SINGAPORE: An online user took to a complaint forum on Saturday (Jan 25) to share his surprise over allegedly being charged S$3.80 for two pieces of bread when the same store had a “Buy 3 for S$3.50” promo. “If you’re running a business, shouldn’t the math and pricing make a little more common sense?” he wrote.
According to the post, the incident occurred on Friday evening (Jan 24), “I went to buy bread and selected two pieces before heading to the cashier,” the writer shared, “The cashier informed me of a promotion: ‘Buy 3 for 3.50.’ However, I usually don’t pay much attention to promotions or offers, especially those requiring buying more for a discounted price. My reasoning is simple—why spend extra on something I don’t need?”
“I assumed my two pieces of bread would cost around $2.80 to $3.20. When I declined the cashier’s suggestion to add another piece to get the 3-for $3.50 deal, she told me the total for two pieces would be $3.80.”
The writer then shared his take on the promo. “It turned out to be more expensive simply because I didn’t take the third piece,” he said. “Due to face issues, I ended up paying $3.80 for two pieces of bread and left… If I were one of those calculative people, I could have just taken one more and given it to a stray cat or dog. I don’t eat more than I need.”
He reiterated, “Two [pieces] should also be $3.50.”
According to Indeed, promotional pricing is a marketing strategy that reduces reasonable or service costs to attract customers and increase sales. Many online users responded to the post, joining the conversation about promotional pricing.
“Your experience is quite relatable and sheds light on a common frustration with promotional pricing,” one commenter wrote. “It seems counterintuitive that buying more can sometimes cost you less, especially when looking only for what you genuinely need. It’s understandable to decline promotions, but this led to a higher total for just two pieces of bread.
Businesses should strive for clearer and more logical pricing strategies that consider consumer behaviour. It would make more sense to offer better incentives to encourage customers to purchase without feeling pressured. Your point about purchasing an extra item for a stray animal is thoughtful; promoting kindness should also align with sensible pricing!”
Another shared, “Businesses do promotions for a reason. If you don’t want it, they are free to charge the usual prices, which can be more expensive.” He also took a different stance, saying, “It may look (silly) to you, but they expect a certain behaviour from customers, and if face is more important to you, then it’s your problem.”
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