AIBU - argos scam?

[MytwinisMilaKunis]

I need to replace a sofa in a rental property I own. I find one on Argos - price €349 (not reduced). I call this morning to order it. The price has more then doubled to €749. The U.K. price is still £249.

I call to enquire and I am told that the price can go up or down at anytime. AIBU in thinking that they have artificially increased it in S.Ireland so that they can slash it in a few weeks time and offer it at it's true value (£249/€349) under the guise of a promotion and by that rationale all of their promotions are probably false?

You are probably right!

Cynical, but that is what can happen.

Thats not a scam. Thats how business works. Legally is has to be on sale for the higher price for 28 days preceding the lower pricing.
You're a bit naive if you've never noticed this before.

A scam would suggest it's illegal. Which it isn't. It's common practice in most shops. Inflate prices so the can 'slash' them later. Supermarkets do this and you can spot something going on offer because it will all of a sudden be quite expensive.

The UK price is irrelevant, tbh. Different countries often to pay different prices, from the same companies.

It's not really a scam. Argos are actually pretty transparent about their offers, on the website it usually tells you what other prices it's been sold at recently (even when they're lower than the current price).

I am not naive. The true value is the price that has been listed. I can understand some fluctuations. Artificially doubling it and offering it as a bargain in a few weeks while legal is not ethical.

The true value is the price that has been listed.

The true value is however much someone is willing to pay for it. If people are swayed by the idea that it's on offer and think they are getting a bargain, then they are still only paying the price that they are prepared to on a new sofa.

That isn't the true value at all, don't be silly. If this is your first time to notice and you think its a scam, you are indeed naive. Haven't you ever bought anything before?

This isn't a scam, a scam is illegal this is not, as has been happening in business forever.

It might not be ethical, but that doesn't make it a scam! All shops do it. It's business.