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Most savvy consumers crack a smile when they see “50% off sale“, “3 Days Only!” or my personal favorite, the “Salebration!“. The truth of the matter, normally, is that with these types of sales the prices is probably not that different than what you would normally expect to pay or be willing to pay, and the big discount is off of some suggested retail price or manufacturer’s suggest retail price. But in reality, I think that most people like to get a good deal, and find themselves shopping at these types of sales more often than they care to admit. On the rare occasion that I am shopping for clothes for work, or something like that, I immediately scan the adds at places like Sears’s or J.C. Penny’s (mostly because they are close to my office and home) and see what they have on sale. After all, who wants to pay retail prices?
But if you pay attention, many or most department stores have these types of sales very frequently, if not just about every weekend. The same thing goes for new cars. Do you know anyone who admits that they paid retail or the MSRP for a new car? Most weekly car adds have the same thing- $3000 off MSRP, $5000 off MSRP, etc. It seems everyone knows to buy when there is one of these sales going on, or when the store or auto dealership is offering $XXXX off. Just wait till next weekend or the next sales add, and you can probably get a deal too. These sales prices are really the going rate, or regular price most consumers are willing to pay.
But do we really think we are getting a great deal all of the time? When sales prices are just about the norm, you pretty much have to keep up with the normal “sale price” to make sure you are getting a decent price. Planning ahead and scanning the adds for a few weeks before making purchases can help you gage what is the normal sale price vs. regular price vs. a really good deal.
Image by peter kaminski
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It’s funny, I use that as a way of talking myself out of buying something “on sale” unless I was planning to buy it. “There’ll be another one within a month.” Helps me procrastinate…which helps me save by not spending on what I don’t need.
@Mrs. Micah:
I’ve done that myself quite a bit-and often find myself not really “needing” or even wanting it after a period of time!
Macy’s (formerly the Bon Marche here in the NW) has those “events” all the time. And, I never shop there. I’d rather spend my clothing dollars at Nordstrom, which has only 5 sales a year (1/2 yearly men’s, 1/2 yearly women & kids and anniversary). No fuss, no coupons, no exclusions, no silliness.
Who do they think they’re fooling?
@Clean Simple:
Some stores do get “ridiculous” with the frequency of sales! It seems like every other weekend there is some holiday clearance sale, or something like that.