I recently wanted to purchase an analog-digital converter. After doing my research, I determined the model I wanted and was surprised to see that, locally, The Source was the only store to carry it. After a little more digging, I found another retailer in the East End of Montreal that carried it for 20$ less. After briefly seeing that The Source had a Price Match policy, I went out confident that they would merely match what the other store was selling the exact same model for. Was I ever wrong!
Their Price Match Guarantee is as follows (Taken from http://www.thesource.ca/sitelets/pricematch/en/ on 20121107 (minus a few fixed spelling mistakes – you’d think they could run spell check)):
Price Match Guarantee
on any competitor’s price
The Source will match any advertised price on an identical product currently advertised in Canada!Our Price Match Guarantee
The Source’s Price Match Guarantee is our assurance that you will get the best price on products you purchase at The Source. If you find a lower, currently advertised price from a Canadian retailer we will match that price on an identical product (including the year, model number, warranty, components, bundling/kitting or any service plans that may be included with the product).Simply present proof that the item you wish to buy from The Source is being advertised at a price lower than The Source’s retail price. A Sales Associate will need to verify that the item is in stock and available for immediate sale, at which point The Source will sell you that item at the lower price.
Terms and Conditions
The Source will match any advertised price on an identical product (including the year, model number, warranty, components, bundling/kitting or any service plans that may be included with the product) currently advertised in Canada. This offer does not apply to products advertised during Black friday, Cyber Week, Boxing Week, or on the Internet; discontinued, liquidation, closed-out or clearance products, bonus or free offers; private sales; trade-in sales; special orders, “limited quantities” or “one of a kind” offers; “after rebate pricing”; coupon; club or wholesale pricing; store credits; gift cards or similar credits; and competitors’ misprinted advertising or out-of-province/territory advertising. This offer also does not apply to advertisements for subscription services, including but not limited to wireless, telephone, internet, satellite or any other similar subscription service.This offer does not apply to advertisement for cellular handsets, tablets, receivers and internet devices, except for Bell or Virgin Mobile advertisement for such products.
This offer applies to existing in-store stock only and does not apply to previously purchased items. Items sold in “as-is” condition including refurbished merchandise, floor models, open stock and scratch-and-dent items are excluded from this offer. The Source reserves the right to verify competitor pricing and availability of price match items, limit quantities of price match items, and to revoke this promotion, and change its terms and conditions, without advance notice. Price match must be requested by the consumer from The Source at the time of purchase or within 48 hours of receipt of the item by the consumer.
Sadly, in my experience, The Source is more interested in playing legalize word games than in truly providing a Price Match with competitors. What is boils down to is they will only match prices of items sent out in flyers, with a whole slew of exceptions (limited quantities,…). Since only a handful of companies actually send out flyers (Best Buy, Future Shop, Bureau en Gros, Sears – at least in my neighborhood), they need only ensure they are staying in-line with these few companies to supposedly maintain their Price Match guarantee.
In comparison, I have now been twice to Best Buy were they have matched, without question, the price I found online of various competitors (forget flyers). No hassle, matched it, and gave me an extra 10% off! That is what you call customer service!!!
So at the end of the day, The Source has lost me as a customer for life and I have learnt, and hopefully you as well, that their Price Match guarantee only applies if you manage to weasel your way through a whole slew of exceptions. So they stack the deck in such a way that very few people will ever actually qualify for meeting the requirements of their Price Match guarantee. I consider this to be not valuing your clientele and just poor customer service. Next time I will purchase the item online at Amazon, so much for supporting local business. It is too bad, because it is this type of game, that costs a business its’ reputation.
All of this to say, if you plan on trying to get The Source to actually enforce their Price Match guarantee, good luck. What they consider Price Matching and what the average person considers Price Matching appear to be 2 completely different things! What they state in their first statement: “The Source will match any advertised price on an identical product currently advertised in Canada!” does not match up with the rest of their guarantee. It also shows how much they have fallen behind the times when they will not honor any Internet based prices!!! What world are they living in?! Seriously, Online is where things are at.
I guess The Source doesn’t want my business. I’ll take my money elsewhere from this day forth.