A car dealer in Vancouver BC told me the dealership would
raise the price a few weeks before Sales week so that when they do advertise
Sales, in spite of the discount, the dealer is still making a hefty profit, equivalent
if not almost at par to that of pre-sale.
But of course the general public would not know unless they have been scouting
around for a good few weeks.
Another word you should be wary are the screaming 75% OFF, or 50, or whatever fantastic number. Too good to be true? You’re right because often the two defining words
up to are in very small letters in less obvious
colors. So when I did walk in a store in
Vancouver’s International Airport with a big signage up to 75% OFF
and asks for what items are 75% off, not a single one. However, there were shirts for 20% off with
an outrageous price. Was there a 75% off
item to begin with?
Reminds me of the time I was looking for a hotel room in
Flagstaff, Arizona. Along the main drag,
dozens of hotels/motels had neon signage advertising bargain $30 room a night -
down from the regular $50 - $80.
Everytime I walked in to inquire, there was no more $30 available, but
plenty of the $80. Was I seeing a trend
here?
What about the usually serendipitous Dollar store. Well blink again. Right before the dollar sign is the
descriptor starting.
That means there are items pricier than a dollar store. In fact, I later found out the mortar and pestle
I got for $15 in a starting Dollar store in Marpole, Vancouver
was selling at half that price at a supermarket.
Other dubious terms that have diminished in zing through the
years:
- Clearance
– originally meant several notches below a Sale price. But these days, clearance can mean as
low as $2.00 off regular price, let’s say $15.00.
- Artisanal,
Artist Colony – anyone can claim to be an
artist or artisanal. After all “exceptional
abilities” can be relative. Just
look at modern art. Whenever I see
one, I always say to myself “I could do that.” When you see these A words, it often
means A prices.
- French
– No other race has successfully promoted themselves as purveyors of high quality, haute cuisine, haute
couture. True to a large extent – but often an indication of haute prix
(price).
Usually SALES are tepid for the consumer whenever there is
a:
- Monopoly or near-monopoly
or single-owner chain. Find out
whether two stores with different names might actually be under one corporation.
- Strong Government
oversight as in BC’s case when it comes to liquor. BC Liquor the only entity that can operate
and sell liquor stores in the province is a crown (meaning
government-owned) corporation.
- Lack of customer advocacy –
nothing will happen if no one says anything
For the consumer, the only way to find out if it’s a good
deal is to shop around. Fortunately
online shopping can help save time and energy.
And there are some good ones like www.comparisonshopping.com which
lists both online and brick and mortar. An
added feature is customer reviews which will help you make a wiser purchase.
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