# Sales Event? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732 "2008-12-18T12:32:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/1 "2008-12-18T12:32:22Z")
Reminded by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=497978). I always see “sales event” or rather “SALES EVENT!!!” in regard to car commercials on TV. This really isn’t a sale is it? where they are actually offering cars at reduced prices? I suspect there is some law that requires them to have reduced prices to be able to call it a “sale.” but if they call it a “sales event” then it’s not a sale and they don’t have to offer reduced prices. So is a “sales event” really a sale or is it a sham? If I’m wrong and it really is a sale…my question becomes; Why do they call it a sales event and not just “sale.” I hope this is clear, my coffee hasn’t kicked in yet ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/2 "2008-12-18T13:51:30Z")
Sounds like just some bullshit phrase dreamed up by an ad copywriter, like “Sale-A-Bration”. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/3 "2008-12-18T17:54:58Z")
Well yeah, that’s what I’m thinking, but I want to know for sure… “Sale-a-bration” “sales event” etc. why is it never only “sale”? I think its because it would be against some law to call it a sale without actually lowering the price. So they call it “sale-a-bration” or whatever so they are not breaking the law, but are still misleading people to think they’ve actually lowered the price. Unfortunately, I don’t know for sure, and was hoping someone would have the straight dope on it. Surely, there are ex car salespeople here? or consumer protection types of something. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/4 "2008-12-18T17:59:59Z")
I have a sneaking feeling “Sales Event” is just car-salesman-ese for “sale.” They need to have a little more imagination. If the guys behind Homestar Runner can come up with the [Seniorial Day Tent Event Supra Sale](http://www.homestarrunner.com/senorialday.html), surely real salesmen can think up something better. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/5 "2008-12-18T20:39:03Z")
Do car dealers really have “sales” (other than clearance season, that is)? Considering that the salesmen aren’t really required to stick to the MSRP or higher in the first place, and often don’t, it seems like the kind of sale that small-ticket retailers have doesn’t apply. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/6 "2008-12-18T20:46:34Z")
You might be on to something. However, the phrase “event” seems to be a big fad in marketing lately. Look at all the TV shows who seem to have a “2-hour EVENT” every other week in order to drum up viewership. I assumed that car dealers are using the same technique, but maybe there’s more to it. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/7 "2008-12-18T21:06:03Z")
They clearly never NEVER **NEVER** say “on sale” or just “sale”; and seem to go to some gymnastics to avoid those terms. To the point that I’m suspicous they are trying to circumvent some advertisement law. I think it’s more than just an advertising gimmick. Because they ALL use the term “sales event”. If it was an advertising gimmick I would expect this term would not be commonly used by competing dealers. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/8 "2008-12-18T21:07:53Z")
If they’re like most places and their sales events, the pants you want are $32 through out the year. But during the “sales event”, the “original sticker” will say $42, sale price $29. I can’t prove they’re doing this, but it sure seems like it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/9 "2008-12-18T21:29:13Z")
Advertising hype has associated the word sale with the implication that there’s a discounted price involved. But technically a sale is any transaction of a product for money. Even if you buy a $25,000 car for $30,000, it’s still a sale. And by the same logic, I guess a sales event is a place where individual sales occur. Or at least are being offered. I suppose a business could have a sales event but end up with no customers and no sales. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sales-event/477732/10 "2008-12-19T13:09:30Z")
So no one knows for sure specifically why the word “sales event” is so prevelant. I’ve got a couple of guesses, but no proof or evidence. Damn