and I have just been checking Matt's page at HMV again and it is now 14.99 
Heart Of A Man
Heart of a Man had been 9.99 on HMVs website for at least a year, then a couple of week's ago I noticed it had gone up to 11.99 - I wondered why this was and I have just been checking Matt's page at HMV again and it is now 14.99
and I have just been checking Matt's page at HMV again and it is now 14.99 "My Tears Will Fall Now That You're Gone,
I Can't Help But Cry, But I Must Go On"
I Can't Help But Cry, But I Must Go On"
The prices of albums generally seem to yo-yo all the time these days, Robert. Maybe it's an indication that the album sells well and HMV is just trying to make more money as a result? I am always a bit mystified when copies of the same CD are placed together and some have a discounted price and others the full price. Perhaps someone who knows more about retail matters than we do could explain.
-
michduncg
- Posts: 1332
- Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 6:03 pm
- Location: Oxon, UK (Originally from Yorkshire)
Hi Jon
With my retail hat on - the same item cannot normally be sold for two different prices in the same store (unless its a one off reduction due to an individual item thats soiled or damaged) - its illegal, and also very tricky to arrange through register systems. Most retailers tills will hold only price per barcode on their computer anyway, so when the item is scanned, the Price Look Up (PLU) system will return the current price.
That doesn't mean to say that you'll pay the price thats on the goods - but you should never pay more than they are marked at. Some retailers will lower the price on their system, but not reticket the goods - its very labour intensive to do so. They may just change a shelf label to indicate the new price.
With my retail hat on - the same item cannot normally be sold for two different prices in the same store (unless its a one off reduction due to an individual item thats soiled or damaged) - its illegal, and also very tricky to arrange through register systems. Most retailers tills will hold only price per barcode on their computer anyway, so when the item is scanned, the Price Look Up (PLU) system will return the current price.
That doesn't mean to say that you'll pay the price thats on the goods - but you should never pay more than they are marked at. Some retailers will lower the price on their system, but not reticket the goods - its very labour intensive to do so. They may just change a shelf label to indicate the new price.
Michael
Here I go again, I hear those trumpets blow again.......
Here I go again, I hear those trumpets blow again.......
-
michduncg
- Posts: 1332
- Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 6:03 pm
- Location: Oxon, UK (Originally from Yorkshire)
Hi Jon
Check the numbers under the barcode on the items - if they are different then the items are not totally identical. If they are the same then they can be sold at only one price in a 24 hour period, otherwise the local Trading Standards would be very interested!
Interestingly, if an item has been sold at a lower price, and then goes back up in price but the retailer hasn't taken the old cheaper price label off, they are not legally bound to sell them to you at the lower price. What they do have to do though is take all of the items that are wrongly priced off display for 24 hours, before reticketing at the right price and putting them back out.
Check the numbers under the barcode on the items - if they are different then the items are not totally identical. If they are the same then they can be sold at only one price in a 24 hour period, otherwise the local Trading Standards would be very interested!
Interestingly, if an item has been sold at a lower price, and then goes back up in price but the retailer hasn't taken the old cheaper price label off, they are not legally bound to sell them to you at the lower price. What they do have to do though is take all of the items that are wrongly priced off display for 24 hours, before reticketing at the right price and putting them back out.
Michael
Here I go again, I hear those trumpets blow again.......
Here I go again, I hear those trumpets blow again.......
I have to agree with Jon on this one, Michael. Your favourite retailer, HMV, definitely had the same item in the racks with different prices, especially for CD singles. I always look through the entire inventory and pick the cheapest. And it usually rings up for the right price; perhaps the bar code is different and they don't bother putting on a new bar code when the price increases. It even occurred with that For The Present/Other Night of the Stars twofer. One was 6 pounds and the other was 8 or maybe 10. The Kathleen Ferrier CD I bought was 6 pounds, but I found another in the racks (exactly the same CD) at 8 pounds. Zavvi seems to have more consistent pricing than HMV.
My experience is similar to Paul's. If what Mike says is true, I might have expected a different price to come up when they scan the CD at the counter from the one on the label from time to time as I have selected the lower priced CD in a rack on quite a number of occasions (who wouldn't?), but this has never happened. But I will check the number on the barcode next time, as Mike advises.
According to the HMV website Heart of the Man is available for pre-order released on 2nd June 
the good thing though is that is has come down in price from £14.99 which it has been for a while, to............................£6.99 
the good thing though is that is has come down in price from £14.99 which it has been for a while, to............................£6.99 "My Tears Will Fall Now That You're Gone,
I Can't Help But Cry, But I Must Go On"
I Can't Help But Cry, But I Must Go On"
