99c gripe: Retailers try delude us

Therapy for stress, inflammation, anti-ageing, more, offered

Minting of the 1 cent coin stopped in 2002 because the manufacturing cost was greater than the monetary value of that sad little fellow.

Fast forward a couple of decades and we could be forgiven for thinking that it still exists.

My 99c gripe (not R1) is the way retailers’ price goods in an attempt to delude us into thinking that an item cost us less than it actually did.

I would put R1.99 on the fact that there’ll be an advertising supplement in this issue of Talk of the Town and you might observe that Nescafe Classic is (I’m guessing) priced at R69.99.

Do you, in a visit to the retailer later, remove a jar from the shelf, extend a R100 note to the cashier and expect R30.01 change?

The same would apply to bigger ticket items like cars.

A car could be advertised at R79,999. You surely would tell a friend enquiring what you paid for it that you had forked out R80,000. That wouldn’t be a lie, we’re talking one whole Rand after all.

Psychological pricing is designed to lull the consumer into thinking they’re paying less for an item than they actually are.

The thinking is that we’ll tell ourselves we paid R69 for that jar of Nescafe and not R70.

I suppose plastic is used for most transactions nowadays but I think a cash buyer could create confusion and amusement in insisting that the loaf of bread purchased carries a price of R14.99 and, having given the cashier R15, change in the amount of 1c is expected.

PRESTON WILL, Cannon Rocks

For a variety of holistic massage treatments, The Pain Clinic is the place to go.

Owner and therapist, Chantel Bartleman, highlighted a wide range of services and products offered by the clinic, which is situated in Princes Drive in Port Alfred.

“The Pain Clinic offers a variety of holistic massage treatments and herbal products to ease muscle, nerve and joint pain, reduce stress, combat insomnia, aid weight loss, boost your immune system and manage hormonal imbalances naturally,” she said.

Another treatment, cupping therapy, is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on the skin for a few minutes to create suction.

She revealed how it aided the body’s own healing processes.

“People get it for many purposes including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and wellbeing, cellulite, anti-ageing [face and neck], asthma and as a type of deep-tissue massage,” she said.

More on offer includes trigger point therapy, which Bartleman said involved the application of pressure to help alleviate pain.

Another of Bartleman’s treatments includes lymphatic drainage massage, which she defined as a form of gentle massage that encouraged the movement of lymph fluid around the body.

“The fluid in the lymphatic system helps remove waste and toxins from the bodily tissues,” she said.

Bartleman also offers hot stone massage, which helps one relax, and eases tense muscles and damaged soft tissues throughout the body.

She added that it reduced stress and anxiety, promoted sleep, and may boost immunity and help decrease cancer symptoms.

Some of the benefits of sports massage included increased joint range of motion and flexibility, decreased muscle tension and better sleep.

The Pain Clinic operates from Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 7pm, by appointment only.

For bookings, contact Bartleman on 064-865-8349 or email: riversandsview@ yahoo.com.