Editor's Note: This time, the price just ain’t right, Larry...

Everyone loves a good sale. Just this morning I purchased a pair of shoes that were reduced by 30 per cent. The fact they still represented a good chunk of my weekly pay packet was irrelevant – as far as I was concerned, they were a bargain.

I also snapped them up during office hours so I reckon, in some obscure way, they all but managed to pay for themselves. Don’t ask me about the logic in that statement: Aristotle has no place in women’s footwear.

Time was of the essence here. The online store I purchased them from does not discount outside of traditional sales periods – which is sensible given it is a well-recognised and respected operator – so I needed to move fast.

I was grateful my loyalty to the business saw me receive an early VIP sales alert, with my credit card doing much of the thanking.

All of this meant I was surprised when several respected brands (albeit, operating at lower price points) decided to publicise the launch of their new Australian stores with aggressive sales strategies.

Sure, it’s nice to offer local consumers a cheeky discount when you open, but slapping 20 to 30 per cent off signs across an otherwise cleverly merchandised store by way of introduction?

“Hi there, nice to meet you. You want to know about me? Where do I start? I can be cheap.”

I am not talking about discount operators here. One brand, which has a substantial international presence and a loyal celebrity following, staged such a sale for the launch of its first flagship store.

I swung by three days into its discounting orgy and the word on everyone’s lips was price. Never mind the design. Never mind its street cred. Never mind its retail format.

Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!

Is this really a way to build long-term relationships with consumers? If you hook them on price first, isn’t that what they’ll come back for?

The things that hooked me to my beloved online store were: a) the intelligence of its product offering, b) its ridiculously fast and efficient shipping processes, and c) the incredible lengths taken in packaging each purchase.

When we met, it said, “Hi there, nice to meet you. I’d like to introduce you to my friends – Bootie, Platform and Sandal. If you like them, I can have them greet you personally within the next few days. I’ll even make sure they’re dressed up real nice when they arrive on your doorstep. Give me a bell if you have any questions.”

And that kind of conversation is key to a long-term relationship.