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I love sales that aren't really sales...


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I received a few "New Year's Sales" emails today... and each one I've checked out show higher prices on everything in their store, so those 15-25% off sales appear to be "good", but in reality are bringing prices back to the exact same levels they were two days ago :wallbash:  Do retailers hope we're all stupid?   What ever happened to REAL sales??

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After seeing the testing results of all too many basic skills tests, there are so many people of all ages who can't do basic math. That said, I'm highly suspicious that retailers count on this as well as the fact that there are many who simply don't pay attention to details.

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Well, in all my years in retail, and the past 20 years of analyzing big-data for different companies... I can say for certain that retailers are not going to miss an opportunity to maintain profit-margins, even during sales-events...  It's always a numbers-game, but for once, I'd like to see a real sale.  We all know wholesale pricing from China, and anyone that has worked retail knows mark-ups are always high... so, would it kill any retailer to cut into their profits by even 5% for a few days and garner some customer base??

I think the biggest slap I saw today is the sale from a vendor I bought my Triton2 from before Christmas... for $26.99.  Today, they are $34.99 during their 20% off sale, so that brings them down to $27.99... a whole dollar MORE than pre-Christmas, and the exact same price as 3 other vendors I looked at in the past few days.  Even their coil prices are up so high that after you subtract the 20% off, they are $1-4 more than my go-to vendor's regular, every-day price!! 

If you don't pay attention, you can get fleeced pretty good this time of year :)

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Well I can say that my Sales are "Sales" I rely on my cart program to do the math. I don't bump prices before the sales and it even applies to  any add-ons. I too have seen what you are talking about and it is also Walmart and other big retailers that do this. They bump prices up have a sale that fake you into thinking you are getting a good deal. There is always the sales that get you in the door and the items are not there... Oh our shipment didn't come in... But we have... blah blah... Those irritate me.

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11 minutes ago, Compenstine said:

But then they can't have those big flashy signs in the windows. :sofa:

Bingo... Marketing analysts have proven many times over that the word "SALE" brings an actual euphoria or happiness to people, and a single "SALE" sign in a window will double the traffic into a B&M!

Big retailers like Walmart, and especially Best Buy... whoa... they never have what they advertise on sale, but are really quick to push you to something "similar" at twice the price...or something cheaply-made for only $5 more than the "good" product on sale...  :(

Retail America is truly an impulse-buy, feel-good lot of consumers.... 

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22 hours ago, Compenstine said:

 I too have seen what you are talking about and it is also Walmart and other big retailers that do this. They bump prices up have a sale that fake you into thinking you are getting a good deal. There is always the sales that get you in the door and the items are not there... Oh our shipment didn't come in... But we have... blah blah... Those irritate me.

I have watched this happen. Pricing team comes through, raises everything a few cents, then it goes on sale a week later. I worked in retail, mostly food, food usually only goes up a few cents. The sale usually made the price lower, even before the raise, but the retailer was still able to grab a few extra pennies.

Black Friday is a prime example of not having sale items in stock or a limited amount. But available stock also has to do with the volume and location of the store. If you are in a small area, that particular store might only receive a few of the items or none it all. A larger volume store will receive the bulk of sale items. If the item wasn't on the truck, before the sale, it will not be on a later truck. Yes, we did say "Sorry, our shipment didn't come in today. We will be getting another tomorrow." Most of the really hot deals were not available online either.

The only way to get a good deal is to shop the clearance sections.

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  • 4 weeks later...

thats the American way. ebay is good for that. you go there and think your going to get a good deal just to find out you can buy it anywhere for there price, now you do get some good deal but a big percentage are just rip-offs. if nothing else the advertisement get you to look at there add, just might see something you have to have, doesnt really cost them, they have nothing to loose.

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