this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2023
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Mildly Infuriating

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[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 year ago (5 children)

In Europe there's a law that forces stores (online but also physical) to post also the lowest minimum price in the last month.

So it would be ~~€199~~ €64 (lowest price in the last 30 days: €39)

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Amazon US doesn't do that, but they do show a "lowest price in 30 days" badge that is actually truthful (appears when the item is on sale and the sale price is the lowest in the last 30 days). Of course, there's some sellers that game it by increasing their prices over 30 days before Prime Day.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I dont think it includes procong due to coupons though.

If a product had a minor coupon (e.g <5$) and the product was discounted to that price without coupon, it would still advertise lowest price despite it not really changing.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don’t know if it’s a law here too in Canada, but Amazon.ca works the same. What sellers do to get around this just make a new listing for products at inflated rates so they can then discount them for “sales”, while simultaneously setting the regular listing to unavailable until the “sale” is over.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Using a browser addon that tracks price history, we found a bunch of "deals" on Amazon US that had raised the price 30 days ago and are now flagged "Lowest price in 30 days!". The "deal" price was almost always the exact same price it was 31 days prior.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

In the U.S. that’s a big “fuck you buddy, Ima get mine,” from congress.

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[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Prime Day is just Black Friday in July. Amazon is trying to get rid of old stock.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If you have an idea of what you want before the sale starts and know how much the standard price is you can still be lucky and get a good deal. You just have to be careful not to get sucked in to a non deal.

For example, I was looking out for an Apple Watch. There is a good sale on them but they only have a limited set of body and strap combinations. I don’t want any of the straps on offer so it negates almost all of the discount as I’d be paying £50 for a strap that I wouldn’t use.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Aren’t there some website that track this?

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago

camelcamelcamel.com is the big one, I believe.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I use the Keepa browser extension

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

This entire comment is the perfect explanation for my issue with people getting excited over Black Friday/Prime Day. I see so many people every year excitedly saying (or at times bragging), oh I got this, I got that, and it was so cheap. But unless you were already looking at that thing you haven't saved money. You've actually spent more than you would have if it wasn't on sale.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Not to defend Amazon, but in past years the comments in Reddit on this issue pointed out that Amazon has requirements on markdown percentages to qualify for prime day and lightning sales. As a result, vendors who control their price will artificially increase their price over the days leading to prime day and then apply the “discount”.

I do wish that if that were the case that Amazon actually address it as they should be able to detect that pattern. I unfortunately think they don’t care as they make money regardless. I just wish they care a bit more about earning and keeping trust.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P8BPPQW

Here's the product page. You can see how it's 46% off $119, but if you want, you can also buy it at $89 regular price. They're now not even increasing the price of the item, they're just claiming it's higher.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

The normal price is $89.99, which represents a 15% discount off the MSRP of $119.99 (that they're claiming). The current price of $64.99, is a discount of 42%, which represents an additional 27% off. I don't think this listing necessarily proves the point.

That being said, companies absolutely do engage in this kind of bullshit. This one may have done it itself in order to claim the MSRP at $119.99.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Common Amazon deception. Mark up a product's base cost artificially, then take a "percentage off" to bring it back down to near the base price it always is. Maybe slightly more expensive or cheaper, but usually just a smidge away from the normal cost. It's for the illusion of "being on sale."

Use an Amazon price tracker site (like camel camel camel for example) so that you can always call out Amazon and make sure that you're getting their actual lowest prices when you have to buy from them.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Classic Kohl's strategy, not sure if they did it first, but its the first place I saw it used in early 2000s.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

A handful of years back, JC Penney made a huge deal about stopping this practice in their stores, where everything is on “sale” all the time. Sales plummeted even though the actual product prices stayed the same. They immediately reversed course.

Hard to blame them. Human brains are weird.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Penneys also stopped accepting coupons and it turned out that most of the older ladies who made up the lion’s share of the clientele loved coupons (who would have thought?). They also hired a retail exec from Apple (Ron Johnson) and he embarked on disasterous changes to stores and other things that regular customers hated. This is a great article that is titled “The J.C. penney Disaster Timeline” from 2012: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-jcpenney-disaster-timeline-how-ex-apple-guru-ron-johnson-is-destroying-the-company-2012-6

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

As a marketing guy, I have this story in my back pocket to illustrate how hopelessly self-destructive we are.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

my credit union emailed me today about Prime Day deals, wtf?!?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Amazon started in may sending a massive email campaign to all affiliates with referral links reminding prime day, if an user buys something using the link, the affiliate (in this case your credit union) will get a 5% commission

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Amusingly enough, I bought an small appliance yesterday, amazon had worse deals than a big box store. They had cheaper prices on no name junk that was gonna take a week to get to me. Prime day is total shit.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

IME Amazon has worse prices on a lot of stuff lately. It's mostly just convenience at this point.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Exactly, amazon is a thing because we all don't have time to run to the store for that one thing that isn't an emergency. I see it as another way that the " " system " " has boxed us more into the "CONSUME" driven American existence. Like, even if a store is 5 minutes away and you're getting "one thing" it's still going to take at least 30 minute commitment especially if that store is say "walmart". If the store is 15 mins away, you're basically at an hour commitment.

We don't have time to do stuff like that anymore! I am trying to weigh that thought and the idea we are all just brainwashed into the immediacy of needing everything now.

I don't know it's a lot to think about... lol

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

For me, it's not even time that pisses me off the most.

The in-store retail experience has gone to complete and utter garbage. You take the time to get to the store, then wander around dirty aisles that are picked-over, only to find that the thing you needed or wanted isn't even in stock (even though the website says it is). Having worked retail, I know there's usually not "one in the back," so even if I could find an employee (doubtful) it's not worth the pain in the ass to do it. If you're lucky there's something good enough for purpose, so you take that to the front, where there's one overworked cashier for the entire store and 3 more employees standing around talking next to the self checkouts, which don't work.

If I order the same thing on Amazon, sure, I might have to spend a couple dollars more. What I don't have to do is deal with all the hassle that comes with brick-and-mortar retail. Plus, if something's not right Amazon makes returns and exchanges pretty damn easy.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Fucking AnazonBasics pulled this shit with something I bought. Not quite as bad; it was still technically on sale, but only by $2 instead of the $7 they would have you believe.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Yea, I don't assume anything is on sale until I've looked at camelcamelcamel.com. Even then, it doesn't get lightning deals, and some other random promotions, so it can be difficult to tell what an actual good price is.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, I use Keepa for the same thing. I checked before I bought the item, but it surprised me to see Amazon's brand pulling that stunt.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Also they stole the product from a former 3rd party seller

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Prime Day a scam? What? Impossible!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

INCONCEIVABLE!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Use camelcamelcamel to check price history, really shows how "good" the sales are!

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Even the percentage claimed is just complete garbage. Zero proof of how many are actually sold, the counter could start at 70% sold for all we know. Even if there was proof, it's still clearly just a "other people bought this so you aren't stupid for buying it too".

Really good manipulation there tbh. Someone probably got a raise for that

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

I'm the only one who was very underwhelmed by this year's Prime Day(s)?

I know it's for clearing out their warehouses, but most of the sales were on crap or only minor discounts.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I guess you meant underwhelmed instead of understanding.

And well Idk I didn't need anything so not sure. Personally the only thing I got was the Microsoft 365 Family subscription for 1 year since it was half a price than the usual renewall... Although now that I think about it maybe I should have bought more years.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

The only advice I can give is buy base on what you feel an item is worth to you.

I'm perfectly fine to keep searching for something for months before I finally make a purchase cause its the right price, color and model for me.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Idk why anyone is surprised Amazon is deceitful lmao

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I called out best buy for this exact same practice years ago. I refuse to participate in mass sales now as a result. It's all just a giant scam. Either blantant lies on pricing, or they use inferior parts for the sale items.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (9 children)

We need better tools and ability to track this stuff. Pretty amazing we can have a super powered chatbot that can answer any question but I can't find an excel sheet that tracks historical prices of goods in a meaningful way.

Also I bet it would be illegal to create that excel sheet in some way.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

There are many such apps. Search for price trackers.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

There is actually a browser extension that tracks prices. Damn I forgot which one it is.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Camel Camel Camel is helpful when its statistics are available

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (7 children)

This shows consumerism as its finest (or worst). Easy for me to say control your urges but it does help by not buying any crap that you might think you want and clutter up your place

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The AMD 5800x3d prime day deal is 9% off at $401 CAD, but two days ago it was $359.

On the other hand, the Zotac RTX 4080 Trinity OC was $1589 CAD, and for prime day is $1229, an actual deal.

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