And half of them arnt dumb, they’re desperate. Anything to extend the problem just one more day, one more week, just long enough to get paid and hope the price of groceries didn’t rise agian so you’re at least able to make some sort of payment.
But then the car gets a flat and your son gets the flu, and now you’re a other 150 in the hole, and now you need to make at least minimum payment to avoid collections, so in comes Mastercard to pay the visa.
Not going to lie, I only keep the launcher installed to collect the free games. It’s almost like playing Pokemon, except you get video games out of it. 😅
Tim, these comics are getting uncomfortably real. ._.;;;
justathought
2 days ago
“I understood this reference”
gnarph
2 days ago
Bahahaha subtle LotR reference and commentary on overspending during the holiday season all in one. Well played, sir.
some guy
2 days ago
For me it’s lost all meaning when they started to bombard me with Black Friday offer the entire November, to the point when I wasn’t even sure anymore WHICH friday was actually black friday.
As a European who doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving this has always been a struggle ever since the big online retailers copied the Black Friday over internationally.
(We’ve never had a single sales day before, but instead had a month-long Winter closing sale)
Same with me and Christmas. I can’t stand Christmas music and Christmas in general because of the blatant commercialism.
That being said, I also admit to being a hypocrite and take advantage of those very sales because it’s one of the rare times of the year when I can afford a luxury. 🙃
Verdiekus
2 days ago
I see what you did there Tim…..
Jacob
2 days ago
Sadly, you need to watch prices all year to see if you are actually getting a deal during this time. Most of the time, it isn’t.
I recently purchased components to build a new computer, and many of the purchases were $10-20 cheaper in the weeks before Black Friday than they were through the whole weekend. I’ve also seen items like vacuum insulated cups go for a fraction of their “sale” price during the other half of the year (June-July). Stay informed, don’t be tempted by flashy adverts.
“If it seems too good to be true, it isn’t true” applies here.
A huge discount that sounds like they’re practically giving it away sounds good… too good…
Sanquin
2 days ago
So true… Discounts seem to happen so often now. And while Black Friday used to offer HUGE discounts (60~80%) now you’re lucky to get 40%.
Same goes for the steam sale. Most bigger games get like 40% off at most. Usually even less than 30%. Almost all of the big discounts are smaller indie games and old games. (The former already being cheaper than big games, and the latter usually already being owned by anyone interested.)
Huh… I wish it was even close to that here in Europe. Recently I read an article where they calculated the average Black Friday discount here in my country. It was slightly over… 4%. It’s just a big hoax over here.
Nahhh… *Now* we’re lucky if they didn’t mark up the ‘normal’ price just so they can then nock some percentage off to make it sound like a better deal than it is. And sometimes the ‘sale’ price might actually be just their not-holiday price.
Oddbodkin
2 days ago
Despite Thanksgiving absolutely not being a thing here in the UK, commercial enterprises have adopted Black Friday, Cyber Monday, blah blah, blah.
There are SOME genuine bargains to be had & in the couple of months leading up, I make a list of stuff I want/need but only buy them if the savings are significant.
After all, there’s the New Year sales only 4 weeks away…
Nik
2 days ago
I don’t know if I like Ethan with long hair and peach fuzz.
Eldest Gruff
2 days ago
In ages long past, in the Before-Times, when Black Friday was confined to the morning of the Friday after Thanksgiving, my wife was a manager of a Bath and Body Works. The battle stories she told. Seeing the hoardes straining at the gate. Being nearly trampled every year as the doors were opened side. Seeing each year the date getting earlier and earlier, until Black Friday began at midnight, then at 11 on Thursday, then 10. It’s slightly annoying for me as a consumer that I’m never 100% sure if the sale I’m seeing at any given time in November… Read more »
Jay
2 days ago
I’m also frustrated by so many places doing “Black Friday Sales” that are just the same price it was 2 weeks ago, with an updated *list price* struck through and an arbitrary “percent off” tacked on. Being able to use price history trackers has been helpful to see “Ok, I’m not actually saving anything and could reasonably just wait because it will be the same price next week too.”
Some will try to make it looks like a savings by marking it up a week or two before the sale and then marking it back down to its original price so they can say it’s a sale.
This year, on the 21st, I saw an item listed as “$999 (sale)”.
On the 22nd it was listed as “$1299 (down from $1599, huge Black Friday week savings!)”
Aerth
2 days ago
Kind of true. Sales, especially in gaming, used to be meaningful. Now there isn’t a single day of the year where this or that online shop do not have a sale. Hell, Steam and GOG have sales all the time.
kaelin
1 day ago
Been watching computer part pricing. And their ‘sales’ are so absurd.
Here is part for 1100 dollars. FOR THE SALE.. it will now be 1095.. enjoy your 5 dollar sale on a 1100 dollar part. SURELY your gonna buy it now, right? RIGHT? Why aren’t you buying now.
Bakamoichigei
1 day ago
Me and my crippling addiction to replacing lost childhood videogames is working on “Homeless Friday” as we speak… 😏
J.D.
1 day ago
black friday is 6 weeks long now. all for fake discounts on marked up prices.
Darkhorse
1 day ago
I see a lot of complaints about fake sales. Here in the Netherlands we have several websites that track the price for a month or so beforehand, or even the whole year. This to prevent sales that are 80% off only compared with the week before, where they massively increased the price to make it a legal discount. It’ll give the ‘true’ duscount prices compared at many companies. I’m certain that there are services in other countries for it. Otherwise it seems a goldmine to create a service that does it with many adds on the side. Ps. Didn’t buy… Read more »
Last edited 1 day ago by Darkhorse
LuckyFalkor
1 day ago
honestly though the second panel was going to be “we’ve had ONE, yes, but what about second sale?”
leduk
1 day ago
There is no game I want rn. I’m still sad I didnt enjoyed rdr2.
24
My wallet agrees.
What’s in YOUR wallet?!
Dust bunnies and moths
The cold uncaring void. And my drivers license.
😰
Pfft just pay your Mastercard with your Visa ! Troll Physics 101!
But yes, Thank you Tim to point out the ridiculous development in sales and marketing.
Then…pay your Visa with your Mastercard. Repeat until you earn enough points to pay them off for real!
the number of people who try this….
And half of them arnt dumb, they’re desperate. Anything to extend the problem just one more day, one more week, just long enough to get paid and hope the price of groceries didn’t rise agian so you’re at least able to make some sort of payment.
But then the car gets a flat and your son gets the flu, and now you’re a other 150 in the hole, and now you need to make at least minimum payment to avoid collections, so in comes Mastercard to pay the visa.
Nah, we should just blame people for their material conditions that are out of their control and say “idiots!”
But if they are rich, them going super in debt is SMART!
/S (please know, this is VERY sarcastic
Rich people go into debt for investments that generate revenue or returns… Poor people just go into debt.
This is why I limit myself on all Steam sales
I instead limit myself to Epic free games instead.
And if I really want something specific, keyforsteam is my true friend.
Not going to lie, I only keep the launcher installed to collect the free games. It’s almost like playing Pokemon, except you get video games out of it. 😅
I greatly prefer Steam, but free is free, right?
Free is indeed the best price 👍
Tim, these comics are getting uncomfortably real. ._.;;;
“I understood this reference”
Bahahaha subtle LotR reference and commentary on overspending during the holiday season all in one. Well played, sir.
For me it’s lost all meaning when they started to bombard me with Black Friday offer the entire November, to the point when I wasn’t even sure anymore WHICH friday was actually black friday.
As a European who doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving this has always been a struggle ever since the big online retailers copied the Black Friday over internationally.
(We’ve never had a single sales day before, but instead had a month-long Winter closing sale)
Too bad they copied only the name, not the discounts.
Same with me and Christmas. I can’t stand Christmas music and Christmas in general because of the blatant commercialism.
That being said, I also admit to being a hypocrite and take advantage of those very sales because it’s one of the rare times of the year when I can afford a luxury. 🙃
I see what you did there Tim…..
Sadly, you need to watch prices all year to see if you are actually getting a deal during this time. Most of the time, it isn’t.
I recently purchased components to build a new computer, and many of the purchases were $10-20 cheaper in the weeks before Black Friday than they were through the whole weekend. I’ve also seen items like vacuum insulated cups go for a fraction of their “sale” price during the other half of the year (June-July). Stay informed, don’t be tempted by flashy adverts.
“If it seems too good to be true, it isn’t true” applies here.
A huge discount that sounds like they’re practically giving it away sounds good… too good…
So true… Discounts seem to happen so often now. And while Black Friday used to offer HUGE discounts (60~80%) now you’re lucky to get 40%.
Same goes for the steam sale. Most bigger games get like 40% off at most. Usually even less than 30%. Almost all of the big discounts are smaller indie games and old games. (The former already being cheaper than big games, and the latter usually already being owned by anyone interested.)
Huh… I wish it was even close to that here in Europe. Recently I read an article where they calculated the average Black Friday discount here in my country. It was slightly over… 4%. It’s just a big hoax over here.
Nahhh… *Now* we’re lucky if they didn’t mark up the ‘normal’ price just so they can then nock some percentage off to make it sound like a better deal than it is. And sometimes the ‘sale’ price might actually be just their not-holiday price.
Despite Thanksgiving absolutely not being a thing here in the UK, commercial enterprises have adopted Black Friday, Cyber Monday, blah blah, blah.
There are SOME genuine bargains to be had & in the couple of months leading up, I make a list of stuff I want/need but only buy them if the savings are significant.
After all, there’s the New Year sales only 4 weeks away…
I don’t know if I like Ethan with long hair and peach fuzz.
In ages long past, in the Before-Times, when Black Friday was confined to the morning of the Friday after Thanksgiving, my wife was a manager of a Bath and Body Works. The battle stories she told. Seeing the hoardes straining at the gate. Being nearly trampled every year as the doors were opened side. Seeing each year the date getting earlier and earlier, until Black Friday began at midnight, then at 11 on Thursday, then 10. It’s slightly annoying for me as a consumer that I’m never 100% sure if the sale I’m seeing at any given time in November… Read more »
I’m also frustrated by so many places doing “Black Friday Sales” that are just the same price it was 2 weeks ago, with an updated *list price* struck through and an arbitrary “percent off” tacked on. Being able to use price history trackers has been helpful to see “Ok, I’m not actually saving anything and could reasonably just wait because it will be the same price next week too.”
Some will try to make it looks like a savings by marking it up a week or two before the sale and then marking it back down to its original price so they can say it’s a sale.
This year, on the 21st, I saw an item listed as “$999 (sale)”.
On the 22nd it was listed as “$1299 (down from $1599, huge Black Friday week savings!)”
Kind of true. Sales, especially in gaming, used to be meaningful. Now there isn’t a single day of the year where this or that online shop do not have a sale. Hell, Steam and GOG have sales all the time.
Been watching computer part pricing. And their ‘sales’ are so absurd.
Here is part for 1100 dollars. FOR THE SALE.. it will now be 1095.. enjoy your 5 dollar sale on a 1100 dollar part. SURELY your gonna buy it now, right? RIGHT? Why aren’t you buying now.
Me and my crippling addiction to replacing lost childhood videogames is working on “Homeless Friday” as we speak… 😏
black friday is 6 weeks long now. all for fake discounts on marked up prices.
I see a lot of complaints about fake sales. Here in the Netherlands we have several websites that track the price for a month or so beforehand, or even the whole year. This to prevent sales that are 80% off only compared with the week before, where they massively increased the price to make it a legal discount. It’ll give the ‘true’ duscount prices compared at many companies. I’m certain that there are services in other countries for it. Otherwise it seems a goldmine to create a service that does it with many adds on the side. Ps. Didn’t buy… Read more »
honestly though the second panel was going to be “we’ve had ONE, yes, but what about second sale?”
There is no game I want rn. I’m still sad I didnt enjoyed rdr2.