We went to a few mattress stores this July (2011) and were quite taken by a Carpetright mattress called Icon 1200 http://www.carpetright.co.uk/king-icon-1200.html which was on sale for just under £500.

After our holiday we wanted to buy it, only to see that it is now on sale for £1199 on the website — interestingly, a higher spec mattress in the same series Icon 2000 is on for only £639.20 — at a big “discount”

– at least the site
http://www.carpetright.co.uk/king-icon-2000.html
(accessed 22 Aug 2011) says ;

Our List Price*: £1,599.00
* applied from 04/05/2011 to 31/05/2011 Was £799.00 – Now £639.20 —

shows you what they did: 4 weeks at an inflated price, and then months and months of claiming “SALE”.
It’s scandalous –

Hi Adrian. Thank you so much for verifying this. As you so rightly say – it is is scandalous.

Thanks again Adrian for taking the time to comment. very much appreciated. John and Ryan.

A level playing field is what is needed in the industry [all industries] for ALL players, starting with the manufacturers taking ‘responsible’ responsibility, but that’s an ideology for pollyanna’s; Unfortunately ‘power’ will see to it that doesn’t happen.

Applying a different slant, perhaps Henry Ford had it right to protect consumers when he said… “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black”.

Let’s not forget though, that manufacturers will continue to produce everything and anything for as long as we, the consumer, continues to buy it… so it is perhaps, that the consumer is the catalyst to the laissez-faire attitude in today’s society.

… And, around and around we go again.

I’ve had Vi-Spring and Hypnos high ends in the past, and now I thrive on a no frills ‘top quality’ latex mattress – it works for me, but the pillow has got to be one of /the/ single most important components in the mechanics of all things sleep.

On a final note, it has to be said, as it will have countless times before, it is the likes of you, John and Ryan who bring credibility back into the picture of buying from a trusted source; even though I haven’t bought from you, I know I could trust doing business with you, because I trust my own judgement, and my ‘nose’. Logic dictates that. Your web site is a credit to you both, as it extends something the big guns will never have, and that’s an affinity with its customers!

Take care John – All the best.

c.

‘It is a verifiable fact’ that people, generally, do not want to believe they’ve been ripped off after having bought something which first appeared to be a ‘too good to be true’ bargain, offered in a ‘Sale’. No business ever stayed in business by selling at a loss… and ‘loss leaders’ don’t apply here, and neither does ‘something for nothing’.

Here are some good pointers [Extract] taken from Trading Standards’ tips, entitled, ‘BEWARE OF BOGUS BARGAINS’.
For those who do ‘watch’ specific products you have an interest in, pay particular attention to point 4… the ‘disclaimer’ and the ’28 days’.

——————–
“TRADING STANDARDS SALE SHOPPING TIPS

JANUARY SALES – BEWARE OF BOGUS BARGAINS

Some seasonal advice for sales shoppers – beware of bogus bargains.

Be a sales sleuth to sniff out the real reductions!

Good sales shopping advice to remember is:

1. Shop around and compare prices to ensure price reductions are genuine: It is all too easy to fall for apparently brilliant bargains at this time of year – but shoppers should try their best to make sure that their bargains are everything they seem. Don’t be afraid to ask questions before parting with cash or signing up to buy goods. It is essential that shoppers take common sense precautions so they get bargain benefits not bogus bargains.

2. Be alert to sales gimmicks: In general, there should be an indication of the higher pre-sale price as well as the sale price but shoppers should look at the asking price and consider carefully if it offers them value for money. They should question all price claims and not be taken in by virtually meaningless terms like ‘special purchase’ or ‘bargain offer’ – and remember to call trading standards if they spot a so-called reduction which isn’t.

3. Always read the small print on sales offers: Look out for any conditions of sale prices to ensure that you do not part with more money that you originally thought. Some offers may require customers to buy a certain number of items before a reduction is given, or in the case of holidays, book for a minimum number of people.

4. Look out for in store notices disclaiming or explaining price claims : Pre-sale prices should be the last price at which goods were offered – and the goods should have been at that price for 28 consecutive days in the previous six months. Shops can however use disclaimers to get around the law, such as “higher price charged from 1st to 7th April 2001″ or “higher price charged in our Oxford Street store”.

5. If you have any problems with any sale goods that you buy don’t worry, you have exactly the same rights when buying sale goods as you do when buying full price goods.

Above all, remember to look at the price, not the reduction.

It is impossible for trading standards officers to keep a check on retail prices so one of the best ways of detecting offences is through shoppers who have been eyeing up an item since before Christmas and notice if the sale price isn’t a genuine reduction. If so, then [contact your local ‘Trading Standards’.”
——————–

If you are drawn to the price the item is ‘reduced’ from, you must ask yourself a few questions…
… Was the item ever worth that original price?

And given those stores want you to believe they really are reducing the price to its current price…
… Is the items’ price it has been reduced to, a fair, true and representative worth of the item at that price? Fundamentally, is it worth it, to you?
Remember though, if you do buy ‘cheap’, be prepared to buy twice.
And finally; “Wise men don’t need advice, fools won’t take it” BF
GT.

Hi Cautus, Excellent comment. Earlier this year (2010) Which? Magazine published the results of a massive project they undertook monitoring over 12000 online prices over a seven month period on sofas and beds from just eight major retailers. They found that many of these prices were offered at the sale price for far longer than the non sale prices.

Let’s not forget it was back in 2005 that the Code of Practice for traders on price indications was updated with the expectations that sale prices and discounts would be more ‘controlled’. However, as my BFB example above showing a whole twelve month sale on one particular item is so unbelievably flagrant of the ethics of the code it makes you wonder just exactly what can be done short of legislation to ensure a Sale price is a ‘genuine’ sale price. John.