50% off anyone

Its raining discounts in Bangalore these days. Theres a sale on in almost every major store in Bangalore. So, whats new? Is it a season of sales to clear the stocks just before the festival season or it is just a method to increase footfalls?

Sample this. Family Mart has a 50% (of course, upto) off under what is called a cool monsoon offer. Globus has another 50% off, on its entire apparel range and it also says today "Fresh stocks added daily". Even a recently opened Marks and Spencer has an end of season sale. Big Bazaar has an "Umeed se double" (more on this later) offer. Bangalore Central has another 50% off sale on.

Predictably, some of these stores are so crowded that there is no place to stand. The others, well, I guess evoke some curiosity footfalls as people walk along.

My question is one, why upto 50%? My experience with 50% sales is that anything that is being sold at 50% is usually some stuff that nobody wants. The other, pricier things, are sold with a 15% off at the max. So, calling it a 50% (with 50% written in big bold) and fine print upto is, well fooling customers. I have stopped going into these 50% discounters long time ago. What I want, I will buy anyway. These discounts though, make people pick up stuff on impulse ("its so cheaply priced yaar") and add to the junk at home.

Second, these are 50% of what? Definitely not 50% of the cost. Definitely not 50% of the stores profit. Perhaps 50% of a mark up?

And, then again, everybody knows this. Yet, there is a beeline for every sale!