A couple of weeks ago I asked Everest windows to come around and give me a quote. I made it quite clear to the salesman I was not expecting him to play games with the price. Give me the best price and let me shop around.
My property has three standard windows, a squat window and a bay. The quote came in at £13,000 and some change. He then said, that if I bought all the windows at once, that would go down to £8,500 and some change. I balked and the price instantly dropped to £7,400 due to their ’summer sale’ which, coincidentally, ended the next day.
So I said thank you and sent the chap on his way.
Then during the week I was phoned and told that they may be able to provide a substantial discount so I agreed (I had to be in all morning for another purpose) and the same chap arrived this morning.
The price is now £5,500-odd but only if I sign up today because (get this) the summer sale ends tomorrow! So I said that that was great, an £8,000 saving! Can I have a quote and I’ll compare prices. Nope — this price is now only.
So my question is this: If I want to compare prices between companies, do I have to have all the salespeople at my home at once? I cannot get a price from any particular company without signing up before comparing prices. This is no way to run a business.
I will buy my windows from the cheapest company that makes the best products who doesn’t give me an ultimatum price.
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#1 by Bill (Scotland) on August 11th, 2007 - 2:47 pm
There have been so many similar stories about this firm (and some others in the same business) on various of the consumer watchdog programmes over the years that I am surprised they still think they can get away with these tactics. I suppose, however, that there are aways gullible people around who respond to this kind of thing
#2 by Alan on August 11th, 2007 - 10:47 pm
Had something similar with a kitchen company. They were complete cowboys and kept bugging me. It was originally a £16,000 kitchen (a joke, as the kitchen was 3m by 1.3m) priced down to £10,000 if I agreed to sign there and then – the sale ended that day. I said no. They called the next day and it was £8,000 if I agreed then. And the following week, it was down to £6,000. And of course, the sale always ended the next day. I told them to stop bothering me as I don’t deal with liars and I would tell all of my friend just what the company stood for – and they threatened to take me to court for something or other (libel, defamation.. can’t remember). I then told them that I had recorded the conversation and was going to send it to watchdog – they out down the phone and never called back
Don’t deal with companies like this… ever.
#3 by jameshigham on August 12th, 2007 - 8:32 am
Why is it that double glazing companies in Britain are such criminals? £13,000 for windows?! Gavin – simply go out and price the glass and frames individually and see what it comes to.
The only reason they descend to these shoddy practices are because they know the figures don’t add up.
#4 by Alex Fear on August 12th, 2007 - 4:10 pm
Of course it’s a typical sales tactic, the actual price is probably more realistically less than £2000.
But what a fantastic idea, book them all to come round on the same day at the same time and watch the hilarity unfold.