They say everything and everyone has their price. And whilst some things seem to be getting more and more expensive, others are getting cheaper and cheaper.
Sales are everywhere - opening sales, closing down sales, spring, summer, autumn, winter sales, 20%, 25%, 50%, 70% off, super sales, final sales, Black Friday, Valentines Day, Boxing day, New Year sales. Everything must go, except that it doesn't. It's just replaced by more bargain stock for the next seasonal sale opportunity.
So who pays full price nowadays? DFS have a constant sale - "Everything's half price in our Spring Collection". Does anyone ever walk in and find a sofa that they paid £1995 now on sale for for £995?
The internet is making short change of a multitude of items. Unless it's a must have for right now then you can pretty much scan the bar code with your phone whilst standing in the shop and search on line for the best price. For a consumer it's great, for a retailer it's a living nightmare.
But you have to ask yourself what's the true value of anything? After all retailers aren't going to be selling at a loss. So if that pair of trousers was £80 and is now £25 then you know that the actual unit cost price is probably around £10-£20. That's one hell of a mark-up for the RRP.
And who sets the recommended retail price anyway?
Tomorrow is Black Friday yet ironically the sales started today. That makes no sense whatsoever. Yet it's fast becoming the way of the world. Even sacred days like Christmas Day are now being infected with scheduled electronic messages offering special Boxing Day offers the day before. Haven't we bought enough already?
I love Christmas but the sheer rush, fever and panic of it all certainly taints the build up. The majority of multi nationals are shut for one day. One whole day. Yet we stockpile mountains of food as if the end was nigh and then throw it away at the start of our New Year diet.
A few years ago we stupidly wandered into the local supermarket on Christmas Eve - they were queuing for the tills to the back of the shop. They even had staff managing the queues, that's how ridiculous it was. As a result my wife now does the Christmas food shop at about 4am at the local 24hr Tesco. It's dead quiet but that's how extreme it has all become.
And all for some pigs in blankets.
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