Is this price-fixing or not?

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i find it hard to beleive that on a specific day that apples in one superstore are going for $1.00 and on the exact same day the same kind of apple is $1.20 at another superstore

I find it hard to believe that anyone pays that much attention to the price of produce.

[puffnstuff]

Sometimes stores just have too many apples in inventory in one store and put them on sale before they become unsellable. I believe they would put up a sign that says 'in store special'

[Schraderbrau]

When dealing on a vehicle you shouldnt be shocked by anything the sales people do. Car sales people are the worst people to deal with. Crooked as the day is long.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i find it hard to beleive that on a specific day that apples in one superstore are going for $1.00 and on the exact same day the same kind of apple is $1.20 at another superstore......are you sure you were in both superstores on the same day?

Don't you shop around your apple purchases.
It must be nice to be in the 1% and just walk into the closest and but a half dozen without even blinking at the price.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Sometimes stores just have too many apples in inventory in one store and put them on sale before they become unsellable. I believe they would put up a sign that says 'in store special'

Maybe... Perhaps that's true, but I haven't seen one of those signs in a long time. I see them in Co-op on occasion, but don't recall seeing such signs in other stores in the last few years. I believe a few years back, Superstore used to have those signs all the time.

[karl262]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

When dealing on a vehicle you shouldnt be shocked by anything the sales people do. Car sales people are the worst people to deal with. Crooked as the day is long.

aww, what happened? Wanna talk about it champ?

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Dion

Not allowed to do that. Safeway was caught IIRC during the 70's doing predatory pricing and got their hands severly slapped.

Lol, well then Marda Loop Safeway is breaking the rules, because everything is more expensive there, but it's worth it, isn't it guys?

[DoubleF]

I think there's a difference between predatory pricing (illegal) vs price discrimination (legal) which is why it's allowed that the same product, same franchise and different store is allowed to charge different prices. It's the same idea as a vending machine gouge. But maybe I'm mixing up my terminology and situations here.

[TheGrimm]

Just want to throw a shout out to Pylon and Northland VW, he called me up to see if he could help me out in any way. If I had known he was here on CP I am pretty sure I could have saved myself a giant headache!

Thanks Pylon!

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

When dealing on a vehicle you shouldnt be shocked by anything the sales people do. Car sales people are the worst people to deal with. Crooked as the day is long.

Personally I love this stereotype. Because when I deal with people that think like this with 100% honesty, and transparency, it tends to blow them out of the water. Most dealerships are incredibly safe places to do business now. The repercussions for being a kink nowadays are swift and severe. Some of the shadiest stuff nowadays is found via private sellers on Kijiji and Autotrader. Almost every single dealer now straight up refuses to take anything with a rebuilt title and place it in inventory. We simply tell the client to deal with it on their own, then come back. Even sending that stuff to an auction house can be risky.

But of course, because dealers want to ideally turn a 4-5% profit on their inventory, they are massive crooks. Cool fact, the most profitable entity in the car business is the federal government. The average dealer net annual profit nationwide, is 3.4%. Revenue Canada is guaranteed 5%. There have been dealers that have paid out more in credit card merchant fees in a year, than they make in net profit. A manufacturer can walk into a franchised dealer, and demand a 3 million dollar renovation, due in 24 months, and pull a dealers license if he declines. Massive crooks we are.

Owning a franchised new car dealership nowadays is one of the stupidest businesses you could ever invest in. The returns are minuscule, and most owners are in it for the real estate side of it now.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I've noticed that produce ranges in prices for produce in Superstores. Huntington, Panorama, Signal Hill and Country Hills all have similar prices, but on occasion, you'll see (for instance, Gala Apples) going for up to 20%+ higher at a different location than the others(ie: $0.99 vs $1.23). I didn't notice too many pricing differences at Co-op stores, Safeway did vary I recall (Don't go regularly enough to compare prices) and T&T on occasion would sell for 1-2 cent differences for the same product between the two locations. It's highly bizarre.

I have only noticed it for produce that I would classify as a bit past its prime.

So say for instance, bananas or cantaloupe that are perhaps a bit over ripe, still perfectly good for consumption, but have been reduced for quick sale.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Sounds like Audi to me. Insane demand for many models, tight supply, and both Calgary dealerships owned by same group. Basically zero wiggle room for real savings (you can get free stuff thrown in, mats, oil changes, but you'll never get a good "deal"). As well, fixed doc/admin fees that are insanely high for the industry, all with little negotiability since they know they have the market cornered.

I had to go to the southern US to get a good deal as economic climate down there is much softer, and they're just looking for any sale to get fresh allotments of stock.

There is good deals to be had on Audi, just not in Calgary as you mention. The latest one I bought was a new 2014 Q7 for way below sticker. Just depends on make and model, as I am sure the R8 is not negotiable.

Calgary is just difficult market period, as people make a lot and spend their money stupidly without doing their homework. They just walk in and take whatever is given by the sales guy.

For example, even a little research showed me that Audi has a $1000 loyalty program if you already own an Audi. The dealer here in town didn't tell me that existed, he was happy to sell it to me and pocket that money himself. Just borderline shifty things like that, but most people in Calgary get so hopped up on a new car they skip the details.

Anyways, my point is do your homework and shop outside Calgary. Also, I know a car broker in town that is mint. He has helped me out twice now and a totally recommend him. So if anyone here is looking, just PM me and I'll send you his contact. Don't walk blind into the dealership, your just going to throw money away.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by TheGrimm

Just want to throw a shout out to Pylon and Northland VW, he called me up to see if he could help me out in any way. If I had known he was here on CP I am pretty sure I could have saved myself a giant headache!

Thanks Pylon!

Pylon is top of the line. Saved my bacon a couple years back when someone wrote off my van.

Strongly considering making a VW my next new purchase because of it.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Pylon is top of the line. Saved my bacon a couple years back when someone wrote off my van.

Strongly considering making a VW my next new purchase because of it.

Ditto. Pylon saved my ass when my car got totaled and I needed a new one during this past tax season.

[Sopure]

Pylon looks like Penn Jillette.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Sopure

Pylon looks like Penn Jillette.

He is Penn Jillette. I asked him about it and he told me that he needs a break from Vegas every once in a while so he moonlights as a car salesman in Calgary.

Its brilliant. No one would ever believe it.

[zyzz]

Big props to Pylon! Left another dealership feeling pretty confused and stressed out. He made things happen for me that I wasn't even aware I could do! Can't wait till my 2015 Golf arrives. I'll be sending my friends and family his way without a doubt.

[pylon]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the props. I have had the fortune of meeting A LOT of CP members over the years on straight referrals.

At the end of the day, it's all about being open and honest. All you have in this business is your reputation and under no circumstances am I willing to compromise mine. Even though some guys are willing to risk throwing it all away for the sake of a couple hundred extra bucks, I'd rather have a little less now, and a huge repeat customer base in the future. I don't consider what I do a job, it is a career.

Also, NEVER take the word of the small corner lots. Their financing resources are extremely limited, and no matter how many claims they make about being sub-prime specialists are only being made, because they have little or no access to the prime market. Many people that would normally qualify under prime terms, are being led to believe they don't. Not because that is factual of their situation, it is because the little dealers have little or no prime resources to send their paper to.

Anything a small corner lot can do, a big franchised dealer can 99% of the time do better. And you are usually getting way nicer cars. The corner guys are usually getting the big guys scraps.

[Schraderbrau]

Originally Posted by karl262

aww, what happened? Wanna talk about it champ?

I paid extra for the clear coat.