Flanagan's Furniture sale farce!

Gr1f

Thought I'd vent my annoyance and disgust at typical rip-off Ireland showing it's ugly head once again.

Several Months ago I went to visit the Flanagan's furniture shop in Bray looking for some bedroom furniture. It would be considered a high quality furniture shop (with prices to match). 90% of their items had "Sale" tags on them with "was €xxx NOW €XXX". The funny thing is, the prices were still quite high. So, I checked with a friend who had bought an item before these tags arrived and low and behold she got the item non-sale for more-or-less the same price as the so called sale price.

I begrudgingly bought the stuff anyway, it was exactly what I wanted and I did manage another measly €40 off a €1300+ spend. However, when i went to collect the items they did try to pass off a floor damaged item as my freshly delivered one, thankfully i spotted the scratches.

So, moving on....
Recently I have been lambasted with "Giant €million sale" junk mail from Flanagan's through the letter box with similar adds in the local rag, so, i thought I might see if i could pick up more of the same style for "massively reduced, everything must go" price.

As I arrive I see loads of furniture displayed outside the shop. I have a poke around and can tell you that none of that stuff was in their place before hand, it was all cheap junk and 'priced to clear'. Looking inside I see that the exact same tags at the exact same prices are still on their normal stock!

Get another mailer with "private final clearance" today, check once more and, yep, you guessed it, everything that didn't come out of an Argos catalog was exactly the same money.

Do other furniture places carry on like this? I mean, to me, it seems that if your furniture is not moving, then simply, it's priced incorrectly in the first place. Trying to pretend that you're off-loading stock at bargain basement prices when infact you haven't changed a thing is misleading at best.

I'm annoyed now that i bought from them initially and even more annoyed that i can't find the same stuff I bought somewhere else. With so many furniture places closing after 7+ years of a bonanza it stands to reason that the first port of call for any business should be value and honesty.

Wonder if anyone else has spotted this. I also bet that one day, quite soon, the stuff I want will be priced to clear, and probably by a liquidator!

mcaul

Basically its similar to tactics used by Reids, carpetright, right price tiles, cost plus sofas etc etc etc.

The furnishing industry is rife with misleading advertising and its impossible to know whether you are getting a good deal or not unless you have an understanding of pricing structures which is near impossible.

amcalester

Seems to be quite common.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8333079.stm

druminch

mcaul wrote: »

Basically its similar to tactics used by Reids, carpetright, right price tiles, cost plus sofas etc etc etc.

The furnishing industry is rife with misleading advertising and its impossible to know whether you are getting a good deal or not unless you have an understanding of pricing structures which is near impossible.

SAME story in the midlands every furniture store is selling off rubbish at half price was offered 99euro off a3000 euro suit

exaisle

Pretty much the same story in Flanagan's this time around.

I spotted a table which had a price of €995 with a big X through it and a "new" price of €599 marked up. It's a lovely table, no questions and I was very tempted....but I resisted temptation.

A quick search on the net revealed exactly the same kind of table (Flanagan's had mis-spelled the name) for....wait for it....€519 (plus €30 delivery).

I think what this shows is that price-tags showing a price which is crossed out CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be interpreted as meaning that the item was originally for sale at the crossed-out price.

Let me say quite clearly, that I have no problem with Flanagan's charging €599 for the table. They have higher overheads than an online retailer but they also have the luxury of showrooms. I really wish they wouldn't engage in pricing practices which might be construed as misleading as they have an excellent range of furniture. It causes me to suspect that I'd be ripped off if I bought ANYTHING from them.....and encourages me to seek deals online.

rubadub

Gr1f wrote: »

Do other furniture places carry on like this? I mean, to me, it seems that if your furniture is not moving, then simply, it's priced incorrectly in the first place. Trying to pretend that you're off-loading stock at bargain basement prices when infact you haven't changed a thing is misleading at best.

Yes it is very common practise, I am shocked you have not seen or heard of it before. The big takeaway pizza companies do a similar trick, constantly having half price or BOGOF offers, the normal price IS half price for pizza.

The thing is gullible people obviously are taken in with this marketing practise so it will continue.

exaisle wrote: »

I think what this shows is that price-tags showing a price which is crossed out CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be interpreted as meaning that the item was originally for sale at the crossed-out price.

There are actual legal requirements about this, if a shop has not had an item on sale at the previous price for a specific time then they can be done for it. Of course that original price could have been very high with no intention of making any sales at that price.

Just look at the final price and make up your mind, I was wise to these scams when I was 7 or 8. I still see people blindly filling trolleys with "offers" in supermarkets -but, but the sign was big and flashy, it had to be a bargain

doggy Bear

Even in the death (Flanagans is supposedly going out of business), they are still practicing the same thing: passing off original prices as sale prices. Saw a coffee table for €75 (down from €180) and found the same damn thing online for €79. Can't wait to see these cowboys actually go out of business. Proper order considering all that carry on.

the groutch

when doing ANY kind of shopping, i completely ignore any "was" prices, or %s off.
for any particular item, I'll always have in my head a price I'm willing to pay, and if it's below that, I buy it, if it's not I don't (assuming a bit of shopping around where possible)

Cicero

The irony of all of this is when you ask delivery dates for said "sale items", they say 4-6 weeks...that tells me all I need to know.

Have seen a well known Dublin Dept store do the following- (and this was about 5 years ago)- up prices before a sale and then reduce the price by 25% at the sale- saving wasn't much more than 5% at sale time.

There's loads of "gimmic" sales out there these days- haven't seen a real sale in many a year now... I feel a lot of sales these days are simple marketing exercises...just go in, find something you like, continue to bargain and ignore the pleas/tactics or whatever you wish to call it of "it's already reduced"-
If a company wants to sell to you at the price you offer, they will...simples.

lee_queenbee

I totally agree, I own a small furniture store called beds and more, only in the retail business 3 years (dont ask!) and I dont have 'sales' I try to give my lowest price and hope people will respect the this fact. I charge e20 for local deliveries which goes directly to the driver, I charge for take-away beds. Often customers say that another store do all these for free. I simply tell them there is no such thing as they will charge you in other ways. I'm trying to be as honest as possible, but all the advise I'm getting is to do what the 'big guys' do.... but they get people in the door..By the way Flanagans closed today.

rubadub

lee_queenbee wrote: »

I simply tell them there is no such thing as they will charge you in other ways.

You should also tell them if they buy more than 1 item from the other shop they might be paying for delivery twice. I much prefer transparency.

I find it strange when people cannot see through the "free delivery" marketing ploy.

I cringe when I see pizza places with "free delivery" and then have a "walk in discount". If you have to hand over money in order to get something, then it's not free, simples.

si_guru

lee_queenbee wrote: »

..Often customers say that another store do all these for free. I simply tell them there is no such thing as they will charge you in other ways. ...

Is that you Michael O'Leary?

coylemj

rubadub wrote: »

I cringe when I see pizza places with "free delivery" and then have a "walk in discount".

The travel business is up to something similar - a lot of them have started to advertise 'No Singles Supplements' and when you read the small print there are discounts for people sharing!

jack of all

Jeez, we were lucky- bought a bed from Flanagans and only had it delivered in the past few weeks! Whatever about the dubious marketing tactics of these furniture retailers people need to be very careful when handing over money for big ticket items, especially when long lead times are involved. I specifically questioned the salesman I dealt with about the security of my money (and their business), with all the businesses that are shutting up shop overnight, seems I timed my purchase well. I feel sorry for the staff and customers who will no doubt be left out of pocket. How do consumers protect themselves in a situation like this?

dardoz

I just heard an ad on newstalk for the liquidation sale, but missed the date and location. Does anyone know either?

Dub_Jim_Royle

dardoz wrote: »

I just heard an ad on newstalk for the liquidation sale, but missed the date and location. Does anyone know either?

Starts this Friday from 12 noon in Mount Merrion, for 4 days.
"Massive 70% off"
Althought reading posts above dunno how true that might be. Although the liquidators are Deloitte so hopefully some bargains.

si_guru

Different store but same MO.

I bought a tub chair last week... you can get the same one in most stores.. been looking since well before Xmas, but this local shop were out of stock of the black colour - the price was €149. When I went in the same shop last week - great news it is in stock and reduced to €139 now! But the sticker said "was €199".. hmm.

shakerbaker

Anybody have any info on Deloittes Flanagans Liquidation sale this weekend in Buncrana??? was mount merrion sale any good?? is it really 70% off?? thanks

coylemj

If I ever open a hotel I'll hire you to write a few reviews for me on Tripadvisor.

Barry Flanavin wrote: »

the next generation in the Flanagan family have decided to restart the family legacy in furniture.

Presumably by 'legacy' you mean they will continue to operate with the same shady practices outlined in the earlier posts on this thread then?

sandin

coylemj wrote: »

Presumably by 'legacy' you mean they will continue to operate with the same shady practices outlined in the earlier posts on this thread then?

Don't forget that for many many years, (at least 50) Flanagans ran a great furniture business, it was only when they expanded in 2009, got under huge financial pressure and tried far too many gimmick sales that things went wrong. But prior to that expansion, they were one of the better furniture stores about and had a huge following.

So I say good luck to them and hopefully go back to the style of trading that served them well for many decades.

Pattie 54

Anyone any experiences of Flanagans furniture? Ordered some furnuture that never arrived! called the store and they keep giving me dates for arrival, but they pass by with out any delivery! Whats the story have they gone out of business, having read some old posts I'm thinking they might have cause they seem to have such a bad name!!

Don't waste your money with this store you'll never get the item.

ben.schlomo

Pattie 54 wrote: »

Anyone any experiences of Flanagans furniture? Ordered some furnuture that never arrived! called the store and they keep giving me dates for arrival, but they pass by with out any delivery! Whats the story have they gone out of business, having read some old posts I'm thinking they might have cause they seem to have such a bad name!!

Don't waste your money with this store you'll never get the item.

Nine years ago says hi.

jellybear

Pattie 54 wrote: »

Anyone any experiences of Flanagans furniture? Ordered some furnuture that never arrived! called the store and they keep giving me dates for arrival, but they pass by with out any delivery! Whats the story have they gone out of business, having read some old posts I'm thinking they might have cause they seem to have such a bad name!!

Don't waste your money with this store you'll never get the item.

I know this is an old thread but had the exact same situation as you recently. Absolutely shocking "customer service". Numerous delivery dates promised and nothing delivered. I had to demand a refund twice as they didn't refund the first time I asked even though they said they would. Complete time wasters and I'd never recommend them.