The weekly grocery store flyer seems like a simple guide to the best savings. However, it is a carefully designed piece of marketing. Retailers use a variety of psychological tricks to hide their best deals. They also try to push you toward their more profitable items. To find the real bargains, you have to learn to read the flyer like an expert. You must look past the flashy graphics and focus on these nine key details.
1. The “Loss Leader” on the Front Page
The best and most genuine deals are almost always on the front page of the flyer. These are the “loss leaders.” They are products that the store is selling at a very low price, sometimes even at a loss. The store is using these deals to get you in the door. These are the items you should always stock up on.
2. A “Limit 2” Signal
You should always look for a “limit” on a sale item. A limit of “1 or 2 per customer” is a very strong signal. It means that the deal is so good that the store is actually losing money on it. This is a true, rock-bottom price. A sale with no limit is usually just a standard, less impressive promotion.
3. The “BOGO” vs. “BOGO 50% Off” Trap
You must read the “BOGO” (Buy One, Get One) offers very carefully. A true “BOGO Free” deal is a 50% savings on each item. A “BOGO 50% Off” deal, however, is not the same thing. It is a much less valuable deal that is mathematically the same as getting a 25% discount. The flyer’s large “BOGO” lettering is designed to trick you into thinking the deal is better than it is.
4. The “Must Buy X” Wording
You have to pay close attention to the wording of a “10 for $10” sale. In most stores, this just means that each item is $1.00, and you can buy just one. However, some stores will include the fine print “Must Buy 10.” This forces you to buy a huge quantity of the item to get the sale price. It is a way to get you to spend more.
5. The “Digital Coupon Only” Price
A flyer will often advertise a very low price that seems too good to be true. A closer look will reveal that this price is only available “with a digital coupon.” This means you must download the store’s app to create an account and then “clip” the coupon digitally. The store is using the best deal to get you to sign up for their data-tracking loyalty program.
6. The “When You Buy X” Requirement
This is a very common trick with soda and snack multi-packs. The flyer will show a low price, like “$4.99.” The fine print next to it will say, “When You Buy 3 or More.” This means the deal is not as good as it looks. It requires you to make a much larger purchase to unlock the sale price.
7. The Mail-In Rebate
The mail-in rebate is a classic trick. The flyer will advertise a very low “final price” for an item. This price, however, is only valid after you have paid the full price at the register. You must then fill out a form, cut out the UPC, and mail it in. The store is betting that most people will never actually complete this complicated process.
8. The “Pictured Item Not Included” Disclaimer
A flyer will often use a beautiful, aspirational photo to sell a product. The ad for a jar of pasta sauce might show it on a plate of pasta with a garnish of fresh basil. The fine print will always say, “Serving suggestion.” The store is using a beautiful image to sell you a very basic product. You must always read the text of the ad, not the picture.
9. The “Compare At” Price
The flyer will often show a “Compare At” price next to its sale price. This is to create the illusion of a deep discount. However, that “Compare At” price can be an inflated or an outdated number. The deal you are getting is often not as good as the comparison would make it seem.
Reading Between the Lines
The weekly flyer is a game of hide-and-seek. The store is hiding its best, most genuine deals. It is also trying to trick you with a variety of illusions. By learning to read between the lines, you can spot the real bargains. You can learn to ignore the marketing hype. A smart shopper knows that the real deal is always in the details.
What is your best tip for finding the real deals in a weekly flyer? Have you ever been fooled by one of these advertising tricks? Let us know!
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