Boxing Day is upon us this week and many consumers may already have their action plan in place to take advantage of the annual sale frenzy. Every year the Better Business Bureau receives calls and complaints about confusion and misleading advertising in the holiday sale market.
“People get caught up in the excitement of hunting for a great deal and they forget to ask questions before buying,” says Lynda Pasacreta, BBB President and CEO.
We have also seen some discrepancies in what was advertised in Boxing Day sales where the product was not the same material as promised in the ad. A consumer paid a $1000 deposit for furniture and later found out the furniture materials the shop person described in store were not accurate. Later, they were charged a restocking fee for the return.
Another example came from one electronics retailer who offered a 14-day price guarantee but could not match the sale price on Boxing Day because this was an exemption in their advertising policies.
“Retailers are usually very careful about listing the terms and conditions on the product sale, but the consumer who is trying to get the best deal possible feels like the price guarantees seem misleading when it comes to those exemptions,” says Pasacreta. “That is why it is better to ask before you make the first purchase and get the terms and conditions straight.”
Other consumers who have showed up on Boxing Day sales ended up disappointed because they faced long line-ups and limited quantities of products. In one situation, consumers had a limited time to take advantage of an offer (1.5 hours), and the product ran out by the time they got to the front of the line.
To avoid these problems this year, your BBB advises consumers to be proactive and savvy. Consider the following before taking advantage of retailer sales this Boxing Day:
Read ads carefully before starting your shopping. Make sure you read and understand all of the fine print. If you have questions, contact the store ahead of time and get clarity on any policies or conditions that may affect your experience.
Bait & Switch. One of the biggest problems during significant sale days like Boxing Day is the practice of offering a popular, expensive item for a great sale price, but only stocking a very limited number of these products. This is somewhat of a bait-and-switch because even if that product is unavailable, you are likely to stay at the store and take advantage of other less valuable sales. Our advice to avoid this problem is to contact the retailer before the sale goes into effect and ask what quantity of the featured item is in stock. Also ask if they offer rain checks to customers if they run out of the product unreasonably early.
Up-to savings claims. You may see exciting offers this Boxing Day stating certain items are “Up-to 70% OFF!!” or other similar claims. One item is 70 percent off and most of the products are marked at a much lower percentage off, perhaps at 30% off. That’s why BBB Code of Advertising guidelines state that a business should advertise the minimum and maximum amount of savings: “30% - 70% OFF”, so it’s clear that the savings are within that range. So be aware that if you see those kinds of claims, the product you want may not really be marked down as much as stated in the ad. If you come across this problem, please file a complaint with the BBB (at www.mbc.bbb.org), so we can contact the business and request that they modify the advertising.
Are deals really worth it? Consumers can often get caught up in the rush of a sale and sometimes forget to ask themselves simple questions such as, “Is this something I have planned to buy?” or “Do I need this item?” and “How much can I afford to spend?” BBB suggests going in with a budget and sticking to it, never buy because it seems like a good deal.