To the Editor:
I wonder if some local supermarkets really know or care who their customers are? Picture the senior citizen or harried homemaker with toddlers at the ankles. The newspaper ad says "Buy 2 Get 2 Free" and "Save up to $12.58 on 4." The consumer who wants to buy one 12-pack of Coke has to go through the gyrations of figuring out how much will one pack cost? Do you divide by two? Or divide by four? How much will four 12-packs cost? The truth is, unless you buy four 12-packs, one 12-pack will cost you $6.29. But - can you imagine how many single 12-packs would be sold if the ad stated the outrageous price of $6.29? Very few - and that is why the "slick marketing" is used to take advantage of the consumer who doesn't have the math degree or the time to do all the unnecessary mental divisions or calculations.
I don't dispute that any business can charge what they want for a product. However, it would greatly aid that senior citizen or harried homemaker (in fact, all consumers) if the supermarket would just advertise the price of a single product/unit, i.e. one 12-pack @ $. Advertise
the price of one unit, and then, if you want to highlight the savings available when purchasing multiple units, advertise that sale price also.
Stop the guessing games. Stop the exceptions in small print. Stop advertising "Buy One Get One Free" with no price published. Treat the consumer with respect and you'll find a loyal, happy consumer - and greater market share.
Joel J. Lutkenhouse
Burke