30.5.13 Undercutting

There seems to be a move to 'go one better' in a number of areas.  Ordinarily, one might expect healthy competition, a feature of any free market.  However, I am perplexed by the odd approaches in a couple of areas, and I am struggling to understand the logic behind some of the moves.

First, let's take the 'pound shop', whether Poundland, Poundworld or any other independent retailer deciding that £1 is the way forward.  This concept was fine until 99p Stores arrived, to undercut the competition.  As if the public would ditch a £1 shop to save a fucking penny!

However, things are hotting up now, because 98p is the new pound.  I remember B&Q pissing about with prices more than a decade ago, to buck the trend of prices all ending with 99p, and I wasn't impressed.

Poundland has apparently "slashed prices" in four of its stores, to compete with 99p Stores.  Poundland has in these locations become "97p Land", which doesn't have a proper ring to it.  As if these pennies make any fucking difference, when the pack sizes for many commodities sold inside are all tampered with so that they are not anything bu products designed to be sold in such establishments.

How long before we see a 96p Shop ???

Meanwhile, on a totally different subject (but linked to the theme above) I recall the reporting of the Oklahoma tornado disaster a couple of weeks ago, and the efforts of rescuers.  It was stated at one stage that they were 98% certain there would be no one else found, and rescue work was completed.  Just how on earth did they arrive at this figure?

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