Don’t fall for the Shamuary Sales

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Folk love a bargain, but they also hate having the wool pulled over their eyes – and rightly so. Purchasing a new kitchen is one of the biggest investments you will make in your home, so it’s important to avoid getting caught out by a bogus sale in January, what we call the Shamuary Sales!

At face value, saving money by buying a kitchen in the January sales seems like a smart move. And there are some reputable retailers who genuinely offer significant discounts at this time of year. 

However, sometimes a sale is not always as good as it seems. Most people are aware of the January sales trick that many retailers use, from white goods and sofas to computers and – yes – even kitchens! These retailers, including some well-known kitchen providers, love to promote a big January sale. But in some cases, these kitchens are discounted down from artificially higher prices. 

It’s a tried and tested sales tactic; put a higher ticket price on a product earlier in the year, then they can claim you are buying it at a big discount today. What is actually happening is, you are probably paying roughly what you would for the same kitchen if you bought it any other month in the year!

Ask the right questions

As you can imagine, the rules and regulations around these types of promotions are quite strict, as they are meant to protect consumers from rogue retailers. So these types of promotional tricks are usually perfectly legal. 

It used to be that all a store had to do was offer the kitchen at the higher price for 28 consecutive days in a six-month period for it to qualify as a “now/then” type sale. However, the UK Government has since tightened up the law. Today, retailers have to offer goods at the higher price for a longer period than the sale – but that is still open to abuse. They could simply hike up the prices in November and December for a sale taking place in January.

By asking the right questions, you can find out from your retailer how long the kitchen was available at the higher price before January. If it is a relatively short period, be suspicious of their claims as to how much you are really saving.

Genuine deals

Of course, there are some genuine deals to be had at this time of year. Kitchens are no different to other segments of retail; January and February are typically quieter months. In addition, the good independent kitchen providers may have offers on ex-display items

What you also get from a family-owned business like Callerton Kitchens is a superior, design-led service, which is why we’ve won national awards for our work! You get honest pricing, all year round and a kitchen that is built to last, as well as proper project management from design to installation.

If you want a kitchen that will be genuine value for money,  talk to us – or call into our showrooms in Newcastle or Berwick.


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