What’s the point of Black Friday’s 70% discounts if sellers double prices beforehand?

As someone who shops often at major stores, I used to get excited for Black Friday and the rush of getting good deals. But over the last few years, my enthusiasm has faded.

Stores big and small still plaster their windows with flashy signs promising 70% or even 80% off, buy-one-get-one deals or massive storewide markdowns, but few consumers set foot inside. What should be a thrilling shopping festival is now met with consumers’ skepticism.

We have become too familiar with the "illusion of a discount." Plenty of stores quietly double their prices before the date, then announce a 70% discount to sell their products at barely any cheaper than usual. The promotion looks impressive at first glance, but the moment you look closely, you realize the original prices were inflated. The items on sale are also mostly leftover stock with outdated designs or unpopular sizes.

That feeling of being played slowly kills the excitement that Black Friday used to command. Shoppers today are smarter. They have tools to quickly track prices, compare options and check product reviews. Once they discover that the "before" and "after" prices are essentially the same, they just shake their head and walk away.

I have stepped into stores advertising 80% discounts more times than I can count, hoping to find something worthwhile. Instead, I would see a few sad and old items that had been sitting on the shelf all year. That letdown makes it easy to understand why fewer people are shopping, even as the signage gets bolder, louder and more dramatic.

Why do "shocking deals" fail to entice shoppers? I believe the problem is also due to a lack of transparency in how the market operates. When a promotion is designed simply to lure consumers in rather than offer real value for money, they notice immediately.

If this continues, retailers will only hurt themselves. They will lose loyal customers and erode trust across the market. A meaningful Black Friday should help shoppers find things they genuinely want at a better price than usual while giving businesses a chance to boost sales and build long-term loyalty. For that to happen, the market needs to change.

The first step is being honest. Stores should stop inflating prices before slashing them. They should clearly list the original and discounted prices and the timeline for their promotion so customers can verify them. Honesty is the only way to rebuild trust. If it is 50% off, say 50%. Do not push it to 70-80% just to create a false sense of savings.

Moderate but genuine discounts work far better than dramatic but fake ones. Stores should also offer a wider variety of discounted items instead of just leftover inventory that they could not sell. Include some popular items too, so the promotion actually feels worthwhile.

When shoppers feel they have real choices rather than whatever the store wants to get rid of, they are more willing to spend. Beyond that, retailers need to care more about long-term credibility. Some stores roll out huge Black Friday banners every year but never invest in product quality, good service or after-sales support.

Consumers today care far more about the overall experience than about the size of the discount. Seeing how the previous Black Friday went, I hope businesses take a closer look at how they run their promotions and shoppers continue to stay alert and informed.

A real promotion helps stimulate spending and strengthens the relationship between buyers and sellers. A fake one, however, can damage a brand’s reputation and destroy years of trust. This problem can only be improved if stores respect their customers and choose to play fair.

*This opinion was submitted by a reader. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.