http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html

"The Natural Philosopher" <A@b.c> wrote in message...

> http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html
> Dixons Group, the struggling electrical retailer, on Wednesday was 
> cautious about prospects for the rest of the year as it revealed a fall in 
> the sales of mobile phones and PCs over the summer.


Hardly suprising when most of their stock can be bought for much cheaper 
online!


-- 
Best Wishes
Simon (aka Dark Angel)
"Dark Angel's Realm of Horror" - http://www.realmofhorror.co.uk
"Realm of Horror Radio" - http://www.live365.com/stations/313834

"Dark Angel"  wrote in message
news:dfn2ni$3ih$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

>
> "The Natural Philosopher" <A@b.c> wrote in message...
> >

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html

> > Dixons Group, the struggling electrical retailer, on Wednesday
was
> > cautious about prospects for the rest of the year as it revealed
a fall in
> > the sales of mobile phones and PCs over the summer.
>
> Hardly suprising when most of their stock can be bought for much
cheaper
> online!
>


Nothing what so ever to do with that fact, the problem is that the
retail trade (both high street and online) is suffering an across the
board down turn in trade as the consumer either puts money aside or
shifts available funds over to an increase in essential spending.
Many people are only making distress purchases at the moment.

"Dark Angel"  wrote in message 
news:dfn2ni$3ih$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

>

> Hardly suprising when most of their stock can be bought for much cheaper 
> online!
>
>
> -- 
> Best Wishes
> Simon (aka Dark Angel)
> "Dark Angel's Realm of Horror" - http://www.realmofhorror.co.uk
> "Realm of Horror Radio" - http://www.live365.com/stations/313834
>


Although one service I have had reasonable success with is PC World's 
'collect @ store' or something.

All it does is let you select items on their website, reserve them online 
for collection at your local store and then pop in and pay for them. The 
benefit is that you still benefit from their 'web exclusive' prices, which, 
whilst not covering an extensive range of stock, do occasionally have some 
good bargains.

Alex

:::Jerry::::  muttered:


> 
> "Dark Angel"  wrote in message
> news:dfn2ni$3ih$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
>> 
>> "The Natural Philosopher" <A@b.c> wrote in message...
>>> 
> http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html
>>> Dixons Group, the struggling electrical retailer, on Wednesday
> was
>>> cautious about prospects for the rest of the year as it revealed
> a fall in
>>> the sales of mobile phones and PCs over the summer.
>> 
>> Hardly suprising when most of their stock can be bought for much
> cheaper
>> online!
>> 
> 
> Nothing what so ever to do with that fact, the problem is that the
> retail trade (both high street and online) is suffering an across the
> board down turn in trade as the consumer either puts money aside or
> shifts available funds over to an increase in essential spending.
> Many people are only making distress purchases at the moment.
> 
> 

Yeah... any purchase from Dixons is guaranteed to cause distress alright.

On Wed, 07 Sep 2005 16:27:53 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c>
wrote:


>http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html



Excellent.  Let's hope that Morrisons reports similarly.


-- 

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Magwitch" <Magwitch@b.c> wrote in message
news:BF44D952.1BCCC%Magwitch@b.c...

> :::Jerry::::  muttered:
>
<snip>
> >
> > Nothing what so ever to do with that fact, the problem is that
the
> > retail trade (both high street and online) is suffering an across
the
> > board down turn in trade as the consumer either puts money aside
or
> > shifts available funds over to an increase in essential spending.
> > Many people are only making distress purchases at the moment.
> >
> >
> Yeah... any purchase from Dixons is guaranteed to cause distress
alright.
>


One can tell those who were at the back of the class, no doubt
larking about, when the IQ rations were being given out...

The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c> wrote in news:1126107050.411.0@nnrp-t71-
02.news.clara.net:


> http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html


How is Comet getting away without a mention, in my experience Comet is by 
far the worst dealer, they make Dixon's look good -ish,

mike

The Natural Philosopher wrote:


> In the UK, which accounts for just under three quarters of underlying 
> profit, like-for-like sales dropped 7 per cent and 4 per cent overall 
> for the 16 weeks to August 20. Total group like-for-like sales dropped 3 
> per cent.
> 
> The slowdown was led by The Link, Dixons mobile phone chain, which saw 
> sales drop dramatically, down 28 per cent on a like-for-like basis, 
> while PC World sales dropped 7 per cent during the same period.


Don't read too much into it. We have experienced a huge drop in sales 
over the period described in the above. sales were dropping off at a 
rate we haven never seem before in 7 years, and we are absolutely 
nothing to do with the electronics industry. It's just been one of those 
times when no-one has been spending.

Fortunately things have already turned, and we have seen sales rise 
significantly since the last week of August.

Folks are flexing their cards once more.


-- 
http://gymratz.co.uk - Best Gym Equipment & Bodybuilding Supplements UK.
http://trade-price-supplements.co.uk - TRADE PRICED SUPPLEMENTS for ALL!
http://fitness-equipment-uk.com - UK's No.1 Fitness Equipment Suppliers.
http://gymratz.co.uk/hot-seat.htm - Live web-cam! (sometimes)

"Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk ;)"  wrote in message
news:9%HTe.104389$G8.72615@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
> Folks are flexing their cards once more.


Given that most people hereabouts aren't actually hungry, there's a debate
to be had about whether it actually matters that there's a slowdown in
people buying stuff that they don't actually need and can survive quite
happily without, particularly when buying a new stuff involves having to
throw away the perfectly functional previous one to make room for it (how
many mobes can *you* carry at once?). (Someone remind me of the name and
author of that SF story where the poor were forced to buy and consume 24/7
and the rich could afford to just sit around not buying things?)

--
Tim Ward - posting as an individual unless otherwise clear
Brett Ward Ltd - www.brettward.co.uk
Cambridge Accommodation Notice Board - www.brettward.co.uk/canb
Cambridge City Councillor

mike ring wrote:


> The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c> wrote in news:1126107050.411.0@nnrp-t71-
> 02.news.clara.net:
> 
> 
>>http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html
> 
> 
> How is Comet getting away without a mention, in my experience Comet is by 
> far the worst dealer, they make Dixon's look good -ish,
> 
> mike
> 

Comet IS dixons

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 07:03:02 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c>
wrote:


>mike ring wrote:
>
>> The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c> wrote in news:1126107050.411.0@nnrp-t71-
>> 02.news.clara.net:
>> 
>> 
>>>http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html
>> 
>> 
>> How is Comet getting away without a mention, in my experience Comet is by 
>> far the worst dealer, they make Dixon's look good -ish,
>> 
>> mike
>> 
>Comet IS dixons


Actually no.   Comet is owned by Kesa Electricals, a European
electrical retail group operating mainly in France and Benelux.

It was a spinoff from Kingfisher in 2003.


-- 

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 07:03:02 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c>
wrote:



>> 
>Comet IS dixons


Currys is Dixons, Comet is not.

Doh!


-- 
Warning: Do not look directly into laser with remaining eye.

In article , mike ring 
 writes

>How is Comet getting away without a mention, in my experience Comet is by
>far the worst dealer, they make Dixon's look good -ish,


Worse in what sense? They were always a "warehouse" type operation. In 
the early days more like Argos, with a catalogue at the door and very 
little on display. They never attempted to give any advice. Whereas 
Dixons is much more of a traditional "shop". (Although PC World is a 
clone of CompUSA, which itself was a warehouse style operation, before 
it changed its name from Soft Warehouse [geddit], anyway).
-- 
"now, the thing you type on and the window you stare out of are the same thing"

:::Jerry:::: wrote:


> One can tell those who were at the back of the class, no doubt
> larking about, when the IQ rations were being given out...


And where were you? Charm School?

-- 
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
|          Internode Ltd -  http://www.internode.co.uk            |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|        John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk              |
\=================================================================/

Andy Hall wrote:


> Actually no.   Comet is owned by Kesa Electricals, a European
> electrical retail group operating mainly in France and Benelux.


Who's shares have actually done rather well, oddly...


-- 
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
|          Internode Ltd -  http://www.internode.co.uk            |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|        John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk              |
\=================================================================/

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 08:40:49 +0100, John Rumm
 wrote:


>Andy Hall wrote:
>
>> Actually no.   Comet is owned by Kesa Electricals, a European
>> electrical retail group operating mainly in France and Benelux.
>
>Who's shares have actually done rather well, oddly...



One can only assume that they are better outside the UK than within.


-- 

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Andy Hall wrote:


> Excellent.  Let's hope that Morrisons reports similarly.


Why?

-- 

Brian Morrison

please observe reply-to address

In article , Andy Hall 
<andyh@hall.nospam> writes

>>> Actually no.   Comet is owned by Kesa Electricals, a European
>>> electrical retail group operating mainly in France and Benelux.
>>
>>Who's shares have actually done rather well, oddly...
>
>
>One can only assume that they are better outside the UK than within.


What do you mean by "better"? They are an unashamed no-frills retailer, 
is there something particular that they've done to you?
-- 
"now, the thing you type on and the window you stare out of are the same thing"

Tim Ward wrote:


> (Someone remind me of the name and author of that SF story where the
> poor were forced to buy and consume 24/7 and the rich could afford to
> just sit around not buying things?)


Frederik Pohl, "The Midas Plague". And I think he did another story in
the same world, possible "The Man Who Ate The World".

           Anthony

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 07:03:02 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c>
wrote:


>Comet IS dixons


No.

Currys is Dixons. Comet is, err, Comet.

:::Jerry::::  muttered:


> 
> "Magwitch" <Magwitch@b.c> wrote in message
> news:BF44D952.1BCCC%Magwitch@b.c...
>> :::Jerry::::  muttered:
>> 
> <snip>
>>> 
>>> Nothing what so ever to do with that fact, the problem is that
> the
>>> retail trade (both high street and online) is suffering an across
> the
>>> board down turn in trade as the consumer either puts money aside
> or
>>> shifts available funds over to an increase in essential spending.
>>> Many people are only making distress purchases at the moment.
>>> 
>>> 
>> Yeah... any purchase from Dixons is guaranteed to cause distress
> alright.
>> 
> 
> One can tell those who were at the back of the class, no doubt
> larking about, when the IQ rations were being given out...
> 
> 

Oh sorry, I thought the ponderous waffle above was some sort of post-modern
tract on consumerism and responded in kind (are you my bank manager btw?).
Do explain what a 'distress purchase' is for those of us who, (luckily) have
never had to make one.

<visions of tearful consumers being comforted by Dixon staff, clutching the
burnt out relics of hoovers to their bosoms spring to mind>

In article <BF45C6E3.1C06E%Magwitch@b.c>, Magwitch <Magwitch@b.c> writes

>Do explain what a 'distress purchase' is for those of us who, (luckily) have
>never had to make one.


Something you have little or no choice over making. For example, a bus 
fare from Stagecoach, as there are no other bus companies available 
locally (and assuming you have no option of walking or cycling).
-- 
"now, the thing you type on and the window you stare out of are the same thing"

In article <+1t0jaymd+HDFA7T@donald.internetpolicynews.co.uk>, Meldrew 
of Meldreth wrote:

> Worse in what sense? They were always a "warehouse" type operation. In 
> the early days more like Argos, with a catalogue at the door and very 
> little on display. They never attempted to give any advice. Whereas 
> Dixons is much more of a traditional "shop".


Interestingly both have a long history as traditional retailers

"Charles Kalms opened the first Dixons photographic studio at 32 High 
Street, Southend. The business was incorporated as a private company 
called Dixon Studios Limited and registered on 27 October 1937 with 
share capital of 100. ... When the first studio opened in Southend, the 
shop front could accommodate a name of no more than six letters. The 
solution was found in the telephone directory - "Dixons" was short 
enough to fit over the door!"

http://dsgportal01.dixons.co.uk/wps/portal/!ut/p/.cmd/cs/.ce/7_0_A/.s/7_
0_GI/_s.7_0_A/7_0_GI

"The Company is founded in 1933 by George Hollingberry in Hull as Comet 
Battery Stores Limited - a two man business charging batteries and 
accumulators for customer wireless sets. The Company then moves in to 
the radio rental business and by 1939 has 2,500 accounts with a small 
fleet of vans."

http://press.comet.co.uk/default.aspx?m=6&mi=74&ms=0&title=History

I remember the first Comet Discount Warehouse near here being opened in 
Hayes c.1970. Nothing on display IIRC: you went to the counter, paid and 
got given a sealed carton. I still think of them as Comet Discount 
Warehouse though on white goods (and probably other things) local 
independent shops can be significantly cheaper.

-- 
Tony Bryer SDA UK  'Software to build on'  http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm
[Latest version QSEDBUK 1.10 released 4 April 2005]

In article <+1t0jaymd+HDFA7T@donald.internetpolicynews.co.uk>,
Meldrew of Meldreth   wrote:


>(Although PC World is a 
>clone of CompUSA, which itself was a warehouse style operation, before 
>it changed its name from Soft Warehouse [geddit], anyway).


PC World have their own peculiarities though. I use them to buy my printer
cartridges, mainly because they charge the same price as Robert Sayle (this
is unusual - IME PC World are typically very expensive), but actually seem
to have them in stock. Every time they sell them to me, they always ask if
the cartridge is for "personal or business use". I say either "Personal",
"Business", or "Both" depending on my mood. It doesn't seem to make any
difference to print quality or anything.

Meldrew of Meldreth wrote:

> What do you mean by "better"? They are an unashamed no-frills retailer, 
> is there something particular that they've done to you?


I always thought a retailer sold things. Every time I've been to Comet 
in the last 10 years or so to buy white goods (not exactly often mind) 
the product I've wanted was on display but they had no stock and 
wouldn't sell me the display model. That's what I call useless. Same was 
true of Currys and the other crap one on the Beehive mind.

Ended up buying online in the end...

"A Plagued Lighthouse Keeper"  wrote in message 
news:TsUTe.1147$Q%2.728@newsfe1-win.ntli.net...

> Meldrew of Meldreth wrote:
>> What do you mean by "better"? They are an unashamed no-frills retailer, 
>> is there something particular that they've done to you?
>
> I always thought a retailer sold things. Every time I've been to Comet in 
> the last 10 years or so to buy white goods (not exactly often mind) the 
> product I've wanted was on display but they had no stock and wouldn't sell 
> me the display model. That's what I call useless. Same was true of Currys 
> and the other crap one on the Beehive mind.
>
> Ended up buying online in the end...


I nearly did when the washing machine finally died, but it seemed that 
online purchases of white goods typically have delivery times of about a 
week to ten days. Not good when you've got a three-day old lot of wet 
washing. I phoned Andrew McCulloch (sp?) to see what they had in stock - 
expecting to pay over the online price - and they beat the online price and 
delivered next day. So they get my recommendation.

Tony

"Chris Brown"  wrote in message 
news:4sf5v2-een.ln1@narcissus.dyndns.org...

> In article <+1t0jaymd+HDFA7T@donald.internetpolicynews.co.uk>,
> Meldrew of Meldreth   wrote:
>
>>(Although PC World is a
>>clone of CompUSA, which itself was a warehouse style operation, before
>>it changed its name from Soft Warehouse [geddit], anyway).
>
> PC World have their own peculiarities though. I use them to buy my printer
> cartridges, mainly because they charge the same price as Robert Sayle 
> (this
> is unusual - IME PC World are typically very expensive), but actually seem
> to have them in stock. Every time they sell them to me, they always ask if
> the cartridge is for "personal or business use". I say either "Personal",
> "Business", or "Both" depending on my mood. It doesn't seem to make any
> difference to print quality or anything.


The business/personal question is to do with the VAT receipt if paying by 
card because included in the total cost of 11.75 is a 2.5% 'card handling' 
fee which is not subject to VAT, the VAT receipt will show 9.75 + VAT + Card 
fee.

bw wrote:

> The business/personal question is to do with the VAT receipt if paying by 
> card because included in the total cost of 11.75 is a 2.5% 'card handling' 
> fee which is not subject to VAT, the VAT receipt will show 9.75 + VAT + Card 
> fee. 


I thought this scheme had been ruled against now? (at least the recent 
Private Eye so claimed)

"A Plagued Lighthouse Keeper"  wrote in message 
news:EaWTe.12601$vC4.11505@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...

> bw wrote:
>> The business/personal question is to do with the VAT receipt if paying by 
>> card because included in the total cost of 11.75 is a 2.5% 'card 
>> handling' fee which is not subject to VAT, the VAT receipt will show 9.75 
>> + VAT + Card fee.
>
> I thought this scheme had been ruled against now? (at least the recent 
> Private Eye so claimed)


Apparently so according to this, http://tinyurl.com/bm84p , but a Tesco 
receipt from yesterday still has the 2.5% fee message.

> 
> Worse in what sense? They were always a "warehouse" type operation. In 
> the early days more like Argos, with a catalogue at the door and very 
> little on display. 


Worse in the sense I tried to enforce my rights on a DVD which failed 
because the tray wouldn't open. It was nearly 3 months after purchase

Not necessarily a replacement, but a reasonably expeditious repair.

It was a total nightmare and about 6 weeks of hard graft to get it done, 
umpteen phone calls to the one and only number they have, the only line 
contact is by filling in a form so you can't prove you sent anything, and 
of course they don't answer.

I can't imagine what it cost them to give me all the aggravation, hundreds 
more than if they'd just done it, which in the end they had to, just ahead 
of the courts.

Would you feel good about a shop that had done that to you?

mike

On Thu, 8 Sep 2005 09:37:18 +0100, Meldrew of Meldreth
 wrote:


>In article , Andy Hall 
><andyh@hall.nospam> writes
>>>> Actually no.   Comet is owned by Kesa Electricals, a European
>>>> electrical retail group operating mainly in France and Benelux.
>>>
>>>Who's shares have actually done rather well, oddly...
>>
>>
>>One can only assume that they are better outside the UK than within.
>
>What do you mean by "better"?


At running a business.



> They are an unashamed no-frills retailer, 
>is there something particular that they've done to you?



Existing.


-- 

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
<snip tale of financial woe of Dixons and the Link>


> The slowdown was led by The Link, Dixons' mobile phone chain, which saw
> sales drop dramatically, down 28 per cent on a like-for-like basis,


Given my recent experience of the link I'm not surprised.

Walked into the store explaining that my contract expired months ago
and I wanted to take home a new phone that day, having all the right
proof of address etc. that is always needed.  I asked them to sell me a
phone.  They asked what I was looking for and I plucked an example out
of the air of the sort of tariff I was interested in which happened to
be on T-Mobile.  The reply truly flummoxed me.
"T-Mobile give much better deals through their stores sir - I recomend
you try there".  And that was it.  I walked out wondering how they ever
made money - now everything becomes clear.

Even the advice was rubbish - I went to the T-Mobile store and gave
similar introduction and the drippiest, most useless sales assistant
offered me the most awful of deals which I rejected so she just walked
off.  Ended up going to Phones4U where I got a deal approximating what
I wanted.

--
Steve F

In article , mike ring 
 writes

>> Worse in what sense? They were always a "warehouse" type operation. In
>> the early days more like Argos, with a catalogue at the door and very
>> little on display.
>
>Worse in the sense I tried to enforce my rights on a DVD which failed
>because the tray wouldn't open. It was nearly 3 months after purchase
>
>Not necessarily a replacement, but a reasonably expeditious repair.
>
>It was a total nightmare and about 6 weeks of hard graft to get it done,
>umpteen phone calls to the one and only number they have, the only line
>contact is by filling in a form so you can't prove you sent anything, and
>of course they don't answer.
>
>I can't imagine what it cost them to give me all the aggravation, hundreds
>more than if they'd just done it, which in the end they had to, just ahead
>of the courts.
>
>Would you feel good about a shop that had done that to you?


I've had exactly the same experience with PC World. Bought a modem that 
was DOA, and they refused to take my word for it (what would I know, I 
only worked in that industry) and insisted on sending back to supplier 
to be tested.

It's a common problem, but if you can find a guaranteed way of avoiding 
it then buy elsewhere. Perhaps a John Lewis kind of place will be less 
of a risk?
-- 
"now, the thing you type on and the window you stare out of are the same thing"

In article , Andy Hall 
<andyh@hall.nospam> writes

>>What do you mean by "better"?
>
>At running a business.


Very helpful :-(
-- 
"now, the thing you type on and the window you stare out of are the same thing"

"Magwitch" <Magwitch@b.c> wrote in message
news:BF45C6E3.1C06E%Magwitch@b.c...
<snip>

> >
> Oh sorry, I thought the ponderous waffle above was some sort of
post-modern
> tract on consumerism and responded in kind (are you my bank manager
btw?).
> Do explain what a 'distress purchase' is for those of us who,

(luckily) have

> never had to make one.
>


You really are an ignorant little moron trying to look as though you
have a brain cell...

bw wrote:

> "A Plagued Lighthouse Keeper"  wrote in message
> news:EaWTe.12601$vC4.11505@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
> > bw wrote:
> >> The business/personal question is to do with the VAT receipt if paying by
> >> card because included in the total cost of 11.75 is a 2.5% 'card
> >> handling' fee which is not subject to VAT, the VAT receipt will show 9.75
> >> + VAT + Card fee.
> >
> > I thought this scheme had been ruled against now? (at least the recent
> > Private Eye so claimed)
>
> Apparently so according to this, http://tinyurl.com/bm84p , but a Tesco
> receipt from yesterday still has the 2.5% fee message.


They can still take the 2.5% processing fee, as before, but now have to
pay VAT on it.

bob_builder wrote:

> bw wrote:
> 
>>"A Plagued Lighthouse Keeper"  wrote in message
>>news:EaWTe.12601$vC4.11505@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
>>
>>>bw wrote:
>>>
>>>>The business/personal question is to do with the VAT receipt if paying by
>>>>card because included in the total cost of 11.75 is a 2.5% 'card
>>>>handling' fee which is not subject to VAT, the VAT receipt will show 9.75
>>>>+ VAT + Card fee.
>>>
>>>I thought this scheme had been ruled against now? (at least the recent
>>>Private Eye so claimed)
>>
>>Apparently so according to this, http://tinyurl.com/bm84p , but a Tesco
>>receipt from yesterday still has the 2.5% fee message.
> 
> 
> They can still take the 2.5% processing fee, as before, but now have to
> pay VAT on it.


So what's the point? They won't reduce your bill by 2.5% if you pay cash 
so it still feels like a con of some form to me...

> 
> It's a common problem, but if you can find a guaranteed way of
> avoiding it then buy elsewhere. Perhaps a John Lewis kind of place
> will be less of a risk?


I think that's right, but the skinflint tendency really balks at paying top 
dollar-ish, when the chances of failure these days are really quite small.

Like filling leggy blondes with gin & tonic, and backing second favourites 
for a place, me and humanity never learn  ;-)

mike

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 10:02:46 +0100, Anthony Frost  wrote:


> Tim Ward wrote:
>
>> (Someone remind me of the name and author of that SF story where the
>> poor were forced to buy and consume 24/7 and the rich could afford to
>> just sit around not buying things?)
>
> Frederik Pohl, "The Midas Plague". And I think he did another story in
> the same world, possible "The Man Who Ate The World".
>
>            Anthony



Oe pushing a dafy idea way past to far they're part of a collection "Midas  
World"

A Plagued Lighthouse Keeper wrote:

> bob_builder wrote:
> > They can still take the 2.5% processing fee, as before, but now have to
> > pay VAT on it.
>
> So what's the point? They won't reduce your bill by 2.5% if you pay cash
> so it still feels like a con of some form to me...


Well, it has only very recently changed and some companies might still
be hoping for the decision to be reversed. However, it gives the stores
a very easy way of charging extra for credit cards (like Ikea) if they
decide.

bob_builder wrote:

>A Plagued Lighthouse Keeper wrote:
>> bob_builder wrote:
>> > They can still take the 2.5% processing fee, as before, but now have to
>> > pay VAT on it.
>>
>> So what's the point? They won't reduce your bill by 2.5% if you pay cash
>> so it still feels like a con of some form to me...
>
>Well, it has only very recently changed and some companies might still
>be hoping for the decision to be reversed.


And stopping the charge as soon as VAT is payable on it makes it look
more like it was purely a tax avoidance scheme, and possibly less likely 
to be reversed.

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 09:08:24 +0100, Brian Morrison
 wrote:


>Andy Hall wrote:
>
>> Excellent.  Let's hope that Morrisons reports similarly.
>
>Why?


I don't like their stores or their approach to business.



-- 

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

:::Jerry::::  muttered:


> 
> "Magwitch" <Magwitch@b.c> wrote in message
> news:BF45C6E3.1C06E%Magwitch@b.c...
> <snip>
>>> 
>> Oh sorry, I thought the ponderous waffle above was some sort of
> post-modern
>> tract on consumerism and responded in kind (are you my bank manager
> btw?).
>> Do explain what a 'distress purchase' is for those of us who,
> (luckily) have
>> never had to make one.
>> 
> 
> You really are an ignorant little moron trying to look as though you
> have a brain cell...
> 
> 

As opposed to boring everyone with the bleeding obvious. You must be a sales
technician in a deserted white goods showroom and not my bank manager after
all. Don't let the isolation get to you.

"Duncan Wood"  wrote in message
news:op.swssgujdpjbtie@amy...

> On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 10:02:46 +0100, Anthony Frost  wrote:
>
> Oe pushing a dafy idea way past to far they're part of a collection "Midas
> World"


I'm not even sure that correct punctuation and spelling would
make the above intelligible.

"The Natural Philosopher" <A@b.c> wrote in message
news:1126159560.65255.2@demeter.uk.clara.net...

> mike ring wrote:
>
> > The Natural Philosopher <A@b.c> wrote in news:1126107050.411.0@nnrp-t71-
> > 02.news.clara.net:
> >
> >
> >>http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1571a61a-1f6d-11da-853a-00000e2511c8.html
> >
> >
> > How is Comet getting away without a mention, in my experience Comet is
by
> > far the worst dealer, they make Dixon's look good -ish,
> >
> > mike
> >
> Comet IS dixons


You're thinking of Currys=Dixons.

In article <vM%Te.7434$Aa1.5243@newsfe5-gui.ntli.net>, A Plagued 
Lighthouse Keeper wrote:

> > They can still take the 2.5% processing fee, as before, but now have
> > to pay VAT on it.
> 
> So what's the point? They won't reduce your bill by 2.5% if you pay
> cash so it still feels like a con of some form to me...


There's probably some deal stitched up with the suppliers that relates 
the amount they get to the sales revenue. 

It does affect my business accounting slightly: new laptop in June 800: 
cost in this year 20 card processing fee + depreciation 1/3 of net 
price 221.28, total 241.28. If it were a straight 800 inc VAT this 
year it would cost me 226.95. So my profits are down by 14.33 and I 
pay 3.22 less Corporation Tax. Sounds trivial but take 0.4% of PC 
World's sales to businesses and you've got a big number.

-- 
Tony Bryer SDA UK  'Software to build on'  http://www.sda.co.uk
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