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!!!!
 
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.
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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!
 
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?
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Yes amazing!
The comparison was for exactly the same model.
 
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
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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.
 
Energize said:
NHS price is subsidised by taxes so you can't make a comparison like that.
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Apparently not!!

Yes they are subsidised by taxes and that makes them free on the NHS but the cost to the NHS from the manufacturer is apparently £60.
Although the guy said, High Street shops probably pay on average £100 because their buying power isn't as good as the NHS!
 
flasher said:
Can you get the in the ear jobbies instead of the behind the ear on the NHS?
Only asking as my hearing needs sorting, the problem I have is anything on my ear, e.g. hair/cap irritates me and I was looking at the in the ear type you can get, after reading this thread its looks like its probably betting going through the NHS than a specialist.
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I was told no, the NHS only do a behind the ear model..

The thing is they are FREE, so if you went down that route first then said you're having problems they may come up with a better alternative!

Worth a try :)
 
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