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One store sells at 400 with 30% off, another at 360 with 25% off; which is cheaper?

The second store is cheaper despite the smaller discount: 30% off 400 is 280, and 25% off 360 is 270, a gap of 10. Always compare final prices, not percentages, because each percentage is taken from a different starting price.

Published · 2 min read

Why the percentage misleads

A percentage tells you how much came off that store's own price. It says nothing about how that price compares with anyone else's. A store that starts higher can advertise a bigger discount and still cost more. That is why ads print the percentage large and the final price small.

Worked example

Store one: 400 with 30% off, price 280, saving 120.

Store two: 360 with 25% off, price 270, saving 90.

Store one 'saves' you more on paper, yet you pay more there.

Comparing step by step

  1. Open the Discount calculator, type store one's price and rate, and note the final price.
  2. Change the figures to store two's price and rate, and note the final price.
  3. Compare the two final prices only. Ignore the saving here; it measures the discount, not the price.

What discount would store one need to match?

If you want to ask store one for a price match, find the rate that brings it to 270: (400 − 270) ÷ 400 × 100 = 32.5%. Check it in the calculator: 400 with 32.5% off gives exactly 270. In the same way, a third store at 450 would need 40% off to reach 270.

The sum works for sellers too: when a competitor advertises a bigger discount than yours, work out their final price before you panic. You may already be cheaper, in which case the fix is simply to make your final price prominent in your ad.

What must match before you compare

  • The same product: model, size and capacity. Two similar items are not one item.
  • Shipping and cash-on-delivery fees, which are added after the discount and can flip the result.
  • Tax: make sure both prices either include it or both exclude it.
  • If the pack sizes differ, compare the unit price after discount with the Unit-price comparison.

Common questions

Can I compare both stores in the calculator at once?

It works out one offer at a time. Run the first, copy the result with the copy button, then run the second.

One store has two discounts in a row. How do I compare?

Enter both discounts in order and use the final price the calculator gives you in the comparison.