You've probably heard of them but didn't identify them as such. You get an email from a store you frequently buy your stuff informing you of a deal which only their most loyal customers can take advantage of. By using exclusiveness to "hook" you they get you to think you are getting a great deal when maybe you could find a better deal elsewhere. When you hear of a deal it might pay to look around and find out if there might be a better deal elsewhere. One reason why you hear of these deals and offers is probably because competitors are also offering discounts . . .
I'm a member of a couple of those types of websites and regularly buy from them. But like you say, it's always prudent to keep your eyes open and still compare prices, because I have sometimes found that the 'specials" are not that special LOL It's all about shopping smart, really. I don't care how reasonable the price is, I always take the time to see what else is out there
Generally they are a ploy, but some sites really do offer loyal customers a sneak preview and when you log in, you have to add an authenticity code. It recently happened with BestBuy and they sent a verification code to access the site. Some codes only work with the registered email account, so you can't share them too. I have had a share of the scams too, but these days real sales aren't as frequent as they used to be.
Some sites do offer those so called "secret sales" to hook their customers in, but many times in signing up for a website, or getting on their mailing list they will send you coupons for signing up. Just joining an email list may get you 10 percent off the website for instance. You will also get notice of sales, and sometimes gifts on your birthday. I like to sign up for email lists because you get notice of sales and so forth, and can look at flyers you may not otherwise have access to.
I guess this is just another ploy to get at your money. I know some stores have a loyalty card where they give discounts when they scan your card. Though I would be careful about "secret" sales in case it is a scam. Of course it is legit if it requires some type of authentic verification process or code to get the secret sale.
I personally can't stand when they do secret sales because it's like the bid sites that I can't stand. They offer a limited amount of a particular item then it sells out making you feel like your going to lose your change to purchase it. It's insane. I don't do the penny bid sites or the sites that have " limited time" sales.
Here it is often not out of the ordinary to befriend our retailers, and doing so is often key to get slight preferential treatment. We don't have secret special sales here, as far as I know, but even on a regular day you could get significantly more discount than the average customer if you are friends with the store clerk or owner. It's not a custom that is applicable in all stores, though, as usually when the store is at a big establishment like a mall, the prices are set, but boutique shops are the best places to employ this tactic.
I completely agree with you too small to shops of the best places to kind of go to for the secret sales or things of that nature but I'm thinking of the bigger picture. I know that a lot of different manufacturers like to go to the process of doing some type of cyber monday sale and it seems to exceed itself to the point now where they are going into making almost every day of the week behind black Fridays some type of special colored sale day. I think that when certain small shops have limited time sales and they have a special particular item when it comes down to it when it comes to Penny bid sites for other size that say that over having a sale for a limited time when I have 50 of one item then it kind of puts a really nasty taste in my mouth because what I'm thinking about it its myself in competition with some other mom trying to buy something or some other individual trying to buy something and you have 50 you say you now only have 30 but then you have more than that and I don't feel like dealing with the whole rigmarole.
If you hadn't signed up for emails from a store if I were you I wouldn't click on anything of the email. Only when you open an account from let's say Walmart they'll send you emails. If you did not sign up at a store and get emails it could be from scammers. Be carful and don't click on the email. Delete it and block them to be safe.
