To think that 'Up to 75% off' should mean some sort of reduction?

[Tulip26]

Just been in WH Smiths doing some late night shopping. They have a massive display saying "Up to 75% off on books." Only one of the books out of about 20 actually had 75% off, the rest had just a few £££ off or no discount at all. Isn't this blatant false advertising?

Bloody annoyed as by the time I finished talking to the staff and, all the other stores were closing so I didn't get to finish my shopping. I am in failing health and I now have to fight the crowds between now and Christmas day just to get a few last bits. ARGH!

It was 'up to 75%' so I don't think it's false advertising.

I read an article about this a couple of years ago.

According to that "UP TO 75% OFF" should have the information on the poster as the same size as the offer so for example " ........ SELECTED BOOKS, STICKERED STOCK ONLY" but there are never prosecutions. Technically it is correct because as long as they have been sold at full price previously and are now discounted then yes "Up to" is ok. But morally? No, it stinks.

If the info in the article is true then I dont see why there are not prosecutions as it is not on at all.

the 75% bit is always in massive writing and the 'up to' is tiny, that's the problem........then somewhere it will say "on selected lines only"

they aren't doing anything wrong though, and they're hardly going to use the tagline "most of our stuff is still full price"

I did a large proportion of my shopping in WHS this week. £130 of books for £50. So Im not sure whether you arent understanding the deals or just not selecting the correct book combinations

They had the biggest poster in the shop above the Nelson Mandela books, and a shelf-talker (the strip that goes on the edge of the shelf) that said exactly that: Up to 75% off. Yet not one penny off the books. Clearly cashing in on his death - disgusting.

I took a photo, I plan on emailing it to their customer services. I may be a sad bugger but I'm also a shop manager and we get bollocked for this sort of thing.

I wouldnt email it to them, I would tweet it!

Ooh good idea. They aren't even on Facebook though.

UABU for going to WHSmith

I think if there's a shelf or area etc which has a sale sign, or discount sign, then 90% of that area need to apply to that sale or discount. So yes, I think yanbu.

The law when planning markdowns in the UK is that if you have a specific markdown message e.g. 75% off in your POP or window display then 10% of the total units in the business or store should be at that discount.

This could be one title, but a whole lot of units of that title. It doesn't have to be 10% of the different types of books. Typically you put worse sellers in markdown and there tends to be a lot of volume of them.

They'd be foolish to be stingy with their title list in this advertised markdown bracket though. I always try to double mine to 20% of the markdown message.

If I was to sign off less than 10% of the units and someone complained then my neck would be on the line.

If it was a new promotion I.e this weekend then that would be especially disappointing.

I imagine trying to keep up with Amazon prices in a bricks and mortar environment must be bloody tough in them.

For them, not in them.

Oops, I got it the wrong way round then!!