go in with a big stag party raring to go, not rowdy just the first drink. Go up and go "I'll have 12 pints, and the menu please, we're all starving", then ask how much the pints are just before they begin to pour, and walk out in disgust!

If you asked in advance and then said no and walked they might call you back. A blank key costs pittance. A place on mary street in dublin does them cheap, a €2 type shop but has more expensive stuff than €2

Pat Mustard

Cabaal wrote: »

Congrats you fail as a consumer

Yes, but at least he got to tell people how much this guy was, so that they won't make the mistake of going there. Chances are, if I was looking to get 4 keys cut, I would presume (incorrectly in this case) that it would be pretty cheap, and not bother to check the price beforehand. Kind of like the way that people don't bother to check the price of a cup of coffee in a café or restaurant.

I am also guessing that if you are going to get keys cut in a shop with a high rent such as in a popular shopping centre, that they will have no choice but to charge a high amount in order to somewhat offset that high rent.

I was in a different shopping centre recently and got charged €3.50 per key, which I had initially thought was expensive. After reading this, I've kinda revised my opinion.

Dannyboy83

Cabal, you are dead right, its my own fault.
I'm not moaning about it, just don't want other people getting caught out.

I recently moved house and got a key copied elsewhere the week before hand, it was about 3 copies for 10.50 Euro including an assortment of key rings and various bits and bobs.

My father asked me to copy some keys for his house and offered me money, but I wouldn't take it as I figured it wouldn't even be 10 Euro.

So I just walked into that shop on Saturday afternoon as it was convenient and I didn't ask the price or anything, I just asked for the copies.

When he turned around and told me E17 Euro, there wasn't much I could do as the keys were already copied and there was no price on display.
Its my own fault I got stung tho - I should have asked first - I just never assumed a key copy guy would try to rip me off!!

Just occurred to me in the gym this morning that I should have asked the guy for a receipt, doh!

Anyway ladies and gents, do not give this fella your business.

Dannyboy83

rubadub wrote: »

Do you ask the price beforehand? Places like this can prey on people since many will not ask in advance. It is the same with pubs.

I would love to go to a quiet pub that you know is overpriced, go in with a big stag party raring to go, not rowdy just the first drink. Go up and go "I'll have 12 pints, and the menu please, we're all starving", then ask how much the pints are just before they begin to pour, and walk out in disgust!

If you asked in advance and then said no and walked they might call you back. A blank key costs pittance. A place on mary street in dublin does them cheap, a €2 type shop but has more expensive stuff than €2

Hi mate,
I just read that and check the yellow pages, decided I would ring out of the blue, just in case the guy on the day had shafted me.

I was quoted by a guy with an English accent at:
E4.25 for a little one
E7.50 for a large one

So it doesn't look like they preyed on me, they're just exceptionally expensive.

Anyway folks, don't get caught here.

Wishbone Ash

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

I should have asked the guy for a receipt, doh!

What difference would it have made?

Just wondering, when you got another quote for the keys, did you show him the key?

The reason I ask is that similar looking keys can vary a lot to get cut. I have to regularly get keys cut for work (as we use a lot of them) and the price varies between €3 and €10 in the same premises depending on the make/type of key.

Dannyboy83

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

What difference would it have made?

Just wondering, when you got another quote for the keys, did you show him the key?

The reason I ask is that similar looking keys can vary a lot to get cut. I have to regularly get keys cut for work (as we use a lot of them) and the price varies between €3 and €10 in the same premises depending on the make/type of key.

Well, presumably if he had tried to shaft me and I'd asked him for a receipt, I would have something to come back with at a later stage.
Doesn't matter now because I rang and they confirmed that they are just exceptionally expensive as opposed to preying on people.

Regarding the key, yes I showed the exact same key at the other cobblers, it was a standard basic door key.

I almost priced these things else where (KEY CAPS) and they were 25c per cap.
But at this chaps place, they were 50c per cap (100% mark up).

BeansMeansHynes

Oh I was warned about this guy.

Extremely expensive, hence why there is never anyone in the shop!!

rubadub

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

I was quoted by a guy with an English accent at:
E4.25 for a little one
E7.50 for a large one

So it doesn't look like they preyed on me, they're just exceptionally expensive.

expensive alright!, it is true some fancy rare keys can be more, but if they say 7.50 straight off then that is no reason as to why yours were more.

By preying I didn't really mean he eyed you up and just blurted a price on the spot, more that they prey/take advantage of the fact that people do not ask for the price of particular things in advance, like servicing stuff, or in pubs etc. And with stuff like keys the job is done, you would want a really thick neck to then say "no way, keep it". I still wonder if you challenge them there and then in the shop, before getting them cut woudl they drop, e.g. if you said "sure I got 4 done for €10 last week down the road". This is different than people going to a shop in town and saying "sure a playstaion is €100 less up north", in this case the key material is nothing, they can compete.

In these cases it is a little different than the run of the mill expensive threads in this forum. Have to just get in the habit of asking for prices upfront for everything, if you walk out it lets them know too, i.e. if you just see a pricelist and walk out they might not get the message.

Faith

I went there about 18 months ago and was charged a horrific amount too. First I came back and they hadn't even started on them. I came back later when they told me to and they'd only done half, so I told them I'd just take the half that they'd done and forget about the rest.

DéiseGirl

rubadub wrote: »

Do you ask the price beforehand? Places like this can prey on people since many will not ask in advance. It is the same with pubs.

I would love to go to a quiet pub that you know is overpriced, go in with a big stag party raring to go, not rowdy just the first drink. Go up and go "I'll have 12 pints, and the menu please, we're all starving", then ask how much the pints are just before they begin to pour, and walk out in disgust!

If you asked in advance and then said no and walked they might call you back. A blank key costs pittance. A place on mary street in dublin does them cheap, a €2 type shop but has more expensive stuff than €2

is that shop where there's a creepy "voice" constantly reading out all the things they sell in the shop, the shop next door sells more general "pound shop" stuff like plant pots and clothes hangers whereas the other one has more electrical type things?