Don’t be fooled by ‘sale’ prices this holiday season

For some reason, it’s American Thanksgiving and the Black Friday non-holiday holiday that kicks off our holiday shopping season in Canada.

We used to line up and freeze outside stores like Future Shop and Sears for Boxing Day deals after Christmas, now we’ve been hustled into thinking Black Friday is primetime to score savings. Not so, according to shoppers this year.

Target found itself in a sale situation with customers pulling back Black Friday signs only to reveal the same price on the previous sign behind it. Social media users accused the chain of not actually offering those infamous door-crashing, crowd-trampling, fist-fighting, taser-zapping deals after all. (You’ve seen the viral videos, you know what I’m talking about.)

For its part, Target said the items in question were some kind of pre-Black-Friday Black Friday sale. Whatever.

But slippery pricing strategies aren’t new and consumers are wiser to them now thanks to social media. We see it more and more with companies hiding behind the easiest explanation (excuse): inflation.

I know many small business owners who, at the height of the pandemic and inflation crisis, raised prices on products because “they could” since it wasn’t being questioned at the time. A dollar here, a dollar there wasn’t noticeable. Now, not so much.

Earlier this year, as I previously wrote in this column, I discovered $11 peanut butter at Shoppers Drug Mart. Media relations told me the supplier increased its price so, in turn, the store did, too. When questioned further about why the price bounced from $6.99 to $10.99 every other week – and why no other stores in the company (Superstore, No Frills, etc.) increased the price – they stopped responding.

The marketing strategy: make the customer think they’re getting a deal when they see how much they’re “saving” off the “regular price.” Don’t fall for it, folks. If it can be $6.99 every two weeks, that company isn’t losing money and we know damn well what the “regular” price is. In fact, just a few weeks ago, Shoppers was trending online after questionable pricing was observed in the Toronto area.

When I open a food-delivery app and see “buy 1 get 1 free” large two-topping pizzas for $30, I call BS on that. Ain’t no basic-ass pizza costing 30 bucks. Nope. Not happening. I’m telling you, people, it’s not right. Would each pizza be, say, $15? Yeah, that’s more reasonable. But… we’re quick to notice the word “free” and we get distracted.

How many times have you seen the huge numbers on a sign “75% OFF” but missed the “up to” and “select items” wording when you went to pay? It was there, you were just blinded by the deal.

I implore you, this holiday season — especially if money is tight — be mindful of how you spend. I’m pleasantly surprised by consumers who are standing up and calling out companies for their slimy practices. If the government won’t do anything about it, then we’ll send a message by boycotting those greedy companies.