Electrical Goods - ElectroCity

englander

Went to Electrocity with a shopping list of 7-8 items coming to total of 2400 euro last week.

Asked them could they knock anything off as times are hard etc. And we are told to bargain etc these days.

They agreed after much pushing to knock 70 (yes, seventy) euro off the total. Gobsmacked I was.

70 euro off 2400 euro I was looking to spend there and then.

Needless to say I walked out.

Where else is there to look and recommend for electrical goods in the Kilkenny/Carlow area ?

Thanks.

Raze_them_all

Whats wrong with that? They have a price, lowered it, how much exactly were you hoping they'd knock off?

holyhead

I work in retail. I am in two minds as to your post. As a retailer I would probably offer 10% off. However I don't know what kind of margins they operate on. The other side of me in retail feels well, in this case, Electro City are not a stall out in the car boot sale. They have there prices and as the previous poster said how much did you want off.
Very often those who advocate bargaining have not worked in retailing. I know when I go to pay rates, light and Heat, staff etc I can't come along and haggle. I can certainly shop around for services but in terms of utilities and local government charges you pay the stated amount or face a legal letter.
Now the consumer side of me operates as follows. I spotted a TV in Electro City. I went over to DID for a quick look. I went back to Electro City and paid out 500 for a TV. Didn't haggle or make a fuss. There was a price on item I wanted. I felt it was fair and I paid it. After all Electro City are entitled to make a few quid. That's what places survive and hopefully thrive.
I know from working in retail people make right idiots out of themselves with their carry on over discount for amounts vastly less than what you proposed to spend.
I can understand you wanting to get the best deal you could but I sense arrogance in your post. As I say it wasn't a van on the side of the road you were dealing with.

Captain Havoc

100% with what Holyhead said, I also work in retail.

englander

Perhaps that did sound a bit arrogant.

There was a bit of history in that we had been in a few times looking at various items and getting into the nitty grittty (heights, colours, functionality etc) of the items and had been told that if we bought several items they would sort a discount out for us.

We had invested a lot of time and effort in getting the right spec and discussing delivery dates, getting finance organised etc and assumed they would 'look after us' when it came to the scores on the doors.

When it came down to total cost - initially the guy said - no discount at all these are rock bottom prices.

Then he said he could give us free delivery as part of the deal.
Its free delivery in KK city anyway - which I reminded him of.

He suggested it wouldn't normally be free for so many items !
I dont work in retail - but that sounds 4rseways to me ?

Then after scratching his head and pawing over the figures he said 70 off was the very best he could do.

Yes, we have no right to expect any discount at all but thats a bit tight in my opinion - especially when the items are not exactly at rock bottom prices. (3 of the items were same or cheaper in Argos)

We had previously spent a fortune in there (where over 10% discount was given previously) so assumed some customer loyalty might come into play - we wanted the convenience (laziness on our behalf) of the appliances coming from one shop - one delivery date, local if we need take anything back etc, money going locally....

I believe they have shown no loyalty to us as a returning customer (arrogant/deluded to expect this ?) so this is why I am looking for local alternatives I may not have thought of.

Electrocity must be doing alright for themselves.
They have now lost me as a returning customer - but I suspect they wont lose any sleep over this.

holyhead

Englander I don't think electrocity want to lose any customers especially given how retail trade is at the moment. Having read your post and looking at it with retail experience he should'nt have offered anything off than offer 70. 70 off is probably taking the mickey and could be seen as insulting. To my mind the salesman, if allowed and margin permitted, should have said 2200 and leave out any mumbo jumbo about free delivery. When you were spending that much. Like you I wouldn't get too excited by local free delivery especially given the outlay. I guess there is a chance that the salesman on those particular items may not have had as much room for manouevre as you would have liked. I don't know but its a possibility.
I have always found electrocity fine but in fairness different people can have different experiences. Try DID in Loughboy near Woodies. There is Sherwoods on High St. Not the biggest fan of Sherwoods. Had a problem with a stereo system I bought within a year of purchase. Never had a satisfactory resolution. Ended up buying a new one from ESB when they had retail stores.

fabbydabby

It's not that hard. Shop around, do your homework, and

1) Establish where is cheapest, or where you want to buy for reasons of service, delivery etc

2) Get all inclusive price by adding up constituent products

3) Try your damnedest to get money off but don't be a dick about it. The Mrs Doyle approach works well. Anything you get off the total at this point is a bonus because you already chose to buy here.

4) Spend the money you've saved by being thrifty in your consumer electronics purchase doing lines of coke off a high class hookers ass in the newly renovated World's End.

Raze_them_all

fabbydabby wrote: »

It's not that hard. Shop around, do your homework, and

1) Establish where is cheapest, or where you want to buy for reasons of service, delivery etc

2) Get all inclusive price by adding up constituent products

3) Try your damnedest to get money off but don't be a dick about it. The Mrs Doyle approach works well. Anything you get off the total at this point is a bonus because you already chose to buy here.

4) Spend the money you've saved by being thrifty in your consumer electronics purchase doing lines of coke off a high class hookers ass in the newly renovated World's End.

They've banned the hookers since the queen is coming here especially for a pint of it's finest ale.

Lump

englander wrote: »

Perhaps that did sound a bit arrogant.

There was a bit of history in that we had been in a few times looking at various items and getting into the nitty grittty (heights, colours, functionality etc) of the items and had been told that if we bought several items they would sort a discount out for us.

We had invested a lot of time and effort in getting the right spec and discussing delivery dates, getting finance organised etc and assumed they would 'look after us' when it came to the scores on the doors.

When it came down to total cost - initially the guy said - no discount at all these are rock bottom prices.

Then he said he could give us free delivery as part of the deal.
Its free delivery in KK city anyway - which I reminded him of.

He suggested it wouldn't normally be free for so many items !
I dont work in retail - but that sounds 4rseways to me ?

Then after scratching his head and pawing over the figures he said 70 off was the very best he could do.

Yes, we have no right to expect any discount at all but thats a bit tight in my opinion - especially when the items are not exactly at rock bottom prices. (3 of the items were same or cheaper in Argos)

We had previously spent a fortune in there (where over 10% discount was given previously) so assumed some customer loyalty might come into play - we wanted the convenience (laziness on our behalf) of the appliances coming from one shop - one delivery date, local if we need take anything back etc, money going locally....

I believe they have shown no loyalty to us as a returning customer (arrogant/deluded to expect this ?) so this is why I am looking for local alternatives I may not have thought of.

Electrocity must be doing alright for themselves.
They have now lost me as a returning customer - but I suspect they wont lose any sleep over this.

You sound a bit moany - If the items are cheaper elsewhere surely you buy them from there. I have no sympathy!

catbear

The worlds end is refurbished, I'm surprised the heritage council gave the go ahead.

Dymo

I've seen this happen loads of times before, customer comes in a couple of times and spends loads of time with a sales person and thinks there is some form extra bond with the shop so its their entitlement to receive a bigger discount than normal, when they don't get it they then get angry and point out how much they have spent in the shop and how much all there family have spent in the shop and how disgusted they are with the shops attitude do they not know who there dealing with, have a strop and try to tell as many people in the world about it.

Electrocity isn't the only electrical shop in the county, Fabbydaddy's approach is the best and be an adult about this you didn't just give them money before you received items for it.

holyhead

Dymo you are so right. Glad to hear you say it tbh. I thought it was just where I work. They wouldn't try it in Tesco/Dunnes/Heatons etc. They just seem to adopt different mindsets depending on where they are shopping. Those that use the 'ol look at all i bought here should be ashamed of themselves. They are making themselves look bad. So what if the bought items. Its a shop. Shop sells, and customers voluntarily buy. They are not forced.

englander

I'm not going to repeat all my ramblings to answer the 'If the items are cheaper elsewhere surely you buy them from there' type comments.
There was more to this than just money if you'd read all the words.

Electrocity said initially that they would offer a discount before we spent a great amount of time in there.
They then said (after we had spent a great amount of time in the shop - colours/models etc and looking at the reviews for particular models) that there was no discount.
Then it was oh go on then - we'll do free delivery -as a special one off for you.Then eventually and very reluctantly they agreed to knock the whole 70 off the 2400 basket.

Anyway good news is that DID electrical are in retail and agreed a just less than 10% discount for total items - a couple items at a slighter lesser spec/model but rest the same. They suggested a reduction as we were buying items to the tune of 2k+ and would you believe.. no question of us paying for delivery ...ffs ! Seems to be normal practice there.

I was beginning to think I was being unreasonable and delusional reading the posts here. My sanity has been restored !

Anyway win-win situation for me and DID electrical.

(Thanks Holyhead also for Sherwoods suggestion - I gave them a look also)

Lump

Should have shopped around to begin with.

TrustedApple

I was shopping around for a new 3d tv there a few weaks back and i had a look in ElectroCity at a samsung 40 inch tv which was a 1000 euro with a 3d blu ray player. I asked how much is the 3d blu ray player he told me it was 400 euro for the blu ray player i asked whats the best you can do with out the blu ray player because i have a ps3 for 3d blu rays. He told me 970 with out the blu ray player.

But then i told him 600 because if the player costs 400 euro take 400 euro of the tv he said no and then he told me like you have money to buy one in the 1st place. Then i pulled out a 1000 euro cash and showed him well you just lost a sell for that and you never coming into my work place for telling me that i dont have money to buy a new tv

The next day went to DID picked up my 42 inch 3d tv with a pair of glasses for 800 euro but at 1st he was looking for 950 but in the end got 150 euro of the tv so i think it pays to shop around and i well never give a penny to ElectroCity for saying that i do not have the money to buy a tv

To make it worse i was in my work uniforms which is suit paints, tie and shirt that cost a lot more then what was on him

englander

Nice one samapple789 !
Maybe they'll get the message soon.

You'd wonder what they are at in electrocity.

I had to practically prod one of the sales people to advise me on something (a TV had LED and LCD on the price ticket that I was interested in) - he was engrossed watching horse racing on one of the tellies I was going to buy (before I saw the light).

However you're not going to please the guys on this thread if you read the reaction to my original post.
(I have a feeling one or two of them may work in Electrocity and are bit cranky with the World.)

fabbydabby

My last transaction in Electrocity was a pleasant one, save for the fact that I slipped on the ice outside (it was during the cold snap) and nearly reefed the handle off the inside of the car door.

The technical sales weren't up to much:
Me: "So which should I buy, a condenser or a vented dryer?"
Sales guy: "The vented dryer has a vent!"

But it was pleasant and I bet him down well so I did. Vary satisfactory transaction overall, cheaper then DID and the dryer is drying well to this day.

Then I slipped on the ice again getting back into the car and reefed the handle entirely off the door.