By Mark Ellwood.
This is not a manual of how to shop in a discounted world. It's more about the history, business and thought put into bargaining and sales-- coupons, discount sales, liquidations, sample sales. Non the less, it's interesting read.
I didn't realize how much of a disadvantage I'm at when I go shopping. I may think I'm a great bargain hunter, but that "bargain hunter" experience is all thought out and well planned. I get to feel proud about negotiating a strong bargain. The company get's my money in a well controlled, well planned way.
Coupons are complicated. Retailers don't process coupons given to them by customers. The retailers send the coupons off to processing companies (Mostly staffed by illegal immigrants) who sort and remail the coupons to manufactures for redemption. The manufactures don't process the coupons. They hire another processing company (also staffed by immigrants) a deal with the redemption checks. Still other companies design and market the coupons.
There are a few structural problems with the book. I think the author wrote many essays about different aspects of bargaining and pricing, and then hastily edited them together. The context switches between and back to different topics can be confusing.
Still, a very interesting read.
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