Unsubscribing from Sale Notification Emails.

One of the temptations I receive every day is the sale notification emails from various vendors.  Especially those flash sale sites - Gilt, Fab, Hautelook, and the like.  I'm I was also a sucker for J.Crew's daily emails.  They all make it sound like such a good deal not to be missed!  Today and tomorrow only, (up to) 30% off! 40% off! 50% off! 60% off!

In my head, I know that "good deals" aren't that good of a deal.  I had a friend who worked in the high-end apparel import/export business, and he told me just how cheaply these things are actually made.  Buttons cost pennies, fabric a few dollars, add some dirt cheap labor...  Most money is spent on marketing and retail, but even then retailers can still make handsome profits after discounts.  I realized that more fully when his company had their "friends and family, limited invitation only" sales - I could buy Armani Collezioni at 90% off, and they were still not losing money.  (Otherwise they wouldn't have these sales every year.)

But since I no longer had such access (turned out he had a crush on me and once I turned him down the perks ended), these emails offered somewhat good deals - it seemed like - well, better than regular pricing.

The thing is, unless you were planning on buying something you needed and that particular item happened to go on sale, sales aren't really good deals, because you end up spending the money you weren't going to spend otherwise.  You probably end up spending more than what you would have at regular price, because you tell yourself, "Oh, I might as well because it's such a good deal right now!"

Stupid.  I know.  I fall for it almost every time.  Because it's thrilling and fun - it's the hunt for the best sales, and the adrenaline rush I get from scoring the best deal.

So I figure, if I don't see that it exists, I'm less likely to be tempted.  Hence this week's goal: Unsubscribe from as many sale/apparel/shoes related emails as possible.  There were always so many they were overwhelming anyway.

I unsubscribed from a few already in the past few days, and to be honest, a part of me misses them.  For instance, I sometimes get styling clues from J.Crew emails, and it was fun to see outfits made of spring colors pop up in my inbox every day.  But I have to weigh the pros and cons here.

Pros:

1. I see cute outfits and get styling hints
2. Get cheered up by colors

Cons:

1. Get cheered up by colors to the point I'm tempted to buy items featuring those colors
2. End up spending money (which could be used for something more useful, like retirement)
3. End up getting items I don't need
4. Stress out myself and husband

Clearly there are more cons than pros...  I just had to write them out.

No more J.Crew emails for me.

-A