总是见商家讲自己的价格是最低的，如果不是，补你差价（有的甚至补差价的110%）。很久以前不知那位老师分析过，这种价格保证（Price Guarantee）的促销模型是很棒的，但我潜意识里不愿意被这种促销摆布。我认为商家有这个时间、精力搞价格保证，不如实实在在把价格降到最低；消费者有这个时间、精力去拿回这个差价，不如直接从最低售价的商家购买商品。
但是，不久前有朋友告诉我，各大超市的价格保证并不是我想的那样，是实实在在的退差价，索偿过程在线自助完成，无需找经理，无需提供竞争对手的更低售价的证据。真是活到老、学到老，我真不知道这促销形式已经进化成这样了。我之前在超市购物，浪费了多少索偿机会啊！
于是，我收集了最近在 ASDA 的四张购物凭证，上网去价格保证网站，输入交易号，竟有两张得到补偿，其中一单交易额为 £93，补偿高达 £14.49，大大出乎我意料。
看来大超市已经把价格保证落到了实处，当然要享受价格保证有少许条件限制，这些条件并不高，很容易满足，有兴趣大家去读读各超市的条约。唯一例外的是 Waitrose，不务实，只声称它的价格与 Tesco 持平，不参与价格保证行动。
I was told when I was in China that it costs 10 times more to develop a new customer than selling to a existing customer. That is why customer services are so important. Generally speaking, if a customer says to the shop owner he/she has purchased from the same shop before, he/she is implying he/she should be entitled to a kind of favourable price. On the other side, the sales person should offer bigger discount to the a customer repeating his/her purchase.
But during those years in the UK, I found many cases that many businesses did not follow this rule, especially big companies.
Some time ago, when my broadband contract was due, my first thought was renew it. I saw an advertisement that a new monthly price was less than that on my old contract. When I called the customer service asking what monthly price would it be, I was surprised to know he did not want to give me the new advertised price. He said naturally, “The new price is for new customers. You can’t get it.” But I think it is a shame of a business if a loyal customer find he/she is paying higher “VIP price” than a new customer. I threatened to leave the broadband company, but the customer service still said he could not offer me the new price. A few hours after I hang up the phone, I was called by another person from the broadband company, probably from higher level, agreed to offer me the new price if I stay. I said, “Too late. I made up my mind. You should not ask the existing customer to pay more in the first place.” I feel nothing wrong for the business to offer a discount to attract new customers, but the business should be prepared to offer the existing customers the same discount if it is not even bigger.
I buy a lot from cash and carry. The prices are increasing now and then because of inflation. But I know some businesses just increase the prices to their existing customers. I have to closely monitor the prices all the time. I feel nothing wrong if the businesses offer differential prices to various group of customers. But I do not want to treated unfair just because I am existing customer.
Today I see Tesco and Sainsburys are both offering £15 off to new customers when they do their first online grocery shop when they spend £60 or more. It is massive discount. 25% off. Is Tesco and Sainsburys gross profit that high? Will they suffer a loss for attracting new customers? But that is none of my business. What I care is how to get £15 off for my non-first £60 purchase. I have not found any public vouchers to allow me to do that. In the forum people says just open a new account to pretend as a new customer. Tesco and Sainsburys must know people are doing that way. Why they want so many new accounts? Will “Zombies” accounts help beautify these companies’ financial report? Again, it is none of my business. I just will not do business in that way.
好久不逛 Tesco 了，昨天发现 Tesco 开卖大白兔奶糖。
不光有大白兔奶糖，还多了一些以前只有在中国店才能买到的食品。我有种莫名的兴奋，虽然大白兔奶糖本身不代表什么，而且自从冠生园月饼事件以后我很少吃大白兔奶糖，但它口味还是我喜欢的，我也希望老外喜欢。我的兴奋，深究一下，大概是因为这些货品的包装跟在中国的销售包装基本保持一致，预示着中国货从 OEM 里走出来了？
Tesco 一向对市场的反应很灵敏。这次 Tesco 又做了一件了不起的事情，在四大超市中首先销售这些货品。我的购物多了一个选择，但中国店主们听了可能会不高兴。
Tesco经常给我寄各种各样的Coupon，我很喜欢。
Cow & Gate婴儿奶粉罐里有时也会开出一张Coupon，通常是买下一罐奶粉Save £1。我中到一张，Valid to 30/11/08，今天最后一天。
今天礼拜天，Hove Tesco 下午4点就关门，而我有事，4点之前不想专门为用掉一张Coupon跑一趟Hove Tesco。眼看着让这张Coupon作废，我突然想到：Cow & Gate给的Coupon，指明各大零售店均可使用，Cow & Gate负责兑现，我偏偏只想着去Tesco买。Tesco Coupon用惯了，以致见了Coupon就想着去Tesco买。
这种思维定势真的很可怕。幸好我及时跳出定势，就近在Waitrose花掉了这张即将作废的Coupon。
买一送一我已经见惯了。今天发现一个标价更有意思：Tesco卖海飞丝 shampoo，买一瓶£4.59，买两瓶共£4.50。