Beware of fake bargains. The consumer association UFC-Que choisir has filed a complaint against 8 e-commerce sites, including Amazon, Zalando and Cdiscount for "misleading commercial practices". According to the association, these sites choose "freely a reference price with which to compare their product, so as to present their offer as a deal not to be missed", such as "recommended retail price", "old price", "average price on the marketplace", "average price on competing sites", "price informed by the seller".
However, the European Omnibus Regulation requires the display of a price reduction on the basis of the lowest rate charged by the seller during the previous month. To avoid being fooled, Raphaël Bartlomé, head of the legal department of the UFC-Que choisir association gives you three pieces of advice.
Look at the price and not the promotion
"You shouldn't be sensitive to the percentage and the crossed out price. These are hook biases," he explains. Only element to take into account: the price. "Realize that real promotion, that is to say based on a really applied price, is a rare pearl," he says. And to specify that it is forbidden for businesses to sell at a loss, so a huge discount could signal a wolf. So be very vigilant when you see them.
Compare prices
After paying attention only to the price, go to other sites that sell the same type of products to compare the labels. Sites even exist to do it for you. "During our analysis, we found that some sites are really reglo. It is therefore necessary to delay the bet in the basket and first compare, because you will sometimes find the same item cheaper without promotion elsewhere, "advises Raphaël Bartlomé. It may be worth taking this time.
Read asterisks
When referring to the additional mentions on the product, you will sometimes see "-80% compared to the recommended price in 2019". This should be a red flag for you. Four years ago, the property could be much more expensive - because it had just come out of the factory - than it would be worth today. The reduction is then deceptive. "Consumers should not have to scrutinize the ads, that's why the UFC-Que choisir files a complaint," exasperated Raphaël Bartlomé of the association.