All guides

Published August 1, 2026

Avoid fake discounts: struck-through prices, “up to”, and multi-buys

Not everything in red is a deal. Here are the most common traps in Canada — and how to neutralize them in 30 seconds.

A struck-through price isn’t always a real “was”

A reference price can be a rarely used MSRP, an off-season old price, or a different format. Compare with the price you’ve seen recently — not only the crossed-out number.

Price history (paid Promo Simple plans) helps check whether the “sale” is actually low versus recent weeks.

“Up to 50% off” ≠ 50% on the item you want

The maximum percentage often applies to a limited selection. Check the real discount on your model, colour or size.

In fashion and home, leftover sizes at the end of a sale are often the least popular — the real cost includes whether you’ll like the item.

Multi-buy: calculate the unit price

“2 for $8” is $4 each. If you only want one and a single unit is $5.99, the multi-buy only helps if you’ll actually store the second.

For perishables, a multi-buy that ends in the bin is never a deal.

Compare the same product, not the same aisle

A “cheaper equivalent” can be a different brand, a 20% smaller format, or a previous model. Read the full name / SKU.

On Promo Simple, open the product page and compare shown offers before you go.

Don’t trust red marketing: unit price, history, same product. A real deal survives those three checks.

Ready to compare this week’s deals?