Buying smart

How to spot a fake discount (the "was/now" trick)

5 min read · A PriceDrop guide

You've seen it a hundred times: a product with a slashed-out "was" price next to a bright "now" price and a big percentage off. It feels urgent. It feels like a deal. But very often, that "was" price is fiction — set high specifically so the "now" price looks generous.

Why "was" prices are so often misleading

Many stores set a high "reference" price that the item rarely (or never) actually sold at. Then almost every day is a "sale" against that inflated number. The discount is real arithmetic against a fake baseline — which makes it meaningless. Regulators in several countries have fined retailers for exactly this.

The only number that matters: real price history

A discount is only meaningful compared to what the product genuinely cost recently. If a gadget bounced between $80 and $90 for months, a "50% off, was $200, now $100" sticker isn't a deal at all — it's more expensive than normal.

So before you buy, ask one question: where does today's price sit compared to the last few months? If it's near the bottom of the real range, it's a genuine deal. If it's in the middle or top, wait.

How to check price history in 30 seconds

• Use a price tracker. Paste the product link into a tool like PriceDrop and it shows the real price over time as a chart. Near the bottom = buy. Otherwise = wait.
• Watch for a few days. If a "limited time" price is still there next week, the urgency was fake.
• Compare across stores. The same item is often cheaper elsewhere without any "sale" sticker at all.
• Ignore the countdown timer. Countdown clocks reset. They're pressure, not information.

A quick mental checklist before you hit "buy"

• Is today's price near its real low, or just below an inflated "was"?
• Has this "sale" been running for weeks?
• Is it cheaper at another retailer?
• Do I actually need it now, or am I reacting to urgency?

Do this a few times and you'll never be fooled by a "was/now" sticker again.

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