If it was never $X, the % off is theater
How to spot a fake was price: find last week’s regular price, then look at the slash. One photo of last week’s tag beats a red “was $X.” If it never sold at that price, the markdown is a phantom. Then still run unit price.
What this page adds that /was-price does not
What “was $X” really means is the hub: a strikethrough is a claim, the shopper test, then unit price. This page is the grocery walkthrough — a second worked example and the photo / circular / screenshot steps. Do not reread the scale. Use this in the dairy case.
Phantom markdown means the high number never sat on a real shelf for ordinary shoppers. The % off is a costume. Price history grocery is last week’s tag, not a lawsuit.
Worked example: grocery yogurt “was $5.99” that was $3.49 every circular this month
Labeled example, not a current ad. Same 32-oz tub, same store.
Labeled example — not a current ad
This week’s tag: was $5.99, now $2.99. “50% off.”
This month’s circulars: $3.49, $3.49, $3.29, $3.49. Four weeks. Never $5.99.
The strikethrough never sold at that price. $2.99 vs the real regular $3.49 is about 50¢, not 50% off. The red slash did the work. The price did not.
If you only have this week’s tag, you would believe the 50%. The circular is the history. That is the whole check.
The photo / circular / screenshot walkthrough
Before you shop, or as you pass the shelf: take one photo of the tag. Next week you have a regular price. No app. Camera roll.
Or keep the paper circular (or the store’s weekly ad screenshot). If this week’s “was” is higher than every ad this month, the was-price is theater. One photo of last week’s tag beats a red slash every time.
If you have neither, treat “was $X” as unproven. You may still buy at the now-price if you would pay it without the costume. Then do the next check anyway.
Amazon: same check on a 90-day chart
Online, the photo is a 90-day line. Open a free chart (CamelCamelCamel or Keepa). If the “was” never appears as a lived-in price, it is the yogurt trick with a nicer graph. Same rule as coupon vs lightning: the badge is not the history.
You are reading a line, not joining a tracker. If the line lived at the “now” price last week, there is no discount. There is a slash.
Then unit price, then the three
Even an honest 50¢ drop can lose per ounce to the store brand next to it. After history, compare unit price. On the shelf, match oz vs count before you celebrate the tub.
If it was never $X and the ounces lose, it is a fake 50% off in one sticker. It does not go on this week’s three. Must-buys were written before the slash. Maybes only if history is real and unit price wins.
Keep the six checks on your phone: save this. Use them on one cart this week.