Tue, 9 February 2010
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Get out there now troops! You must organize reconnaissance today or you may be too late. Your neighbour has her eye on your sweater.
That's the tone taken by serious bargain-hunters in January.
Les soldes are a much-anticipated commercial event mandated by the government; during two period of six weeks each twice a year, the government permits stores to organise massive stock sell-offs.
The national government picks the start date and the préfecture — based on some mysterious calculations conducted with local representatives of the retail trade — picks the end date for each département.
This year, the buying season opens tomorrow, January 11, and shoppers across the country have already been busy doing 'repérage' or 'spotting' missions for the items they hope will go on sale tomorrow; as everyone knows, the good stuff goes in 24-hours so get out your carte banquaire and queue up now.
No kidding; the sales operate strictly on a first-come, first-served basis and it's not unusual to see shoppers lined up outside the major stores at daybreak on the first day of les soldes. Some stores have been known to stage special midnight openings, and in year's past there have even been reports of injuries as consumers stampede in to grab the good stuff.
The government sets the dates to try and keep shoppers in their local areas instead of travelling to the big cities for a bargain, that is, to keep everyone from descending en masse on Paris at the same time although the trains get full this week nonetheless.
The bargain-hunting rules
While most people associate the sales with a chance to refresh their wardrobe, the sales season applies to any kind of merchandise. You're mostly likely to find deals, des bonnes affaires, on the kinds of stock that turn over seasonally, such as clothes of course, since the whole point is to help retailers unload their 'winter' stock before the start of spring.
But you'll see SOLDES! signs on practically every storefront; computer equipment and household appliances, where new models come in every year, are also good bargain bets.
A huge sales sign in the window does not mean everything inside is on sale, however.
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