SERVICE WITH A SCOWL
Over sixteen million* (27%) Brits single out grumpy shop assistants and crabby cashiers for stifling their inner David Dickinsons and preventing them from saving money on purchases.
London boasts the most surly staff, with 43% of the capital’s shoppers saying this stopped them from trying to get better deals. You are better off in Margate than Mayfair if you want to be greeted by a smiling shopkeeper, with the South East voted home to the nation’s friendliest staff.
Are we Bargain Blaggers or Recommended Retail Punters?
A study** into British shopping behaviour by PriceRunner.co.uk, the price comparison people, has revealed that the UK is full of bargain blaggers with over 46 million (78%) of us saving money through haggling, flattery and even flirting!
The survey, to mark the third annual Savvy Spender Day, revealed that one in five Brits has saved upwards of £100 on their purchases through haggling, with consumer electronics and white goods noted as the most popular items to do a deal on. However, there are still 22% of UK shoppers, just over 13 million people, who are happy to pay the recommended retail price for their purchases.
So what’s stopping you?
Cantankerous shop assistants aside, what else is holding back the nation?
- Embarrassment - just under 17 million (28%) Brits named this as a reason for not haggling on price
- Adherence to British retail etiquette (25%) - with shoppers not wanting to seem rude or discourteous
- Lack of price and product comparison- 7.8 million (13%) Brits are of the opinion that without comparative pricing information, negotiation is pointless
Tools of the trade
Regional differences are rife when it comes to how people go about haggling for a bargain. Londoners are the biggest know-it-alls, with 40% using their own market knowledge to get a better deal. In contrast the Welsh fancy themselves as high street Casanovas, with one in five using charm, flattery and flirting to get a lower price on things like HD TVs and home cinema systems. The North East is home to the most blaggers, with a quarter willing to say just about anything to get money knocked off the retail price.
Silver Surfers, Blaggers and Homemakers
- The 60+ age group prefers to enjoy their golden years away from the UK, with almost a fifth choosing to barter over trips away to sunnier climates
- The young are the biggest blaggers, with 23% of 16-29 year olds relying on a fast tongue to get money off purchases. They like to look sharp too, with 40% seeking a bargain on clothes and consumer electronics
- White goods and consumer electronics rank highly among 30-44 year olds, with just under half haggling over fridges and TVs as they set up home
Be a pro-haggler
Over eight out of 10 respondents said they would definitely haggle more if they had accurate pricing information on the move.
Gary Goodman, marketing director at PriceRunner.co.uk commented: “With today being Savvy Spender Day, it’s fitting that more and more people are buying wisely and getting a good deal. By combining tools such as PriceRunner Mobile, with personal market knowledge, confidence and maybe even a little flattery or charm, it’s possible to get a better deal on just about anything!”
The Shop Assistant Premier League
The top scoring staff from around the UK - a guide to where you’ll hit the back of the net if bargain blagging is your game:
| Position | Area |
| 1 | South East |
| 2 | Scotland |
| 3 | West Midlands |
| 4 | North West |
| 5 | Midlands |
| 5 | East Anglia |
| 6 | North East |
| 6 | South West |
| 7 | Greater London |
* Based on UK population of 60,000,000
** Survey conducted by SNS research in October 2007. Sample size = 1,000
PriceRunner.co.uk has also partnered with Intelligroup Ltd to provide a sidebar gadget for some pre-installed versions of Windows Vista, and it can be downloaded from the Windows Live Gallery (http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=a6d26a57-c3e3-4db0-96ce-a8a0cfcd70a8&bt=1). The widget is a search tool that searches the PriceRunner site directly from the user’s desktop.
For further information please contact:|
Haran Ramachandran Media Relations Tel: 020 8846 0727 Mobile: 07843 386150 |
Dan Gamble T 020 8846 0761 M 07917 017 817 |
About PriceRunner (ValueClick, Inc.)::
About ValueClick::
This release contains forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited
to, ValueClick’s ability to successfully integrate its recently completed
Fastclick and Webclients mergers, trends in online advertising spending and
estimates of future online performance-based advertising. Actual results may
differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not
be considered an indication of future performance. Important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in
the forward-looking statements are detailed under “Risk Factors”
and elsewhere in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made from
time to time by ValueClick, including: its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed
on March 31, 2006 and amendment to its Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed on
April 21, 2006; its current report on Form 8-K filed on February 27, 2006; recent
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-Q/A, other current reports on Form
8-K; its amended registration statement on Form S-4, filed on September 27,
2005; and its final prospectus on Form 424B3 filed on September 28, 2005. Other
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
the risk that market demand for online advertising, and performance-based online
advertising in particular, will not grow as rapidly as predicted. ValueClick
undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect
the occurrence of unanticipated events.
www.PriceRunner.co.uk, a division of ValueClick, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCLK), is the UK's most comprehensive and
independent price comparison company. Online prices are updated on a daily basis by a specialist team
that develops and manages cutting edge technology which hunts down the cheapest online prices available.
PriceRunner is unique in that, unlike other price comparison sites, a dedicated team of PriceRunners also checks prices in high street stores. PriceRunner always lists the cheapest price first and is completely independent in that it lists all retailers, regardless whether they pay or not, to provide consumers with a complete overview of the market.
ValueClick, Inc. (Nasdaq:VCLK) is a leading global provider of digital marketing solutions, enabling advertisers,
agencies and publishers to reach consumers through all major online marketing channels. Through its four main businesses;
vcmedia, Commission Junction, Mediaplex and PriceRunner, ValueClick provides a comprehensive portfolio of digital marketing solutions.
