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> Also, discount days are regulated in France (called "les soldes"); normally you can't have a discount day any time you want, you have to apply for authorizati
by tdeck 9y ago
> Also, discount days are regulated in France (called "les soldes"); normally you can't have a discount day any time you want, you have to apply for authorization.
What is the rationale for that?
- dragandj 9y agoI don't have an answer for this particular thing, but will remind you that any bureaucracy tends to expand. So, what's the (state's bureaucracy) rationale to put itself at a place of control? Do they even need one?
- icebraining 9y agoPortugal has the same rule (and before you couldn't have them at all except in two periods in the year defined by law). The reasoning is to protect small shops from large retailers, by preventing them from forcing unplanned price wars. Similarly, for many years the very large retailers couldn't open on Sunday afternoons, although that restriction mostly benefited the large chains of medium-sized shops, since it was based on the size of the shop rather than the company.
- tested23 9y agoSo basically some anti competitive bullshit that is further hampering the already struggling French economy. I am so thankful that I live in the us.
- simias 9y agoBecause American retailers fare so much better these days and it's clearly powering the US economy[0]. Because preventing small retailer from being starved by big chains is what's sinking the french economy. Because clearly I can tell from your comment that you spent a lot of time investigating these regulations and their impact on the french economy. I'm so thankful that you live in the US. [0] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/business/the-economics-and-nostalgia-of-dead-malls.html https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/business/the-economics-an...
- freeone3000 9y agoSmall stores and local retail are dying out due to the cheapness, convenience, and selection of online retail. As a consumer, the online stores are more convenient and save me money. If a local store can't offer anything preferable to some faceless multinational, what is it really doing other than giving some of my money to someone who doesn't add any value?
- simias 9y agoIt was just my knee-jerk reaction to the insightless french-bashing comment. I don't have a strong opinion on the matter. Mall culture was never as prevalent in Europe as it is in the US so it's hard to compare directly.
- megy 9y ago>Small stores and local retail are dying out due to the cheapness, convenience, and selection of online retail Maybe you are stuck in the US car culture, but it is very convenient to have a store on the way home from the subway/bus stop.
- GuB-42 9y agoIt is essentially an anti predatory pricing law. You have some of these in the US too. The general rule is that you are not allowed to sell at a loss. There are, however, exceptions, and "soldes" are one of these exceptions. It also means that as long as they are not selling at a loss, you are free to discount as much as you want at any time you want. However, there is a second factor : false advertising. If you make discount outside the context of "soldes" you can't call them "soldes".