Fake Black Friday Sales

Anyone else noticing all the fake markdowns that aren't actually markdowns but they are actually the same dam price that the stuff has always been? And sometimes a little bit more because normal sales during the year tend to be better than Black Friday sales these days.

That's highly illegal in some countries. It's illegal in the US to advertise "sale prices" that aren't. Though, in situations like a holiday like this, not many people are going to complain about it. By the time anyone can act on it, the "sale" is over and there's little in the way of legitimate damages. A penalty to be paid? /shrug If some agency actually wanted to pursue it, I suppose so. Though, big retailers are special little cows that are milked for tax money... Few municipalities/counties/cities/States want to tick them off.

IIRC, a lot of strategies are covered by most State's fraud laws, like raising the price the week before. Some, however, are not - Like a large chain bargaining with a manufacturer to gain exclusive territorial rights for a certain model of a certain product, even if the difference between that model and the others on the assembly line is inconsequential. Why would a business/distributor do that? So they can claim they will "match any competitor's lowest price."

"I found this MX59 59" TV by DipoVision at your competitor's store for cheaper! Give me my price-match!"

"That's the MX59 59" TV By DipoVision. We sell the MX59i 59" TV model."

"What's the difference?"

"Ours has a little plastic "i" on it. Great quality plastic lettering, though."

If there is no competitor for a model of a product in the State or within 100 miles (arbitrary number) then a retail store should not be able to make that claim. If that was a "law" no retailer would be able to display that common marketing gimmick on anything in their store but the most base, bulk-purchased, items. At that point, they may as well be Walmart.

TANSTAAFL, always TANSTAAFL.

In case this is about someothing online... Well, regional pricing is "A Thing." And, existing law allows for it. Log onto a retailer website using a rare proxy, or choose your location using the same or a decent VPN, and watch the "sale prices" jitter all over the place as you change regions... Pricing is regional by user on a great number of retail sites. That's the best way for them to maximize profits. Want to lower your "sale price?" Use a proxy from a less crowded market region. (Of course, some e-retailers have caught onto this trick. They'll still try to screw you if they can, though.)

For myself, I don't normally buy much of anything online. I don't "Amazon" or "Ebay" and haven't bought any non-electronic good online in... forever. I've ordered stuff while standing in a store for delivery and that's about it. :)

Dedicated Luddite, I guess.

I remember a place where I already worked (won't name names) sometimes they were increasing the price of an item at the same time it went in special. So let's say the price was $4.99, then they made it $5.39 in special at $4.69. =/