Shopping Math

[Anonymous]

Solve this internal debate

I spend $280 on 3 items. Incentive is I get $100 coupon toward future purchases. It will get used, no doubt.

Is this like getting 3 items for $180??

Or…

Alternately spending a little above or below $280 and getting more or less the same items. No $100.


**Does the $100 be like free money? Or is it a game where actually im spending more/getting more? As in, the $100 doesn’t count since I might spend more to get it, and I’m using it for more merchandise later?

[Anonymous]

Op here. I find myself double counting these kinds of deals. I know that’s why stores do it!

I feel like I spend $180, not $280 even though I am spending $280.

Then when I go use it, I feel like I got $100 of free items.

[Anonymous]

I don't think of it as getting the three items for $180. I got three items for $280. At some point in the future, I'll get $100 worth of stuff for free - so in the end I'll get $380 worth of stuff for $280. But I don't have the extra $100 to put in my bank account now, it's just a credit for more stuff, so it's not really $100 off the price of the current items.

It can still be smart to spend a few dollars more, if you have say $260 worth of merchandise ready to ring up, and adding an extra $20 will get you the credit for future purchases.

[Anonymous]

No. Really the store is doing this because they are betting you will forget about the coupon. All itndoes is lower the cost of more items by $100. You have already spent $280 on 3 items. You will later spend an additional sum, minus $100, on another amount of items. Let's say the next trip is $200 for 2 items. Minus $100 coupon is $100. Add that to the $280 you already spent and you've paid $380 for 5 items.

[Anonymous]

I'd only see $100 as money if I used it to buy things I needed anyway like milk and paid whatever the lowest price is.
What is the real price of the 3 things? Or maybe you don't even need them.
You see $100 and that the 3 things are definitely worth $280. I see money, time, and investment opportunity lost.
List the items you bought, including items bought with the $100, and let's figure out how much you overpaid.

[Anonymous]

They want you to come back and are hoping you spend more than the $100. Bloomingdale’s and Old Navy always has those coupons for next time and they always expire on me.

[Anonymous]

I would remove the $100 from the equation. You got three items for $280.

Separately, make sure you use that $100 coupon for something that you actually want/need.