Loving the Discounts

Have you started to notice the continued drop in prices and multiply in discounts being offered in retail? An online article in the Direct Marketing News called Hooked on Discounts by Mercedes Cardona brings the recent shopping behavior of many Americans to our attention. According to Sherif Mityas, a partner of retail consulting firm A.T. Kearney says that there is an arising battle of online retailers that is driving competitive promotions and bargaining hustle causing all retailers to be stepping up to the cheaper plate.

It all started with the day after Thanksgiving in 2010, the Black Friday in the midst of a dwindling recession, when shoppers started to check their iPads and Smartphones in search of the best deals around. In this now internet friendly world, it is becoming easier and easier for people to find the best deals on almost anything they desire. On top of regular mail, newspapers and billboards, deals are being sent by e-mail and popping up in ads on websites. The deals were not too shabby either, Amazon announced that the Kindle Wi-Fi 3G sold for $89 instead of the original $189, Best Buy sold Samsung HD200 Camcorders for  $249 instead of $349 and Target sold electric ping pong tables for $89 which usually sell for $175.

Is this going to be the consistent mindset of all customers now? It is evident that during this recession both merchants and customers have become used to this constant search for the big deal. Searching through coupons and looking up sales has become much easier with advancing technology. It is allowing us to have everything right at our fingertips in a moment’s notice, giving an opportunity to save that did not exist in past years. Will this want to save become an expected need in the months and years to come?

Hooked on Discounts article

2010 Black Friday Ads. (Last updated 2010) Walmart Online.
http://www.2010blackfridayads.com/#p

Cardona, M. (2011, February 1). Hooked on discounts. Direct Marketing News.
Retrieved from http://www.dmnews.com/hooked-on-discounts/article/194772/.