I have never found these policies especially useful, as I usually expect to do the background work properly and buy from the best place first time round.

 

I have always viewed them as only really useful if:

 

1 - I did not do my research properly, and discovered my mistake after the fact.

2 - It lets me leverage a benefit such as being able to inspect the purchase in a local store, or need it *now*. An example here would be Halfords who price match their website in their shops, and against other competing websites - at least for cycling products, or

3 - If there is some minor detail different that requires me to buy from a particular place.

 

Having said that I have just had my first success at this game (in addition to Halfords), when my door supplier, who has a liberal price-match policy, has just price matched a 10% cheaper price offer from Travis-Perkins for a nearly similar door and also the free delivery, and refunded £80. Nice night at the theatre coming soon :-). 

 

Has anyone had any benefit from such policies?

 

(Note: agree that negotiating on the basis of "that price over there" is  akey tool pre-purchase expecially for big-ticket items).

 

Ferdinand

 

Edited November 12, 20178 yr by Ferdinand

5 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

Nice night at the theatre coming soon

Glad to hear you can have a nice night at the theatre for £80 and that you got a good win on the price match.

 

I completely agree with your premise of  buying from the best place first time around. But suppliers who post-price-match will usually match their own post-sale reductions.

 

I recently got £30 off a fridge/freezer from ao.com after they dropped the price from what was already an extremely competitive amount. Which was nice. I just pinged them on Twitter and got the refund in a couple of days.