Ravindra proudly claimed that whenever he went to the market, the first thing he searched for was a big “SALE” sign. To him, a sale meant quality products at low prices. In reality, however, he fell victim to clever marketing tricks every single time.
One day, Ravindra was thrilled to read in the newspaper that a grand “Bumper Sale” was being held at the city’s largest mall. Without wasting a moment, he rushed there. As soon as he entered, a bright board caught his attention: “Up to 50% Off.” His heart leaped with excitement. “Today, I’ll shop to my heart’s content,” he thought happily.
He first stopped to look at shirts. One shirt had a large red sticker that read: “Earlier ₹2000, Now Only ₹1999.” Ravindra’s eyes sparkled with joy. “Wow! What a huge discount!” he murmured to himself and immediately bought the shirt without a second thought.
Next, he moved to the shoe section. A pair of shoes displayed a bold sign: “Special Sale Offer.”
“How much are these?” Ravindra asked eagerly.
The shopkeeper smiled and replied, “Only ₹4999. Earlier it was ₹5000.”
Ravindra quickly calculated in his head and thought, “Such big savings!” Without hesitation, he bought the shoes too.
When he returned home and examined the bill carefully, his head began to spin. He realized that in the name of a sale, his shopping bag had grown heavier while his wallet had grown lighter. Frustrated, he exclaimed, “These shopkeepers truly pulled the wool over my eyes!”
The next day, Ravindra told his friend firmly, “I won’t fall for sales anymore.”
His friend laughed and replied, “As long as those shiny discount boards exist, you’ll keep getting trapped.”
Ravindra declared seriously, “From now on, I’ll check the original price, think carefully, and calculate three times before buying anything.”
But that very evening, he noticed another glowing board that read: “Special Offer Today!”
Unable to resist, Ravindra slowly walked toward the store again, muttering to himself, “Just one more time… maybe this time I’ll actually save some money!”
RAJEEV VERMA 