When Promos Go Wrong discussion

timbstoke

These are worth keeping an eye on for more than just comedy value - often, the multibuy offers are processed using a "discount every x items" rule. For example, rather than saying "every 3rd item, change the total to £3", it'll say "every 3rd item, reduce the price by 75p". So, if a mistake has been made, the discount will often still apply.

Let's take the 75p or 2 for £5 air freshener as an example. Suppose the other air fresheners in that offer are £3. The till will be set to apply a £1 discount when two are scanned. If you buy the 75p air fresheners, the discount will often still apply, making the total 75p + 75p - £1 = 50p for two.

tahrey

I do sometimes spot and take advantage of these slips (I presume someone got the numbers confused somewhere along the line and the original price should be whatever the effective per-item one is on the multibuy and vice-versa) by only buying one, or getting them on separate receipts.

However for a couple of the examples in the article where the deal covers a range of items (e.g. cheap Dr Oetker AND somewhat more expensive Chicago Town pizzas), I have to ask, what's the stickered "each" price for the other ones? It may be a single slip where most of the others are worth it, and it's only that one thing that's out of place. In which case you may be able to buy the expensive thing, and the cheaper one, but together still pay less than you might have without the deal in place. Just, that it would make more sense to get two of the more expensive ones, if all you want is A Certain Number Of Things Of Type X To The Nominal Value Of Y, rather than being bothered about what they are or how useful they may be to you. EG In order to get pizzas with two different topping styles you like, you might have to buy one Dr O and one C-Town...

Incidentally, green & blacks at 60p per 100g? Not a bad price. Take a stack of them to the counter and have each one rung up separately.

Thinking of the Robinson's Squash, that's another example of it being potentially more expensive going for the offers than just having the normal thing. The 5p off petrol offer. I decided to forego the most recent round of it, because in order to qualify I'd have to buy a lot of the less economical size of the less economical brand of a product I only vaguely wanted (buy one larger bottle of the tesco ownbrand equivalent, get the same amount overall of something that tastes just the same but without the questionable white film on top, save more money than you would have on the fuel). I'm still ploughing my way through the first of two jars of Nescafe Original from the first deal, and the nasty taste is already getting hard to ignore. At least it delivers a reasonable caffiene hit, I suppose...

Timbstoke: yeah, but are you going to take the chance on it if they're your second-choice items, and the ones you really want are part of the same deal and, until you've applied the test, may effectively be the same price? Or go through the palaver of having them voided off?

xsteele

Eco refill - less packaging but not necessarily cheaper.
At Morrisons both Kenco and D Egberts refills are more expensive per 100g than the glass jars.
The comparison being confused by the fact that refills are sold in 150g a size they don't sell the jars in its 100g or 200g.
Confusing on purpose?

xaulleo

Here's another Tesco example from my local store. What was worse was that there was only one 4 pack of Wispas left...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisahall/6163164703/

richardw

xaulleo wrote: »

Here's another Tesco example from my local store. What was worse was that there was only one 4 pack of Wispas left...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisahall/6163164703/

Grab the 4 pack for 85p, should be £1.65 http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=267335686

Marisco

SewerSide wrote: »

I think the "50% off free fitting" is 2 separate deals, ie 50% off the cost of the carpets, and then free fitting.

This is exactly how I read that one as well!! They've just missed the full stop off it!!

babyrut

My hubby has a whole blog dedicated to silly offers at tesco, see it at
http://sillyoffers.tumblr.com

richardw

How are these Tesco shelf edge labels printed? Is it from a copy of an unchangeable file issued by head office, or does the store enter details into a piece of software?

spadoosh

babyrut wrote: »

My hubby has a whole blog dedicated to silly offers at tesco, see it at
http://sillyoffers.tumblr.com

I would sugest buying your husband an xbox for christmas...

PhiltheBear

But it's not just the special offers that are nuts - it's a lot of pricing where buying the big one doesn't make sense. Like the Morrisons dog food which was 12 for £3 when the 24 pack was £6.50. Or the dog chews at £1.60 for 7 or £8.20 for 28.

Trouble is that the supermarkets know that most people will assume 'buy more it's cheaper'.