A sale is a sale, isn’t it? If something is on sale, that means the customer is saving money. But sales can be like the old cartoon about the homemaker who returns from a shopping spree carrying sacks and boxes overflowing with shoes, dresses and frivolous sale items who happily tells her frustrated husband, “I saved you hundreds of dollars today.”
A sale is only a sale if the purchaser saves money and gets something useful. Here are some sneaky ways advertisers trick consumers into buying more, and buying what they don’t really need.
The Perpetual Sale
Clothing stores often jack up their prices and then claim to cut 30% or more from the original price. For example, a blouse worth $31.50 may be priced at $45.00. The retailer claims it is “on sale” for 30% off. But the item may not ever have been the original price. It could have come from the warehouse tagged an inflated price which was meant to be immediately put on sale. Consumers can watch to see if the item ever goes off sale. If not, the sale price is actually the original price. The retailer never did expect to get more for the item, and the buyer hasn’t saved a dime by its purchase.
Buy One get One Half Off
This is a good deal, but only if a person need two of the same item. Otherwise, the consumer is spending more, not less on an extra item they may not need. For example one pair of shoes might cost 75 dollars. If a buyer purchases two pairs of shoes then the second pair will be $37.50. That is a good savings if the person needs two pairs of shoes, but if they only need one pair then they have spent $112.50—over a hundred dollars—which might well blow the budget. If the second pair is something the buyer doesn’t really want or need, one pair of shoes might have been the wisest choice.
The Ten Dollar Coupon
Many stores periodically offer ten dollar-off coupons, but they often come with strings attached. Often, the fine print requires the buyer to open or charge the item on a store account that charges extremely high interest. Dollars-off coupons also often exclude many items a person commonly buys. When the consumer tries to redeem the coupon, they are told the item they have chosen is not included in the sale in the hopes that they will make the purchase anyway.
In addition, the coupon may be good only for purchases over a set amount, such as fifty dollars. In the case of shoe stores, when a sale like that appears, all the good shoes are suddenly priced at $49.00. This isn’t by accident. To redeem the coupon a buyer must purchase two pairs of shoes.
BOGO--Buy One, Get One Free
Surely a thrifty shopper can save on this deal. True, this can be a good deal, if the buyer needs to stock up. But grocery stores often offer this sale on eggs, bread, and perishable items the customer may not need two of to encourage the shopper to do all their spending in their store. Retail stores often promote slow-selling or cheaper clothes items for the same reason.
Purchasing Sale Items Wisely
Before making a purchase of a sale item it is wise for the potential buyer to read the fine print and between the lines and to ask these questions, Do I want it? Do need it? Can I afford it? If it is on credit, will I pay it off on time to avoid exorbitant interest?
Click here to read : New Law Sets Limits on Credit Card Tricks.
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