The Great Hearing-Aid Rip-off!

Mikey1000

Mikey1000

Mikey1000

Associate
Joined
22 Jul 2013
Posts
47
Location
London
Recently I've been having problems with my hearing so decided to get it tested.

Went to my local High St shop and they said I have about 40% hearing loss!
So then we get the prices:
£6000 for 2 state of the art hidden devices.
£1500 for a more visible model.
£650 for the standard behind the ear model.
All with 60 day money back guarantee!

Decided to leave it for now and do my homework.

Found some Internet sites where a specialist comes to your home, tests for hearing loss but quotes a lot less for the aids.
The same £6000 High St price was reduced to £2600.
The £1500 High St price now at £550.
All with the 60 day money back guarantee - They don't do a behind the ear model.

I tried the £2600 hidden hearing devices but wasn't impressed so took a refund.
Ended up with NHS behind the ear aids which I'm told cost the NHS £60 a pair - FREE for me.
The same pair costing £650 at the High St shop.

What a rip-off!!!
Why and how do these High Street shops stay in business?
Do people really fall for this and pay such marked up prices?
Beats me!!!!
 
Never go to specsavers for a NHS hearing aid as they won't install programs for free you have to pay extra.

They are selling a product not a service.
 
They stay in business because people pay the money.

Different places charge different, sometimes drastically different prices for comparable services or products, I dont understand why you are surprised.
 
Slight topic drift.

Does anybody know oh a hearing aid system that is essentially a pair of headphones with built in mics and amplifiers?

My Mum cant really deal with the microscopic ones and something rather more clunky would actually be an advantage!
 
atpbx said:
They stay in business because people pay the money.

Different places charge different, sometimes drastically different prices for comparable services or products, I dont understand why you are surprised.
Click to expand...

I think it surprises me that many people are that gullible and pay their prices!
It's not as if it's a couple of quid, shopping around can save thousands!
 
£6,000 vs. £2,600 for the same product?

You generally expect Internet prices to be cheaper, but that variance is just phenomenal. Was it for an older model, or was it genuinely a like-for-like comparison?
 
Kishywish said:
£6,000 vs. £2,600 for the same product?

You generally expect Internet prices to be cheaper, but that variance is just phenomenal. Was it for an older model, or was it genuinely a like-for-like comparison?
Click to expand...

Yes amazing!
The comparison was for exactly the same model.
 
Mikey1000 said:
Recently I've been having problems with my hearing so decided to get it tested.

Went to my local High St shop and they said I have about 40% hearing loss!
So then we get the prices:
£6000 for 2 state of the art hidden devices.
£1500 for a more visible model.
£650 for the standard behind the ear model.
All with 60 day money back guarantee!

Decided to leave it for now and do my homework.

Found some Internet sites where a specialist comes to your home, tests for hearing loss but quotes a lot less for the aids.
The same £6000 High St price was reduced to £2600.
The £1500 High St price now at £550.
All with the 60 day money back guarantee - They don't do a behind the ear model.

I tried the £2600 hidden hearing devices but wasn't impressed so took a refund.
Ended up with NHS behind the ear aids which I'm told cost the NHS £60 a pair - FREE for me.
The same pair costing £650 at the High St shop.

What a rip-off!!!
Why and how do these High Street shops stay in business?
Do people really fall for this and pay such marked up prices?
Beats me!!!!
Click to expand...


Worst.
Poem.
Ever.
 
Not surprised that the high street tried to over quote you.

It's the same thing with Glasses, Go to the 'well known' ones and the cost was around £420, went to a local independent and the same glasses with the same extras came to £180
 
Orionaut said:
Slight topic drift.

Does anybody know oh a hearing aid system that is essentially a pair of headphones with built in mics and amplifiers?

My Mum cant really deal with the microscopic ones and something rather more clunky would actually be an advantage!
Click to expand...

I had my first NHS hearing aid about 3 months ago and I was surprised that every hearing aid is setup for the individual. I thought I was going to pick it up and then had to sit down for 30 minutes while the computer generated the program for my exact hearing loss. So basically if your Mum tried my hearing aid it wouldn't work properly for her.
 
Giggz said:
Not surprised that the high street tried to over quote you.

It's the same thing with Glasses, Go to the 'well known' ones and the cost was around £420, went to a local independent and the same glasses with the same extras came to £180
Click to expand...

Exactly!

I was told by the guy who setup my hearing aids from the NHS.
He used to work for one of the 'well known' High St spec shops. He was telling me a frame costs them £1 and the lenses 75p yet the cost of the product to the customer was £80!!!!

Unbelievable people pay it especially as you mention, it's cheaper through an independent.
 
I've had a digital NHS hearing aid in one ear for around 3 years now. Started off way back with in analogue one back in the early 2000's but I couldn't get used to it. I did look at alternatives from high street shops and those leaflets you get through the door as they offered digital ones before the NHS but they were exorbitantly expensive. Plus, they exist to get cash out of you. Having had many hearing tests over the years the "free" tests I had seemed more like sales pitches than anything else.

Went back to the NHS 3 years ago for a test and they had a full range of digital devices. They were awesome, spent a lot of time checking my hearing fully to ensure I'd get the best out of it. Went through the full calibration of the device to suit my needs and if I wanted it tweaking I can pop in any time to get it done and get the tubes, batteries replaced. Can't beat the service!
 
I don't know I've got mine in now because it's that light and instead of the TV being on 50 it is now on 20.

hearingaid.jpg
 
My boss went to Sweden or some Scandinavian contry for his. Literally pennies against uk prices however he was probably comparing against high street prices
 
Unfortunately I have hearing aids as well - only wear them if I watch TV - I just can't stand background noise- Never thought Morrisons was so noisy what with trollies and screaming kids -- don't even mention road noise in car - Only thing I regret is not being able to have quality music on - through hearing aid it's just as tinny as a Binatone transister radio.

Dave
 
you think that is a rip off? try 'special needs' equipment,

we needed a car seat for my disabled daughter, who is getting too big for conventional car seats, we got the guy out, to spec it and give us a quote.

I swear I nearly choked when I seen the price, £1800 :eek:, we had no option but to get it.

Ohh and her bed, just under £3000, although to be fair it is a cracking Bed, the Bakare Clearside, and a wonderful company may I add.

only good thing in all of this is that we are VAT exempt, due to the disability thing ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom