With the internet, customers have never been so informed when it comes to prices on goods.
This is where price matching comes in handy. Price matching allows customers to insist that a retailer offers the same price of an item if customers see it cheaper at another store, whether that be online or bricks-and-mortar.
Harvey Norman’s chief operating officer John Slack-Smith has said that due to the increase in smartphones, this means customers were doing a quick search online and requesting price matches on the spot.
“You’ll often see people in the shop talking to an employee while also on their phone looking at another business showing they can get the item elsewhere for cheaper and can they match it,” he said.
“Customers have never been more informed about prices they are looking at, they will have researched prices across three or four retailers.
“We are seeing that driving more customers back into traditional retail sources because they are going to chat with people to ask questions, or sometimes they just want to touch and feel the items.”
Appliances Online’s head of customer support and content Harry Boileau says that prices are constantly fluctuating, so it’s important to keep an eye on the best price available.
“It’s good to keep an eye out to find the best prices you can but you should also keep in mind what is included in the price,” he said.
“It’s important to read the finer details of price matching from all retailers as most do not include delivery, installation and usually don’t apply after the purchase has been made.”
Although something might be more expensive, it could include delivery and installation in the price.
Some price matching tips include:
- Look online and in catalogues to see what the base price of an item is.
- Visit a store in person or online and ask for a price match if you’ve seen the item cheaper elsewhere.
- If the price of an item is cheaper within seven days of purchase, see if the retailer offers a refund of the difference.
Do you have any price matching tips? Let us know in the comments.