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Originally Posted by Licinius  Ok heres the scenario, you're a small business & somebody comes into your store & asks if you will price match with a website? What do you do? Refuse & lose the sale completely, or accept a lower profit instead? Most people have access to the internet now so the high street has to compete. We all know the store has overheads, but surely its better to get some business than no business at all? I was in a jewellers in LC today & asked that very question for a watch I've been looking at, but the shop refused point blank to even try to compete. He knows full well I can order online & thanks to Fedex have the watch in 24hrs. I just cannot understand the mentality to lose a sale  |
Surely it depends on what price the store retailer paid for his goods.
A small retailer will pay far more from a supplier than a larger retailer will, who can demand large discounts on his cost price.
Also, if you have a shop, you have high overheads, where an online retailer has potentially lower overheads.
I wouldn't sell an item just to shift it, if that sale resulted in hardly any profit or no profit at all, unless it had been sitting on the shelf for a while and I could use the space for something more popular.
Most retailers arn't stupid, though some can be greedy. However most shops will set prices that reflect local conditions and that are competitive with other local businesses of a similar type.
As part of my business I sell computer supplies, from whole systems to any components. I don't pretend to be the cheapest, and I won't play the game where someone just wants to buy from the cheapest shop. However I do offer very good service, and much of my custom is either repeat business or from reccommendation. So price isn't everything.
