A digital déjà vu

Marketing claims about the lowest prices on the season on limited quantities for limited times are common throughout the holidays as retailers look to create a sense of urgency and close the sale with consumers. But haven’t consumer grown wise to these tactics?

With the exception of apparel markdowns, consumers have learned and retailers have taught them that another low price is just around the corner and that quantities are unlimited even though featured items may change.

Target offered a 46-inch Westinghouse LCD television for $298 on Black Friday, but then the following week it offered a more fully featured Philips brand 40-inch LED television for $499. The smaller-screened, but Internet-ready better brand from Philips that was thinner might have been the better deal in this case. Or, shoppers with an affinity for Westinghouse could have waited until the following week when Target featured a 40-inch LED Westinghouse model for $399, or $100 less than the Philips LED from the prior week.

With a sharp price always lurking around the next corner, sometimes shoppers will even find the identical item is featured, as initial sell through of those limited didn’t materialize at the anticipated rate. For example, shoppers interested in a new digital camera were offered a compelling value on a really good Panasonic Lumix GF3 model in the week after Thanksgiving. Target’s weekly ad with prices good Nov. 27 through Dec. 3 showed the $599 regularly priced GF3 camera marked down $200 to $399. And if that wasn’t enough the offer was further sweetened by including a $75 Target gift with purchase. Shoppers who thought that price wouldn’t last or felt they needed to act or risk getting shut out of the deal because quantities were limited had no need to fear. Target’s weekly ad that hit this past Sunday offered the identical product at the same discounted price with the $75 gift card.