You’ve seen it before. A bold headline promises “Limited Time Offer - 70% OFF!” You click, expecting a steal, only to find the same price the following week. Online stores are masters at making every tag feel like a big win. But not all sales are genuine. This article shows you how to spot fake discounts, confirm real price drops, and shop with confidence instead of guesswork.

Why So Many Sales Online Aren’t Real

Many “sales” aren’t discounts at all. Stores often use something called price framing, where they show a fake “regular price” to make any reduction look bigger. The Federal Trade Commission says it’s illegal to advertise a sale if the product was never sold at the higher price in the first place. The FTC outlines these principles on its business guidance site and in consumer education materials about advertising honesty.

Researchers estimate that around one in four online discounts in the U.S. are inflated. Price trackers confirm similar findings when watching sale cycles on big platforms like Amazon and Walmart. So if every day feels like “Black Friday,” there’s a good reason.

Tricks Stores Use to Make Discounts Look Real

Retailers rely on psychology more than numbers. Once you understand the tricks, you’ll notice them everywhere you shop.

Fake Reference Prices

A store lists something as “$199, now $99.” It looks huge, but that item might never have sold for $199. This manipulation, often called anchor pricing, preys on your perception of value.

Urgency and FOMO

Countdown timers, “only 3 left,” or “ends in 2 hours” messages make you feel pressed to act. The problem? Many of these timers reset once they hit zero. They’re built to create pressure, not real deadlines.

Endless Sales

Fashion stores love this trick. The “50% off clearance” banner sits at the top of the page all year. It’s not clearance. It’s the regular price dressed up as a deal.

Fake Popularity

Messages saying “300 people bought this today” can make you think it’s a hit. Often, the numbers are generated by scripts, not customers.

Each of these small nudges plays on your emotions, tapping into excitement, scarcity, and the desire not to miss out. The good news is, it’s easy to see through the illusion once you know where to look.

How to Check if a Discount Is Real

Start by looking at the data, not the design. A quick search can save you from paying more than you should.

Begin with price tracking tools. CamelCamelCamel and Keepa record months of price history for items sold on Amazon. Type the product name or paste its link to see whether that supposed “discount” has actually been the normal price for weeks. If the graph never drops, it’s not a bargain.

Next, cross-check other stores. Search the same product on Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. When all prices look identical, those flashy “40% OFF” banners lose their punch.

You can also test coupons before trusting them. Add-ons such as PayPal Honey and PriceBlink apply real codes and show whether a coupon is live. Many supposedly “exclusive” promo codes are expired or never worked in the first place.

Finally, check retailer credibility. Look up the site on the Better Business Bureau’s main website to see whether shoppers have raised complaints. The FTC’s consumer site also posts alerts about dishonest promotions and misleading discounts.

Tools That Tell the Truth About Discounts

These verified tools make comparison simpler and prevent fake deals from slipping past you.

Each tool works differently, but together they cut through marketing noise. Before you buy, open one or two of these trackers to confirm whether it’s a true markdown.

Real Case Studies That Prove the Point

The FTC often targets fake discount practices. Major retailers including Amazon and Kohl’s have drawn investigations after advertising inflated “was” prices. In 2024, watchdog groups found hundreds of Prime Day listings where sellers quietly raised prices weeks earlier, only to “cut” them back during the event. That’s not a sale. It’s a circle.

These examples highlight a simple truth. If a sale sounds too generous, it probably is. Real discounts don’t need flashing timers or exaggerated before-and-after tags.

The Psychology That Keeps You Clicking

Sales appeal to emotion more than logic. A red “SALE” tag triggers urgency, and words like “exclusive offer” make shoppers feel special. The scarcity effect, or fear that the deal will vanish, tricks the brain into impulsive buying.

Knowing this lets you pause before reacting. Ask yourself: would I want this product at full price? If the answer is no, the sale isn’t saving you money at all.

Smarter Shopping Habits

Practicing skepticism pays off. Before you check out, look up the product’s price trend. Compare two or three other stores. Review shipping and return policies. If a shop hides this information or insists you act fast, close the tab.

The next time you shop, make price trackers part of your normal routine. Combine them with cashback options like Honey. And if a discount feels wrong, verify it through the BBB or FTC before you trust it.

Real Savings Come From Knowledge

Smart shoppers don’t chase every “flash offer.” They know real bargains withstand scrutiny. Learning to question and confirm pricing puts you in charge. Before your next online splurge, test the deal using one of the tools above. A few extra seconds can keep your money where it belongs, in your wallet, not lost to fake savings.