This is interesting and may provide a hint about why foreigners are so enthralled with shopping in the USA—there’s always a sales rack or two in every store, n’est-ce pas? In France, the law allows sales to occur only twice a year: in January and again in July. This practice, which predates the discovery of America by at least three hundred years, was actually that of the merchants' guild in the Middle Ages. Guilds settled disputes amongst tradesmen against competition from other towns and medieval cops broke guild members' legs if they broke the guild rules!Shops in Paris are offering 30-70% off their usual prices which began today (the 10th) at 8:00 AM and continue through February 17th. (If you’re in other parts of France, the dates may differ.) Stores can offer “promotions” or “liquidations” at other times throughout the year (also highly regulated with a different set of guidelines) but they can only use the word “soldes” (sales) during the designated two sales periods each year, each never lasting more than six weeks.
During my wanderings around the city last week looking at Christmas lights, I was amazed at all the shoppers out and about. So I can imagine how crowded the stores will be these next six weeks when millions of people with credit cards clutched in hand take part in this frenzy.
Vive les Soldes, as they say!
PS--As you can tell, I was able to fix my laptop--thanks to my daughter who had an on-line chat with a Dell technician and his suggestions. Also thanks to my sister for sending information about how to contact Dell in France just in case of further problems... And to my landlady, Adrian, who offered me her extra laptop and gave me the name of her local computer technician (American) in case I ever have another problem. I vow, however, not to turn the laptop off until about 5 AM on Thursday, March 8th!
