"A seller can make a sale under the term "sales" or equivalent denomination only 2 times a year. 2 sales periods are fixed by law. The winter sales are therefore beginning on January 3 and ends on January 31. The summer sale will be held from July 1 to 31."
The result is, that when the Sales start, we have "boxing day" the whole month long. The first day is the worst. There people line up very early morning to get the best bargains as soon as the doors open, when on the country side the rooster starts his first song.
I don't like this winter and summer sales, yes sometimes you can make a good bargain, but often the stores also cheat, they keep the same price, and put the "Sales" label just underneath. Therefore more and more people check prices of things they want to buy before the "Sale" starts and check if it's a real "Sale" or not an increase of the normal price. (That happens too) I was quiet surprised why two shop owners asked me why I took pictures. I explained for what. Afterwards I understood ! They thought I was comparing the prices before and after "Sales"
Armed with my camera I walked through Waterloo and here is how the city looks like now !
A little strange
On the main street
and in the two shopping galleries
Some stores translated "Soldes" into "Sales" and confused the poor people who don't speak English, "sales" means "dirty" in French and the kids probably wondered why they had to point out that their windows were dirty. The shoe shop wanted to be sure and wrote his "Sales" in all languages.
and these are the clever once, they don't mention the word "Soldes" they put "clearance" on their shops from time to time during the year and avoid the law !
Not on "Sales" was the church, Napoleon and Wellington !
