The Psychology of Sales?

lola73

lola73

Member
Jan 1, 2010
5,939
3
#1
Just curious girls - so many of us have ordered bags at 30%/40% off on MW. Others of us are waiting on the .com sale. I'm just thinking of the psychology of it all tonight.
I'm a big sales buyer (bags, clothes, shoes) because I love the feeling of getting something "nice" at a "bargain" price. It also allows me buy things that I can't afford or am unwilling to pay full price for.
But do we all go for bags at 30/40% off because we feel we are getting something nice at a bargain and therefore we feel we have "beaten the system"?
Or do we buy at 40% off because we believe that that is more the "real value" of the item?

Does anyone want to share their thoughts on sales purchases?
 
#2
As sick as it sounds I like to buy at reduced prices so that I can more or less buy 2 for the price that one full price would be, iykwim. My collection is bigger for the fact that I mostly scored deals. I love a bargain. I like to kid myself that I've beaten the system but also that I have paid closer to a 'fair' price for the item. Much as I love Mulberry the bags are obscenely priced at RRP! xx
 
#3
ITA with you IWANB - I wouldn't have all my bags either if they had all been full price. So we both like scoring deals, getting a bargain, beating the system and paying a fair price! All good reasons for sales shopping!
 
#4
I feel I'm getting a better deal. I adore the bags but think they are ridiculously priced. Only my oak bays is full priced, it was my 1st. I caught on quickly!
Same with clothes. For example I ordered a cardigan from mw tonight. It was £120. It's nice but I just wouldn't pay it when I have a wardrobe full of similar. However, with codes and vouchers I only paid £44. That makes it a different story!
 
#5
I love buying things in sales. I think, for me, it's about knowing that if I change my mind about the item, I won't lose too much money on it :tup:

But also, knowing the retail mark up, I hate feeling ripped off. I very rarely buy anything without a slight discount :shame: :lol:

ETA I've never bought a full price Mulberry - the 'lowest' discount I've bought at has been 15%. I guess because I know they all get reduced eventually - either in the sale, or they turn up at the outlet - I know that I just need to be patient. Either that or I go off it whilst waiting :lolots:

The only bag I've ever paid full price for has been my ruby Bal Day - and I happily (ish!) paid full price for it as I know it's very hard to get them at a discount.
 
#6
I have to admit that I really abhor spending retail on anything; if I can get a discount on something I love, then I'll keep looking for a way to make that happen. However, the one trick I now use to make decisions is, "Would I want to buy this at retail?" If the answer is no, then I won't buy it. It seems that I can't score much Mulberry on sale where I am, so that is probably a blessing!

For example, I really want an oak LLP but I know the plum is on sale. I LOVE the plum color but the oak is what I truly want in that style. I know that I will probably have to pay standard price for that one if I really want it, so I will wait for a special occasion (such as a birthday) to consider how much I want it.

But yes, the 'sale' offering and special codes do work on me from time to time. I'm much better at resisting than I used to, but it takes thoughtful effort on my part...
 
#8
Interesting thread, Lola - I freely admit I'm a total sucker for a bargain, and sales are very dangerous for me because I feel like everything is justified because it's cheaper! Also I'm quite proud that I rarely pay RRP (it has to be something *really* special) and therefore feel like I'm "saving" myself a lot of money.

It is odd though, I think something in my brain is reset by the RRPs. Ordinarily, £556 for a bag is expensive, but if it's an Alexa usually £795 with 30% off it's suddenly much more attractive!
 
#10
When I see a £100 item reduced to £50 then I am saving £50 not spending £50. I have made so many duff purchases on this faulty logic. Now I look to see what I like and really try to only buy RRP if it is selling like hotcakes.
I also never take the labels off until the return period is over in case it gets reduced. I know my favourite shops and all their stock that I like and when the sale period starts I keep checking online to see if things are coming down. Or wait until a store promotion comes up.
I would pay full RRP for a bag I love rather than have two sale bags for the same price that are only making up the numbers.
 
#11
Its a combination of all of those lola- the thrill of getting a bargain and the fact that mulberry is so overpriced that they have to be on sale now to be in my price range- and for me MY got it just right with 40% as at 30% I was thinking well thats just outlet price!
 
#12
I'm a big sales buyer (bags, clothes, shoes) because I love the feeling of getting something "nice" at a "bargain" price. It also allows me buy things that I can't afford or am unwilling to pay full price for.
Click to expand...

I am too, Lola. I rarely buy RRP unless its food. In the early days it was because I couldn't afford full price for stuff that I wanted, now I am unwilling to pay full price. I have yet to buy a full priced bag from Mulberry, but my smallext discount has been 10% -shouldve bought those shares when they were offering them for £1! but didn't think their 20% bag discount would last!
 
#13
Interesting thread! I admit I go for 'Buy one get one free' at supermarket more than I need :amuse:. On Outnet I sometimes buy items because it's 'such a bargain & only a few available & it will be sold out' - silly me!

For handbags - I don't think I just buy them because of the sale prices though. (It took years to arrive this point! :lol:)
 
#14
I'm pretty restrained when it comes to sales - if I wouldn't want it at RRP then I don't buy it in the sales just because it's a bargain. Some of the shops I buy from don't go onsale so I think it makes you more aware. I do like to buy classic items of clothing when they go onsale in HN/MW/Matches etc. Like RR I have a big weakness when it comes to the OUTNET.

As for everything else, if I can use a discount code/voucher I will .
 
#15
I also like to think I'm getting something nice at a more realistic price. Remember when the Antony's were £195? It's crazy to me that a bag so small costs £5 shy of £300.

I also have a very hard time resisting a sale. It's in my blood; my mother and I had days out at TJ Maxx from when I was about 5. The very essence of that store is getting a bargain!
 
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