Price comparison sites in Spain – watch out for the small print!

Everybody knows that when you see a reduction such as the one mentioned for Carrefour*, the usual case is that the item is available elsewhere at more or less the same price. So, using Kelkoo, one of the main comparison sites in Spain, we looked for the Sony laptop and saw that it came up at 495€ (including sales tax) at redcoon.es.

Feeling smug it seemed that Carrefour’s offer wasn’t so great, but then we saw that the price at Redcoon.es wasn’t the final price, as it didn’t include postage and packing (p&p). Checking the pdf file with the details on the different costs for p&p depending on the item, the charge for the laptop would be an extra 9.99€ on top. Scrolling down the same pdf file (which we thought was just supposed to detail p&p charges) we also came across “additional charges” that would be applied on top of the total cost (item and p&p):

• Using Click and Buy or your Visa / Mastercard - 1.5% extra
• Paypal users - 1.95% extra
• Cash on delivery - 2% extra

Luckily we weren’t checking on the prices of larger items such as a TV or fridge, because this particular company won’t take them up to your apartment – they just leave them at the entrance (and all this after paying up to 40 euros for delivery). They won’t install the item either (sometimes with a new TV, even if it’s plug and play, this is a useful service) nor will they take away the old item.

So, as the old adage goes, if something looks too good to be true, it usually is. Factoring in additional charges and services which come “free” with some of the bigger names in Spain (El Corte Inglés, Fnac, MediaMarkt, etc.) can mean that an online bargain is not always so attractive.

* Offer at Carrefour valid till 20 Nov 2011