I've never thought people make any real savings anyway Mamyalynne. OK - if someone was planning to buy a product anyway, then realised it would be cheaper if they waited a few days for the sales, then that would be a saving. But most people buying sales goods would never have bought them otherwise.
My wife and I used to smoke and we often went across the Channel on the booze cruises. We would spend £400 on tobacco and the trip - then congratulate ourselves on saving £800! How potty was that!? I see people doing the same with the sales.