Thanksgiving hasn't made it over to the UK, but Black Friday has. I am sceptical about some of the 'deals' on offer. There is a proud tradition of the Recommended Retail Price being inflated so the stores can look good when selling something like a toaster with a 'Recommended Retail Price' of £250. Look, they say, we've slashed the price to only £99.99. Isn't that a deal? but the toaster is identical to one in the next shop being sold at £30. There are misleading labels that tell you that something is an unbeatable bargain but not that it's the same price as it's been all year. Then there is a long record of items being artificially inflated just before sales. I believe there are stores in the outer fringes where an item such as a sofa is put out for sale at an astronomical price so that in the main cities and online the retailer can say that the item has been on sale for the legal number of days at the stated price and now, look, it's half the previous price. Isn't that a 'bargain'? they say, and can you resist a 'bargain'.
In my case, normally, no.
There are all sorts of legal hoops that a store should jump through before something is described as 'on sale' and there are people paid a lot of money to work out how to get round them. Last year we fell lucky and accidentally got a washing machine that was in the Black Friday sale. I wouldn't have gone for it, but our washing machine had stopped working and I was desperate. I got a Whirlpool in desperation at half price and loathe it. That was probably a genuine(ish) bargain, though not as good as it is painted.
This year I actually would like a lot of new white goods, or big ticket items. For good and valid reasons I would like a new fridge/freezer and a combination microwave. I've had a look around, had a think and I know roughly want I want.
Most importantly, I know their starting prices. I can't really afford anything, to be honest, but I know that if the fridge/freezer I want falls below £120 I will go for it. Otherwise I won't bother. I am not going for anything else. I don't need anything else. I have set my level and I am sticking to it.
Looking around my home, what I need is less.
Black Friday sales were in full swing, here, today. But I don't normally do Black Friday shopping, unless it is at the fabric store. Last year, I went to the fabric store with daughter and bought fabric for 70% off. I know what the regular prices are for the fabrics I bought on sale; I practically never buy fabric at regular prices because the regular prices are so expensive. I wait until they go on sale and then, buy several yards at a time! This year, I didn't do any Black Friday shopping.
ReplyDelete