HMV pricing differently across stores.

kearneybobs

I decided to contact HMV via Twitter the other day concerning their ridiculous pricing discrepancies that always occurs, most notably during the sales. One DVD/game is on sale in one store, but not in another.

An example of this is Back to the Future on Bluray.
Before Christmas, this was supposed to be on sale for €30. It could be found in the Henry St and Sligo (thanks Basq) branches for that price but could be found in the Dundrum and Grafton St branches for the regular price of €50.

This happened the other day with a Wii game called Super Smash Bros Brawl. It was on sale for €9.99 in Grafton St but another user on boards couldn't get the game for that price in their Newbridge branch as it was priced at €44.99

Is this even legal? I dont know.

I decided to ask them on Twitter about it.
http://twitter.com/#!/hmv_getcloser/status/24412288823861248

http://twitter.com/#!/hmv_getcloser/status/24413914099879936

My biggest problem with this, is that it's really frustrating when you go to buy something on sale and it's not. It's as if it's a ploy just to get you into the shop to buy it, only to get there and it's not on sale. At least not in that branch. I dont think I have ever seen a retailer change their prices depending on the branch.

Corruptedmorals

Afaik, they can if they want- it depends on what stores it is selling well in- clearly dundrum and grafton st have steady sales so they're better off keeping it at that price. You will sometimes find this with clothes- red top reduced, bestselling black top same style full price, but sometimes it can vary with the exact same thing in a different store. Dunnes does this, it has to be legal. Unfortunate but makes sense for stores to flog off something where it's not selling well but retain their profits where the same thing is doing well.

noodler

If I was managing the store in Henry St and we were having trouble shifting copies of Rob in Hood then I don't see why they wouldn't be able to reduce the prices without it being mandatory for other stores.

ztoical

noodler wrote: »

If I was managing the store in Henry St and we were having trouble shifting copies of Rob in Hood then I don't see why they wouldn't be able to reduce the prices without it being mandatory for other stores.

+ 1 that's usually whats happened and not just with HMV, I know Easons do this and I'm sure other stores as well esp smaller stores that have limted stock room space. It's a different kettle of fish if it was something that was say advertisted in print or on telly as being X price in all HMV's and you found it priced higher then that in one store.

ted1

each store can sell at what ever price they want. Don't forget each store has different rents and different foot fall.

andrewire

ted1 wrote: »

each store can sell at what ever price they want. Don't forget each store has different rents and different foot fall.

In that case, all business branches of the same brand would sell at different prices (which is not the case, normally). Their inconsistent pricing is something I have seen before at HMV. Sometimes items are on sale in the same store and you can find the same item twice but with different prices. Happened to me recently with a CLOVERFIELD DVD (€3.99 vs. €12.99).

I have stopped spending that much since 2008 when they had a Battlestar Galactica boxset for €110 I was looking for, which I subsequently found online for €12. I emailed them telling I was outraged that the price difference was too big and the woman basically said "All of the prices we charge our customers are directly related to what our supplier has charged us and all of our prices are subject to change in relation to this". So, they are obviously being supplied by the wrong supplier. Well, that's what I would like to think. The reality is their business model is unsustainable due to pricing: not competitive enough. The 'HMV experience' is not even special (to justify the premium prices).