I wish they would stop.....

Our family have done a deal this year. We are just giving each other something small to open on Christmas Day, then we are all going shopping the day after Boxing Day to the January sales in town and buying each other more gifts than perhaps we could have afforded prior to Christmas.

I started Christmas early and because I cant get out much done a lot on line the last few days I have been getting money off codes by email so looked things up and reliesed I could save a lot so thought I would go and what a lot I saved so next year I'm gonna set my self a budget to have in bank and wait to see what I can save a good website for codes is matalan you could save lots this might make you laugh I seen some fornite socks that my 2 grandsons would love but didn't have their size to small but i stretched them and thought they will fit but if they dont its not my fault its santas nana told him their size but hes so busy he got it wrong

A friend saw a nice kettle reduced by £10, but they had just sold the last one. She asked in another shop if they would price match and was told that they must stay firm on price so she should snap up the other one, “but they’ve sold out” she replied, “well ours are cheaper when we’ve sold out” said the assistant

I don't bother with emails from stores and delete them without reading. There are so many Id be there all night. I've done all my Christmas shopping, got some bargains in my local stores, only used Amazon once and that was for a gift I could not buy locally. I feel pleased to have supported local jobs. I have begun to find Amazon getting expensive with very few items being eligible for free postage. I bought a few things click and collect, but the store still got the sale.

What I find not just annoying but also creepy, is when I've looked at something online but decided not to buy - only to get an email a little later saying, 'Take another look at what you had your eye on earlier!'
Yes, Joules, I mean you!

Yes, I know it's all purely computer-generated but I still find it creepy and big-brother-ish.

I'm fairly sure that, with M&S, Boots and Debenhams, (probably others) if you have a store card, you have priority and hear about offers a few days before other customers. You may as well get the cards - as you don't have to use them.

Sorry Hooty - they've been dearer than everyone else for years!

Last night I received an email from Waitrose offering substantial discounts off 10 fine wines. I duly put an order in but when I got to online checkout there was not a SINGLE delivery slot left on any day, at any time including delivery sent to store. ??

Bought a Parker early as last year it was soon sold out in my size and colour. This year is on sale already. Cannot return as I've worn it!

Yesterday I bought some chocolate figures in Thornton’s -£8 each, buy 3 for price of 2 - bought 3 so £16. Today I was in the Co-op and saw same things at £4.50 each. Checked prices online when I got home and also found they were indeed £8 in Thornton’s but only £4 each in Morrisons and Asda! I’m spitting mad at being ripped off by Thornton’s and I shall think twice before shopping in there again!

My local Tesco honoured the reduced online price although the in store price was much more.So I bought not one but two sweaters. Got a real bargain.

I get cross about this too! Sadly, I am all too aware that if I wait until the offers come in - the items I want are all sold out!

In respect of items that I want for myself, though - I have tried the system of putting goods in my online "basket" - and have yet to receive any discount offers! I get reminders about unfinished orders and "did you forget something?" but that's all. On the plus side, it does save me money - I simply haven't spent on the item I would have liked!

It is maddening - but I find when the largest retailers advertise sales with fantastic discounts, there are never any items available that I want. M and S did a 50% sale offer some months back and I saw four items of clothing that I would have liked - none of which were in stock. I don't know who manages to buy them so quickly!

Infuriating isn't it. Sometimes though all those extra reduced items are very limited in size/colour. Why not take back with receipt and buy the reduced ones. A lot of folk do that.

Three points:

1 if you buy goods that are sold at reduced or sale prices, it may well not be possible to return them, so if you buy someone a present at a reduced price, you need to either be very certain that they will want the gift or to check in the shop that they will accept it back.

2 the online stores, whether run by businesses that do have an ordinary shop or not, have far lower overheads usually than a store in town. They may well be operating out of a warehouse that doesn't have to look smart, so it makes sense that they call sell wares cheaper than a shop that customers go into.

If they haven't made it clear that an item is cheaper online than in their stores, complain. I believe this is a contravention of the goods' description act

3 It should be possible to notify firms that you no longer want to receive e-mails with offers from them. If their homepage doesn't have a facility for doing so, simply block their e-mails so they are sent directly to your junk (spam) folder.

I like to put items in my basket (online) and then not check out for a few days, this shows the stores what I'm interested in and to ensure you buy them, will send you discounts.
The same happens all the time on ebay, I will ut items in my basket or watch items I like, and 9/10 I will be sent an offer from the seller to buy it. I got a gorgeous fleece duvet cover, brand new, fr half the price just because I had been watching for a week lol x

If you scroll to the bottom of a email you can usually unsubscribe with a tap of a finger that should sort out your problem

What also annoys me is when, the day after I receive my Morrison's shopping, I get an email saying I can have 1000 points if I order in the next few days. Happens every time.

Oh I know travelsafar so annoying this happened to me last year. But I haven’t really learnt my lesson as I’ve done the same this year and bought ahead but I am worried they could sell out

What I find annoying is that you receive emails from certain shops saying "x% off limited offer" fair enough, but I like actually going to a shop and looking at the item I want to check on the quality etc. Do they ever have these discount offers in the store ? Do they heck !
Talk about keeping the High Street alive - not!

Amazon seems to change prices overnight. I'm sure this relates to how many people have looked at the item, and if it seems to be of interest to lots of people then they put the price up.

I bought some tops last week in Debenhams, they were reduced for Black Friday.

On Friday I looked on the website and they were reduced even more so I bought them again and I shall be taking them back to get a refund at the original price.

If I've got the receipt and bought the item in a shop or on line when I can return at no cost I take it back and re-purchase. Otherwise I delete the emails without reading them .

So glad it is not just me being bah humbug about prices!!!

When buying a ridiculously priced party dress for daughter for New Year's Eve, the assistant whispered 'This will be half-price tomorrow', and she then put it on one side for us!