6 ms·

Amazons 'tactics' are no different than any retailer of consumer goods. You see the deceptive practices applied especially in clothing where items are marketed

Amazons 'tactics' are no different than any retailer of consumer goods. You see the deceptive practices applied especially in clothing where items are marketed at inflated prices and then suddenly dropped 50% or more for a 'sale'.

agumonkey 8y ago
True, but I believe that so far Amazon has a glow of trust (maybe people think online retailer of that size don't need to resort to tricks). Not sure how long it will shine.
- Fnoord 8y ago
  I trusted Amazon in this regard that they weren't so stupid that they wouldn't get caught given how much they know about technology (in The Netherlands there's been a pricewatch website on Tweakers which is for tech related comparisons though localised for NL. Its been online for almost two decennia). Turns out, I was wrong.
  - agumonkey 8y ago
    sad isn't it ? ps: when it comes to selling, there's no forbidden strategy unless it's illegal
    - antsar 8y ago
      That's a bit of a tautology, isn't it?
      - agumonkey 8y ago
        let me explain, you can always do something, unless you cannot do said thing.
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
pixl97 8y ago
>You see the deceptive practices applied especially in clothing where items are marketed at inflated prices and then suddenly dropped 50% or more for a 'sale'. JCPenny's discovered that the consumer demands this behavior.
- kgermino 8y ago
  >JCPenny's discovered that the consumer demands this behavior. Which really disappointed me. I was thrilled when they announced the no sales model and switched all my clothes buying to them - it’s so much less stressful. Several people I know were similar. Unfortunately “all of my clothes buying” was like two pairs of pants, while the people I know who love finding a “deal” go shopping every weekend...
  - CamTin 8y ago
    With Penney's in particular, you can pretty much just always assume a sale is going on. I go about twice a year, and in the past ~6 years, there's only been one day where the stuff I was buying (dress shirts and slacks, mainly) weren't at least "50% off". If you get unlucky and show up on the one day of the season where stuff is (I think this is how it works) legally required to be at regular price so they can mark it down, just come back the next weekend.
  - jonlucc 8y ago
    If I'm not mistaken, the then-CEO said it would take something like 6 years to cast off the old customers who are looking for sales and acquire their new, younger, less sale-seeking customers. The board agreed, then sacked him much earlier than the time he said it would take.
- jandrese 8y ago
  This is pretty much Kohl's business model. The list price is a joke and typically your "savings" will be 2-3x what you spent on any particular transaction. It's a dumb and obvious scheme, but it seems to work.
  - 8y ago
phobosdeimos 8y ago
Obviously. Critical thinking skills are in short supply. If sales really saved people money all those fancy stores would have gone bankrupt long ago. "Oh yes Sir these shoes are €149 but for you I will go down to €99"
pmoriarty 8y ago
"You see the deceptive practices applied especially in clothing where items are marketed at inflated prices and then suddenly dropped 50% or more for a 'sale'." I've tried to explain this multiple times to my mom, but she just doesn't get it. She keeps telling me that I shouldn't shop online but rather buy in local stores because they have these "great sales."
- Spooky23 8y ago
  Your mom is still right. Clothes are usually easier to get and cheaper in person. The thing that online wins for is specific items. For me shoes have to be bought online because I wear a 14, which stores do not stock.
function_seven 8y ago
You're not kidding. They're offering the Kindle Paperwhite for “$40 off”. It's “only” $79.99 right now. But I bought mine a month ago at $89.99. They jacked the list price up to $119.99 just to fake the savings.
- mcphage 8y ago
  > But I bought mine a month ago at $89.99. They jacked the list price up to $119.99 just to fake the savings. Was that the list price when you bought it, or was it on sale when you bought it as well?
  - mynameisvlad 8y ago
    It must've been on sale. The list price is actually 119.99, they just seem to like to discount it to $99.99 quite often and $89.99 occasionally. https://camelcamelcamel.com/Amazon-Kindle-Paperwhite-6-Inch-4GB-eReader/product/B00OQVZDJM https://camelcamelcamel.com/Amazon-Kindle-Paperwhite-6-Inch-...
  - function_seven 8y ago
    Too late to edit my comment. Turns out I got it on a different sale. The $119.99 appears to be a legitimate normal price.
lostlogin 8y ago
This is is regulated here in New Zealand, and is in breach of the law. http://www.comcom.govt.nz/fair-trading/fair-trading-act-fact-sheets/pricing/ http://www.comcom.govt.nz/fair-trading/fair-trading-act-fact...
- emilfihlman 8y ago
  It's illegal in most of Yurop iirc, at least here in Finland.
  - nandemo 8y ago
    In Japan too.
xenadu02 8y ago
Lest you think this is a new tactic, this was Wal-Mart's MO. They are also experts in selling one microwave at cost or a slight loss. That's the one that goes on the end-cap and gets advertised in the flyers. The rest of them are the same price (or higher!) than other local retailers. The important part is building consumer perception that they always have the lowest price. Everyone who buys a slightly better microwave pays $5-$10 more than if they bought it elsewhere but thinks they got the best price.

agumonkey 8y ago

True, but I believe that so far Amazon has a glow of trust (maybe people think online retailer of that size don't need to resort to tricks). Not sure how long it will shine.

Fnoord 8y ago
I trusted Amazon in this regard that they weren't so stupid that they wouldn't get caught given how much they know about technology (in The Netherlands there's been a pricewatch website on Tweakers which is for tech related comparisons though localised for NL. Its been online for almost two decennia). Turns out, I was wrong.
- agumonkey 8y ago
  sad isn't it ? ps: when it comes to selling, there's no forbidden strategy unless it's illegal
  - antsar 8y ago
    That's a bit of a tautology, isn't it?
    - agumonkey 8y ago
      let me explain, you can always do something, unless you cannot do said thing.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]

pixl97 8y ago

>You see the deceptive practices applied especially in clothing where items are marketed at inflated prices and then suddenly dropped 50% or more for a 'sale'. JCPenny's discovered that the consumer demands this behavior.

kgermino 8y ago
>JCPenny's discovered that the consumer demands this behavior. Which really disappointed me. I was thrilled when they announced the no sales model and switched all my clothes buying to them - it’s so much less stressful. Several people I know were similar. Unfortunately “all of my clothes buying” was like two pairs of pants, while the people I know who love finding a “deal” go shopping every weekend...
- CamTin 8y ago
  With Penney's in particular, you can pretty much just always assume a sale is going on. I go about twice a year, and in the past ~6 years, there's only been one day where the stuff I was buying (dress shirts and slacks, mainly) weren't at least "50% off". If you get unlucky and show up on the one day of the season where stuff is (I think this is how it works) legally required to be at regular price so they can mark it down, just come back the next weekend.
- jonlucc 8y ago
  If I'm not mistaken, the then-CEO said it would take something like 6 years to cast off the old customers who are looking for sales and acquire their new, younger, less sale-seeking customers. The board agreed, then sacked him much earlier than the time he said it would take.
jandrese 8y ago
This is pretty much Kohl's business model. The list price is a joke and typically your "savings" will be 2-3x what you spent on any particular transaction. It's a dumb and obvious scheme, but it seems to work.
- 8y ago

phobosdeimos 8y ago

Obviously. Critical thinking skills are in short supply. If sales really saved people money all those fancy stores would have gone bankrupt long ago. "Oh yes Sir these shoes are €149 but for you I will go down to €99"

pmoriarty 8y ago

"You see the deceptive practices applied especially in clothing where items are marketed at inflated prices and then suddenly dropped 50% or more for a 'sale'." I've tried to explain this multiple times to my mom, but she just doesn't get it. She keeps telling me that I shouldn't shop online but rather buy in local stores because they have these "great sales."

Spooky23 8y ago
Your mom is still right. Clothes are usually easier to get and cheaper in person. The thing that online wins for is specific items. For me shoes have to be bought online because I wear a 14, which stores do not stock.

function_seven 8y ago

You're not kidding. They're offering the Kindle Paperwhite for “$40 off”. It's “only” $79.99 right now. But I bought mine a month ago at $89.99. They jacked the list price up to $119.99 just to fake the savings.

mcphage 8y ago
> But I bought mine a month ago at $89.99. They jacked the list price up to $119.99 just to fake the savings. Was that the list price when you bought it, or was it on sale when you bought it as well?
- mynameisvlad 8y ago
  It must've been on sale. The list price is actually 119.99, they just seem to like to discount it to $99.99 quite often and $89.99 occasionally. https://camelcamelcamel.com/Amazon-Kindle-Paperwhite-6-Inch-4GB-eReader/product/B00OQVZDJM https://camelcamelcamel.com/Amazon-Kindle-Paperwhite-6-Inch-...
- function_seven 8y ago
  Too late to edit my comment. Turns out I got it on a different sale. The $119.99 appears to be a legitimate normal price.

lostlogin 8y ago

This is is regulated here in New Zealand, and is in breach of the law. http://www.comcom.govt.nz/fair-trading/fair-trading-act-fact-sheets/pricing/ http://www.comcom.govt.nz/fair-trading/fair-trading-act-fact...

emilfihlman 8y ago
It's illegal in most of Yurop iirc, at least here in Finland.
- nandemo 8y ago
  In Japan too.

xenadu02 8y ago

Lest you think this is a new tactic, this was Wal-Mart's MO. They are also experts in selling one microwave at cost or a slight loss. That's the one that goes on the end-cap and gets advertised in the flyers. The rest of them are the same price (or higher!) than other local retailers. The important part is building consumer perception that they always have the lowest price. Everyone who buys a slightly better microwave pays $5-$10 more than if they bought it elsewhere but thinks they got the best price.