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I am very sorry.
I forgot an important condition.
This campaign is to give back 50% of the points for the purchase amount for only one order during the period.

Mercari is a well-known Japanese company. Currently, Mercari is running a campaign. This campaign is to give back 50% of the points for the purchase amount. Mercari says something like, "Your purchase is actually half price". The campaign is short, running from July 16, 2022 to September 30, 2022.

Suppose I buy something that costs 1,000 yen.
As a result, I get 500 points (1 point = 1 yen).
Therefore, I can buy something for 1,500 yen for 1,000 yen.
In other words, I have purchased the item at a 33% discount.

I think Mercari is wrong.

Am I right?enter image description here

tchappy ha
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    Assuming that one point = one yen, then I think it's not unreasonable for them to claim a $50%$ discount. You pay $1,000$ yen and then they give you back $500$ yen, so the transaction only cost you $500$ yen. Of course, you might complain that the $500$ they give back is worth less than $500$ yen since (I'm guessing here) it can only be spent at their shop. But if this is a place you shop routinely, then I'd say the claim was fair. – lulu Jul 15 '22 at 19:36
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    In practice, yes you're right, because even if you earn another 250points by utilising that 500points (which seems unusual), I assume that you won't be utilising this 250points anyway, in other words, I assume that you have no plans to regularly shop there. – ryang Jul 15 '22 at 19:37
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    @ryang Ahh. $500+250+125+\dots=1000$ points. Thank you very much for your answer. – tchappy ha Jul 15 '22 at 19:41
  • @lulu Thank you very much for your answer. – tchappy ha Jul 15 '22 at 19:42
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    Can you spend the 500 YEN to get back 250 YEN (and so on) ? In the limiting case, 1000 YEN gives you 1000 YEN back, which you already commented. (A) In case you can spend the 500 YEN but not get back 250 YEN, then it is only 33%. (B) The Image shows some timeline to use the cashback by September : Then you can not get back all the money and Discount is Strictly less than 50%. (C) The Image also seems to show maximum Points 3000 : Again, Paying 10000 YEN will only get you 13000 YEN which will be less than 33% (D) Marketing Campaigns are not known for Mathematical Accuracy ! – Prem Jul 15 '22 at 19:57
  • Everyone, I am very sorry. I forgot an important condition. This campaign is to give back 50% of the points for the purchase amount for only one order during the period. – tchappy ha Jul 16 '22 at 01:43
  • That was why I asked whether you can use the Points to get further Discounts ! It is "NO", hence you get Maximum 33% Discount. When you buy 1000 Y , get cashback 500 Y & then buy 500 Y with no cashback : total 1000 Y to get 1500 Y ~ 33% ! In case there is a 3000 Point limit to the cashback , then buy 10000 Y , get cashback 3000 Y , buy 3000 Y : total 10000 Y to get 13000 Y ~ 23% ! Buy even more & get even less Percent Discount ! Marketing Campaigns are known for HYPE ! – Prem Jul 16 '22 at 19:28

1 Answers1

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It is completely acceptable for the company to say that.

I read the example that you provided. Mercari says that it the discount is 50% off the original price of the product. I believe that the example you gave was an example of using the discount of one product on a different product.

To prove it, suppose that the price of one object is $x$ yen, and you also have $x$ yen in your balance.

You pay $x$ yen for the product, and you have $0$ yen left in your balance. However they give back half of the money, and thus you have $\dfrac{1}{2}x$ yen back in your balance.

This is the same as paying $\dfrac{1}{2}x$ yen, which is half of the listed price.

Now, in your example, you introduced another product worth $1500$ yen. This is different than the price of your original product, worth $1000$ yen. I believe that you misread the statement a little (not to criticize you by any means!). What I think you did was: $$\dfrac{1}{2}\div\dfrac{3}{2}=\dfrac{1}{3}=33\%$$

- Dgoat54

Dgoat54
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