Right see if any of you are as thick as some of the

[Greedo]

people I spoke to yesterday.

Borders is closing as you know and have various % off on books etc...

In one section they have books at 50% off. yesterday they had a sub sign saying "This weekend only a further 20% off our 50% off books"

Now the conversations I heard in store and got involved in was amazing. Amazing how thick some people are!!

So my question to you is. If a books original price was £10 what will you get it for today and how much discount are you getting % wise???

 

[fossyant]

I can imagine......

£10 book to £5 - discounted would either £3 (50 + 20 = 70%) or.........

£4 if it's 20% off the discounted price (£5 x 20% = £1 = £5-£1 = £4).

 

[gavintc]

I can imagine......

£10 book to £5 - discounted would either £3 (50 + 20 = 70%) or.........

£4 if it's 20% off the discounted price (£5 x 20% = £1 = £5-£1 = £4).

I believe that some discounting signs in shops is deliberating confusing. But, also remember that one in five of Scots reportedly have poor numeracy and literacy. It is therefore not too surprising that this would have created some problems. In my opinion, I would go for the £4 option.

 

[Greedo]

It's £4.

50% off is £5

20% of £5 is a fifth so £1

Total discount 60% which is £5 + £1 = £6

The amount of people who think it's 70% is astounding to me. Maybe it's because I went to primary school but who knows!!!

 

[User269]

As Mrs Whiskywheels always says, whenever we see x% extra free, or x% off signs; "x% of what?".

 

[mickle]

The further discount still refers to the original price. £3.

 

[Greedo]

The further discount still refers to the original price. £3.

No it doesn't ya plank!

You obviously don't understand retail and what they do and you my friend are exacltly the type of mug they are aiming at. Wandering up to the till expecting to pay £3 and being charged £4 and then just buy it any way as you feel stupid walking away in front of everyone.

Do you not think they would put 70% off instead of what they have with the 20% off the 50% as it's a sly way of getting thick people to be duped into thinking it's 70% instead of 60%

 

[mickle]

I worked in retail for twenty years. I think I know what I'm talking about.

 

[661-Pete]

Consider the following imaginary (but I'm sure commonplace) scenario:

MANAGER (to employee) The bad news is, I'm afraid, that we have to make economies in the business, so everyone will have to take a 10% pay cut...
EMPLOYEE
MANAGER ... but, because of your excellent performance, I'm awarding you a special one-off 11% pay rise. So you'll get the 11% rise, then the 10% cut, so you'll still be 1% better off....
EMPLOYEE
Is he right?

 

[XmisterIS]

This weekend only a further 20% off our 50% off books

I would interpret that as 20% off the discounted price, in other words 60% off the original price.

 

[longers]

Is he right?

My shaky maths tells me that based on a £100/week wage the employee would be 10p a week worse off if the rise is implemented before the cut.

Am I right?

 

[661-Pete]

My shaky maths tells me that based on a £100/week wage the employee would be 10p a week worse off if the rise is implemented before the cut.

Am I right?

Correct. And exactly the same would happen if the cut were imposed before the rise.

Starting wage: £100.00
Minus 10%: £90.00
Plus 11%: £99.90

OR:
Starting wage: £100.00
Plus 11%: £111.00
Minus 10%: £99.90

 

[XmisterIS]

Consider the following imaginary (but I'm sure commonplace) scenario:

MANAGER (to employee) The bad news is, I'm afraid, that we have to make economies in the business, so everyone will have to take a 10% pay cut...
EMPLOYEE
MANAGER ... but, because of your excellent performance, I'm awarding you a special one-off 11% pay rise. So you'll get the 11% rise, then the 10% cut, so you'll still be 1% better off....
EMPLOYEE
Is he right?

No. Let the original wage be X and the final wage be Y.

Therefore,

Y = (X + 0.11X) - (X + 0.11X)/10
Y = (10X + 1.1X - 1X - 0.11X)/10

Hence Y = 0.r9X (0.9 recurring).

 

[Greedo]

I worked in retail for twenty years. I think I know what I'm talking about.

Not on this occasion you don't. There is 50% off the book. And then 20% off the 50% which is a 1/5. You obviously didn't work in a place where they pulled stunts like this but it's 60% on this occasion. Phone a borders and ask them.

 

[Amanda P]

In the case of a high street retailer, I assume I'll be ripped off.

So I calculated it both ways, and I'd assume I'd be charged £4, not £3.