On Sale

The winter merchandise sales have begun!  That means that the streets are packed with bargain hunters for several reasons . . . primarily because sales in Belgium are on predetermined dates every year.

That's right.  Esprit can't just decide a few days before Christmas to mark their clothes down 25% in the hope of selling more and making a bigger profit on those holiday shoppers.

Nor can anybody else.

Here's the reason.  Sales in Belgium are regulated by law.  Now that may sound like "too much government", but for me, it's protection from getting screwed on that pair of leather boots I just paid 100 euro for only to find them marked down half price a day later.

Here's how it works.

Two times a year (yes, only 2 times), retailers are allowed to sell their goods at lower prices.

The Winter Sales are from January 3 to January 31.

The Summer Sales are from July 1 to July 31.

Everybody knows when it is, so there's no mystery as to when every retailer will put their stuff on sale.

This is the best part . . . the waiting period.  Remember those boots I mentioned?  That scenario will not happen here in Belgium because the waiting period takes care of that.  

The Winter waiting period is from December 6 to January 2.  Basically a month before the sales start.

The Summer waiting period is from June 6 to June 30.  Same as above - about a month before the sales start.

The "waiting period" means that retailers are not allowed to make any reductions in the prices of specific products like clothing, leather goods and shoes . . . which includes those boots :)  Now, it doesn't mean that I might not buy those boots anyway, but certainly not the day before the sale period begins!

The informed consumer.

So . . . although the stores may look like this on Day One of the Sale,

and the streets may look like this,

you are assured that those bargains will be gone in about 4 short weeks.  And that you did not get screwed on those boots you've been wearing.

I swear that is not me with that umbrella, but you can be sure it isn't a native Belgian!

I'm headed downtown!  I'm already late!