Turkish Shoppers Warned: The Real Discount Behind 50%

TÜKONFED (Consumer Confederation) deputy chair İbrahim Güllü has warned shoppers in Türkiye about fake discounts, pre-campaign price rises and copycat shopping sites ahead of the November sales. He says a 50%, 60% or 70% label on the tag does not prove the product is actually that much cheaper; the real saving only shows against the price before the campaign.

How can I spot a fake discount?

Güllü’s first piece of advice is not to decide on the discount rate alone. According to him, the most common form of fake discount is a price raised just before the campaign and then shown as reduced. To catch it, compare the product’s price before the campaign, the same product’s price at other sellers and the dates the discount applies to. Price comparison sites, price history tools and the records on sellers’ own websites make that comparison possible.

Fraudsters use the same season. Güllü asks shoppers to watch out for addresses that imitate the sites of well-known brands, prices too low to be true, and links coming from social media ads. A secure connection on a site is not proof of trustworthiness on its own, he says; the seller’s trade name, full address and contact details should be verified. He recommends a virtual card with a low limit when paying.

How do I work out the real discount?

The rate on the tag is a claim. The real discount shows how far the campaign price has fallen against the product’s price before the campaign. The sum takes two steps: first find the discount amount (price × rate ÷ 100), then subtract that amount from the price. To see whether a product has really become cheaper, compare the campaign price with the pre-campaign price; the percentage change tool gives that difference as a percentage. The percentage calculator gives the discounted price, and the percentage guide explains the formula step by step.

If the tag says 50% off, what is the real discount?

For example, a product was selling for 800 TL before the campaign. The seller raised the tag to 1,000 TL before November, an increase of 25%. When the campaign puts 50% off on the label, the price falls to 500 TL. The buyer pays 500 TL, but against 800 TL the real discount is 37.5%. The same arithmetic holds at 70% off: a 300 TL price means a 62.5% discount on 800 TL.

Example calculation: a product that cost 800 TL before the campaign and was shown at 1,000 TL

Güllü also advises shoppers to ask whether extra purchases, a membership or a card are needed to use the campaign, and whether the price shown reflects the total cost including shipping.