HIGH street giants such as Boots, AO and Currys offer price match schemes that could save you as much as £300 on big ticket items, according to research.
Tech items and other appliances can be costly, so here's how to make the most of the price match guarantees to save precious cash.
Which? research found that some of the best retailers offer price matching schemes that could save you hundreds on your purchases.
And the retailers that are joining in are often highly praised for their top quality customer services, meaning you can make savings without sacrificing quality.
White goods such as fridges and washing machines are essentials, but that doesn't make them affordable.
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Some low income families can grab free or cheap white goods from charities,companies and some government schemes.
But for those not eligible for this help, it's worth checking out these price match programs.
The consumer champion Which? looked at the six biggest retailers selling tech and appliances which also offer price match schemes.
These include Euronics, Hughes, Richer Sound, AO, Boots, and Currys.
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What is price matching?
Typically, price matching is when one retailer agrees to match a lower price from a competitor, though rules can change from store to store.
For example, some stores may specify that certain items are exempt from price matching.
You'll need to be able to provide evidence of the lower price, and all of the retailers told Which? that the products have to be exactly the same.
So don't expect prices cuts on items that only bear similar resemblance to other cheaper ones.
The British home entertainment store Richer Sounds goes further than just guaranteeing a price match.
The retailer has a Price Beat policy, which means they are willing to beat the price of competitos by up to £100 if you discover the same item sold elsewhere at a lower cost.
The website has a helpful table with a break down of how much it will beat the price by depending what the cost of the item is.
What does each retailer's price match scheme entail?
Which? has a handy table explaining exactly what each retailer offers, but here's what each scheme looks like at a quick glance.
Euronics
Price matching is only available for in-store purchases, and only at the point of purchase too.
The matching product has to be in stock with the other retailer and it also must be available for delivery within 72 hours.
Some of the competitors Euronics will price match includes Argos, John Lewis and Hughes.
To claim the offer, customers must provide evidence of the price to be matched in the form of either screenshots, adverts, or live websites for example.
Hughes
Currently no items are excluded from Hughes price match guarantee, but the retailer told Which? this is under review.
Customers at Hughes can have their item price matched up to seven days post-purchase and at the point of purchase.
So you can get some pennies back even after you've bought it if you realise it was cheaper elsewhere.
Like with Euronics' policy, the product must be in stock and available to order the same day as the price match, with immediate delivery.
To take part, shoppers can go in-store to price match directly, use its live chat service, or fill in an online form.
Richer Sounds
Richer Sounds told The Sun: "Our Price Beat scheme has been going for over 30 years and there are no plans to end it any time soon."
Note that exclusions on special orders or finance sales apply, and accessories under £50 will only be price matched instead of price beat.
It added: "We ask that the comparison be between apples and apples – the same model, colour, etc.
"It has to be brand new, in a box and in stock. There are a few other very simple T&Cs which can be found on our website, but customers should always feel free to pop in store or give us a call for any more details."
The scheme can be activated at the point of purchase or within 14 days of purchase – giving shoppers an extra week than Hughes to claim back some pennies.
The item has to be in stock with the competitor to be eligible.
To make a claim for the cash off, fill out a Price Beat form which will be processed within three working days.
AO
AO shoppers can grab price matches on any items in store as there are no exclusions, so long as the item is in stock with the competitors.
The offer can be used at the point of purchase or a week after buying the item, like with Hughes.
To get the money off, you have a few options.
You can call AO's customer service team on 0161 470 1200, or use its live chat service when you're about to purchase.
If you’re looking to price match post-purchase, log into My Account and use the price match form online.
You’ll need details of the product code, the retailer you’d like to match against and the retailer product page link – so bear that in mind before you start to fill out the form.
Boots
Boots' price match promise scheme only applies to its electrical beauty category.
Unlike the other retailers, Boots customers can't redeem a price match at the point of purchase.
Instead, they can claim a refund for the difference within 72 hours of buying the product.
You'll have to provide evidence of the amount you paid for your item, along with proof of the competitor's lower price – and then head back to the store to grab the refund.
We have asked Boots for information regarding how to claim the price matching promise and we will update this article when we hear back.
Currys
Currys has some exclusions from its price matching promise.
These are any ink products, delivery charges, installation charges, product protection plans, and mobile airtime plans.
The claim can be made at the point of purchase or within a week of buying the product.
But price match claims on mobile phone handsets can only be made post-purchase.
If you've seen a product in Currys that is cheaper elsewhere, you'll need to fill in its online form or visit a store to redeem the cash off.
Note that your name, address, product information, and a link to the competitor’s product online will be required when filling out the form, so have these to hand.
How much could I save by price matching?
According to Which? research, you could make a saving of up to £300 by making use of the price matching schemes in place.
The price of the LG TrueSteam 12kg 1400rpm washing machine was £1,299 at Hughes, but £999 at Currys – saving £300 in total.
Which? also discovered that £100 can be saved when purchasing the Miele fridge from AO after showing them that the product is marked as £2,099 from Box as opposed to its price tag of £2,199.
Which?'s website has a full breakdown of the other savings it discovered which can be found here.
Meanwhile, we reveal the top money mistakes people make and how to avoid them.
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