Report: New Jersey Retailers’ “Fake Sales” Fool Us Into Paying More

You may find this hard to believe but many retailers in New Jersey aren't being totally honest when it comes to holiday sales and sale prices. I'm sure that I've probably paid more than I should have when purchasing certain items because they're "on-sale" or I'm told the item is the "best deal of the year" or "lowest price of the season."

At least that's what Consumers' Checkbook researchers who claim "unbiased reviews and undercover price research on local services" discovered while conducting a study about local sales.

They "discovered that most stores’ sale prices even those that advertise big savings are bogus discounts, with retailers offering the same “sale price” more than half the time. Often, these fake sales never end." They tracked prices for thirty-three weeks across twenty-five major retailers and twenty-one of the twenty-five major retailers they looked at are having these misleading sales.

Consumers' Checkbook found that only three of the twenty-five retailers they tracked were found to be legitimate: Apple, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Costco. Retailers found to be "usually misleading" include Amazon, Gap, Dick's, Nordstrom, and Old navy. Retailers found to be "often misleading" include Best Buy, Home Depot, JC Penney, Lowe's, and Walmart. Find the full list here.

No matter what a retailer says in regards to a discount or if they say it’s the best price of the year you still have to shop around to make sure what you’re paying is a good price. Another way to check if you’re getting the best price you can get use resources like PriceGrabber and ShopSavvy to compare prices. And don’t be afraid to ask a retailer for a price match if you find a lower price somewhere else. For even more ways to save, surf the web for online coupon codes for extra discounts or even free shipping.

Remember, never assume you're getting the best price simply because a retailer says so, or an item is "90% off!"