%50 sale on Merkur to good to be true.

[Luminose]

I got really exited this morning when my friend sent me a photo of a display cabinet with a bunch of Merkur razors and products with a "%50 OFF LISTED PRICE" sign above them. Turns out the Victorinox(Swiss Army) store in a mall about 35min from me was going out of business and had the whole store %50-%90 off.

So after work I drive up there planning to buy a few razors. When I get there besides the sales lady be really snarky I found my hopes were dashed. Yes all the Merkur items were %50 off but I have no idea where they got their original prices from.. for example I can get Merkur Progress from WCS for $61.57, they had theirs for $125?? Minus %50 + %6.35 tax = $66.47.. Everything was like that, I couldn't find anything that even with %50 cost less than I could get it for from most of the sites we use.

Ok so I figure well if I can't get a new razor I can at least get a Bloc Osma Alum Block, that has to be cheap with %50 off right? Their original price was $22.59 or $11.30 with sale.. basically still $2-$3 over normal retail price.. sigh I can see why they are going out of business now lol.

So I was disappointing to say the least. Anyway at least the same mall had The Art of Shaving store where they have in house shaving. It was fun to look at their stuff and some of it is really nice even if it's a bit expensive.

 

[dieselfuel79]

As the saying goes: If it's too good to be true...

 

[maxman]

I get a chuckle out of stores that do that.
One last stab at it so they bump everything up to MRSP then deduct some high percentage.

You leave there feeling like you wasted your time (and really you did).
Keep your eyes peeled though. They might just end up putting them on for 90% off one day.
You won't want to miss that.

 

[michiganlover]

I get a chuckle out of stores that do that.
One last stab at it so they bump everything up to MRSP then deduct some high percentage.

This is standard procedure at liquidation sales. Especially those that are being run by an outside firm (which is common place when entire chains go out of business).

Another common procedure, is to bring in additional merchandise to sell, as liquidation sales generate quite a bit of foot traffic: the kicker being that it's merchandise the store wouldn't regularly sell, or brands the store would have never sold.

 

[rnovak]

Any chance this was the Westchester Mall in White Plains, NY?

 

[Toothpick]

I get a kick out of the people that leave those liquidation sales thinking they got a great deal.

 

[morganjg]

The best is when the store closing makes the local news and they interview customers. Customers always go in thinking they'll get that leather sofa for 90% off and always look seriously at the camera telling the reporter that the deals weren't as good as they expected, or that the prices were lower before the liquidation company took over.

 

[global_dev]

I have done well at a liquidation sale and got 3 units for less than the price of one however I had to wait about two months or so for that reduction. Linens and things...

 

[celestino]

As the saying goes: If it's too good to be true...

+1

 

[rxonmymind]

There was in a news "undercover" assignment here locally that went into several Mervyn's stores and what they discovered was some of the items that had the original price tags were covered over by the new "discounted/liquidation sales price" but you know the kicker? The original price was lower! Right on camera. That was funny. Also, some of the Mervy's in different cities were bought at auction by several different firms thus prices varied from store to store.

 

[Luminose]

I wouldn't be surprised if they jacked the price right before the sale since the price tags were white stickers with the price written in pen...

 

[one cut]

when stores do that up the price and 50% off sale I like to check the on line price via smart phone and ask if they will match the on line price.
the reactions so far have been
getting the item for the on line price.
being told"we don't do that" or "well thats OUR price."
and my favorite a manager came over before I had even said anything and told me that store policy prohibited the use of smart phones to look up on line prices.

 

[Krodor]

Went to Target yesterday where they had a $260 Christmas tree at 90% off. Great! The catch: it was the display tree itself, and you had to take it as-is. We passed.

 

[Invicta]

and my favorite a manager came over before I had even said anything and told me that store policy prohibited the use of smart phones to look up on line prices.

Priceless! Begs the question, what are you hiding? and Can I see your store policy?

 

[JLuger]

There a town here that is very popular with tourists, that had to pass a law, to limit the amount and frequency of stores posting "Going out of Business! Sale!" signs. They weren't actually going out of business, every few months they would just put up the signs, and tourists passing through would walk through the quaint town square, and see all these super expensive shops 'going out of business'. It made the town look bad.

 

[rivieraranch]

That is pretty much the pricing gimmick with jewelry.

 

[_JP_]

A couple decades back there was a crooked going out of business sale happening locally. It started with a stated percentage off the sticker price of everything in the store. As the weeks went on, the percentage off went up. But every time it happened, the sticker prices went up also. It was pretty transparent because they put the new price sticker in top of the old one. I peeled back several and figured it out. Eventually, the authorities went after the company conduct the sale.

 

[Doubledgeislife]

There was in a news "undercover" assignment here locally that went into several Mervyn's stores and what they discovered was some of the items that had the original price tags were covered over by the new "discounted/liquidation sales price" but you know the kicker? The original price was lower! Right on camera. That was funny. Also, some of the Mervy's in different cities were bought at auction by several different firms thus prices varied from store to store.

You are correct. Kmart does the same thing when they claim to be doing a "Stock liquidation" they leave the prices the same or slightly marked up and put a sign up stating that there is a percentage taken off the price. Alot of retailers have done the same thing and some retailers have quite a bit more respect for the consumer's intelligence. Here in MN, mervyn's did not stay long. I do not know why, but it is interesting to know that their practices were exposed. It is always best to know what you are buying and if you really are getting the deal you are being told you are getting. I have worked for 3 different retailers and I pretty much know what their practices are. You would probably be apalled.

 

[stryker4526]

Priceless! Begs the question, what are you hiding? and Can I see your store policy?

It raises the question, not begs it.

 

[Luminose]

I can't believe the dishonesty of many retailers these days. Probably because I run a business where I'd rather be able to sleep at night knowing I was honest with my customers than making a few extra bucks..

I know a guy who sells heaters that told his customers that he couldn't get a certain heater anymore so he was selling a much better one at the same price. The truth is he started buying a cheaper heater that he could get for less money and says that just so he can sell it for the same price..