Autozone- illegal bait & switch advertising?

I just went through that with Advance Auto also. According to the store
the online prices are from PartsAmerica which is associated with
Advance Auto. If you order online and pick it up at the store you'll
get it for the cheaper price (generally in 1 day) but the store price
is different. As in the other post, it is geared to increase online
sales. If you choose to order make sure you check the box for store
pickup next day otherwise it will be shipped to you in a week.


j wrote:
> I went to the Autozone website and found a power steering pressure hose for
> a 1977 Ford F-250 with a 351 engine for $16.99. When I went to the store to
> purchase it, they had a different brand in their computer for $19.99. Their
> computer did not show the less expensive brand. They told me that it was
> because the cheaper one is only available online. Does anyone know this to
> be true? Has anyone had a similar experience? I assumed that whatever
> Autozone advertised on their webpage was representative of what their retail
> stores carried.

"*" > wrote in message
news:01c6d2a9$d030c180$4b92c3d8@race...

> Unless they are all "company stores" - which I doubt - if they all offered
> the exact same price, THAT would be price-fixing and subject them to some
> pretty serious penalties.

Sears and Roebuck has a catalog with consistent pricing. What is the
difference?

wrote in article
>. ..
>
> "*" > wrote in message
> news:01c6d2a9$d030c180$4b92c3d8@race...
>
> > Unless they are all "company stores" - which I doubt - if they all
offered
> > the exact same price, THAT would be price-fixing and subject them to
some
> > pretty serious penalties.
>
> Sears and Roebuck has a catalog with consistent pricing. What is the
> difference?
>
>

So does L.L. Bean, and thousands of others.....a single national catalog
from a single company. What's your point?

NAPA has company-owned stores. THEY can set one price throughout their
chain of stores.

Independent franchisees are expected to set their own prices - not colluded
with each other to "fix" prices.

An independent who owns several franchises is well within his rights to set
the same price in all the stores he controls.

This whole concept is why car dealers must list "Manufacturer's "SUGGESTED"
Retail Price". As independent franchises, they are allowed - MUST - set
their own prices.

"*" > wrote in message
news:01c6d2a9$d030c180$4b92c3d8@race...

> Unless they are all "company stores" - which I doubt - if they all offered
> the exact same price, THAT would be price-fixing and subject them to some
> pretty serious penalties.

No, I dont believe this qualifies as 'price fixing'.

Price fixing has much more serious undertones and is well defined in law.