tv segment about financial saving/spending?

[mykidsand_i]

this morning my husband turned on the TV while I was still kind of waking up- my eyes were closed, but I was kind of awake and listening to this segment on some show this morning that he was watching.

They were analyzing peoples spending habits. It said something about people buying more products if the product has the number 9 in the price somewhere...Like if one product is at target for 24.99, and that same product is somewhere else for 20.47, people will usually buy the 24.99 product. They said that people do it with out thinking- that it just comes naturally.

Also, they said that there are a few 'NEW' cars out on the market that will start at $40,000. Well, the people selling the cars know that they will NEVER sell them for 40,000, but two or three weeks after they have them on the lot, they'll lower the price (say to $27,000) to what they wanted to sell that car for IN THE FIRST PLACE, but now all of a sudden that "new low price/sale price" drives the people in thinking that they would be gettig a SUPER deal, so they buy- but they really aren't getting that good deal, because the dealership pulled one over on them?

Did anyone else see that segment this morning? It wasn't on a local news clip or anything, so I thought that others on here may have seen it.

All of this is stuff that the thrifty and some others have knowen all along- we all know that people jack the prices up, then have 'huge sales' to drag people in, only to find that the sale is what you thought the regular price should be...

I just thought it was an interesting segment. I usually would go for the cheapest, no matter what numbers are involved! But, others may not think about it.

 

[minnie1928]

I didn't see the segment, but I totally agree. My DH often says that we should go to XYZ store because "they're having a sale!". My response is that they are always having a sale. I mean really, when's the last time you went to Kohls (for example) when they weren't having some kind of sale/discount? Stuff is rarely sold at full price anymore. The MSRP is simply a reference price for consumers to "think" they are getting a deal, when they really aren't.

 

[labdogs42]

LOL. Kohl's is the first store that came to my mind, too. I NEVER buy anything that's full price at Kohl's because I know that's not the "real" price!

 

[meghanlea]

yeah kohls seems to have a 'one day' sale EVERYDAY

 

[wdwfan16]

I saw the segement the other day, no this morning. The "9" examples as that Target found if you priced an item at $34.99 it would sell but when they raised the price to $39.99 it sold better.

The car they were discussing was the Volt. They are saying it will cost $40K but then when it arrives will sell it for $26K. They know that is they originally said it would sell for $27K and then priced it at $26K they would sell less. The first seems like a better bargin.

I must be odd, since I don't care what the original price was. I know what I am willing to pay for the item.

I see many here who will say I saved 50% on X today because it was B1G1F. If you ask them would they pay X for a single item and they will saw no. I say I paid $x/2 for the item and it was a good price. For me x/2 was at or below what I was willing to pay for the item.

The point of the segment was to show how many customers are lead to the item and purchase without really making the best decision.

In the car example you paid $26K whether the presale guestimate price was $40K or $27K. Yet many only want it if it originally was to sell for $40K. I believe much of it is bragging rights (that they perceive) and show what a great shopper you are.

 

[Mathfailure]

I get so tired of the tricks, but try to notice them and not get sucked in.

For instance, I always round up the price on items when saying them out loud to my children. These pants are 25 dollars I would say, not 24.99. It calls attention to that trick for my children.

I hate the buy one get one half off. It is only 25% off one, and that is not enough for me to be interested. Especially if I only want one, then I am paying 50% more, because I came in only to get the one and was suckered into buying 2!! (actually I wasn't, coz I won't but you get the point!)

Another car buying trick is focusing on the monthly payment and not on the total price of the car. Tell me how much the car cost, I will work out the payment.

Oh, and a final gripe I was in CVS waiting for medicine, and notice the yellow sale signs, for marking down an item for a penny! Yep, one cent off but they warrented a yellow sale tag, bet some just thought they were saving money and picked that item up!!

 

[PinkRhombus]

yeah kohls seems to have a 'one day' sale EVERYDAY

Them...and Macy's. We joke and say that they're having "The Biggest One Day Sale of the Week with a 6 day preview"

 

[mykidsand_i]

Yeah, Kohls and macy's are HORRIBLE! I hate their 'one day' sales and their 'biggest sale of the season' crap! It's worthless! No one is saving money by these sales, they are spending money on stuff to buy something they *think* is on sale.

I do give those two company's credit for their clearance deals though! I just got a bunch of outfits for 70-90% off that so called 'msrp cost'...at 70-90% off, to me THAT'S a sale! Especially when I have an additional coupon to use!

I bought a dress for my DD8 this weekend at Kohls and the MSRP was listed on it as $68 (I paid $9)!! Who in the HECK is going to ever THINK that's the regular price? Then, there were some sales that said '40% off of EVERYTHING in this dpt'...yeah, well when it's already marked up by 50%, you're still not getting a sale, you're paying more than it's worth!