4 warning signs a sale price isn't a good deal by Kyle James on Apr 29, 2016, 3:30 PM Advertisement
 Retailers these days have gotten very good at tricking you into thinking you're getting a great deal, even when you aren't. Whether it's through words they use to trick your brain into thinking an item is a screaming deal, or the promotional techniques they employ to get you to open your wallets, it's important to be on the lookout. Here are some of the most used techniques along with some ways to fight back. SEE ALSO: 12 food apps that gave me freebies and discounts just for signing up  1. Words, words, everywhere words As consumers, it's important to realize that retailers hire psychologists to choose the words they place on signs in their stores. It could be as simple as "Limited Time Offer" or "Expiring Soon" to the more subtle "New Low Price." All of these words and phrases are chosen to trick your brain into opening your wallet. In many cases, the price of a "Limited Time Offer" is the same price the item has been for months, and the "New Low Price" is simply the introductory price of a product. To avoid this trick, totally ignore the words you see in stores and instead let the numbers tell the story. By numbers, I mean the actual price of the item. If it's a store you shop at regularly, you'll probably be able to easily tell if the price is actually a sale price. But for the majority of us, we have no idea if the price is a good deal. Use a smartphone app like ShopSavvyto quickly scan the item's barcode and check the price at online stores as well as brick and mortar stores in your local area. By doing a quick price check, you let the facts steer your buying decision and not the words retailers use to separate you from your hard-earned money.
 2. Avoid 'open the wallet' pricing The next time you walk into a big-box retailer, take a second to notice the elaborate displays found near the front of the store. Often the products are highly-discounted and very appealing to the eye and tend to draw shoppers in. These displays are perfect examples of "Open the Wallet" pricing, which is a trick to get shoppers excited about saving money in the hopes they buy a bunch stuff they don't need and had no intention of buying in the first place. After all, since you saved a bunch of money on these strategically priced items, you now have more money to spend on other stuff, right? Wrong. Walmart, Target, Old Navy, and Macy's are a few of the retailers famous for employing this strategy. By being aware of what stores are trying to do, you can shop with blinders on and walk past these "Open the Wallet" displays and stay focused on the reason you walked into the store in the first place.
 3. When a coupon won't save you money Often retailers will raise the price of their products to full-retail right before releasing a coupon to the general public. This trick essentially makes the coupon worthless. For example, a storewide sale they had last weekend will often give you the same savings as using the coupon when prices are high. Eddie Bauer, Ann Taylor, Gap, American Eagle, and Lands' End are a few of the more popular retailers known to employ this trick. The one thing to avoid is failing to use a coupon when prices are at regular-price, as you'll end up spending way more than you should. Another aspect of this trick is "High-Low" pricing, which is when retailers have relatively high everyday prices, then regularly lower their prices via coupons and sales events. In actuality, they know they'll sell very little at full-retail, and at the same time, they give consumers the perception that they're scoring a great deal by issuing coupons and limited time discounts. So in essence, the sale price becomes the everyday price and shoppers need to keep this in mind when price comparing. JCPenney, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Kohl's are some of the stores who use this trick to make you think you're saving money.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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