they have discounted sales, but after increasing the prices first ...
@bongkarpasang (1377)
Indonesia
June 22, 2008 9:00pm CST
I have encountered some big stores where they make discounted sales or even clearance sales on certain seasons. Well, of course, who doesn't love buying discounted things? I have always waited this sales season to finally pick up the clothes I have wanted for months.
However, I have to make two thumbsdown for some certain products. I think they are just dishonest towards the customers. I wouldn't realize it if I didn't check their prices often back then when it wasn't 'discount season'.
Yes, those certain products do have discounted prices too, but the prices have been increased from the former prices when it wasn't sales season. So if I have made correct calculation, the current discounted prices for those certain products are still exactly the same amount with the old prices (without discount). They are just fooling the people.
I just want to make some rants here. I think from this moment on I will never look at those brands of clothes any longer. 
1 person likes this
9 responses
@twallace (2675)
• United States
23 Jun 08
I'm not much of a shopper and I rather shop at a second hand store than most department stores. To me some of the prices are off the chain. But people like what they want. You have set me to think that now some stores might just do this on a regular and people don't know. To me a sale is a sale; just like a discount on things. I would think that is what it should be. Most people would feel that way but you have set it to another degree of thought. Are the consumer getting cheated by stores on some of the things that they buy because of the name of the brand? That is and open thought. Have a good one.
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
23 Jun 08
Well, pretty much getting cheated by the name of the brands. Now I don't even take a sale as a sale without comparing the prices nowadays. Back then I didn't realize such things, and I just thought that it might only be this season, but it seemed that I was wrong. When I told my Mom about it, she said that she had encountered such things few years ago when she wanted to buy clothes for Dad.
So I got a new lesson, a customer still has to have a smart shopping even when it's come to sale season.
@twallace (2675)
• United States
23 Jun 08
This will just be the beginning of what they will start to do to the consumer. With prices going up on everything from gas, food, and soon clothes. Everyone will feel the effects of the price crunch. And to see a discount or a sale will start to become less and less slowly.
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
26 Jun 08
that's what I'm afraid of too. with such conditions we are having nowadays, I'm afraid more dirty marketing tricks are on the way.
@Elixiress (3878)
•
23 Jun 08
I do not believe this, not that I am saying that you are lying, but I have not witnessed this in stores. I regularly check prices too if there is a top or something that I like, but don't want to pay that price for. I went in saw a jumper for £30 and then went in again a few months later and saw it for £15 discounted. So the shops are go into are honest.
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
26 Jun 08
That’s good that you always find honest discounted prices. I guess it will depend on the market area. I mean, there are really some places where the buyers should beware about the prices there. And I was surprised that such cheating could ever happen in big stores. Some areas surely played dirty tricks to make profits from their sales.
@Elixiress (3878)
•
26 Jun 08
There is one street in my down centre, which is really cheap and not particularly popular, so I think they could get away with it, but as they sell stuff rather cheaply to begin with, I doubt they have sales very often as "everyday is a sale"
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
23 Jun 08
Yes, some stores are dishonest but I think most of them are honest and when they say something is on sale, it really is. I have noticed it too, with some stores. I bought a pair of pants once, that had a salw sticker price right over the original price and when I took it off, the sticker, the regular price underneath it was less than the sale price. I brought it to the attention of the sales person and she said the original price ticket was wrong so I checked some of the other ones that were on sale and those ones were marked down from the original price so either she was right, or they changed the other ones and missed this one pair. It's called buyer beware, and there is nothing that a person can do about it.
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
26 Jun 08
Yes, chrislotz. a serious alert to call buyer to beware. I also found similar situation, I bought a shirt and the sticker was actually doubled, with the one underneath it having lower price. Well, prices can increase sometimes but the one exactly underneath the discounted price is too suspicious I guess. But we can’t do anything about it, unfortunately. The sales girl would say that they had put the wrong one and stacked it with the correct one.
Of course, there were some others that were honest when they really said something on sale, and I think buyer can only distinguish the different by experiences and there's a need to exchange experience with the other buyers.
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
23 Jun 08
How dishonest! To think that it's a big store?! I've never encountered this problem before. The stores I go to during end of season sales usually post the before and after price so I know how much the original price was. I don't memorize the prices though but I have an idea of how much the item would normally cost. I guess it's easy to fall into this kind of trap huh? It's a good thing I'm a very hard shopper. I don't just buy something because it's on sale--it really has to be worth it for me. Like I wouldn't buy a shirt for $100 even if it were on sale! That's just crazy.
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
23 Jun 08
some of the products also had these the "before" and "after" discounted prices in their labels. but also, the "before" prices were increased. so then, the "after" prices were actually just the same with the former non-sale prices.
if I never checked the items back then, I wouldn't realize that they had increased the prices. it's just too obvious for me, other people might get deceived if they rarely went to check the items back then. I think I should be counted as 'lucky' to ever pay attention to their former prices back then.
@ynigz1 (472)
• China
24 Jun 08
I haven't noticed that. I don't buy clothes from the big store which will list the price of the clothes. I just buy some gloceries from suppermarket. If the thing are have discount, I will see the same thing of other brand, then to discide which to buy. That for your mention, I will try to notice to price of discount to say whether the store is cheating.
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
26 Jun 08
I remember the phrase "huo bi san jia" in my chinese course back then. yes, if there is possibility to compare the same things in different stores, better check out the prices first before making decision about which one to pick up.
unfortunately, some supermarkets seemed start to pick up similar dirty trick in my area nowadays.
@shilpa_p (198)
• India
23 Jun 08
I agree with you completely.It has come to my notice many times too.The funny part is most other people don't seem to realise and seem very happy in their ignorant world.I noticed a few times that most clothes and shoes were overpriced and either worn out or just plain ugly.Thats the reason i'm extra careful making purchases these days.Afterall we're paying even if theres a discount-money doesn't grow on trees.
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
26 Jun 08
probably they were not that ignorant, but they were just unaware with such dirty tricks of marketing. but I agree, we are still paying, and money doesn't grow on trees so customers should always beware even when they say it is discounted price.
@plumwish07 (4057)
• Indonesia
23 Jun 08
well, thats marketing strategy and the consumer should be careful about "discount" matter especially double discount. as like 60% discount plus 20% discount is not the same with directly 80% discount.
but people who read those things, most of them the price more cheaper cause after one discount followed with other discount. no matter how, discount is the good way to attract more consumer to buy their stuff
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
23 Jun 08
ah, yes. the double discount strategy will easily deceive some people. I have to admit that many double discount prices are cheaper, but some certain brands do have very clever strategy, and actually the customer would end up buying the clothes at the same price with the old one (before the discount season).
that's the way to get rid of the remaining stocks, I guess.
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
23 Jun 08
Yes you are right. I notice that Kohl's will do that a lot. I go in there many times and I will browse (=I see the regular prices) then when I go in there during the "sales" I notice that on many items they raised the prices about 3---5 dollars. I notice that on especially "buy one get one free" (BOGO). I have never seen a retailer raise the prize so high that it's way above the retail prize. However I think doing that prize "jack" just during the sale isn't fair at all. I guess it's so the store gets more money. I love the "discounted" racks because they usually don't do that I got shirts for 5 dollars, and boxers for $1. That's really the time to shop. Have a wonderful day!
Pablo
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
23 Jun 08
yes, some "discounted" racks / boxes didn't even do such things when it wasn't sale season (although some 'clever' brands still did that). I have to admit that I found it that way too. I think the 'unnoticed' discounted racks on non-sales season are more honest than the big sale season ones.
@pkc3000 (1266)
• India
23 Jun 08
Hey bongakapasang I fully agreed with your views and you have rightly explained the situation which you have faced. I have also bitter experience of such shopping. They make us fool by awarding discount. We people for saving few penny/money are being cheated . Right now I am not hankering for discount of any products.
pkc3000
@bongkarpasang (1377)
• Indonesia
23 Jun 08
yeah, probably should survey on some stores before making any decision about which place to shop. I think I should have my eyes on some other shopping areas or even small shops that might sell same items with better prices where I could even make any bargain. I don't think I would really hang around the dept. stores in the future.
