Is this Harris Farm sign honest or misleading? Shoppers argue over 'fake discount'
- Replies 8
Ever since the first Harris Farm store opened in Villawood, NSW five decades ago, the supermarket chain has been well-known for its customer service, quality products, and high customer satisfaction.
And because of that, its growth and expansion have been consistent for all these years - even after big players like Coles, Woolies, and ALDI have entered the grocery retail space.
Despite being one of the country's most popular grocery chains, some shoppers feel that the company is recently using 'deceptive' advertising in one of its stores in Sydney.
In a post made on the popular forum website Reddit by a customer, photos were shared of a celery display at the Harris Farm store in the Sydney suburb of Lane Cove.
In the photo, it can be seen that the store placed two bunches of celery side-by-side along with a ‘special’ sign. This usually implies that customers would be getting a 'bulk' deal if they bought two bunches of celery.
However, the bothersome thing was that a small sign written in red letters was placed nearby, which read: 'Special: Whole Celery - 2 for $7'.
'Or $3.50 each,' the sign read in a smaller font at the bottom.
We understand if you're confused, we were too. The company is simply advertising two bunches of celery for $7 and each bunch also costs $3.50 individually — meaning there's no discount at all…
The post kicked off a debate over whether or not the store was actually giving a discount on celery.
Many Reddit users agreed that it was 'technically correct' for the store to advertise that way because purchasing two bunches of celery would amount to the price of two.
One user wrote: 'They’re not lying about it being on special - but they are hoping people will only read the big text and believe the special only applies when they buy two, which isn’t the case.'
'Why not just have the single item price in large text? Why have the "2 for __" bit at all? It’s not out-and-out deceptive, but it’s pretty cheeky in my opinion,' another argued.
On the other hand, other shoppers argued that buying two bunches of celery would not give them a 'special' deal.
Several customers have pointed out that Harris Farm does this kind of advertising every now and then, and they always get 'Harris farmed' when they are trying to save some money.
'I would come home with two bags of pasta and say, "Yeah it was 2 for $5! What a great deal." And the wife would say, "Was it 1 for $2.50 too?" and I realised I’d been Harris Farmed,' one man shared.
Another asked: 'First time to Harris Farm?'
Meanwhile, others believed that these types of advertisements were 'technically correct' because the deal normally offered by the supermarket chain is indeed much cheaper than the usual price of buying two bunches.
One user speculated: 'Maybe the “special” is referring to a discount from a usual price, not a discount on quantity bought?'
'They’re just doing the hard maths for us,' another joked.
David Harris, the founder of Harris Farm, claims they aim to provide shoppers with a decent bulk value without pressuring them to purchase additional items if they don't require them.
As a result, whether purchased in bulk or not, the pricing is a unique promotion put up for a sale.
Harris said: 'We’re flush with these beauties so we’re offering a great bulk deal.'
'But don’t worry, we won’t sting you if you just want one.'
When it comes to business, image is everything. From the products and services you offer to the way you present them to your target market, every aspect of your business contributes to its overall identity. And that includes your pricing strategy.
Your pricing is one of the first things potential customers will notice about your business. It can communicate a lot about your brand, including what you stand for and what kind of quality customers can expect.
Of course, there's more to consider than just image when setting prices for your products or services. You also need to take into account your costs, what the competition is doing, and what the market will bear. But if you keep your brand identity top of mind, it can be a helpful guide in making pricing decisions that will reflect well on your business.
What are your thoughts, members? Is the signage at the Harris Farm store a little 'cheeky' and misleading or is it completely reasonable?
And because of that, its growth and expansion have been consistent for all these years - even after big players like Coles, Woolies, and ALDI have entered the grocery retail space.
Despite being one of the country's most popular grocery chains, some shoppers feel that the company is recently using 'deceptive' advertising in one of its stores in Sydney.
In a post made on the popular forum website Reddit by a customer, photos were shared of a celery display at the Harris Farm store in the Sydney suburb of Lane Cove.
The signage, which showed that there are basically no discounts on the celery, sparked a heated debate among shoppers. Credit: Reddit.
In the photo, it can be seen that the store placed two bunches of celery side-by-side along with a ‘special’ sign. This usually implies that customers would be getting a 'bulk' deal if they bought two bunches of celery.
However, the bothersome thing was that a small sign written in red letters was placed nearby, which read: 'Special: Whole Celery - 2 for $7'.
'Or $3.50 each,' the sign read in a smaller font at the bottom.
We understand if you're confused, we were too. The company is simply advertising two bunches of celery for $7 and each bunch also costs $3.50 individually — meaning there's no discount at all…
The post kicked off a debate over whether or not the store was actually giving a discount on celery.
Many Reddit users agreed that it was 'technically correct' for the store to advertise that way because purchasing two bunches of celery would amount to the price of two.
Some users pointed out that this is a common pricing strategy for the retailer. Credit: Seven.
One user wrote: 'They’re not lying about it being on special - but they are hoping people will only read the big text and believe the special only applies when they buy two, which isn’t the case.'
'Why not just have the single item price in large text? Why have the "2 for __" bit at all? It’s not out-and-out deceptive, but it’s pretty cheeky in my opinion,' another argued.
On the other hand, other shoppers argued that buying two bunches of celery would not give them a 'special' deal.
Several customers have pointed out that Harris Farm does this kind of advertising every now and then, and they always get 'Harris farmed' when they are trying to save some money.
'I would come home with two bags of pasta and say, "Yeah it was 2 for $5! What a great deal." And the wife would say, "Was it 1 for $2.50 too?" and I realised I’d been Harris Farmed,' one man shared.
Another asked: 'First time to Harris Farm?'
Meanwhile, others believed that these types of advertisements were 'technically correct' because the deal normally offered by the supermarket chain is indeed much cheaper than the usual price of buying two bunches.
One user speculated: 'Maybe the “special” is referring to a discount from a usual price, not a discount on quantity bought?'
'They’re just doing the hard maths for us,' another joked.
David Harris, the founder of Harris Farm, claims they aim to provide shoppers with a decent bulk value without pressuring them to purchase additional items if they don't require them.
As a result, whether purchased in bulk or not, the pricing is a unique promotion put up for a sale.
Harris said: 'We’re flush with these beauties so we’re offering a great bulk deal.'
'But don’t worry, we won’t sting you if you just want one.'
When it comes to business, image is everything. From the products and services you offer to the way you present them to your target market, every aspect of your business contributes to its overall identity. And that includes your pricing strategy.
Your pricing is one of the first things potential customers will notice about your business. It can communicate a lot about your brand, including what you stand for and what kind of quality customers can expect.
Of course, there's more to consider than just image when setting prices for your products or services. You also need to take into account your costs, what the competition is doing, and what the market will bear. But if you keep your brand identity top of mind, it can be a helpful guide in making pricing decisions that will reflect well on your business.
What are your thoughts, members? Is the signage at the Harris Farm store a little 'cheeky' and misleading or is it completely reasonable?
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but what for, I'm now waiting to see if someone else came along ...saw it and posted it
