discount codes piss me off

[*-SARIN-*]

Mar 17, 2015 0:11:13 GMT Bobsbeer said:

I disagree *-SARIN-*. What is the normal rate? Why are some vendors offering stupid discounts? They want the business? But no business will offer a discount that results in a loss. Or at least an overall loss. Loss leader I can understand, but not a discount across the whole store. The vendors are in it to make a profit, which I understand, and I have no problem with that. What I object to is taking the piss. I expect that vendors factor in the discounts, that seem to be endemic across the the vaping world. So it pisses me of if I can't find a discount code. If I don't knock off 10% at least, I feel cheated. Hence I won't order from that vendor. But if they were honest and said we have reduced our prices for ALL, and they were reasonable, I would buy from them.

The normal rate is the price listed for the item.  Why should you get a discount everywhere when you are not part of everything?  Discount codes are for certain sectors / communities / forums that the vendor has decided deserve it.  That might be for free advertising, helping them when they started out, or that they just like the people there.  The codes are for those areas only and not for the public domain but unfortunately nothing on the internet is secret so it would seem.  This is also why vendors change the discount codes that also seems to rile you.  It's a bit of a no win situation and more than once i've seen vendors remove these privileged discount codes for some of the nit picking that has / will occur in this thread.  Have you noticed that no vendors have replied?

Rather than feel that you are being cheated because you can't find a discount code for a certain vendor perhaps you should think that you are not entitled to a discount with that vendor because you have done nothing for it? ie, you are not part of a community / group that has a discount code offered.  I know for certain that some vendors offer unique codes for people that order from them regularly, can you honestly say that you as a new buyer deserve the same privilege?

TL;DR

A discount code is a bonus not a right and you have the option to shop where you choose.

[Tom]

Bobsbeer www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/money-saving-tips/8245213/The-pros-and-cons-of-voucher-codes.html

I get what your saying.

Some companies do state, we don't have discount codes - our listed price is our best price.

Personally, when ordering from a new company, I am forward enough to email a company first and ask if they have a new customer discount. Most happily reply with a code (very often something along the lines of POTV, UKV or AAEC lol).

Just the way of the world I'm afraid my friend.

[Bobsbeer]

In some respects I agree with you *-SARIN-*. If I were a valued customer with a a certain vendor and they gave me a specific discount, I can understand. But the majority of discounts appear to be random, or at least forum specific and therefore open to all. For instance I am not a member of Planet of the Vapes, but I have had a few vendors give me a discount by putting POTV10 etc in the voucher code part of the booking form. How is that acceptable? Yet it goes on all the time. I can understand a particular vendor thinking that by providing a discount to POTV members will bring them a certain amount of trade, which I'm sure it does. But why exclude a huge proportion of the vaping community? Don't get me wrong, I love a bargain, but is it really a bargain even with 10-15% off? The vendor will factor that discount into their profit margin. So why not be honest and say it is the price it is because I'm giving you all a good price?

[Bobsbeer]

Lets put it this way IF I were ever to set up as a vendor I would be up front and say these are my prices, which are good value, so please buy from me. They may not be the cheapest compared to China, but you get good service. I fully understand that in the world of the internet I can order from Germany or Carlisle and get the same delivery. but if the product is reasonably priced and delivery is good I will reorder. I don't need a discount code. It's demeaning to the businesses. Give me good value and good service and I don't care where you are.






I would be u pfronn

[Greg]

It's a shame your do negative towards the forum discount. Easy answer though for you, just buy everything from Myepack. Meanwhile I'll shop around for the best deal with discount codes.
It's not for you to decide how a vendor runs their business and if you don't like it don't use them, it's clear the majority appreciate the gesture from the vendors.

[lairey]

Ok, I'll just pop my tuppence worth in here. We offer a discount code for AAEC members. If we reduced our prices for everyone across the board, we would not be a viable business. The vaping world is much much bigger than those using forums. In the 3+ weeks that I have been working in the shop, aside from 3 fellow AAEC members that have visited, there are very few forum users. Likewise with online customers.

Apologies if you feel that we are ripping people off Bobsbeer and it's a shame we won't have the pleasure of your custom but the discount code is there as a thank you to all AAEC members, both online and in store.

[Greg]

Mar 17, 2015 7:11:10 GMT lairey said:

Ok, I'll just pop my tuppence worth in here. We offer a discount code for AAEC members. If we reduced our prices for everyone across the board, we would not be a viable business. The vaping world is much much bigger than those using forums. In the 3+ weeks that I have been working in the shop, aside from 3 fellow AAEC members that have visited, there are very few forum users. Likewise with online customers.

Apologies if you feel that we are ripping people off Bobsbeer and it's a shame we won't have the pleasure of your custom but the discount code is there as a thank you to all AAEC members, both online and in store.

Here here, and most welcome it is too.

[Montana]

Mar 17, 2015 7:11:10 GMT lairey said:

Ok, I'll just pop my tuppence worth in here. We offer a discount code for AAEC members. If we reduced our prices for everyone across the board, we would not be a viable business. The vaping world is much much bigger than those using forums. In the 3+ weeks that I have been working in the shop, aside from 3 fellow AAEC members that have visited, there are very few forum users. Likewise with online customers.

Apologies if you feel that we are ripping people off Bobsbeer and it's a shame we won't have the pleasure of your custom but the discount code is there as a thank you to all AAEC members, both online and in store.

This also goes to show that vanillavapes are really grateful to their customers from the forums , as they offer it in store ( B & M ) as well.The majority of discount codes that are used are for online stores that don't have a B & M and some of the others just offer a code for their website only.So it's really refreshing to have one in a B & M as well.When I go in now , I don't even have to ask , it automatically gets deducted for me ...................... but that maybe because the lovely lairey always serves me

I've always been an advocate of good customer service first and prices a very close second.It is a fine balance but when it works , it works really well.



Andy

[Deleted]

I love discount codes! When they come off the total and it drops below £20 or £30 including postage I'm happy enough! Ok, I'm not the biggest spender on here but it helps AND encourages me to shop there again, which is the point! Obviously it depends on the quality of goods in the first place but I have a few vendors I keep shopping from

[charon]

For myself, unless it's a masive order (very rare these days) I'm happy to just pay the price. If the Vendor offers a discount all well and good, but not as importent as quality and good service for me.

[Bobsbeer]

Don't get me wrong I like a discount, and think it's great to get one.. And I don't mind if it's given for a specific purpose. But they appear to be an accepted part of trading on the internet for vapers. I have yet to go on a vaping shop site and not see a box to enter a discount code. And with a quick google search I can usually find a discount code for that outlet somewhere. Be it a AAEC, POTV, UKV etc specific code, or a general one 10OFF etc. They are everywhere. I'm grateful that they offer a specific code to AAEC. But anyone can enter the code, not just members. Maybe I'm just a savvy shopper and can find a code. I doubt it, I just know they are out there, so why not use them. But it's that knowing they are out there that is annoying. Why not price at a competitive price and go with that? I can understand that it is a very competitive market, and traders need to do all sorts to promote themselves above the others. But give good products, good service, and good value, and I would return. I don't need a discount. I purchase from all sorts of places whether that be brewing stuff, vaping or general stuff. I don't buy because they give me a discount. I buy because they give me good value. However thinking that I could have got it 10% cheaper by not having a coupon is annoying. Especially as I know there must be one.

[Cyberpixie]

Discount codes are mostly a psychological trick in retail to make the customer think they're getting a bargain or a better price. They're not. The usual price is artificially inflated to cover the discount code. When I had my shop I decided not to do that and kept the prices at least 50p lower than others with no discount code. Except then I had people asking and moaning about no discount code! You can't win

[Chrissie]

Mar 16, 2015 23:08:40 GMT Get Off My Cloud said:

Maybe also split the dissy code list into permanent and temporary codes.

The dissy code list is only for permanent codes - temporary ones aren't added to it.

[Greg]

Mar 17, 2015 10:28:23 GMT Cyberpixie said:

Discount codes are mostly a psychological trick in retail to make the customer think they're getting a bargain or a better price. They're not. The usual price is artificially inflated to cover the discount code. When I had my shop I decided not to do that and kept the prices at least 50p lower than others with no discount code. Except then I had people asking and moaning about no discount code! You can't win

They are getting a better price than customers who don't use it though from the same outlet.

[Cyberpixie]

True but far better to offer your best price for all than some missing out because they can't find/forget/don't know about a particular discount code but thats just me