Discussion
The up to half price stuff is either old kit (garmin 350t's etc), soon to be obsolete kit (sony nav-u range as they're pulling out of the euro nav market) or billy basic, non user friendly stuff (route 66's)
The amount of people who really think that a branded, current unit (say TomTom One XL UK) that was at sale everywhere for £169.99 will suddenly become £84.99 really makes me worry for the sake of the country.
The adage that you don't get something for nothing is still very apt. If people were to pay attention to advertisements they'd then see that the "up to" bit is not only repeated during the advert but it is also put up at the end in actual real letters too!
FWIW the ASA did have a pop at Halfords the first time they ran the Up To 50% off Sat Nav offer, and they sided with the company being that it wasn't their fault people were mongs (basically).
Read it for yourself here
What I don't agree with is the ramping of prices up to unrealistic levels to sell at a massive discount, but that is unfortunately synonymous with retail. Imo consumers have brought this kind of action upon themselves - constant "discount" this, "bargain" that, "what's the best price for cash guv'nor" etc has forced companies to play hardball back.
You aren't getting a "discount" unit, you're getting a unit that is worth the money you're paying for it. If you paid the higher price for it, then tough titty - If you would pay £249.99 for a no-name Route 66 over a branded TomTom 720 or similar, you deserve all the hassle it is going to undoubtedly give you.
And if you don't, can't or will not realise that "up to" means that they could quite literally give you 0.0001% off, then again, I fear for the state of the country!
What makes me laugh is that people STILL ask for discounts, things chucked in for free even during high profile marketing blitzes such as the above! FFS - Give it a rest!!!
Owt for nowt pikeys, plain and simple!
The amount of people who really think that a branded, current unit (say TomTom One XL UK) that was at sale everywhere for £169.99 will suddenly become £84.99 really makes me worry for the sake of the country.
The adage that you don't get something for nothing is still very apt. If people were to pay attention to advertisements they'd then see that the "up to" bit is not only repeated during the advert but it is also put up at the end in actual real letters too!
FWIW the ASA did have a pop at Halfords the first time they ran the Up To 50% off Sat Nav offer, and they sided with the company being that it wasn't their fault people were mongs (basically).
Read it for yourself here
What I don't agree with is the ramping of prices up to unrealistic levels to sell at a massive discount, but that is unfortunately synonymous with retail. Imo consumers have brought this kind of action upon themselves - constant "discount" this, "bargain" that, "what's the best price for cash guv'nor" etc has forced companies to play hardball back.
You aren't getting a "discount" unit, you're getting a unit that is worth the money you're paying for it. If you paid the higher price for it, then tough titty - If you would pay £249.99 for a no-name Route 66 over a branded TomTom 720 or similar, you deserve all the hassle it is going to undoubtedly give you.
And if you don't, can't or will not realise that "up to" means that they could quite literally give you 0.0001% off, then again, I fear for the state of the country!
What makes me laugh is that people STILL ask for discounts, things chucked in for free even during high profile marketing blitzes such as the above! FFS - Give it a rest!!!
Owt for nowt pikeys, plain and simple!
Alfa_75_Steve said:
Are you serious that 'Route 66' are 'no name'?
They're one of the biggest names in mapping and SatNav after TomTom and Garmin.
Yes, I am serious - have you used their hardware?They're one of the biggest names in mapping and SatNav after TomTom and Garmin.
They may be a big player in the software market, but in hardware - they don't have a hope in hell.
The biggest names in mapping are Navteq and Tele Atlas, the biggest names in the PND market are TomTom, Garmin and Navman. R66, along with Mio (who own Navman incidentally) and Navigon tend to sell their software to multiple companies.
Just because they we their software all over the place does not make them good.
Adrian W said:
to top it all i was just channel hopping and started watching an old fifth gear on Dave, and theres a sponsers ad implying Halfords would spray your car while you wait,
How are they getting away with it?
Are you being serious? You'd expect to turn up them someone walk outside, give you car a quick once over, then drive away? Would you take your car to get the clutch done then expect the receptionist to do it in the car park in 10 minutes?How are they getting away with it?
Negative Creep said:
Adrian W said:
to top it all i was just channel hopping and started watching an old fifth gear on Dave, and theres a sponsers ad implying Halfords would spray your car while you wait,
How are they getting away with it?
Are you being serious? You'd expect to turn up them someone walk outside, give you car a quick once over, then drive away? Would you take your car to get the clutch done then expect the receptionist to do it in the car park in 10 minutes?How are they getting away with it?
Adrian W said:
I wouldnt but at first glance thats what the advert implies, someone on here said it's a chips away type service. Why can't adverts be simple honest and clear to everyone. smug clever types on here keep harping on about the ads saying up to and therefor their honest. No there not! In the old days when a shop had a loss leader at least they had it.
If honesty has become the name of the game then and we're coming across as 'smug clever types' then the simple truth of the matter is that you're just being thick.Have a nice day.
Adrian W said:
Negative Creep said:
Adrian W said:
to top it all i was just channel hopping and started watching an old fifth gear on Dave, and theres a sponsers ad implying Halfords would spray your car while you wait,
How are they getting away with it?
Are you being serious? You'd expect to turn up them someone walk outside, give you car a quick once over, then drive away? Would you take your car to get the clutch done then expect the receptionist to do it in the car park in 10 minutes?How are they getting away with it?
Adrian W said:
Negative Creep said:
Adrian W said:
to top it all i was just channel hopping and started watching an old fifth gear on Dave, and theres a sponsers ad implying Halfords would spray your car while you wait,
How are they getting away with it?
Are you being serious? You'd expect to turn up them someone walk outside, give you car a quick once over, then drive away? Would you take your car to get the clutch done then expect the receptionist to do it in the car park in 10 minutes?How are they getting away with it?
Just because you think that the distinction of the words UP and TO could be made more forthcoming, doesn't mean they *have* to...
FYI Halfords use M&C Saatchi for advertising, they're a big big player... it's not some bod at Halfords HO saying "lets make this one deliberately misleading", they contract Saatchi to run an advert, Saatchi produce an advert and the HO say "yeah, we'll run that one". If your vitriol is to be directed at anyone it's M&C Saatchi.
In the old days, people didn't harp on about discount, or try smug crap like "I like it, but I don't like the price" or some other junk like that. If you want to get honest sale prices, then don't expect the earth, don't ask for discounts when they're not being offered and don't complain when a sale event starts up.
As for the dent repair advert - it may as well imply that they only do it if your car is blue, driven by a female and is of indeterminate manufacturer of origin. Get real, seriously. You're saying that adverts would be nice and clear in the old days, yet you're picking up on one of the simplest adverts on the TV saying it isn't clear...
Would you rather they put a big block of text saying "service not done outside in the carpark, will require up to 2 weeks lead time, service subcontracted through to an outside agent, not all chips, dents or scratches may be repairable and the job may require a bodyshop. Price varies with application, please contact your local store for details"
If you can read all that as it flashes up on TV in a 5 or 10 second advert, then you're a better man than I.
Can't complain really though - I went into my local one today to replace my TomTom 910 (with daily use, it no longer charges or works properly when on the (very crap) mount).
Bullet bitten, I went for the TomTom 920T as I want European and US mapping (I know there's a 930T out now, but wait 'til you hear what I got it for..!). The original price was £279 and I haggled them down to £249. The 930T was £380 and all it seemed to offer over the 920T was 'Intelligent Mapping' based on average speeds (arguably useful) and something about clearer images or lane guidance when you get to roundabouts etc - basically not worth paying another £130 for..! Certainly I've not had issues with the clarity of lane guidance on the 910 I had.
The 920T's a lovely-looking bit of kit, took all the updates seamlessly from the TomTom Home software and my favourites etc were moved over in seconds. Can't fault it.
Bullet bitten, I went for the TomTom 920T as I want European and US mapping (I know there's a 930T out now, but wait 'til you hear what I got it for..!). The original price was £279 and I haggled them down to £249. The 930T was £380 and all it seemed to offer over the 920T was 'Intelligent Mapping' based on average speeds (arguably useful) and something about clearer images or lane guidance when you get to roundabouts etc - basically not worth paying another £130 for..! Certainly I've not had issues with the clarity of lane guidance on the 910 I had.
The 920T's a lovely-looking bit of kit, took all the updates seamlessly from the TomTom Home software and my favourites etc were moved over in seconds. Can't fault it.
Edited by Funk on Friday 30th May 02:23
Strange I have a 910 which has US mapping as standard??
Tte biggest problems I find with the 910 are:
The fking stupid place and size of the reset button!
The fact you can set position as a favoutite which is off the road, such as a new housing
estate road etc, no problem! You just can't navigate back to it!!!
This became apparent on hoilday in Florida, whilst staying in a new build villa.
Had to find the closest shown road, and set a point on it!
Having had serveral other systems, Route66 , Mio, Navman, Garmin, Autoroute (Streets & trips in the US), Co-pilot, I-Guidance, Medion, Navigon and Telmap to name a few...
I find this crap for the so called 'premier' System (P.s I don't think it is, personally!! ;-) )
Tte biggest problems I find with the 910 are:
The fking stupid place and size of the reset button!
The fact you can set position as a favoutite which is off the road, such as a new housing
estate road etc, no problem! You just can't navigate back to it!!!
This became apparent on hoilday in Florida, whilst staying in a new build villa.
Had to find the closest shown road, and set a point on it!
Having had serveral other systems, Route66 , Mio, Navman, Garmin, Autoroute (Streets & trips in the US), Co-pilot, I-Guidance, Medion, Navigon and Telmap to name a few...
I find this crap for the so called 'premier' System (P.s I don't think it is, personally!! ;-) )
Edited by Robbed666 on Friday 30th May 19:19
Kinky said:
I think the way it's coded is that the 530 has the UK/IE maps, the 730 has the euro maps, and the 930 has the US/euro maps.
I have to confess, I'm in the market for one at the mo and torn between the 730T, the Garmin 760T and the Pogo Drive. Really struggling
If I hadn't gotten such a good price on the 920T, I'd have gone for the 730T. TomTom still deliver the best performance IMO, and I've tried others out. It's like Nokia - very intuitive and nothing else feels quite 'right'.I have to confess, I'm in the market for one at the mo and torn between the 730T, the Garmin 760T and the Pogo Drive. Really struggling
page3 said:
audidoody said:
Looks like there clearing out end-of-line TomToms etc before the new updated stock arrives
But not trying particularly hard. I just got my TomTom 720 online for £50 less than the Halfords 'deal'.Irish said:
page3 said:
audidoody said:
Looks like there clearing out end-of-line TomToms etc before the new updated stock arrives
But not trying particularly hard. I just got my TomTom 720 online for £50 less than the Halfords 'deal'.Thirsty33 said:
The other Halfraud is having offers only on the web site which are out of stock - they are in stock in all the branches, just not in stock on-line. Now I call that dishonest.
That's why they do reserve & collect, so that you get the web price but (shock, horror) have to get off your arse to visit the shop...If it's a web exclusive offer then you will find they're better deals than the shops can offer, albeit delivery only. If not - most (if not all) stores will honour a website price if they have it in stock... where is the dishonesty there?
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