Blog
What “up to 70% off” actually means
The word “up to” is doing a lot of work. A short guide to anchor prices, single-item examples, and sale maths that flatters the headline.
4.0 1 ratingNoor Aziz
September 16, 2026 · 4 min read · 354 views
“Up to 70% off” is not a claim about the sale. It is a claim about one item in the sale, and often an item that was never going to sell at full price. The rest of the rail is usually 20–30% off, which is still fine — it is just not the number in the banner.
The anchor price problem
Some retailers raise the original price shortly before a sale so the discount looks larger. Others use a recommended retail price the item has not sold at for years. Neither is necessarily illegal; both make the headline less useful. The only price that matters is the one you can pay today, compared with what the same item costs elsewhere.
Read the single-item examples
Most sale pages include the item that justifies the headline. Find it. Check its size, colour, and stock. If the 70% item is a single XXS in a colour nobody wanted, the real sale starts much further down the page.
“Judge the sale by the thing you want, not the thing they chose for the banner.”
A quick checklist
- Compare the current price with one other retailer, not the crossed-out price.
- Check whether the discount applies to new stock or only clearance.
- Factor in delivery and returns before deciding.
- Ignore the countdown until you have done the first three.
None of this means the sale is bad. It means the headline is a hook, and the useful number is always the one attached to the item in your basket.
Written by
Noor Aziz
Part of the SlashPass desk — codes are re-tested every week, and anything that stops working is pulled the same day.
From the readers
Reader notes on this story
4.0
Out of 5
1 reader rating
Did this piece help you save? Leave a note for the next reader — it is the fastest way to tell us what to write next.
-
TH
Theo L.
Nov 10, 2026
Solid
Saved a decent amount and the delivery was quicker than expected.
Keep reading
More from the Blog
Fine print
Read the fine print: expiry dates are not the whole story
A code can expire in three different ways. Knowing which one you are dealing with saves a lot of checkout disappointment.
Read the story
Buying guides
The quiet math of a good coupon
A discount is only a discount if you were going to buy the thing anyway. Here is the three-question test we use at the desk.
Read the story
Desk notes
Why we re-test every code on Fridays
A short look inside the Friday routine that keeps the storefront honest — and what happens when a code stops working.
Read the story