Saling [Selling] goods cheap and in big numbers

[milan2003_07]

Hello,

When the summer season ends many things that used to be quite expensive before are often sold at lower prices so that people will buy them in autumn because otherwise all these clothes will be useless and they will be just thrown away. I'm interested to know which words you use to speak about such a fair where there are a lot cheap things on sale, for example, after the summer season.

The dictionary gives "sales", but this word doesn't indicate there are many goods on sale and they are much cheaper than usual because of being offered with discounts.

Thanks

 

[5jj]

The dictionary gives "sales", but this word doesn't indicate there are many goods on sale and they are much cheaper than usual

Yes it does, in the right context.

I got quite a few bargains in the sales last week.
Postule's grand summer sale starts next Monday.

 

[milan2003_07]

Yes it does, in the right context.

I got quite a few bargains in the sales last week.
Postule's grand summer sale starts next Monday.

I see. However it turns out that unless you have a proper context you won't figure out whether a person is speaking just about ordinary sales or about sales where everything is cheap.

Your second sentence about grand summer sales would be unclear if there were no information about the fact that everything was cheaper there than usual. In orther words, you have to know something in advance or there should be hints and clues in the sentence. Right?

For example consider the sentence: "You'll manage to buy very cheap honey in a week when sales start in Gostiny Dvor on Nevsky Avenue". This sentence doesn't suggest anything about the prices there unless you know that there are annual cheap sales in Gostiny Dvor, the biggest department store in my city.

Tricky!!!

 

[bhaisahab]

I see. However it turns out that unless you have a proper context you won't figure out whether a person is speaking just about ordinary sales or about sales where everything is cheap.

Your second sentence about grand summer sales would be unclear if there were no information about the fact that everything was cheaper there than usual. In orther words, you have to know something in advance or there should be hints and clues in the sentence. Right?

For example consider the sentence: "You'll manage to buy very cheap honey in a week when sales start in Gostiny Dvor on Nevsky Avenue". This sentence doesn't suggest anything about the prices there unless you know that there are annual cheap sales in Gostiny Dvor, the biggest department store in my city.

Tricky!!!

In BrE, if somebody says "I'm going to the sales at Grimthorp's" the meaning is clear.

 

[5jj]

For example consider the sentence: "You'll manage to buy very cheap honey in a week when sales start in Gostiny Dvor on Nevsky Avenue". This sentence doesn't suggest anything about the prices there unless you know that there are annual cheap sales in Gostiny Dvor, the biggest department store in my city.

Well, the sentence does not merely suggest something about the prices; it explicitly states that the honey will be very cheap. There is nothing tricky about that.

 

[Barb_D]

In the US, a "sale" at a store means the prices are lower. When something is ON sale, the price is lower. When something is FOR sale, it just means that you can buy it.

(By the way, I doubt very much that they just throw clothing away. That's what outlets are for.)

 

[milan2003_07]

When something is ON sale, the price is lower. When something is FOR sale, it just means that you can buy it.

Thanks. I think this usage is typical for the USA only. Do British people understand it?

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks. I think this usage is typical for the USA only. Do British people understand it?

Yes thank you. We understand it perfectly.

However, we usually refer to discounted items as being "in a/the sale". To show that an item is simply available to be bought we say "It's on sale" or "It's for sale". In BrE, they're the same.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Clearance" may be the word you are looking for. When a store has a clearance sale, they are trying to clear out the inventory, to make room for the new items.

 

[Rover_KE]

I've edited your thread title because I don't want anybody to think there's a verb 'to sale', meaning 'to reduce the price of goods'.

Rover

 

[Tdol]

However it turns out that unless you have a proper context you won't figure out whether a person is speaking just about ordinary sales or about sales where everything is cheap.

Most language occurs in contexts, so the fact that something requires a context isn't a great problem.