TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?
Wise advice for becoming a savvy sales shopper,
Keep these things in mind before heading to the sale at the mall
From online shopping to rewards clubs, shoppers have to navigate a maze of discounts, coupons, specials and offers to get the best deals on their favourite items. Some “deals” are huge money-savers, but some stores use sneaky strategies to dupe customers into paying more. To save money, keep these things in mind before you head to the checkout line. Sales aren’t always sales One way that retailers get you to spend is by holding a major sale, said Nikki Sunshine, content manager for DealsPlus and blogger for the DealsPlus Blog.
“Prices typically get marked up before a sale starts and when you read the price tag, the discount amount may suggest you will save more money than you actually will,” she said.
That’s not to say that all retailers do this. However, it’s important to do your due diligence before you buy.
One way to do that, Sunshine suggested, is to ask how long a sale item has been on sale. “If it’s been on the sale rack for a while, that’s a warning sign that the product was never actually sold at the original retail price,” she said. Beware free shipping minimums These are among the perks that shoppers prize the most — and retailers know it, said consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch. That’s why online stores often use the lure of free shipping to encourage shoppers to buy more.
“Free shipping minimums encourage the shopper to spend more to qualify for that free delivery,” Woroch said. “Always make sure you look for free shipping deals through sites like FreeShipping.org. Many retailers will offer a free ship-to-store option.”
The free ship-to-store option can be financially beneficial for shoppers. “Not only is it more convenient to order online and pick up in the store than it is to actually walk around the store and find the item yourself, but some items may be sold exclusively online,” Woroch said. Ask for a price match One of the biggest little-known store practices is that many retailers offer price matching — even if they don’t advertise it. But you can easily find which stores offer price-match guarantees by doing a simple Google search.
“Whenever you are shopping at a major store, search their name along with the term ‘price match,’ ” said Alex Reichmann, CEO of iTestCash.
“If you find out that they have a price match, then you can search online for any item that you are looking to buy,” he continued. “Once you find a cheaper price than theirs, show them at the counter. This could save you on both shipping costs and wait time for delivery by purchasing on the spot at the store.” Bulk doesn’t always mean bargain Customers can save money by buying in bulk, a psychology on which some stores have based their entire business models. But sometimes, less is more.
“Warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Clubs are designed to get you to spend more,” said Benjamin Glaser, features editor with DealNews. “Bulk buying creates the appearance of value, and it certainly can be real, as these stores do offer some great prices. Check the unit prices to confirm that buying in bulk will actually save you money compared to buying smaller portions.” Forget the BOGO The classic buy-one-get-one — or BOGO — deal is hard to resist, but it doesn’t always mean you’re actually getting something free.
“Shoppers can easily be convinced to buy two of almost anything when there’s a BOGO deal,” Sunshine said.
“Remember to always look at the prices and/or discounts before you assume that you will be saving money by purchasing a second item,” she said. The carnival-mirror effect Woroch has written and spoken about how retailers use dressing-room tricks to make you spend money. “Retailers use distorted mirrors to make shoppers appear thinner, knowing that most people will buy clothing if they like the way they look in it,” she said.
“Some stores will tilt the mirror to create a longer and leaner reflection, or use dim lighting to make you appear tanner, which also improves your appearance,” Woroch said. If you want a deal, learn the schedule Although BOGOs and clearance sales can be deceiving, many stores do routinely hold legitimate sales that can be lucrative to shoppers. In most cases, these discounts are preplanned.
“One of the more honest secrets that big retailers hide from consumers is that they actually have a discount schedule,” Sunshine said. “Every store is unique, but you can easily learn your favourite store’s saving schedule by nicely asking a sales associate.” Layouts push impulse buys Retailers know that endcaps can entice you to purchase something extra on the spur of the moment when you’re stalled in or near the checkout line.
But it doesn’t stop there — store layouts play on human psychology in other ways.
“Oftentimes, a store will organize their merchandise so that the more expensive items are on the right side of the store,” Sunshine said. “Studies have determined that a majority of shoppers turn to the right when they walk into a store. This pattern is thought to correlate to the fact that the majority of the population is right-handed. A store may even have brighter lights and louder music on the right side of the store to entice you toward the pricier items.”