Why “Buy one, get one free” isn’t a great deal

[@samthegreatman]

Buy a product that's 10 dollars and 2 dollar shipping, Nah Buy a product that's 12 dollars and with free shipping. Hell yes

[@TB-if7px]

*11,99

[@samthegreatman]

You right!

[@AryanKumar-no5jf]

A product that costs more is usually better.

[@samthegreatman]

Aryan Kumar do you not get the joke?

[@bruhletiusmomentus2785]

Yes, because in the second case you stand a chance at a full $12 refund in case you wanna refund said item, instead of just $10.

[@dragondaniel0574]

One time I was out buying shoes and some random guy wanted to buy a same priced shoe, and they had a BOGO deal, so we just bought together and paid half price.

[@jazybomber]

Big Brain right here

[@yitzakIr]

Capitalism: No! This isn't how you're supposed to play the game

[@rev6215]

Men band together and defeat capitalism

[@odddellarobbia4]

outsmarted

[@comradefromsoutheast4570]

That's too smart 😂😂

[@ashleyuwu.]

my local Starbucks has a buy one cookie get one free deal and you can tell me all you want but in that moment I enjoyed two cookies for the price of one

[@DonOmarRamiro]

Did you pay regular-non inflated price for the one you did pay for?

[@SpaceCattttt]

The sad part is that you bought ONE cookie for probably the same price as a whole pack at the store...

[@AugustZephyr]

I find that it is sometimes better to just live in the moment and enjoy what you have (even if you pay more for it that way).

[@Katzelle3]

@@DonOmarRamiro What if the regular price is inflated as well?

[@Woodshadow]

teppolundgren why is this sad? This is how restaurants work. Say i want a cookie today but not the rest of the month. That box I bought is now stale. Also what if I want a cookie right now but I don’t have any? What am I going to do drive to the store and buy a box to enjoy with my now cold coffee? How much time did I waste driving to the store? Restaurant industry is a luxury. It may be a cheaper luxury in life where coffee is only a few dollars compared to a million dollar home but it is a luxury not a necessity

[@takurotsuchiya4313]

Store: Can i help you sir? Me: No im calculating

[@tok33n14]

6 months later: Employee: Sir just please have the burger for free and let me go home man.

[@catinrat6640]

years later: please sir i want to go home its been so many years please, im very tried i been sleeping while standing

[@tantecosenelmondo2350]

​@@catinrat6640 decades later: sir let me go home so i can get my pension

[@LetsBakeNow]

@@tantecosenelmondo2350 Even more decades: Sir please, i need to retire...

[@muhaddesachowdhury1001]

Ramba Olido even more later : sir please I need to go to my funeral. My family is waiting for me.

[@PeterdaPanda]

TL:DW - BOGO is only good if you were actually planning to buy the second item even without the deal. If you only needed the first one, then you're actually wasting money on the second item which you didn't need.

[@fractalisomega9517]

We have refrigerators....

[@elizabethhachet4667]

Ty

[@johnmoore1495]

See but even that’s misleading. Like say I was going to buy socks, if there’s a buy one get one then I might as well do it even if I wasn’t planning on it, it’s free I’m not spending extra money but I’m getting something extra. I think the video fails at describing that. A BOGO is only bad if you only need one and you have another coupon option for that item. For example say you want a large fry from McDonald’s. You have a coupon for a large fry for $1 or a coupon for BOGO large fry at normal price ($2.79). Most people are going to go for the BOGO because they think it’s a better deal even though they don’t want/need a 2nd fry. So now you spent $2.79 for something you didn’t initially want, when you could’ve just spent a $1 on the thing you wanted and saved $1.79. So now McDonald’s just got you to spend almost triple what you were initially going to pay for just double the product they gave you. Now you got diabetes and even you’re even more broke.

[@Honeneko.]

@@johnmoore1495 But you see, I was going to buy that second set of fries anyways. And those socks? I could go 1 more day without having to throw them in the wash. The item on BOGO would have to be an item you only have or need 1 of. More expensive BOGO or similar deals can also give you a return at a later date. You could also scam out some cash through a sale. My friend would pick up for friends at a local shop where would get a discount. He'd ask them to pitch in without telling them about the discount. He'd use it to buy some extra for himself. He was also scamming the shop though. They had a reward program and never collected his stamp card. So he used it to get whatever they gave out every time he made a trip. If your thinking of buying something you don't need, maybe think about if someone else needs it. Good or bad intentions, the choice is yours.

[@johnmoore1495]

Honeneko you’re missing my point on the food. If you were going to buy a second fry anyways then it makes sense to use the BOGO but if you only wanted 1 fry then you’re losing money by using the BOGO instead of the $1 coupon. That’s all explained in the original comment. A BOGO is only bad if you have another coupon option *AND* you only want one item. If you don’t have another coupon option then sure you might as well get the free item. All of this is stated in the original comment. Diving into the “scamming” is a whole other bag of worms that the video didn’t touch. Which if you understand the scamming then you understand how BOGOs are usually scams to get you to pay full price/something more expensive, which paying full price for twice as much can be better if you can find a use.

[@leocossham]

1:05 it really frustrates me that you call $35.99 "35 dollars". Are you serious? That's clearly $36 like you couldn't round less well if you tried.

[@TheJrbdog]

They could've rounded to 30

[@short4144]

Dis dude mad bout a dollar 😂😂😂😂🤦‍♀️

[@johnmoore1495]

I would’ve rounded it to $20 since I only use $20 bills and $35.99 is closer to $20 than it is $40.

[@idkwtvr4844]

@John Moore ummm I’m pretty sure $35.99 is closer to $40 than $20

[@johnmoore1495]

Idk Wtvr it’s a joke you bloke

[@arothmanmusic]

Corrected Title: "If you only need one of something, don't buy two of them." A non-fraudulent BOGO can be a perfectly good deal as long as you intend to use both of the items you purchased.

[@shh11111]

In departmental stores here in india, you get 50% off for a product if you dont take the second product of the bogo deal

[@yvrelna]

@@shh11111 Wait what?

[@rossolini3588]

@@yvrelna if you purchase a ₹60 soda bottle and it has ₹10 soda bottle free, you can opt to pay only ₹50 and not take the free bottle, but it only happens in small stores, the salesperson would usually asks if you want bogo or not

[@invalid_88]

yea true like what if i want 2 hoodies why would i buy one instead of getting 2 for a good price xd

[@KevinContreras2013]

Except that it’s never a good deal. Prices are always inflated during non-peak shopping seasons. Worked in retail for years

[@animeyahallo3887]

Store : buy this right earpod you'll get the left earpod FREE!!

[@thedogsaidmeow5051]

OMG which store is that? I must go

[@Rowayyah]

@@thedogsaidmeow5051 Probably Apple

[@lemonadestandclips3349]

how am i still seeing you in these different genre videos

[@Renzeee30]

@@lemonadestandclips3349 Same

[@gwarchive]

Basically a 50% discount, which is pretty cool

[@jc9140]

Salesman: buy this beautiful 300 hp sports car. Tires included for FREE! Me: omg free tires!

[@Jernofenz]

Noh engines free

[@ichijofestival2576]

Lifetime supply of air. All-you-can-breathe. *Offer only valid in select Earth locations.

[@DeeL3]

I laughed way too hard at this.

[@tenerife_sea]

keys are not included. *keys are sold more $$$ than the car*

[@anannoyingtoaster3888]

@Thomas Borisov Imagine buying a gaming chair for your car

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

When I worked at a gas station, we had a surplus of windshield scrapers. In an attempt to get rid of them we promoted them as 2 for $3. We didn't put them "on sale", that was just how much they cost-- $1.50/ea, or 2 for $3. It is amazing how many people fell for that.

[@lrizzard]

thats hilarious and sad at the same time

[@maildaemon]

@@lrizzard It's manipulative is what it is. I'm not blaming Rowynne for it, it was probably her boss' decision, but it's still wrong. Of course, some people might try to justify it, saying they're "suckers". No, you're lying to people, and using deceptive marketing to exploit the appeal of a (seemingly) good bargain.

[@boahneelassmal]

@@maildaemon If the price per piece is visibly displayed there's no reason why a 2 for 3 label is deceptive. Would you say this was deceptive if the scrapers were already bundled in pairs and then marketed / on display for 3/double unit?

[@Squatzoatz]

@@maildaemon I worked at a grocery store when i was younger and nearly half of the prices displayed were of this deceptive "buy 2 for 3$". Just one of the reasons i decided to finish college.

[@reuniteireland]

Many stores will list the individual price so you can quickly see if it's a savings or not and most grocery stores they show 5 for 5 but they are 1 dollar each honestly to the point where I am confused if it's more than that per item. It creates the illusion of value while still not forcing you to buy extra in order to save per item. A fool and their money are soon parted.

[@ConFall]

Buy one shoe to get another shoe for free

[@DavidRamirez-fi2ev]

Shoe carnival be like

[@Coolsomeone234]

If they advertised like this

[@MsBhps]

ConFall ' purchase 2 Shoe DLC for 15 Dollars - EA

[@Aoderic]

Hah!, I'm too smart for that trick, I only buy one shoe. Who's the fool now shoe seller man.

[@Dimaz42]

Nah.. I like to wear Nike on my left foot, and Adidas on my right..

[@solomontsai8589]

overpricing then decreasing the price is illegal in hong kong. im feeling very grateful right now

[@ichijofestival2576]

It's "the law of the jungle" in the US. Businesses are the predators-- equipped with bait, traps, trickery and overwhelming force-- and the people are the prey. Anyone not smart or wealthy enough to survive, well, that's their own fault. That's why we bail out businesses, and demonize welfare.

[@michael32A]

Not just the US. In 2014, my then supermarket of choice here in the UK quietly upped my preferred breakfast cereal by £0.40, then dropped the price £0.20 2weeks later, naturally plastering stickers on the shelf shouting about it... It sold out straight away, and sold fast for _weeks_ after too. Haven't trusted price-drop stickers or multi-buy offers since.

[@dudewatevs56]

Yeah... thats actually illegal in America too, but no one does anything about it when they see it, because so many people don't realize that America actually has those laws in place. Take, for example, the first reply to this comment from Ichijo Festival. They said this is the law of the jungle, but there are literally laws in place for this exact thing, and if someone sued for that reason, it would be an easy win of a case. But the main problem is that its SO prevalent, that it tricks people into thinking its legal, when its not.

[@スガル]

"Im feeling grateful right now" That didn't age well May you get the freedom you deserved

[@rockefroth4770]

But it's fully legal in here United States

[@aoibhinquinn7310]

I usually only use the "2nd free" or "2nd half price" in places like the supermarket to get things like shampoo, detergent, spices, toothbrushes, stuff I use a lot and that it actually saves me money on

[@r.b.4611]

Yeah but those are products you will inevitably need to resupply no matter what. You might not have needed the second sweater you just thought it was a good deal so spent more money.

[@MysteryMii]

I only use those types of deals if the items that are apart of the deal are physical media (DVD/Blu-rays, video games, and/or music albums on CD/Vinyl) because I actually have a list of movies, shows, games, and albums that I want to buy physically.

[@elsteezus]

@@stnicgglemploy2794 so then you go stealing not shopping

[@zodiacfml]

The video is shocking! I want my 4 minutes back. Seriously, the video is poor. Fashion products are totally ripoff which the writer/producer focused on. Additionally, it assumes that one doesn't like or use the additional product

[@bletwort2920]

Good for you then. Stores near me usually give me a conditioner or a soap free with a shampoo in a BOGO deal. Now the thing is I rarely use conditioner and I don’t need a new one every time I buy a shampoo. The soap is useless too it’s usually from their partner brand which I don’t like. So just like the video said I’m better off buying the one item I need at reduced price instead of buying two and paying full price for the first one.

[@GBart]

Whenever I see a good deal, the VERY FIRST thought in my mind is "why would they want to give this to me?"

[@Alien42x]

.

[@Albanez39]

Because it costs $5 to produce. They could give you 8 for free and still make a profit.

[@ReverseBurst]

lol me too. I am like “ How are they profiting from this “

[@XOrange7X]

They aren’t selling the product without making a profit, even if it is a lower profit margin due to the sale. Unless they’re going out of business, and even then they still might make a very small profit

[@t-squared6406]

a place had a deal that turned out not to be a deal,ok forget it then!!!

[@TheStarBlack]

First time I've discovered Americans call it BOGO! Sounds hilarious!

[@Nobody-cx8kh]

We don’t

[@wasabi42]

^^ lol yeah what they said. we don’t

[@CesarMartinez-wi7wc]

I just call it ads

[@knuti27]

"Bogosort"

[@nancymejia8618]

Yeah we do

[@rea8585]

Let's put it like that: anything marketing is an attempt to rip you off.

[@Munchausenification]

I know you are generalising and thats fine, but as the video also says: Do the math and buy after what you actually need.

[@GarethPW]

@iuvenis animo Even Steam discounts count technically. It's a great deal, but countless purchases made in the sales are never ultimately used by buyers, and the sales (successfully) encourage users to spend money they wouldn't have otherwise. Steam's profit margins would be insane even if everything were permanently half price.

[@wyzemann]

@Quick Fix - Thought Provoking Videos I was taught early in life that whenever you try to get something for nothing or a LOT MORE for a LOT LESS, you're bound to get what's coming to you. Just always be prepared to take full responsibility for all of your part during any business transaction...in a store or otherwise.

[@wyzemann]

@Brianna I surely hope you learned enough about those "scamming or misguiding" tactics so as not to be ensnared by future marketing ploys. All that knowledge would be quite invaluable to you as a consumer.

[@tehRedRunner]

@@GarethPW especially considering that most people who are buying during Steam sales are not likely buying without a sale and considering that the product is digital and has little material cost.

[@WILD__THINGS]

I don't know, this really didn't convince me. You're still getting more product. I take advantage of BOGOs at the grocery store a lot. If there is a certain item I buy all the time, I know the regular price, there is a buy one get one free on it and the one that I pay for is still being sold at the normal price then I just got double the product for the same amount I was going to spend anyway.

[@Surfergirl637]

If the product is consumable, namely groceries, it's more than likely a good deal. However, with clothing and more, if you don't need two sweaters or an extra set of socks, wait until the intended is on sale. You'll be saving more that way if that's your goal. If you have a reason for BOGO (gifts, use often, ect.) then go for it. The video just points out why you're probably spending more than you think.

[@Sir_Budginton]

For food buy one, get one free is good because you will always need food, and always need to buy more of it. (Just as long as you don't buy so much it starts to go rotten before you can eat it). But for other items that you only need one of, it's a bad deal. I have clothes that have lasted me many years, a buy one get one free on those would have been pointless to me since I wouldn't need the second one. In short, if you need to keep buying more of it, like food, buy one get one free is good. If you only need one of it, like a coat or shoes, buy one get one free is bad.

[@katie4623]

As long as they didn't mark up the price first.

[@rfldss89]

that's exactly their point. They aren't saying that BOGOs are inherently bad deals, but if you're going into a store with the intent of buying one shirt, but ending bringing home two because the second one was half price, then you're spending more money than you intended. And keep in mind: there are astronomical profit margins on clothing. An item that costs 50 bucks in the store, often costs less that 20 dollars to manufacture and ship to the store... That's why, if you're going to buy your clothes at a mainstream store, you're better off waiting for a sale, as in 20 or 50% off the price of ONE shirt, not a BOGO deal. But if you're buying groceries, and there's a bogo deal on something that you know you're going to buy in the future, and that won't expire before you consume it (toilet paper, peanut butter, UHT milk, frozen vegetables, etc) then you're better off buying in bulk when there's a BOGO deal, rather than buying it whenever you run out of it.

[@tonvfx]

Because you needed those. Therefore, you are taking advantage of it. However, if you just need one. Getting an extra item will cost you more.

[@cookwithdrbrooke]

The thing at the end is key. If you were already going to buy 2, it’s a good deal. Growing up with a twin sister, my mom bought everything in pairs for us so BOGO deals were actually huge for her.

[@GTSN38]

So say a pair of shoes cost 40, but then next week they have the same shoes, buy 1 pair and get 2nd pair free, only they're 100 now ? Still think you're getting a good deal ? Stores do this all the time, it's better to shop around.

[@Xynic48]

As a former ad graphic designer, I learned so many mind tricks marketers used to make consumers buy their products. Just like in the video, I saw my boss increased the price of a service just so he can put a discount on it so basically the clients were still paying the same amount. As a someone with zero knowledge about marketing strategies at the time, I was mind-blown 😂.

[@reuniteireland]

Shopped at kohl's lately?

[@alextomich]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that those sweaters were allegedly sold for $80?

[@kitchensinkchronicles3272]

right?? i wouldn’t pay more than $30 for them

[@brendanmccabe8373]

Krizzly probably not they just got any sweater

[@Bananappleboy]

Yeah, you would have to sell your liver just to buy 5 of them, but then again, I dont know how much really.

[@ichijofestival2576]

To be fair, the prices you (and most people) are currently paying should bother you far more. But sweat-shop out of sight, out of mind.

[@superharryboy]

I've seen $90 sweaters

[@toyuyn]

Moral: just buy what you need. If what you need (and only what you need) happens have a promotion, go for it.

[@Rissy617]

*Quick Tip!* When food shopping, always look at the unit price on the pricing label on shelf (the orange part) or sale label. Make sure the unit of measurement is the same (oz, mL, etc). Then you can compare costs of items with different packaging and/or deals easily. Quick way to know if it's actually a deal (if you're not particular with brands).

[@helenschneider4289]

Good tip - my mom taught me this too. But I've even seen the unit price calculated wrong once in a while. Worth watching out for!

[@jackaguirre8576]

I compared mini sodas to regular sodas with their unit priced and noticed the price per ml or whatever was higher on the mini cans. Paying more per unit for the same quality soda that happens to be in a smaller quantity? Total scam.

[@candacestevenson8006]

@@jackaguirre8576 Buying smaller portion sizes can be helpful for folks trying to manage their food intake for any number of reasons, including binge eating which I struggle with. It's often not any cheaper, as you noticed, but reaching to grab another 4-pack of Oreos gives me an additional moment of awareness that eating from an open tray of 20+ Oreos doesn't. Sometimes I will happily pay a little bit more for something that helps me avoid unhealthy behaviors.

[@DoctorRobertHand]

Yes, but you have to pay close attention to the unit of measurement, too. I've seen similar products on the same shelf use different units and have vastly different unit prices!

[@mightymight365]

I ALWAYS calculate unit price myself. When there is a "now with 25% more" for the same price, like on detergent, the 25% usually isn't taken into consideration. Minimum wage workers don't care to update a lable that has the same price.

[@DJPrince2032]

Words my dad always told me, and to this day I always think of, "Don't tell me how much money you saved, tell me how much money you spent."

[@trackmaster152002]

Must be in the the How to be a Dad handbook, since mine told me the same thing... Several times.

[@Blade.5786]

@@trackmaster152002 Legend has it that you can inherit this book from your father once you have a child

[@grayisgood]

Save 100% if you stay home and don't go to the sale.

[@theyellowalien23]

Thank you for these words. -fatherless person

[@joeym5243]

"imagine you're buying a $80 sweater" Ha, no.

[@kero20660]

im very sorry for my bad english, but where are you from and how much do clothes cost ?

[@joeym5243]

@@kero20660 Midwestern US, and I don't buy a lot of clothes, but when I do I wouldn't spend more than $25 on a sweater. Also your English was spot on!

[@kero20660]

@@joeym5243 thank you ♥♥♥ i live in egypt, and brands like h&m and zara prices are too high, a coat could cost 1000egp or more, the average salary in a month is about 1500egp to 3000egp , low prices clothes could be found in second hand stores, that comes from the eu,us, i was wondering how there are t-shirts in the video for 2 dollar or so from a brand like h&m, they have a different price range in egypt.

[@Alaryicjude]

I have literally never...

[@landyncarson7334]

my grocery has such obscure deals "buy one get one 25% off, buy two get one 50% off, buy three get one 75% off, or buy four get one free" "buy ten bottle for $1 each or buy individual for $1.18" "if you buy THIRTY notebooks then they'll be 50%off"

[@bhavyajain638]

Well over can buy those 30 notebooks. You'll pay less now and even more less because of inflation. One can always donate the stuff. It's better giving things instead of money.

[@rue6695]

@@bhavyajain638 It's frequently better to give money, as studies have shown that people in a tight spot us the money for what they need to pay for. But yeah notebooks are pretty ubiquitous for families with kids.

[@bhavyajain638]

@@rue6695 yes money is good too. I meant that if a person wants a notebook, why not directly give them that. We bought it for cheaper in bulk, otherwise they'd pay more for the same thing.

[@Tessitura9]

Unless it's a big budget item, anything that's less than 40% off isnt worth my time. I dont even flinch when I see items marked down 10-30%. It's usually not worth it.

[@cinamontoast2555]

@@bhavyajain638 Money is the coupon for all stores, substantial money is better than coupon.

[@Ash-yh5oy]

the math of buying 1 item versus the 2 is silly. I know I'm spending more but I'm also getting more that's how retail works. I'm still not spending as much as I would if I went in and bought both items full price and that's the point.

[@KirstenKinchlea]

that's true, but i think they should have also stressed it's not just about value and money saved. if you walk into a store and you only NEED one sweater and end up buying two..... you have spent less money than you would have if you were going to buy two sweaters originally, but you've still spent more in total than you planned to when you walked into the store.

[@r.b.4611]

Basically you've been tricked into spending more money than you would have otherwise. Sure you got a deal on the second item, but if you didn't do it you'd still have your money!

[@matanlevy2599]

Exactly, in the example they used, I obviously see worth in the second sweater in a bogo 50%. If I can go into a store wanting to buy 1 sweater for $80 because I don't want to spend $160 for 2 sweater, that's because I don't see the second sweater being worth $80 additional to what I paid for the first. That does not necessarily mean I don't think the second sweater is worth ANYTHING. I want the second sweater because two sweaters are better than one. And me getting a sweater that is $80 plus a bogo 50% off sweater means I'm getting both for $120 bringing down the cost of each to $60. If I am set on buying one sweater for $80 it might very well be in my intrest to go for the second one and save on both overall. Thats all assuming I want the second sweater, they make it seem like I'm keeping the first sweater and burning the other. Lol

[@Theshabadaman]

matan levy Why are Vox assuming you wouldn't want 2 sweaters for $120 if you're already willing to pay $80 for 1?

[@GamesRule]

@@KirstenKinchlea Who only NEEDS one sweater? Are you going to wear that one sweater every day? I find most BOGO are incredibly useful people usually NEED more than one pair of shoes, more than one pair of pants, etc. And if they already need a pair of shoes, might as well get one for free.* * But as in all promotions, read the fine print and check your prices elsewhere before buying.

[@Eggerd]

I get what you were trying to say with this video but I don't think you did a very good job of doing so. Two of the example you gave (Burgerking & Visionworks) were companies committing fraud, which in turn makes them bad examples. The sweater example completely ignored the fact that the per item cost of each sweater was less than the cost of one sweater.

[@Sir_Budginton]

But if you only need one sweater, then the second one is useless to you and you're spending more money than needed.

[@Eggerd]

@@Sir_Budginton Which would make it a bad purchase on the part of the buyer, not a bad deal.

[@44ThaNatos44]

@@EggerdIt's a bad deal because the buyer didn't want to take the useless sweater until he was convinced to do so by the deal (which makes it a bad purchase also, yes).

[@Eggerd]

@@44ThaNatos44 I still think calling that a bad deal isn't completely accurate, the video should have been titled "BOGO is a marketing trick to get you to spend more money".

[@44ThaNatos44]

@@Eggerd That makes sense :)

[@ilovesparky13]

Bogo is still a good deal if you planned to get two of something anyways.

[@badmongo0]

3:25 she says literally this. pipe down

[@cindyg.2418]

Frances Synaan chill bruh

[@cloroxbleach3023]

@@cindyg.2418 relax dude

[@moriarteaa4692]

@@cloroxbleach3023 calm down

[@Mr-ub5qh]

@@moriarteaa4692 Chill

[@haileybalmer9722]

It's a little different when you're shopping for groceries. Often, if you come across a BOGO sale at a grocery store, you do end up saving money, but it's product the store is trying to unload quickly. Sometimes this is because of over ordering, and sometimes this is because the product is going to spoil shortly. If you get BOGO goods from your grocery store, check the sell by date and act accordingly.

[@RussellD11]

Not really, check the Walmart price and you will see its 100% over cost with the BOGO, they raise the cost and then do a BOGO on it, when you can buy the same item at Walmart and get just ONE for 1/2 off...

[@GTSN38]

You get ripped off more at a grocery store. They'll raise prices 4 times the normal price. It happened today at jewels grocery.

[@nattcattt]

I learned a lot of this just from working retail for a few years. Most of the time our "sales" were actually a worse deal because when the sale was going on you couldn't use coupons. You were actually better off using the coupon on a regular priced item than shopping during the sale. I also learned to NEVER pay full price at that store, as well as most retailers.

[@Kwekinator117]

Is it just me or is this a really unconvincing video. First of all, you can clearly see at 0:31 that "less than 10% of croissan'wich purchases usng BOGO were affected by this practice". It might be some mistake or something but clearly most people are getting the correct deal which is a good deal. Even if all cases were like that, you're still getting 2 sandwiches for less than 2 times the regular price of sandwiches. Yeah you're spending more, but now you have 2 sandwiches so more utility. 0:26 was super confusing because she says the price of EACH sandwich was $3.19 , but again you can see on the receipt that 3.19 is the total price of 2 sandwiches, meaning each sandwich was actually about $1.60. From 1:02 to 1:25 you talk about amazon using fake regular prices. I agree this is deceptive but its not a buy 1 get 1 free deal. Its manipulative because its a straight up lie. From 2:15 you say customers end up spending more money. Thats not always true. In the croissanwhich case, 90% of BOGO users got 2 sandwiches for the price of 1-ie a free sandwich. But even if customers spend more money... why is that a bad thing? I would buy a 2nd sweater at a discounted price so when I inevitable wear out my old one, i dont have to buy a new one at full price. Buying in bulk saves money in the long run even if you spend slightly more in the short run. Im not going to go through life with a single sweater. bad video

[@robot-he6nq]

Kwekinator117 the price at 0:26 is for ONE sandwich, but it supposedly had come with a free one, with no charge. You may not have a problem with companies exploiting you for money, but most people do.

[@Kwekinator117]

robot 1435 I’m not saying it’s ok for customers to be charged 3.19 for the 2 sandwiches (even though that would still be a good deal). I’m saying that the narrator saying ‘EACH’ sandwich when there are 2 sandwiches involved makes it seem like we just paid 2*3.19 for 2 sandwiches which is false. We actually just received 2 sandwiches for 3.19 making the true price of each sandwich 3.19/2. She should’ve said the TOTAL price was 3.19.

[@biohazardlnfS]

@@Kwekinator117 this is also an exetreme case. Most places the price of the burger out of promo does not change. Like mcdonalds 2 for 6. Most sandwich cost 5.44 in my area thats including tax get 2 for 6 the other sandwhis is basicAlly 40 cents

[@PoochieCollins]

I thought the video explained well that, basically, it's a good deal if you already want both, but if you would've only bought the one otherwise if it was slightly discounted, then probably not.

[@DJRoksor]

@@Kwekinator117 You seem to be missing the point here. You're focusing on the specific case of the croissant, while the video isn't about that. It's only in the video to make a point. The point is, if you're getting a 2 for 1 deal you never know if they inflated the original price of the item or not. It is for that same reason that they show the inflated regular prices on amazon; if amazon inflates their regular prices so they can give discounts what's to say that the price of 2 for 1 deals isn't inflated as well to take this "discount" into account. "Buying in bulk saves money in the long run even if you spend slightly more in the short run. Im not going to go through life with a single sweater. " => Why don't you go buy all the clothes you need in a lifetime right now then. Because of inflation they're cheaper now compared to over 10 or 20 years. It's the deal of a lifetime! Finally the narrator says each croissant costs €3.19 since you're getting one for free, so the price of 1 croissant is supposedly the same price as 2 croissants which is €3.19, therefore they sell croissants for €3.19 each. You say the croissants are €1.60 each, but that's not true. That would mean you got 50% discount which is not true. This is another the point the video makes; it might seem like you got 50% discount but a 2 for 1 deal is different from 50% discount since you're better of with a 50% discount.

[@squipy184]

I really hope that this is not news to anyone........

[@fanimations.3609]

Squipy i t ' s n e w s t o m e

[@omshree2448]

@@fanimations.3609 🖖

[@Hanyamanusiabiasa]

"Buy a cheeseburger with a price doubled to get another cheeseburger for free!"

[@thequeertelope7941]

you got it right

[@nightfuryondiscord]

"if it looks too good to be true, it's too good to be true" That statement got me on the floor

[@doodbro931]

I would like to mention the fact that every Kohl’s store that I have ever been into, since I was a child, had almost every single item on “sale” according to those little electronic screens attached to every clothes rack in the store.

[@victoriabutler3779]

As someone who has worked in retail for years, this is very true. It even applies to Black Friday sales. You stand in line for hours fighting huge crowds when you could get the same deal at any point in the year.

[@cpete1459]

They actually used to have great deals 75%-80% of ALL merchandise. But now, I understand what you mean. A lot of retail stores have a few days out of the year that is 50% off everything or "select" items, hint, select items. This goes for the same sales price on Black Friday and have a reel you in with $1 flip flops or $1 fuzzy socks (not going to lie, $1 fuzzy socks are a good deal. Depending on the brand. Most fuzzy socks now can set you back $10)

[@cerinashippey]

I don’t understand the BOGO thing. I’m getting two things! How is that not better? Same shirt? Fine I understand I don’t need two. But underwear? Great deal.

[@catballsefv34]

Just depends on the situation you're in.

[@cvbattum]

Exactly! There are often BOGO deals in the drug store on body care products. I maybe don't need two bottles of shampoo right now but it's not like the second one is going to expire before the first one's empty. And I the price of one bottle is still less than at the grocery store! Seriously, I once got two bottles of shampoo and two bottles of deodorant for less than two bottles at the grocery would cost! I'm down for that deal (yeah I know they're still overcharging me for that bottle but it's still the cheapest option)

[@omarassadi2455]

It's not that *all* BOGO deals are bad. It's that most are deceptive or an outright scam. Even assuming there is no price manipulation, people often spend more on 'utility' that they don't actually need or end up using.

[@RikkuTakanashi]

@@omarassadi2455 Well, in the case of people being gullible and buying things they don't need for the heck of it, it's kinda their problem. Smart shoppers don't suffer these problems because they're smart about their spending. Just because you bait the hook doesn't mean a fish has to bite. And because people take the bait so often it encourages companies to keep up these sometimes shady practices. And, as Cerina and Creator said, Bogo can and often art really good deals if your smart about it.

[@johnmoore1495]

It makes sense for non-perishables when you were going to buy that item anyways.

[@jaridkeen123]

I worked at Redners it's like Publix or Walmart in the North East. Anyways I was a Butcher and we would have BOGO steaks sometimes. But the company would raise the steak price over a month and instead of $2 a pound it would be $4. We would run out of steaks like they were going extinct but people actually didnt save any money.

[@manpreetbrar4327]

Thats interesting

[@idjles]

That’s called fraudulent advertising

[@LuanHimmlisch]

@@idjles that's called advertising

[@paulross00]

People: Enjoy something Vox: I’m about to end this whole man’s career

[@moragbell4326]

?

[@paveladamek3502]

This thing really make sense in two cases: if you REALLY need the two items (e.g. jeans and sweatshirt) before you walk into the store and you are prepared to spend more and end up paying less in total than what you were PREPARED to spend. And two, if you really purchase two identical items (burgers) whose price you are familiar with and you know you are getting the second for free, and if you are going to eat with a friend who is willling to split the saving.

[@nimahanna1709]

But your still paying less for the second burger? Still a deal? Still saving? Awesome.

[@cursebr2937]

Yah unless u don’t need them then u spending more than u need

[@stepheng5436]

@@kezif Ah a man of good deals I see.

[@Dev-rc7sd]

Yeah , you just spent extra money for that second burger which if not for the offer would have rotten at the store because of the large amount of unsold burgers ... Lol, That's the basic function of any BOGO offer . Sell off the unsold products at any price .

[@bugleberryfancam5820]

Wrong

[@jarlfenrir]

Actually explanation in the video suggests that seller is ready to loose a ton of money just to make me pay more...

[@phototristan]

The best thing to do to save money is to not even buy one.

[@ronanpeiffer]

You cant lose money if you dont have it

[@papa_woody]

ronan peiffer yea you can it’s called debt.

[@ronanpeiffer]

@@papa_woody damn

[@Joe-cz1tt]

Yea that's what I do.

[@runarandersen878]

I remind myself when I see an offer of like 40 %: Or save 100 % of not buying it.

[@gamingmind2380]

common sense joined the chat

[@KingDeplorableAaron]

:)

[@youmemeyou]

Bargainer is typing...

[@NotFlappy12]

one part of this video is explaining that some illegal act and the other part is about common sense

[@murders1252]

@Phương Nguyễn discount_calculator.exe is not responding...

[@conflictgamer6039]

Todays special Buy 2 pay for both

[@melodyshart7572]

I used to work at a Kohls, if customers wanted an item that was BOGO, only wanted one but still wanted a discount, they could ask a manager and we could give them a discount regardless of the BOGO deal.

[@stingman777]

Why manipulate the numbers when doing the sweater comparison? Why focus on total spent for BOGO free vs discount rather than price per sweater (which is lower for the BOGO making it a much better deal if you wanted two sweaters). Also, adding a pair of $10 socks on one side and a $150 coat on the other is mildly deceptive. You weren't stating anything untrue but you made a massive difference in price to make the point seem stronger. If you put a second item that was close in price to the original, the savings would have been much greater but the point woukd look less strong. You don't have to be deceptive to make your point. If you DO have to be deceptive to make it, then it is hardly a good point at all. While BOGO can and does get people to spend more than they originally would have, it also can make for a great deal with some thought and restraint. Maybe focus on how to make sure you maximize the deal rather than trying to say it is a bad deal?

[@Munchausenification]

Very thoughtful comment and good critic. I agree with almost all you wrote. If only people doesnt gloss over when there is a lot of text, your comment would get many more likes.

[@LifeAura123]

It's as she said at the end of the video: Unless you intended to buy two items in the first place, you end up spending more money than you would've if you only bought the one item you initially wanted. The price per item isn't what's important. Also for the sock and coat, remember that the item we were focusing on were the sweaters and the deal made it so they spent money on the most expensive item

[@Surfergirl637]

I largely agree with your comment. They should give us ways to increase our bang for our buck; however, the socks and coat example, I think, was just a way to simplify the concept. It gives people more incentive to realize the potential of BOGO rather than waste it on socks. But yes, they could've used a similar price item so it might be "truly" (or as close to the sense as possible) a BOGO, and I would also agree that our examples should be stated in the video for us thrifty folks.

[@GABE_is_here]

the video is confusing tbh

[@stingman777]

@@LifeAura123 I know they called it out, but only as a brief aside with no visuals in the video itself making it easy to miss. They didn't lie, but they were deceptive. The exact same point could have been made in a video emphasizing how to maximize a BOGO rather than saying they are bad and it wouldn't require emphasizing specific facts while minimizing others in an attempt to make a point look stronger.

[@SeeASquaRE]

I guess the deal is BOGOus. I need to stop making bad puns.

[@volcryndarkstar]

First you need to start making bad puns

[@volcryndarkstar]

@C caymer Naw, I love America too much to do that.

[@halimahmian4762]

are you saying that you should stop making BOGOus puns?¿😂

[@kasper5688]

SeeASquared There are no bad puns

[@mywindowseat]

I like it

[@adityaprasad3ta]

This is why you should always use such deals with friends. Then you can split the discount of the free or discounted item between yourselves. In that scenario, you do end up paying less

[@tw8464]

Good idea. As long as the store isn't playing games like raising the price in advance of the "discount" or quietly raising the price up a dollar (or more) in the 2 for one "deal" as the video shows in the beginning. If not fraudulent, it might be okay to do it with a friend but only if the friend actually wants it and not pressured into it in any way.

[@Shayor100]

But I'm getting double the products with little increase in spending.

[@humble_roots]

But if you don't have a lot of money to spend and a couple of those deals make you spend more than you normally would on a couple different things, then you won't have money for something else you might need later. Even if you do have a decent amount of money to spend, these advertising tricks and the dopamine rushes they provide can push people into compulsive shopping sprees where the same thing eventually happens after they spend it all on a bunch of discounted stuff for a one-time thrill.

[@proaaron578]

@@humble_roots Uh first of all you spend more to get more. That's normal. Second, BOGO isn't about shopping sprees.

[@thecompanioncube4211]

Unless you intended to buy 2, using a Buy One Get One didn't save you money, you just SPENT more money than you intended to spend that day

[@BOOG-2]

@@thecompanioncube4211 but how is that a bad deal, if i went to shop only intending to buy 1 drink and i could get 2 for the price of 1 its obviously a good deal, and same goes for if the second was only 50% off, i may have spent more but it's not like i left feeling scammed or mistreated i left with more for less, which is a good deal.

[@alisyed2734]

I spent half the video finding the meaning of « bogo »

[@DecemberMcSprinkles]

bogo is short for buy one get one

[@gabrielverano7650]

Candy Cat fan 430 Now is so obvios thanks

[@Volteer]

So... basically you're saying companies use discounts to sell more and therefore gain more money? Wow, I thought they were just doing it out of the goodness of their hearts...

[@orion10x10]

Ikr this video is trash

[@allthingsfascinating]

No one offers you anything for free, one of the earliest lessons my poppa taught me.

[@swicheroo1]

How much did he charge for his love? Did you get a family rate?

[@tskmaster3837]

It's not that hard to get free stuff, they used to sell books on how to get free stuff.... Wait a minute....

[@blankness8]

Ironically, he offered you that advice for free, didn't he? ;) Don't be so cynical, your life will be happier if you believe there is good in the world. I'm not saying be ignorant, just give people a chance - not everyone is out to hurt you

[@TheRafark]

How much did you pay KZbin to watch this video?

[@salokin3087]

As anyone who's taken high school business classes; you're still paying full price for an item

[@menasma64]

i might just be wrong, but the example at 2:36 is confusing me. if you just wanted 2 sweaters, then there's no reason not to take the second deal, as you would save 40$ compared to buying 2 normally. Sure, it's a bad deal if you're trying to get ONE 50% off, but who in their right mind would buy a sweater they don't need for 80$ to get the sweater they do want at half price. I don't think this proves anything

[@thunderStealer07]

When many hear the word 'free' then they buy it even if they don't need it.

[@LashanR]

As soon as I heard the word "croissantwich" I literally gagged

[@istrone5885]

If I go shopping with my friends we each get one and split the cost 😎

[@anettecraven2802]

I always do it with my friend lol

[@Alien42x]

.

[@tofuwife-17]

same

[@bencoe01]

It's still a better per unit deal than if you just bought one, though it is deceptive.

[@alcabone1126]

When i hear her say bogo i was like Ok imma head out now

[@person880]

"Buy one get one free" is great for food that I want. Cheap Store: loaf of bread is $3, no BOGO. Expensive Store: loaf of bread is $4, but it's BOGO. If you are actually going to use the second item, then BOGO is worth it. I sometimes buy two loaves of bread and freeze the second one to make it last longer. BOGO makes less sense for clothing or kitchen appliances.

[@virajchavan724]

But it's still cheaper than buying two?

[@Sir_Budginton]

But the big question is, do you *need* two? If you only need one, you are actually paying extra.

[@virajchavan724]

@@Sir_Budginton Hmm. Agreed

[@sageauton7302]

one thing my mom always has taught me was that something is never "Free", someone always has to pay for it

[@triskits_mmm]

who?

[@mikearsen4580]

who?

[@jerardogarcia4337]

Children in Sweatshop camps pay

[@washuotaku]

Grocery stores seem to be the exception. A lot of stores that do BOGO are really charging half-off the item price, so you can still purchase one item and get the discount.

[@jordanschriver4228]

One time, I did a Google search, and it did a little celebratory animation, saying that I was the 5-billionth searcher. My dad said twas a scam, so I took his word for it.

[@automanic595]

"If it looks too good to be true, it's too good to be true" *Hmm yes the floor here is made of floor*

[@Hhhhhhhhhhhh115]

Yeah but what if the two items are of the same price?

[@tskmaster3837]

Do the math?

[@hameley12]

BOGO coupon and you choose two items with the same price tag, well... if your cashier is kind enough he/she will honor your coupon and the second one IS free. Sometimes the cashier will be like $40 but for $19.99+ 19.99 you are supposed to pay only $20 plus taxes. I know their tricks 'cause I used to work for a retailer and saw their every move, I had to speak up more than once to management. Well, I hope my first answer helped out. Have a great week!

[@litojonny]

yes

[@Kareragirl]

Bought two kimonos for the price of one recently from Victoria's Secret. I don't know what they'd be like in the store, but online I got the second one for free.

[@neelparmar6690]

What you mean is it's a bad deal sometimes. With a lot of food items for example, they don't tend to be discounted individually but BOGO presents a great offer where you save money especially if two people were planning on buying the same food item anyway.

[@44ThaNatos44]

So basically you wanna buy 2 items instead of just 1, which changes everything and is not the point here. What this video says is that if you wanna buy 1 item, sellers will try to trick you into buying more because you will spend more in the end whatever the deal is. If you wanna buy 2 items and they happen to be in a deal together, the seller has failed its attempt (or has poor dealing choices), though you usually don't need that many items and advertising made you want the 2 in the first place.

[@SanvelloSerapiega]

They very clearly are talking about people that only need one and only want to expand the deal if they think the cost is worth it. They even state this is different if you actually want a second item. For example I got to a Burger King with a BOGO discount thinking that i could simply get one free since there should be no repercussions.

[@imjustsomeguy]

0:59 that's how I trick my parents into buying stuff I want 😹

[@hiropf]

Wow! This is what I experienced yesterday. I have been looking a pair of pants in store for $56 and they give you 20% discount if you buy 1 item. But, it will be 50% discount if you buy 2 item (it doesn't need to be another pants but it can be combined a pants and a shirt). So, I think "well, that's a bargain". Until I realize I only need one pair of pants. Thinking and looking around while browsing the internet, I just found that I could buy the same pants in online store for half the price without buying 2 items. I think maybe this is how online store destroy the retail shop.

[@asantaraliner]

Now they will say: "Buy a drink get a straw for free!"

[@Albanez39]

Nope, you get to use the glass for free...the straw is $0.99

[@animeyahallo3887]

Few would buy a 100 dollar shirt but almost everyone would buy a "discounted" shirt with a 100 dollar price tag.

[@yessicamichelle6477]

I was literally just thinking about this while working at Bath & Body works! But no one wants to do the math or realize it’s all the same sale

[@ARYAN-gp3ld]

This happens with items where you can buy one get one free but the discount is across multiple items, say you buy 2 books (one is £10 the other is £5) you will always get the £5 one of free and pay for the most expensive item, however the mind doesnt think of this as quickly as we see *FREE*

[@Krypto_Dogg]

The register rings it up correctly at places I’ve worked. The managers would force you to ring it up incorrectly so they could charge for tax, but it’s actually more than tax.

[@devankthawre5730]

i always admire vox's animators and cameramen. they just do a beautiful job.

[@AndthenonedayIbecameanEXO-L]

It really pays off ONLY if you intended to buy the item twice (let's say food) or were planning to buy multiple clothing items in the store and the deal is then beneficial.

[@cardsharkz485]

Buy one get one free is always good, the examples that were mentioned are either illegal fraud or other kinds of bogo without the "free".

[@knuti27]

Pay double the price, and get another one of the same Item ToTalLY FrEe

[@antoniotottojr]

if you are buying the same item (part of your regular item) and have a knowledge of the product, then it is a good deal. example, you buy Brand A Bread at $2 dollars. and consume 2 loaves per week. then getting it on BOGO (assuming for the price of one), then it is a good deal.

[@stanfordblack.156]

I have that same food processor

[@kashmirabrahmane1422]

Don't customers become smarter over time ? Since BOGO has been going on for so long, we should have become smarter by now.

[@junehebe]

Whelps, look at the comments here~~ dun find customers getting smarter here~~

[@Markism07]

I’m seeing a lot less BOGO and more BOGOHO. Buy one get one half off.

[@cowboy_levi6283]

I remember learning in econ that retailers raise the prices before putting it for bogo

[@blahcat3642]

It's just called paying attention people, just because an item is on sale doesn't mean you're getting a deal. At the grocery store I have to explain this to my BF all the time, just because I have a coupon or something is on sale doesn't make it cheaper then say a larger size of the same item (where you want to pay close attention to the price per ounce) or an off brand or store brand version which are often the exact same items made in the same factories but they just put a store label on it. Most times even with something being on sale and me having a coupon, the store or off brand is still cheaper. Google is also your friend when shopping, some stores jack up prices of items just so they can "discount" them in a sale but they still make all their money, just look online to compare prices, most times it takes only minutes to realize you can get a better deal somewhere else.

[@r.b.4611]

How do you compare prices between individual supermarkets online?

[@miguelsilva9118]

The video was OK. But that sound that played when the sweater price tags came up.....man! I could listen to that all day.

[@Ace-1525]

Only time I gave in to the Amazon trick was for a pre-seasoned castiron dutch oven that has a skillet as the lid. I was just about to run out of my Prime trial, so I knew I could A- get the dutch oven for the same cost as most stores. B- get a pot AND a pan out of the same purchase. and C- free shipping. Figured that for $25 , that wasn't so bad.

[@czpiaor]

Buy one item for double the price, then get the second one free!

[@WILD__THINGS]

The title of the video makes a broad blanket assertion: "Why “Buy one, get one free” isn’t a great deal". I'm explaining why I disagree with that. I feel like it's very rare to ever see clothes on sale for buy one get one free, besides maybe small items like socks. More often than not if clothes are on sale it would just be at a discounted rate. I can't remember the last time I ever saw something like sweaters, the example given in the video, buy one get one free.

[@BoWSkittlez]

Everyone use “camel camel camel” to track Amazon’s price history for an item

[@fabiandrinksmilk6205]

Same in the Netherlands, the call it "1+1 gratis" or 1+1 free in English. The beauty stores are full of those promotions, always. A tv program found out this is possible because everything was overpriced until promotion.

[@Hotdogenthusiast]

Yeah I never listen to that “before price” because it’s always a scam/lie.

[@dashdots]

I like bogo deals but only the buy one get one free. None of the 50% off stuff

[@zeighy]

When I used to work at retail, when we have items that are 50% off... I noticed that customers are less likely to buy it because "what's the catch?" but when I tell them, "oh, buy one, and get one for free!" and it clicks in their head and would buy TWO instead of one. chaching, I just sold two items and moved more products. They could have just bought one for 50% off, but that always sounds sketchy and there always seems to be a catch. But, saying "buy one get one FREE" whatever the catch it, in their mind they're getting away with something for free.... Some other more keen customers notice the sign "50% off" and tell me, "it's not buy one get one free, it's 50% off" and I respond with, "yeah, if it was full price, that promo is basically BOGO free. Why not get two then?" and they fall for it every time.

[@hhhhergc224]

On day when i went to buy a cookie for 1$ at my local starbucks and sit with my friend a worker told me if you pay 50 cents more we will give 2 more cookies and of course i accepted the deal!

[@rxonmymind8362]

I love the jingle "Spend more save more!" Um, I'll spend less or nothing and save a lot. Thanks.

[@TheKhaosTeche]

works great for grocery stores where theyre just throwing away more product they cant sell otherwise

[@kdy8581]

Buy 2 for the price of 3 and get one free😂😂😂☝️✌️👌

[@nayhoops6992]

HAH I remember my college stats professor lecturing us about this. He was brilliant.

[@Bubble170]

I love how you’re saying “Bogo:3” instead of “BOGOFFFFFFF!!!!”

[@projectzorgo6703]

Because some people just call it buy one get one

[@StefandeJong1]

Another good example is what happens here in the Netherlands. At basically ANY supermarket, soap and shampoos will be "Buy one, get one free". While the regular cost of the shampoo might be €5, go to Germany and you'll see the same shampoo costing €2,70 or just a little more, with the store hoping to make up for that difference with people buying it NOT on sale. Gets even worse with stuff like dishwasher tablets, where name-brands often go for "Buy one, get TWO free" (1+2). While a non-discount store brand might be €5 and maybe just a little worse than name brands, the name brand will cost like €25 "regular price" which makes people go "WOW I just saved €50 buying 3 boxes!" where in reality you just payed €8,33 a box instead of €5 for the store brand, and are buying in bulk which is what the stores want.

[@chicobicalho5621]

A common practice in Brazilian supermarkets is to charge more per item in a bulk deal than buying them individually. So, down here we have to use the calculator to divide prices per items or even per weight. I remember a 3 pack of Tupperware whereby in this "deal" each one was about 20% more expensive than buying them individually, or a 600 ml bottle of Heineken costing quite a bit more per ml than the bottle of 355 ml (an absurd because of the glass), and 100% of the time, the largest bulk package of TP is more expensive per item than smaller ones. People automatically think the larger groups are the cheapest, but automatically fail to consider the intrinsic bad faith of modern mass commerce.