Watch those retailers

---
Closely...

We have been looking for a good 'Christmas deal' (who isn't this year?). We were in need of a good crock pot as a gift...

Saw an 'ad' this week. A 50.00 crock pot on 'sale' for 29.99... Not bad at 40% off. But the 'kicker' that caused the wife to rush out the door this morning was 'take an EXTRA 30% off today only between 7:00 AM and noon'. So that was her 'mission'...

Had a bit of a hard time finding it but they did manage to come up with one which she then took to the register.

It rang up at the 29.99 'sale price' but did NOT ring the additional 30% off (kaching!). Of course my wife, being the 'pit bull' shopper she is (lol), called them on it. The wife had, mistakenly, forgotten her ad copy and apparently the store (Sears...) had a difficult time finding a copy of their own ad (which I think is just plain strange...). However they did, finally, manage to come up with a copy of the ad as well... Which, of course, clearly stated take an additional 30% off between 7:00 AM and noon today...

So once the 'checkers' had verified the ad for themselves they then had to track down a member of 'management' who had the 'ability' to overrride the register system and the deal was done! She received the additional 30% off (about 9.00) and ended up with a 50.00 crock pot for about 21.00 (pretty much 58% off!).

There ARE some 'deals' out there... Go find them...

But watch those 'retailers' like a hawk...

I cannot 'say' that this 'insignificant' little 'mix up' on pricing was intentional... That I just cannot know...

But I CAN say that every customer who bought and paid for that particular 'product', between 7:00 AM and noon today, got screwed out of an additional 30% in savings, one of the 'checkers' even said as much, UNLESS they were 'on their game' and called the store on it and were willing to spend a little extra time to make sure the store 'got it right'.

It sure 'seems' to me that advertising a special/additional 30% off 'deal' to draw additional 'bargain hunting' consumers into the store is a good 'plan'. After all it was a purchase that had 'good value'.

But I also HAVE to wonder if, somehow, not getting that 'deal' programmed into the register system was a 'happy little accident' or... something far more 'sinister'...

Happy holiday shopping to all! Hold those retailers feet to the fire! Have fun, 'take some names' and 'kick some ass'

;)

Greg

Sinister...

• baleful: threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments; "a baleful look"; "forbidding thunderclouds"; "his tone became menacing ...
• black: stemming from evil characteristics or forces; wicked or dishonorable; "black deeds"; "a black lie"; "his black heart has concocted yet another black deed"; "Darth Vader of the dark side"; "a dark purpose"; "dark undercurrents of ethnic hostility"; "the scheme of some sinister intelligence ...