Walmart.com doesn’t just sell phantom coolers. They also have awesome deals like this priced-to-move TV stand. We guess when you already have low low prices, there’s not much room for extra discounts. (Thanks to Adam!)
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I am just curious about the content of the site, should I email it? This is one of my favorite sites but I miss when all the articles actually had to do about consumerism….
What! A! Deal!!!
@ffmariners: the site’s fine, it just have a lot of variety
The last digit in the price is a code. That is why the price only changed one cent.
@ffmariners: This has everything to do with consumerism. A lot of people assume that because something is on “sale” or “clearance”, they’re getting a great deal (my fiance is one of them). Posts like this are not only funny, but also pointing out the kind of crap that businesses like to pull in order to push product.
Nice design rip off by Walmart. here is the original [www.jesperoffice.com]
There is nothing like companies stealing designs only to have them made in China.
Enjoy the fumes and emissions from whatever stain & laquer.
@mgy: Then I have too much faith in humanity. If you are senseless enough to see the words “clearance” and not notice it is one cent lower… honestly… it is your own fault.
And most likely… this was an automatic adjustment. Many pricing changes are not done by people sitting there meticulusly changing the numbers. Many pricing changes are done by computer models that analyze competitors prices, market trends, past sales data and forecasted sales data, warehouse inventory, cost of holding inventory, etc… In this case perhaps it lowered the cost one cent but in another case it might lower a product $8.
ALSO many stores have a procedure for clearance items that they must first drop down to he nearest cent that ends with a 7, and then blah blah blah and so on.
I find posts like this detracting from the seriousness of how people truly get screwed by corporations. For “joke” posts like this (and the last one), perhaps another tab would be beneficial so people can choose to see humorous news stories and then news stories that actually are anti-consumer. Because as of now, the more serious stories are pushed off the page as these get posted.
Eh, the software on the website probably assumes any price fluctuation down counts as a sale, and posts it that way. The programmers/UI designers know most customers are smart enough to see that it’s a small change, but they figure that it’s cheap as free to do, and they’ll probably peak someone’s interest just because it says sale.
As for price changes of a cent on something in the $100 range, I don’t really get it. But then again, that’s why I’m not an accountant for a 40 billion dollar company.
Corporations are private tyrannies, and consumerist needs to point out more than a sale of 1 penny.
@TVarmy: Kind of related, my manager was relaying his goals to me today… one of them is to cut the cost of breakage per case from .5 cents/case to .2 cents/case….
cents matter
Here’s the real thing that stands out: the stand looks like a piece of pressboard crap. I wouldn’t pay $25 for it.
@ffmariners: They don’t always list the previous price on clearance or sale items. Even if they do, they usually put a bright yellow or pink sticker, so you have to peel it off, which, honestly, most people do not do.
As for the joke stories pushing more serious threads off the front page, I’m just happy there’s new content. Plus, I enjoy it. I don’t think we’ll see eye to eye on it, but I definitely see your point.
I have to echo some of the other posters here. I miss the days when this site was about anti-consumer practices. Funny websites and pricing goofs I can get off Digg or Buzz. And I have seen this type of post on more than one topic of late by an ever expanding group of readers, yet apparently these thoughts fall on deaf ears. Kinda makes me wonder if the staff even read the message boards. Or if a subsequent drop off in visitors will be required to alert the gang that we have definitely drifted off course at this site.
Who is browsing walmart.com looking for all this?
@Alex Chalupka: “Adam” AKA the OP. Let’s blame him, nobody around here ever does THAT!
I don’t know about you but I’m putting my $0.01 savings on this stand towards 30 fun-filled seconds riding the penny pony! Giddy up!
@mgy: I’ll look out for that, but on websites it seems like its always done, and in the store usually it has a “was” price (at least as far as I can tell).
And we can see eye to eye… trust me, I have a sense of humour :p But as another poster said… thats why I go to Digg or Fark or Fox News. If they want to expand their base, its as easy as making another tab for less serious stories, and having the main page back to its gloriousness.
I hope this isnt due to some sort of story quota :/
@naptownman: If they were a penny, I would still go for a ride for the sheer amusement of the looks I would get. But $1!?!?
Maybe clearance means “we have too many” or “they are made anymore” and the system will only let something be on clearance if it has a price drop. So instead of blaming the poor programmers, maybe it is some manager gaming the system!
They could probably actually raise the price and slap a “For Sale” sign on it and a lot of people still wouldn’t notice.
@mgy: I feel for ya man (re: fiance). My wife buys tons of things “because they were on sale and we saved so much money!”. The “if you didn’t buy anything we would have saved more!” counter hasn’t worked yet.
If anybody is looking in to buying this, be aware that the picture is showing you two of the units. They’re actually “L” shaped, so two of them can be put together to form one rectangular unit.
How quaint…
Often times (I know this was the case when I worked at radio shack) prices that end in digit A are normal stock (it was 9 at RadioShack, probably 8 at wally world). Prices that end in digit B are clearance (or some other special, digit B was 8 at RS and probably is 7 at walmart).
In other words, this entertainment center has just been designated a clearance item, so it will go through scheduled price reductions until it is gone. Often times, though, just marking an item as “clearance” is enough for people to think they’re getting a deal, no reason to stop them from buying it for a penny less.
@ffmariners:
Well said.
It is computer generated garbage.
Like that prior post. The unit WAS sold online. It might be sold online again. They might find some more of the units in a wareshouse somewhere. In the mean time the words are good to spam a search engine. So Wally leaves the item up on the website. Big whooop. No worse than most other websites that leave an item up for a few extra days (yes, slimebag camera store, I am referring to you) to attract clicks are sell other products.
Wal-Mart recently opened a new division for sofas, Sofa King.
And how low are their prices? Sofa King Low!
@APowerCosmic: Here’s your answer …
[www.sitemeter.com]
At 30 posts a day, they can’t all be groundbreaking exposés. A little levity now and then never hurt anybody.
@The Cooler: I’m not asking for exposes, nor is many of the others who have been saying this long before I did. I’m asking for topics that are on topic with the point of the website.
But I see your point as well. It just seems to be more levity of late than the articles people likely expect here. Of course, that could just be me.
Looks like they are trying to put pinching back into the penny.
Man, I am so pissed. I paid $99.89 for this just a few days ago! After finishing up my shift at the Verizon call center this afternoon, I am going to drive 40 miles to my WalMart* and demand my $0.02 back…or would that be 0.02 cents, I can never remember
@ffmariners: Then perhaps you should be congratulating Wal-mart for posting the original price at all, since most companies don’t and we’re left in the dark as to the validity of their “clearance” claim.
@ffmariners: Well if you feel so strongly, why not submit your application, maybe they need an intern.
/sarcasm
I looked at the same thing at my local wal mart… geez, next time I’m bringing my camera to send these kind of stories in.
And, besides… you want a great deal on cheap furniture, talk to the person in charge of the furniture dept. In these last couple months, I’ve bought 4 kitchen stools, 2 dressers, and a desk for less than $60 due to PROPER clearances. And half the time, they have assembled furniture in the back that they’ll never sell. It pays to be nice to the furniture man/lady
(For all those wondering why I’m buying some cheap ass furniture… I got 3 kids. They’ll destroy it, no matter how much it costs.)
@ffmariners: Why won’t you and your fancy brain just let us have our lols?
Why!
LOLKILLER!
now it’s out of stock
@WiglyWorm: Wal-Mart clearance items end in a 0. This ends up causing clearance video games to cost more than greatest hits games because they usually get marked down to $20.00 instead of $19.82.