Lighting Stores Amuse Me
I was out shopping for valence lighting today. Just your plain old fluorescent bulb under the cabinet sort of stuff. I went to the two “big” place in town after giving up on the box stores. First store didn’t impress me much on price and the second was even worse (and this was the store I bought all my fixtures at…). When the sales rep asked why I was so perplexed; so, I explained…
I bought light fixtures for my bathrooms 2 months ago. These were brushed nickle with patterned glass plates. Fairly large and hefty suckers and really really bright. I paid $84 and $67 respectively for these fixtures. I figured that was a fair price considering their size and output capacity.
Fast forward to today when I’m looking at chain-able T4 fluorescent fixtures. 12 inches of fixture costs a crisp $55. Step it up to 24 inches and your looking at $90 (a savings of $20!!! Woo…). Plus they don’t come with coupler cables to wire then in series, so your looking at $5 for that. I’d need four of the 24 inch segments and a few cables… total was reaching the $400 mark to light 10 feet if cabinets.
When I put it like that, it doesn’t sound so bad… which is what I’m guessing they’re counting on. Having already done my research online I commented that the exact same brand online in Canada ships for about $15 less a fixture. She pointed out that I’d pay shipping and I counter that I only pay one tax. She was stumped on that one, but said she would see what she could do to match the price.
Not even 15 second later, her superior clear says “no” to that request and she returns. Mean while on my iPhone I’ve found even CHEAPER fixtures and they come with all the wires and they’re touch to turn on instead of those old rocker switches. I ask if they have connections to order this brand of lights… and it turns out they don’t. So, with that information in hand I left the dejected sales people to contemplate why they even bother to sell utility lights at such a marvelous mark up.
Btw, I bought my lights here: Savio Lighting and it cost me $160 CAD.
grampa said,
April 19, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
HelloH James: With electrical items, price is not always the best route. Even for a replacement plug for a cord, or light bulbs, or switches (rarely) I look for quality and then do not worry about things catching fire or overheating. Good quality electrical outlasts lower price items usually by 10 to 1. Chinese electrical is to be avoided as there connections etc. are not the same size as are CSA items. Shocking results for you in this crazy world-prices are only what we will pay for things these dayz. Please have a good day and week.
grampa m and Maggykat