Sale, Sale, Sale… it must be a bargain!

Christmas has passed, New Year has begun and the TV adverts promoting the greatest sales of all time are everywhere to see.

However, behind these corporate communications masquerading as a wonderful bargain there is sceptical question I have: it all seems too good to be true.

You can’t help but ask, if you can take 75% off in a sale is the company making a loss? No, of course not. So, does this just highlight the mark up on products and how much we are actually being overcharged? For example, Sharps bedrooms now have their sale on which means a customer can get a loads of cash off their bedroom. But I ask you, is Sharps still making a profit – how can that be? Perhaps they are making poorer / cheaper quality furniture or are there prices huge to start with? One thing’s for sure, the marketing costs in promoting Sharps would be astronomical and who is that passed onto, that’s right, the customer. In the end, a sale is only as good as what else is in the market place. For instance, 50% off a holiday to Tenerife costing £1,000 is great, but if the company next door is doing it for £500 and throwing in first class tickets and that’s his usual price I know who I’ll be booking through.

Sales are a technique best used by the largest brands to make you feel like you get real value, not just bedroom companies. I’m not one to stop the upward trend in the consumer purchase market and there are genuine sales out there. However the route to improve long term customer satisfaction is through providing honest value for the customer. Instead, we religiously see the same TV adverts, at the same time of the year, promoting the same products.

Consumers are not stupid. They see through the sales. They want a bargain but understand value. Companies have to match this and meet customer’s demands.

You can give your feedback below, or email your thoughts to info@improve-your-house.co.uk