Watch out for the never ending sale

In 1978 the labour government under Prime Minister James Callaghan introduced the Sale Of Goods Act that, inter alia, attempted to put a regulatory framework around what you could and could not say about ‘Sale Discounts’. I believe that the rules still say that in order to claim that a price has been reduced you must have offered the same, or an identical item at a higher price for at least 28 days before.

Because the legislation was new and the trading standards officers were keen enforce it, furniture retailers very quickly devised ways of complying with the letter,  if not the spirit of the law. This was particularly easy for multiple retailers such as Times Furnishing and Courts who could simply offer a chest of drawers in their Brighton branch, a wardrobe in Kingston upon Thames and a dressing table in Finchley at a heavily inflated price for the statutory period and the, 28 days later retail them, individually or as a bedroom suite, across all branches at a 50% discount.

Because the markets have changed, it is now very difficult for trading standards officers to apply sanctions.  As I write, Sharps, the UK’s largest supplier of fitted wardobes and bedroom furniture has just started its umpteenth 50% off Summer Sale, replacing the half-price Spring Sale. I think that these lies damage the image of fitted furniture and other home improvement industries.

So, the first thing to establish before ordering a fitted bedroom or a home study from anybody is ‘are they telling you the truth’? Why would you trust anybody who tells you that their furniture is ‘half price’ when it is perfectly obvious that these are there normal prices and that nobody, ever, pays the ‘full price’?

Good, I’m glad I got that off my chest.  More advice on buying home improvements next week.