Some aftermarket shops in Calgary will really take advantage of you

[semasema]

You know what really pisses me off??? In Calgary, when dealing with many (not all, and don't fuckin tell me that I am singling out everyone) aftermarket shops, if you don't know the owner or someone important there, you're gonna get the shaft when you're buying something. When I say shaft, I mean that they're gonna jip you for all they can. It really sucks to find out that other people will be buying the SAME part as you for $XXX less, even though you thought that your connection at XXXXX store was hooking you up. FUCKING BULLSHIT!!!!

So many people will sell you parts for some price but then turn around and sell to another guy for $xxx cheaper even if this guy is not a large customer or what not. Fucking bullshit.

Just found out today a buddy of mine is getting the exact same thing that I bought for almost $400 cheaper even though I dealt with the owner of this shop and supposedly he was giving me an awesome deal. What fuckin shit. I am sick of it. So many people want to take others for a ride.

I also realize that some people buy a lot of stuff and therefore deserve a big discount, but I am NOT talking about these people. I am talking about a guy that will buy the same amount of shit as another guy, but because he can bargain better or what not, he gets a deal. Fucking shit.

I do know that shops have to make money, but to jip one guy over another for amounts like $400 is fucking low. Man, places like Walmart should sell good aftermarket parts because their philosophy of giving the lowest price they can to every consumer is a fair and SMART philosophy.

Fuck, I am not going to even name which shop did this to me in Calgary, but it is fuckin low and I am definitely not supporting them again ever.

[sexualbanana]

tends to happen when everyone thinks they have some sort of hookup at a shop just because they talked to the person one time in a parking lot or something.

[max_boost]

Sorry to hear dude but things like that will happen.......can I ask what was it that you bought?

[semasema]

Edit: I thought the "owner" did visit this site, but I don't know if that's true.

[sexualbanana]

uh oh

[kenny]

Perhaps the owner of the shop you went to got the impression that your buddy was going to purchase other stuff in the future and is giving him a lower price on what he bought now to entice him to come back for more stuff in the future. Its simple business.

You complain about people who get stuff for cheaper, but in your own post you talk about how you thought you had a "connection" with the owner and thought you were getting a deal. So what if *YOU* were the one that got the better deal and everyone else paid more than you did? I bet you wouldn't be saying that its bullshit.

And, if you're gonna be upset with people getting stuff for cheaper than you are, next time you go and buy something from a store where you have "connections", refuse to pay the discounted price and pay the regular price.

[James]

Originally posted by kenny
So what if *YOU* were the one that got the better deal and everyone else paid more than you did? I bet you wouldn't be saying that its bullshit.

And, if you're gonna be upset with people getting stuff for cheaper than you are, next time you go and buy something from a store where you have "connections", refuse to pay the discounted price and pay the regular price.

haha OWNED!....very good points!

[sillyd]

Good point. Everyone likes to get the best deals, including businesses. These shops exist to make money. They do this by selling products, services, giving advice, etc. Sometimes they give sweet deals, sometimes they need to pay bills. When the owner gives someone a good guy price he is essentially giving away money from his own pocket, as he is volunteering to work for less profit. I agree it's not necessarily "fair" for everone, the trick is to find a way to be that special someone. Shop at a place that appreciates your business and work at building your relationship there.

[semasema]

Originally posted by kenny
Perhaps the owner of the shop you went to got the impression that your buddy was going to purchase other stuff in the future and is giving him a lower price on what he bought now to entice him to come back for more stuff in the future. Its simple business.

You complain about people who get stuff for cheaper, but in your own post you talk about how you thought you had a "connection" with the owner and thought you were getting a deal. So what if *YOU* were the one that got the better deal and everyone else paid more than you did? I bet you wouldn't be saying that its bullshit.

And, if you're gonna be upset with people getting stuff for cheaper than you are, next time you go and buy something from a store where you have "connections", refuse to pay the discounted price and pay the regular price.

The first point you said about the owner thinking the guy will purchase more stuff in the future is valid but just like that factor, there can also be many other factors that we'll never know. Who know's what the owner thought? Maybe he's just a prick out to make a quick buck on someone he knew he could easily trick? Maybe he had to pay rent that day and needed the extra 4 bills? Who knows?

Also, who would ever want to pass up a discounted price when it is available??? I'll admit that it does feel good to get something for cheaper but don't you think that it is more just (fair) for most people to pay roughly the same price?? That is why stores such as the Bay, Walmart, Holt Renfrew all have posted prices that are applicable to all customers. It lets customers know that they are all equal (the principle that made Eatons an empire back then, it was one of the first stores in Canada that had set pricing which made consumers feel better about the prices they paid for their purchases). Those stores don't say, just because you are Mr. X (Xavier, didn't mean you, heehee, what's up man?) have a 20% discount. Hell, if I am gonna get a deal on something, of course I will take it. But I don't think it is always fair to discriminate one person from the other. Especially if the price discrepancy is large.

If you got ripped off $xxx (which means a sum that does mean something to you), I am pretty sure that you would be upset too. I don't think you would just say, "oh well, that's simple business".

I see your points but the fact I am stating is that no one likes to be ripped off and treated differently from the next consumer

[E36M3]

I think that the key is to pay a fair price for goods, and to feel like you got a good value. The best way to do that is to establish a baseline price by getting pricing from a number of competitive businesses.

It makes a lot less impact on you if an individual business practices differential pricing then if they are competitive with other similiar businesses.

Car dealers had to change their way of selling vehicles (especially in the United States) once invoice pricing became common knowledge because of the common practice of haggling down from the MSRP.

The aftermarket people will feel the same heat once they get to a certain volume, it is just inevitable. Until then, compare, and buy with confidence knowing what you should be paying for a given product.

[szw]

You getting overcharged is different from your friend getting a good deal. Of course both could have happened.

I would also like to know what part it is. For something that is way over $400, I would assume you had researched it and known what was a reasonable price to pay. Doesn't really make sense to me.

[semasema]

Originally posted by szw
You getting overcharged is different from your friend getting a good deal. Of course both could have happened.

I would also like to know what part it is. For something that is way over $400, I would assume you had researched it and known what was a reasonable price to pay. Doesn't really make sense to me.

I actually did research it by visiting and calling a few shops and checking out the net. The place I bought from was giving the best price at the time.

[E36M3]

Originally posted by semasema


I actually did research it by visiting and calling a few shops and checking out the net. The place I bought from was giving the best price at the time.

Well what do you expect? If the price was comptetive, then I can't imagine why you would be upset.

What if:

a) The shop had ten of the item sitting around, collecting dust, by the time your friend came by to pick it up. As a small business owner, I would be highly incented to get rid of my old stock in order to minimize the amount of capital outlay required to run the business.

b) In the time that passed, maybe the pricing from the supplier changed. The owners cost may have dropped, and he may have been passing on the savings.

c) Maybe the distributor was running a promotion (or cross promotion or sales incentive) on the item.

There are dozens of other scenarios that would give the owner of the shop great reasons to adjust pricing. It happens every day.

If you bought a 2003 Ford F150 today and paid $20,000, would you be pissed off that six months from now when the sales cycle starts to dip the dealer reduces pricing by $1500 due to a dealer incentive?

Seems to me that it is just classic supply and demand and a free market economy at work.

[semasema]

Originally posted by E36M3


Well what do you expect? If the price was comptetive, then I can't imagine why you would be upset.

What if:

a) The shop had ten of the item sitting around, collecting dust, by the time your friend came by to pick it up. As a small business owner, I would be highly incented to get rid of my old stock in order to minimize the amount of capital outlay required to run the business.

b) In the time that passed, maybe the pricing from the supplier changed. The owners cost may have dropped, and he may have been passing on the savings.

c) Maybe the distributor was running a promotion (or cross promotion or sales incentive) on the item.

There are dozens of other scenarios that would give the owner of the shop great reasons to adjust pricing. It happens every day.

If you bought a 2003 Ford F150 today and paid $20,000, would you be pissed off that six months from now when the sales cycle starts to dip the dealer reduces pricing by $1500 due to a dealer incentive?

Seems to me that it is just classic supply and demand and a free market economy at work.

Very true, could be just supply and demand. Good points.

[szw]

Anyways what did you buy? sounds cool!

[SpoonEK9@STRD]

what if no one got deals... that would be great... wouldnt it...

[B17a]

It's a free market out there man! You probably just paid the going price at the time, these things are just commodities and as already discussed, driven by supply and demand.

[GTS Jeff]

hey man...thats the name of the game. youre sposed to try to get the cheapest price u can...and the seller is sposed to get the highest price....

if u got jipped...its YOUR FAULT BUDDY. my congrats go to the guy that ripped u off.

[legendboy]

Ya, I don't think you should wine if you FEEL like you got ripped off. If you phoned around and got the best price around then why would you be upset??? You can't expect to get the same deal as someone who maybe is friends with an owner or something!

[semasema]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
hey man...thats the name of the game. youre sposed to try to get the cheapest price u can...and the seller is sposed to get the highest price....

if u got jipped...its YOUR FAULT BUDDY. my congrats go to the guy that ripped u off.

That's great Mr. Type R. I am glad that you are so happy for me.