Pricing Issue

[ajt50271]

Wanted to alert all the community members to a pricing scheme FiOS is perputrating. I have been on the phone with FiOS for the past two days trying to re-negotiate my contract. Each time my best offer wad $112/month, which is currently $30 more per month than I was paying. I tried to re-negotiate once and they told me I would have the same service, which I agreed to, only to find out that they had dropped me down from the Preffered TV package to a lower TV package. Upon calling again, I was not able to get out of that contract and said they would have to charge me for the Prefered HD service and credit me the difference. 

Point being, my current rate is "$153/month" (it doesn't take into accoutn the credit I recieve). If I log on to get my "best bundle rate", the same bundle that was offered to me two days ago at $112/month is now $133/month. Its obvious that FiOS utilizing a pricing structure that is based off of your current rate and not your current level of service. Furthermore, FiOS is charging different people for the same level of service. This is what we like to call price gouging.

[CRobGauth]

This is not uncommon among service providers.

new customers will always get better pricing.

contract customers get better deals than non contract.

depending on when you negotiate, you may get a different deal as different promotions are in effect.

or even some areas get different deals depending on what competition exists in that area.

[ajt50271]

I dont think you are picking up what I am putting down. 

The offer for the same service went from $112/month to $133/month in two days. The only thing that changed in that time is that my bill went to $153/month (off contract). I am saying the system only looks at your current rate to base your bundle rate off of, I should still be offered the $112/month rate.

Its robery.

[CRobGauth]

Providers can offer deals at different times.

If the cheap price was while on contract and more expensive was while off,

then that is what changed.

Just like airline prices.

Price today can be higher or lower than what you see tomorrow.

[ajt50271]

Are you equating paying for cable service to buying an airline ticket, which is widely acknowledged as racket?

I can give airlines the benefit of the doubt. There are a number of variables that are factored in to airline tickets: numbers of seats on the flight left, which seat, days left before a flight, etc. What would those factors be for cable service? My loyalty as a customer for over 2 years? The fact that I want to keep my current level of service? Is my neighbored now in some different "pricing bucket"? I would love to know.

I just want to be clear that your argument is supporting my argument that FiOS is a racket. 

[CRobGauth]

If you believe that variable pricing is a racket, then I guess so.

To that end, do you get upset if an item was one price last week at the grocery store, but this week is higher? Or the package size is smaller?

Companies change prices all the time based on their desires.

Maybe lower to get customers?

Or raise prices because they anticipate costs rising (especially when longer term contracts are involved).

Law of supply and demand.