'January' sales are on now - tell us how you rate 'em

Retro_Bunny

To be honest, I'm disgusted at the now typical fraudulent "sale" offers being promoted by some companies, and they are successful in their deception.

An example appeared this morning on the Grabbit board:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/58165439#Comment_58165439

The OP states that Jessops are offering 2 x 16Gb SD cards for "was £99.99, now £19.99"
In what world have 16Gb SD cards been near £50 each!!! There is no way in the world that Jessops have ever sold* these cards for £99.99 (*made a sale, they may have been on sale at this price for a week or sale, but I doubt anyone bought anything).
It is more clear in the fact that Jessops have now changed their website to read "was £59.99, now £19.99", but still having a laugh. (assuming OP was correct)

Apologies to pick on Jessops, but as it's posted on the Grabbit board, it's clear that this approach to their "sales" works.
Argos are another villain in this approach, with their prices going up and down faster that Jordan's knickers! The small print usually states under the "sale" price that this product was previously on sale at £xx.xx on x date.

It's a sad fact that these sales prey on the vast majority of people who are swayed by a headline grabbing price, and don't bother to do any research into their purchases. Not one of those people who queued for the sales at 6am on Boxing Day actually got a bargain, you can almost guarantee that their purchases could've been bought at an equivalent or lower price throughout the year elsewhere if they'd been bothered to look.

And there's the catch - the sales are convenient shopping and as it is immediately available and "discounted" we feel good about our purchases. And the companies are laughing all the way to the bank...

I'd like to see some regulations, which I doubt will happen:
1. Companies should, on demand, be able to produce every price level that this product has been sold for and when.
2. Companies must have made at least one actual sale of a product at the original price, in order to be able to use it in advertising.
But nothing will change (see DFS)

jm2926

Retro_Bunny wrote: »

To be honest, I'm disgusted at the now typical fraudulent "sale" offers being promoted by some companies, and they are successful in their deception.

The catch is though that when items are not "reduced" the public feels no impetuous to buy, preferring to wait for the "sale" or buy it next door where it's on an "offer". It's all about producing an emotional reaction to get the sale.

Be_Nice

All the fake 'sales' offers such as mentioned above are highly irrating & I avoid the shops with these practices as much as possible, makes me feel like they're trying to rip me off & suspicious of what the genuine price should be. Woolworths was one of the biggest culprits for this & look what happened to them!

amz68i

For £48.50 yesterday I got 3 clutch bags, 1 cosmetic bag , 5 pairs of shoes , 1 dress , 1 scarf, pj bottoms and 2 boxes of lint lindor 337 g.

I think the key is to look around !

Ju&Mel

Only 'Genuine' sales I found yesterday with 50% off or more were Next, River Island, Hotel Chocolat and the Disney Store.
Others were either reduced before Xmas or rubbish discounts.

spursfan323

Went to Brent Cross yesterday - I live nearby so walked on foot, good idea as the traffic was horrendous.

A review of the 3 shops I went to (too busy so I went home early)

M&S

A very limited selection of items on sale. I was looking for suits - all they had on sale was three tiny rails of their cheapest suits. Yet to my amazement the shop was swarming with people. Strange.

PC World

Prices unchanged since 2 weeks ago. Also packed out for some strange reason.

Hugo Boss

Suit trousers reduced from £129 to £109. Hardly a bargain.

Overall pretty underwhelming....it seems that prices are at least as good, if not better, online, and choice is much more plentiful. So I can't understand why anyone enjoys the aggravation of phyiscally shopping?!

leo~saphira

Not impressed with so called Amazon sales

Have been watching a Canon 600D DSLR camera for some time... £425 before xmas and now its £419.99 for the camera. It came up on Lighting deals iirc yesterday for £330 (without the lens) so your still having to purchase a lens for another £60-70 odd.

I miss the proper sales where they drop 50/75% to clear the stock from the "pre xmas prices"... not these inflate and then drop just below xmas con prices..

Comet was a prime example before they went.. 70% off (their inflated prices to make it look like a bargain)

pretzelnut

Having been on this forum for a few years, i am fully aware of the sales pit falls. Im no longer a sucker for a sale, unless I can combine it with a discount code or 2, or 3 lol.

I bought all the things I wanted pre-christmas for much better prices than are showing now in the sales.

I never bought a single christmas gift, you know the ones that get brought out especially for christmas at ridiculous prices only to be slashed after christmas, as I find them pointless. if people want smellies etc, then they will buy them themselves.

I was happy on christmas day knowing that all the presses under the tree were bought for way less than they should have been. Except my sons iPad mini, but the reduced gifts elsewhere meant i could afford that for him as thats all he asked for.

Even throughout the year I refuse to pay full price for anything. I dont think there is any need.

I don't even fall for the next sales anymore, as I have noticed a massive decrease int he quality of their clothing over the last couple of years.

littlemissdisco98

Had a great time at the sales this mornings! Was surprised at how many bargains were around, as its the morning after Boxing Day:)

I managed to bag a gorgeous sheep-like cream wooly jacket for £22.50 reduced from £55 at Republic, and a soul cal sports bag for £8 reduced from £10

I was also surprised at the range of sizes available for these bargain prices - the Marks and Spencer's sale was also really successful, and I got the nicest jumper for £7 reduced from £29.50!

These deals are all from Lakeside, hope other people were as lucky with their bargains! :beer:

KxMx

Apart from the Boots sale, where all the xmas range is 50% off, I don't get much at all.
I will go back to Debenhams once they hit up to 70% off though, because the up to 50% off now is comparable to what they have been doing since the summer.