Beware of “Warehouse Clearance for Tet” and “Shock Discounts”: What Buyers Should Watch Out For

As the year draws to a close, consumers are inundated with eye-catching signs touting "shocking discounts," "one-day-only deals," and "end-of-year clearance sales" at every turn.

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The National Competition Commission (Ministry of Industry and Trade) has identified persistent issues with non-transparent promotions, such as price inflation followed by discounts, artificial scarcity, or false advertising designed to mislead consumers.

End-of-year clearance sales are a common sight during the holiday season.

These practices pose a significant risk to consumers’ rights to accurate information and informed choice.

The Commission highlights prevalent “phantom discount” tactics, such as inflating original prices before applying discounts. This strategy is often employed in both physical stores and online marketplaces.

Creating a sense of urgency through scarcity tactics, like “only 1 left,” “selling fast,” or “500 people viewing this product,” leverages the fear of missing out (FOMO). Limited availability, time-sensitive offers, or restricted access can intensify the desire to purchase.

This subtle pressure often leads consumers to make hasty decisions without thoroughly verifying product details.

Deep discounts on subpar products are another emerging fraud trend during peak shopping seasons. Many heavily discounted items fail to meet quality expectations, with discrepancies in appearance, color, size, or material compared to online descriptions on e-commerce platforms or social media.

Some products even lack technical specifications, origin information, or proper labeling, posing potential safety risks, especially for electronics, cosmetics, and children’s items.

To minimize risks and protect consumer rights during peak shopping periods, the National Competition Commission advises verifying price histories, choosing reputable brands and sellers, avoiding unverified individual sellers or those with negative reviews, retaining receipts and transaction records, and being wary of overly enticing offers.

Consumers should exercise caution with excessively deep discounts that seem too good to be true, unusual conditions, unclear supplier information, or products lacking quality certifications.

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