Written by I went out shopping with my mother-in-law today, not for anything particular, but rather to stave boredom. I know, that’s a pretty basic no-no in personal finance, but I often go out “wander shopping” without actually buying anything more than a large drink. I felt pretty safe about braving the post-holiday crowds with my account balance intact.
I was correct, as even if the splurge bug had bit me, my miniscule amount of patience for crowds and long lines would have vetoed any spur-of-the-moment impulse buys. Scenes like today’s give me pause (only a little) when thinking about the fragile economy we’re constantly hearing about.
We did visit one store that I’ve never had any use for, but my mother-in-law really likes. Several people I work with spend a lot at this particular retail chain, too, and I’ve had a hard time figuring out why. From the physical layout of the stores, to the haphazard piles of clothes that appear to be straightened out once per day to the woeful lack of sufficient checkout clerks, I just don’t see the attraction.
This particular chain uses a lot of coupons, store “cash”, and constant sales to drive the crowds in, and this is usually the reasoning I get from people who like shopping there. “The sales are great, they have great bargains, etc”.
Having rarely shopped there I took today’s visit as an opportunity to prove I’m right (even if only to myself) because hey, it’s the holidays and I deserve it.
It didn’t take long. I spied a “70% off” rack in the boys’ department and decided to check out the pajamas for my rugrats. On the end of the rack I spied a garrish green set of cotton pj’s adorned with a beloved Disney character, size 5. So how much was this pair of pj’s that was slashed for quick sale?
$10.50, the original price tag was $35.00!
For posterity and comparison, a similar piece of clothing at Walmart or Target will sell at full regular price for around $14.99.
I brought my evidence to my mother-in-law and decried the chain for their blatant price gouging and deceptive markdowns. She was unphased, having long ago decided that this retail chain was her kind of shopping destination and had good deals.
Somewhat dejected, I flung the jammies onto the nearby rack of women’s housecoats (when in Rome) and tried to reconcile the insanity in my mind. I know there’s a way to draw a comparison to the “Emporer’s New Clothes” story, but I’m not the one to make it.
If you feel I’m way off base and were looking for a holiday themed set of Lightning McQueen pj’s then I apologize for misplacing them. Shoot me an e-mail and I’ll try to approximate where they are in the store.
