Ray's Outdoors......No More Discounts

[speewa158]

Its the funnel theory of business today . Chuck it in the top & keep what falls out the bottom  . Or churnm & burnm plenty more out there & the others will forget 

[oldmate]

Yeah I have up on the big stores. Don't use BCF, rays, anaconda any more. I go to the little camping shop in Labrador  for all my gear now. Pay a bit more but friendly service and will normally just stand around and have a chin wag. I like it.

[Malcolm Tugless]

Yeah I have up on the big stores. Don't use BCF, rays, anaconda any more. I go to the little camping shop in Labrador  for all my gear now. Pay a bit more but friendly service and will normally just stand around and have a chin wag. I like it.

Camping Plus isn't all that little. They've got two outlets on the coast, the other one is in West Burleigh.
I've been dealing with them for years.

Go Camping in Nerang is also worth a look.

[Socks]

Kit e kat

I really like your response to their automated reply. Great wording. Although sadly I think it'll make little difference


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Neil_cricket]

Thanks Pete,

I just quoted you ... word for word ... Let's see if they do reply to the contact and what they have to say.

Kit_e

Me too 

Lets see if I get the same email from them 

[Neil_cricket]

Think they changed the wording now, this was the response I got

We thank you for taking the time to send through your feedback regarding the change to the Ray’s VIP to Ray’s Rewards.
 
We acknowledge that this change may has not been met some of our customers expectations, however we have worked hard to improve the current VIP offer and find ways that we can provide greater value for our loyal customers. The change in the club will enable our customers to earn 10%*credit on full priced items instead of 6.5% discount, the 10% credit can be used within three months and with the additional benefit of receipt-free warranty for purchases made using the membership.
 
Again we thank you for taking the time to send in your feedback and we have passed it onto senior management for review regarding the changes to the club.
 

Greater value to who 

[best of both worlds]

Think they changed the wording now, this was the response I got

We thank you for taking the time to send through your feedback regarding the change to the Ray’s VIP to Ray’s Rewards.
 
We acknowledge that this change may has not been met some of our customers expectations, however we have worked hard to improve the current VIP offer and find ways that we can provide greater value for our loyal customers. The change in the club will enable our customers to earn 10%*credit on full priced items instead of 6.5% discount, the 10% credit can be used within three months and with the additional benefit of receipt-free warranty for purchases made using the membership.
 
Again we thank you for taking the time to send in your feedback and we have passed it onto senior management for review regarding the changes to the club.
 

Greater value to who 

Obviously changed the wording as now the grammar is real good!!! 

Jo

[Brucer]

The response from Rays is insulting but typical. A customer takes the time to send feedback and instead of a real response all they get is a form letter regurgitating what the customer already knew;
The change in the club will enable our customers to...(blah blah blah)

...but completely failing to answer the actual criticism;
"however we have worked hard to improve the current VIP offer and find ways that we can provide greater value for our loyal customers"
...when the feedback was that is ISN'T an improvement and DOESN't provide greater value. Did they even read it?

Waste of effort writing IMO. If this matters to you and you have alternatives.. use them.

At least you got an answer, which is more than I got when I wrote to CostCo complaining about them being closed on Australia Day (when all other shops were open including the big Woolworths next door) ....no response at all, and the buggers had the nerve to send me promotional email on the same day they were closed.
I had better luck with our local Woolies.. complaining one time about the filthy state of the store, and also MacDonalds about the flies in the place. Both resulted in personal phone calls from the store manager.

[Brumbypt]

I wonder what pat cullinhan is going to dog.. ?? He mentions them every 5 minutes during his show.. Very annoying..


Tapa talk is annoying. 

[Bird]

Wonder if drinky drinky will arrange another protest

[briann532]

I'd email them back telling them that if they don't treat you like a VIP, don't claim you are one.
Then let them know that your money is just as easily spent online and pop in a few links for them to see.......

At the end of the day its all about the money.
I buy just about everything online now and have no trouble. (touch wood..............)
In fact, just the opposite.
I'm buying some airbags from 4wd1 and I've been one of those pain in the posterior customers with specific needs, and they have been extremely helpful.
All backed by warranty and good gear.

Shops sh17 me. Online wins.

Brian

[Sawed-Off]

What ticks me off about this change is I was in Rays on Saturday, standing in line with some goods I'd looked at elsewhere at the same price. I decided to go to Rays as I'd get the discount (and it was on my way home anyway). So, long line (sale on) and the manager is at the counter telling people she can't process Rays cards because they are crashing the system. So, I put the goods back (they weren't on special so I didn't care) and said to myself I'd come back during the week. Then I get the email..

Screw 'em. It's the only reason I went in there instead of the others. Time to spend my money at Pickers or Camping World. If anybody has the correct address, I'll post both my Rays cards back to them.

[Paul (SA)]

Forget the cards and discount offers, I might just try the bog standard haggling next time I am at Rays.....might end up with more than 6.5% discount!!

[Brumbypt]

I did it at bunnings once and got a big discount..

Now i have a trade card so dont need to


Tapa talk is annoying. 

[Dice]

  Received another reply today this one not automated,

Hi Craig,
 
Thanks for your feedback t on the Ray’s Rewards program. The VIP program was a 6.5% discount on full priced purchases, in the last two years we have had four sale weekends in which we offered the 6.5% discount on top of a storewide discount of 20% discount. Considering this, the terms of the discount of 6.5% compared to the credit of 10% are based off of the same conditions, and yes we have set an expiry period of 90 days which we believe was a suitable timeframe when compared to other programs in the market.   
 
We feel that Ray’s Rewards is a great platform in which we can greater reward loyal Ray’s Outdoors customers. The new program has enabled us to bring new benefits such as receipt free warranty along with the credit program and we look forward to soon introducing some more new benefits to the program in the future.
 
We have carefully considered our change to our program and believe that we have a program now that can grow and provide class leading benefits in the Outdoors Industry. We take on board your feedback and hope that you’ll reconsider Ray’s Outdoors in the future.
 
Regards,
 
Jason Wolff
Marketing Manager - Ray's Outdoors
/// Ray's Outdoors
751 Gympie Rd| Lawnton QLD 4501
PO Box 344 | Strathpine QLD 4500
P: 07 3482 7445 | E: jasonw@superretailgroup.com.au
www.raysoutdoors.com.au
 
      seems I've been lucky when shopping at Rays as I have received the discount on sale stuff as welll as full retail stuff that I've purchased

[nbd73]

An interesting observation on this thread is that the majority of people state that they never buy anything unless its on sale; well there must still be a bucket load of people out there that don't as sales aren't on most of the time & sure as the sun comes up in the east they must still sell stock at these "non sale" full price times. For anything non electrical/mechanical on line is the way to go as mentioned above. Warranty items that may fail, not so sure and depends on where they need to be returned to. PS BCF wins the "most expensive shop" award hands down. At least when anaconda discount their rip off prices they do take a decent % off. Rays not so common or accessible around here, went once to the Garden City store and wasn't overly thrilled.

[Bird]

An interesting observation on this thread is that the majority of people state that they never buy anything unless its on sale; well there must still be a bucket load of people out there that don't as sales aren't on most of the time & sure as the sun comes up in the east they must still sell stock at these "non sale" full price times.

Frankston store was crawling room only on the weekend when I went there....

If I need something, I buy it.. why wait 3 months to save 50cents?

[nbd73]

Frankston store was crawling room only on the weekend when I went there....

If I need something, I buy it.. why wait 3 months to save 50cents?

Certainly if 50c is all you can save there would be zero advantage in waiting. If Ray's are offering 10% off the full price of your next purchase then what's their total margin? Nobody sells you anything at a loss.

[Bird]

If Ray's are offering 10% off the full price of your next purchase then what's their total margin? Nobody sells you anything at a loss.

yep, they are there to make money, or they close the doors. 20% off sales, show you that their margin must be 40+% at worst.

[Neil_cricket]

Looking at the Coleman HWOD

rays $399

Tentworld $340 deliveried for value pack, which included Shower, bag, gas hose etc

$60 more at Rays & that doesn't included value pack at Rays, so they're far from cheap

[nbd73]

yep, they are there to make money, or they close the doors. 20% off sales, show you that their margin must be 40+% at worst.

The sad part for stores like rays is that you can usually find prices about 15-20% cheaper at other places, and not always just on line only. For eg, foxtel getting disconnected tonite so had to buy one of those new fangled hard drive recorders to replace the iQ2. Panasonic model RRP $799 on their website, no deal, Harvey Norman catalogue sale price $660; found a budget retailer operating out of a dodgy old building at underwood for $622 pick up, or +$12 courier delivered.  Full warranty from manufacturer so no concern if shop disappears next week.

[MDS69]

Forget the cards and discount offers, I might just try the bog standard haggling next time I am at Rays.....might end up with more than 6.5% discount!!

There was an article in todays Daily Telegraph (Sydney) in the business section and the MD or GM or similar for the Rays/BCF/SCA group stated that haggling is now an accepted part of their business and the employees were authorised to do it, however he preferred add ons like if you bought a tent they might throw in inflatable pillows instead of cash off but it wasn't out of the question

[gronk]

yep, they are there to make money, or they close the doors. 20% off sales, show you that their margin must be 40+% at worst.

Many yrs ago, most ( or all ) shops worked on a 100% markup....but when you think of a small operator carrying a lot of stock, that's how he made a living......then along comes the big chains ,they get an even better deal on the stock because they buy a sh#t load of it, then undercut the small bloke because of the volume they can sell, then the small bloke can't compete, goes out of business and that's what happened all over Australia ( and a lot of country towns )..

Good value for the customer....but one reason why we have only a choice of the big retailers now..

[oldmate]

Camping Plus isn't all that little. They've got two outlets on the coast, the other one is in West Burleigh.
I've been dealing with them for years.

Go Camping in Nerang is also worth a look.

Yep your right mate, but compared to the parent company of rays/BCF/supercheap/gold cross cycles they are diffinatly small. And yes always pop my head in at go camping also.

[Kit_e_kat9]

Ha Ha Ha ...

Hi My name here,
Again thank you for taking the time to send more feedback through.
As per your request we have removed you from our mailing list.
Kind regards
Christina

If that isn't Big Business saying "oh ... whatever ... *rudeword* customers   " I don't know what is.  Eat My Shorts Ray!

I've recycled the card and asked my partner to do the same for reasons previously mentioned.  I'd suggest that perhaps my "tone" as well as many others have sparked the "rethink" of the mass emails "tone". 

I am NEVER going back there.  I haven't stepped foot in BCF or Anaconda for ages (except for comparison reasons).  Ray's was one place I enjoyed going even if it was out of my way to do so ... at least their staff acknowledged you were there ... but not any longer.

I'm off to my most favourite camping store of all ... DUC (which are located to the RHS of Trackabout in Slacks Creek if anyone needs a good store)!  I have also found Uptons @ Brown Stains to be extremely helpful as well.  I like both, even if the stores aren't flashy and stocked with 2 gazillion products ... they are locally owned, open and online, and willing to assist my every camping desire where possible.   

Bring back the Little Bloke ...

Kit_e 

P.S.  Thanks Socks