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PC World drops EasyNote XS price to £499 amid consumer confusion |
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Written by Bjorn Stromberg
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Wednesday, 31 October 2007 |
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PC World has lowered their price for the Packard Bell EasyNote XS to £499 after several days of confusion caused by their website listing the Packard Bell EasyNote XS at £599 while the official press release from Packard Bell stated that prices would start at £349. Tony Holden, a British blogger, got the ball rolling on this pricing mixup and received this response from PC World indicating that the £599 price was correct. While at the same time, Pocket Lint writer, Amy-Mae Elliott, got a response from PC World indicating that the £599 price was a mistake and that it's supposed to be £499 while declining to comment on the discrepancy between PC World's price and Packard Bell's price.
With contradictory messages from PC World and no public comment from either Packard Bell or PC World customers are left wondering just what is the real price for this UMPC. Is it £349 or £499? My own e-mail queries to PC World have gone unanswered. I hope we can get an official response soon.
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Visitor
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
I've asked them the same question about UK pricing, pointing out that in the netherlands dixon.nl website is advertising it for 599euros - exactly the packardbell.nl RRP. Got a reply saying they are looking into it.
Bjorn Stromberg
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
The plot thickens.
Visitor
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Now packardbell uk website has removed the RRP and simply points you in the direction of PCWorld (dixons/currys) for pricing information.
If the final UK price is significantly above 599 euros price in the Netherlands then phrases like price-fixing and cartel spring to mind. I'm tempted to ask the Office of Fair Trading what they think about this sort of behaviour.
Visitor
Thursday, 01 November 2007
Apparently the Dixons group have exclusivity on this product at the moment, so I'm not surprised that they've hiked the price up.
These stores have high prices at the best of times, and seeing an item like this, just before Christmas, I can imagine the eyes of Dixons executives light up at the thought of how much profit they can make on these.
My advice, wait a while. There are going to be a slew of very similar devices coming out over the next couple of months. The prices will really start falling then.