Archives for April 12th, 2007

Some Rutar price tags are full of conflicting information.

Here’s a tip for Austrian retailer Rutar: Invest in some permanent markers. You know the black ones? The ones you can use to cover up the original price of something you’ve marked up? Those.

We bought a mosquito net there yesterday (don’t ask) and the price tag on the outside said €16.99. According to the tag (see above) it had been marked down from €19.99, meaning a 15% discount. Fine and dandy. But as soon as we got home and opened it we discovered the original price tag packed inside and lo it was €12. In other words: it was actually a 30% mark-up disguised as a discount.

I’m not saying I’m shocked or anything. I just expect companies to at least keep up appearances. I mean come on. I feel stupid enough buying something crazy like a mosquito net — don’t make me feel even dumber by letting me discover just how much I’ve just been fleeced.

Like I said: A simple black marker would be enough to redact the €12 and make it the perfect crime. Brazenly letting me see it — I don’t know. It’s like Jack the Ripper sending his victim’s kidneys to Scotland Yard. It’s just pointless taunting.