Behind the Bargain: the Reality of Seasonal Sales Strategies

The decision to buy is an emotional one. While shoppers get excited about best deals, some techniques used to attract customers suggest that we may not always be getting such a big bargain after all.

Let’s dive in. Sales tricks you should be aware of.

The Illusion of Savings: Deceptive Sales Tactics

The Bait and Switch: Tempting discounts, often on limited stock, attract attention and create a desire to shop in a particular store. Once inside or browsing, the customer is happy to go further down the sales funnel, making a purchase at standard prices, at a small discount or buying more than originally intended. If you walk in with a decision or mood to buy, it’s hard to stop and assess the situation.
Moon pricing: These are products that give the illusion of a great deal, but in reality you end up paying the standard price with an inflated ‘original’ price tag on top.
New Lines Added: Some sales feature lower quality products that have been specially produced for the sales season.
Limited time only: Don’t be fooled by the idea of limited time offers. Sometimes products remain available at the same price after the ‘deal’ has ended.
Social proof: Beware of “sales pop-ups” and other prompts that show how many customers have recently bought a product. This can create artificial pressure to buy.

Buying Wisely

Before you reach for your wallet or credit cards, take a step back from your emotional decision and try to see the mechanics behind a particular sales technique. Ask yourself if it makes sense to you at all without a discount sign:

– If you find something heavily discounted, ask yourself if you’d still buy it at full price. Does it make sense? Would you still “need” it?

– Focus on value for money, not just price and bargain. Think about the overall value and you’ll make better purchases that really make you happy. 🛒💰

While many shops and brands are happy to use the sales techniques to generate extra sales and benefit from the annual sales extravaganza, small businesses may struggle to compete because they can’t offer the same heavy discounts as established brands and corporations.

Understanding the True Cost of Discounts

Always remember that someone is paying for your discount. It could be you, another customer, or those who make the products for low wages.

– Big brands often have huge profit margins and can easily afford a 50-25% discount. At the sales season they already made enough sales at full price to cover the cost of the discount.

– Small designers or artisans often don’t have a margin to play with. They can’t offer deep discounts without cutting into their own wages.

The logic behind this is simple. In order to offer a deal, costs have to be reduced one way or another. In the long supply chain cost reduction can be spread (low paid labour, quality of materials/work used, volume advantage etc). With a small brand, if the supply chain is short, it’s the small brand (read owner) that has to take the hit. Imagine someone comes to you and asks for a pay cut just because it’s “Black Friday” – an invention of a big corporation to increase their sales.

Babbily is about product quality and open communication

Babbily is dedicated to building lasting relationships with our customers, prioritising product quality and a commitment to open communication over enticing sales tactics. Our approach is simple—we provide high-quality products at fair prices, avoiding flashy deals. With Babbily, it’s about making wise choices for the long term.

Designed for smart parents who value both sustainability and practicality, Babbily encourages thoughtful consumption.

Take a look at our leggings and trousers, designed to replace 3-4 standard pairs. They are essential staples in every kid’s wardrobe, but also save you both money and time on future shopping. It’s more than a purchase; it’s a smart investment—a true definition of the best deal.

WARM