How Can You Understand The Math And Still Be So Wrong?

We are running a buy-one-get-one-at-50%-off sale. Having worked in many stores with similar promos, this is the only time I’ve encountered this argument.

Customer: “Why can’t I just have one at 50% off?”

Me: “Because our promotion is to buy one at the regular price and get the other at 50%.”

Customer: “But that is just a way of tricking the customers into thinking they got a deal.”

Me: “What?”

Customer: “Your deal isn’t to get one at 50%; it is to get two for 25% off. If I have to buy one at full price, I’m not really saving 50% on the other.”

Me: “Well, I don’t set it, and that is the company’s terms for the promo.”

Customer: “So, I can’t just get one for 50%, then?”

Mathematically speaking, he isn’t wrong. However, no, he did not get just one at 50%, or even two for 25%, or even buy-one-get-one-half-off.