Silly Shoppers, “Percent Off Regular Price” Means Nothing

I’ve always maintained that “regular price” means nothing when it comes to shopping.  To say, “I bought this at 50% off regular price” is pointless unless you can actually verify that “regular price” is what something normally sells for elsewhere.  There’s a big scam that’s been going on since the dinosaur age about artificially inflating prices and then having a “percent off” sale, which just brings the prices back down to normal.  Silly, clueless shoppers think they get a deal, but they’re really just getting screwed.

Case in point: SANTA got my kids a small set of percussion instruments.  Sometime around December 10th, Amazon.com had the item listed for $7.99, with the regular price being $9.99 (“You Save 20%”).  I figured an $8 set which included kid sized: tambourine, maracas, cymbals, clacker and a solid triangle is a great deal, so I…uh, Santa, purchased it.  Christmas comes, kids open it, love it and we’re all making beautiful music together.

So everybody’s happy, ne c’est pas?… Mais NON!!!  Right after christmas, my wife gets an email from Amazon listing this exact same product at $15.99, with a claimed regular price of $19.99 (“You Save 25%”)!!!!!!  I must stress that this is the identical product on Amazon — the same reviews and everything.  Clearly Amazon is just f’ing with you.  Who among us can actually verify “Regular Prices”?  Unless you’ve got access to wholesale pricing, the answer is: very few of us.  BUT, we do love a bargain.

Now you can shop at Amazon and get an additional 5% discount at twice the price!!

Let The Buyer Beware (“caveat emptor” as pretentious guys who know a little Latin and/or Mike Brady, Architect, may say).