A few sharp tips for bargain hunters
Right now, many of you will be holding on to your year-end bonus or Chinese New Year ang-pao as you wait for the best deal to come your way.
Good news! Upcoming deals are too good to miss, so get ready to part with your money.
But wait a minute. From dream trips to Europe, to the latest high-tech gadgets, or trendy platform heels, how can you be sure that you get the best deal available? The following tips should help:
_ Trade exhibitions:
Trade shows and exhibitions are home to some of the cheapest deals around. With only a small window of opportunity for exhibitors to sell their stuff, sales at popular exhibitions are very much like a stock clearance. Bargain hunters should find this kind of market irresistible.
_ Online last-minute promotions:
Some people warn against last-minute offers as they consider them a punishment for procrastinators, while others warn that sometimes these “promotions” are not as cheap as the websites claim, thanks to hidden costs. But in reality – and especially for hospitality businesses such as airlines and hotels – this is where the best value-for-money deals are. The plane flies with a fixed cost, and hotels are run with the same operating cost every night. Thus, the more passengers or customers, the higher the income.
_ Facebook fan pages:
Young entrepreneurs with boundless skill and charm but limited capital find Facebook one popular marketplace. So do many excited customers. One reason for the attraction lies in the idea that because you are buying directly from the source, the price must be cheaper. And in many cases this is true. Facebook pages help eliminate traditional costs that usually accompany a conventional store – set-up, packaging, marketing, to name a few. Just be on the alert for overpriced merchandise and vague return/exchange policies.
Last but not least, remember that the cheapest item is only the best value for money if you use it. So, make sure you have enough vacation time to use that bargain ticket to fly to the resort that you have bought a last-minute-deal voucher for. Otherwise, your “best buy” is going to become a very expensive waste of money!
Janejit Ladpli is vice president of Travel and Leisure Marketing at KTC (Krungthai Card).
