Unfortunately, not always. The practice of marking up an original price above the average mark-up, just to cover making it look like it has been drastically reduced when marked down has become common in stores.
So how do shoppers really find the best deals and rock-bottom sale prices?
I know, ... some are rich enough and will not bother to find the best rock bottom price, but if we want to insure we are getting the best product for our money, there is no avoiding the task of doing the research. The good news is we do not have to invest the next six months into learning everything there is to know about a product. For us simple folk there are simple ways to find out if what we are buying is a good deal or not.
Simple Approach
1) What does the product sells for in other stores?
The answer to this question will help determine if the retailer has marked something up just to mark it down and make it appear as if the item is getting a huge discount. Finding out the average price of an item is very simple with the help of search engine sites now available on the Internet.
2) When was it first produced?
Most items will depreciate in value regardless if it is sitting on store shelves or sitting in our homes. Knowing when a product first hit the stores will help you figure out if you are getting a good price.
3) Is the product typical of what the store sells?
Buying a bible from your local general bookshop may seem like a good idea, but chances are it was offered to the store because of an over-run of inventory or misprint errors. In other words, the merchandise is being dumped. This does not mean you cannot find decent bible at ordinary bookstores, but to do so without doing your research is risky business.
Often you could find the same item at the same price, but at a specialised store that typically sells christian products and offers a better consumer services. Shop around.
4) What do others say about the product?
When buying products that you have very little first-hand knowledge about, finding out how the product rates in performance is important. Many retail Web sites now offer consumers the opportunity to rate product performance. Take the time to read the ratings and you may decide to keep shopping. Likewise, if you have bought something from that store, give a fair opinion rating to the product or services, by doing so, you are helping others to make a informed decision.
If you can find the answers to the four questions, chances are you will be able to determine if a retailer is being honest about the advertised "sale" price.
Have a fruitful time shopping!
Posts
