Drawing You In

Blog Date - 11 May 2026

Imagine if you will - a couple are sat at home on the settee watching telly. The settee is fine, it is a functional place to sit and watch telly. The issue is the settee is now say 15 years old. It's not quite as shiny and new as it once was, there's that one scratch on the faux leather bit near the floor where it was bashed with the vacuum cleaner, the cushions where they sit are no longer perfectly flat, they're developing a shape akin to their backsides, and if they're honest there's a collection of coins and crumbs in the angular folds between the back and the flat bits.

Plenty of life in the old chair yet.

One of them is not at all bothered by the aging sofa, the other person is. One of them sees nothing at all wrong and there's still another 20 years service left in the now comfy rounded edges of the padding. This Is person A. The other sees collapsing foam, faded colours, and a misfit in the otherwise blemishless confines of the living room. This is person B. 

"Oh look, there's a sale on at DFS" says B - let's be honest when ISN'T there?
"Urgh..." responds A
"They've got a model in for £500 that'll fit right in with our decor"
"Urgh..."

Eventually the couple is in the car heading to DFS (other furniture stores are available). B is excited, A just wants to get this whole torrid shopping spree over and done with. Hey - guess what? Of course the DFS our couple is stood in does not have any more of the £500 sofas left - what a surprise. But what they do have is this model at £700 but it's the wrong colour. There's another at £849 that person B likes. Our couple is now £849 down when expecting to spend £500. They've been upsold to the tune of £349.

I have no facts, only suspicions. My suspicion is that DFS had but one of the £500 settees in each store (and I'm being generous here). The purpose of this £500 settee is advertising. They can legally advertise a nice settee for £500 thus drawing people into their stores. Once a potential buyer has made the effort to get off their existing settee and get into the car and drive to the store - that's 90% of the sales work done already. They don't want to trawl around another 10 shops. They don't want to go home empty handed. They don't want to lose the excitement of their new purchase. Person B wants their new settee, person A just wants to get home to watch more TV.

It's quite remarkable how many motorcycle stores Sharon and I have been to where an advertised item is not all that it seems in the advert. I shall not name names as I haven't got a lawyer - but...

Ooooh NC750X

Brand new NC750X, £6400. The list price was £7600. Hmmmm. I'm no fool I know there's a catch. It'll be last years model. It'll be pre-registered. None-the-less that's a good price for a new bike! I'm not bothered if it's last year's model, pre-registered. 

"Can you tell me about this bike?" I show them the shop's own website with the listing. 
"Eh what? Something's wrong there." Would you believe it - administrative error on the website. "Golly gee really sorry that shouldn't have happened. But what is it you're looking for, we have quite a few..." I collect my helmet and gloves and leave.

2023 NC750X. Under 5000 miles, full service history (including annual services so 3 oil changes in 5000 miles), already has crash bars, top box and side cases fitted, all for £4500. Bargain! Off I pop. I show the sales person the listing again on their website. 

"Oh, wait, yeah, that's sold that one. Most people call to reserve them before the come to look at them. It's £100 to reserve and you get it back if you don't buy it."
"Oh, really, when did the bike sell?"
"Hang on" - checks computer - "about a week ago"
"So why is it still listed?"
"I don't know, our system can take a little while to update. Listen, what is it you're looking for, we have quite a few..." I collect my helmet and gloves and leave.

Computer sez no...

Sharon looking for a Z400 a good while back. Right bike, right miles, right colour and in a shop not far from her place.
"Yeah, where's that Z400 in black and green, '24 plate."
"Say what?" Sharon shows them the advert on AutoTrader. "Oh, right, let me check the system." Checks computer. "Oh that's in group stock, I don't know which shop it's in but we can get it here for you to look at next week - if you put £100 down and agree the deal. You can get the £100 back if you're not satisfied with the bike". We collect our helmets and gloves and leave.

Yes of course administrative errors happen. Yes you can see an advert but arrive at the shop too late. Yes I can **ALMOST** accept a shop might list bikes from other shops in the group although that's bloody crafty. 

What both my own and Sharon's recent experiences lead us to believe is that - much like DFS - shops will do ANYTHING to get you into the showroom. By the time you're in the showroom you are primed and ready, excited and hopeful, you're desperate for fulfilment. Or you're so bloody sick of looking you'd buy a clapped out CG125 for 3 grand just to get this nightmare over with.

If you're bitter and cynical like myself you're already aware that such tactics exist and that people who sell things can be and often are crafty and manipulative. Don't be surprised if the advertised item is "out of stock", "already sold", "an administrative error", or otherwise not quite as you'd expect. If the item of interest does actually exist and is available - always look at the item in front of you and the price of said item. If the item fits your requirements and expectations at a price that makes sense then go for it. If it does not then do not be afraid to walk away. You won't change the system, you can't stop it, the best you can hope for is not to fall for it... too often.

My feelings about some shops are similar to the feelings I have about this person.

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