(price) specialing

[Benjamin Zimmer]

None of these are in the OED yet (or any of the other major dictionaries).


* special, v. trans. 'to offer at a specially discounted price'

1902 _Washington Post_ 25 Apr. 12 (advt.) We special these to you as they
were specialed to us.

1910 _Washington Post_ 19 Mar. 4 (advt.) The special offering today at $20
is Gray Homespun Topcoats, plain weave and Herringbone, were put into
stock for $25, but I have specialed them for my "opening week" at $20.

1940 _Long Beach Independent_ (Cal.) 19 Apr. 5 (advt.) All grocers listed
below are specialing Golden Swan Sweet Peas this Fri. and Sat.

1949 _Portland Press Herald_ (Me.) 7 Dec. 25 (advt.) We are specialing
this one today for the man who wants low cost, economical transportation.

1952 _Valley Morning Star_ (Harlingen, Tex.) 1 Dec. 1/5 Other stores are
specialing ladies fall dresses at $3 apiece.

1977 _American Journal of Agricultural Economics_ 59(3) Aug. 535/2 The
first row under the heading effect of specials (SP) shows the effect of
specialing a cut on the sales of that cut.

1992 _Review of Economics and Statistics_ 74(1) Feb. 55/1 Others simply
mention that coffee is a good item to special.

1992 _Los Angeles Times_ 15 Oct. 34 Last week, legs of lamb were being
specialed in some local grocery stores at under $2.50 a pound.


* specialed, ppl. a. 'discounted at a special price'

1900 _Washington Post_ 28 Jan. 12 (advt.) Don't want to have any small
lots nor broken sizes to go back into the shelves. That's what this
cutting of already specialed prices is for.

1908 _Trenton Times_ (N.J.) 25 Jun. 4 (advt.) 5c and 8c wash laces
specialed tomorrow at yard, 3 1/3 c.

1937 _Indiana Evening Gazette_ (Pa.) 15 Apr. 5 (advt.) Values at their
regular 49c price -- Specialed at 44c for Troutman Days only.

1967 _Journal of Consumer Affairs_ 1(2) 156 Because of this some
advertised brands were specialed and heavily discounted.

1977 _American Journal of Agricultural Economics_ 59(3) Aug. 535/2 Because
of the discrete nature of this variable (a cut is either specialed or it
is not), it is included in each demand equation as a dummy variable.

1992 _Los Angeles Times_ 15 Oct. 34 One survey by a company that tracks
the beef industry found meat sales increase 1,000% when prime cuts of beef
are specialed.


* specialing, vbl. n. 'discounting at a special price'

1962 _Lima News_ (Ohio) 11 Jan. 9/5 The present supply situation continues
to be reflected in frequent retail specialing of pork cuts, especially on
loins and loin roasts.

1964 _Journal of Farm Economics_ 46(4) Nov. 884 Exploratory study by the
National Broiler Council has shown that nationwide specialing of broilers
is not balanced across time.

1967 _Journal of Consumer Affairs_ 1(2) 156 The frequent specialing of
private label products clearly indicates that retailers have used this
class of items as a merchandising tool.

1968 _Journal of Business_ 41(1) Jan. 118/2 Variable-price merchandising
is the same as what the trade calls "Hi-lo" pricing and what others have
referred to as "leader-pricing" or "specialing," but the writers emphasize
the variation over time in the retail units price structure.

1970 _Holland Evening Sentinel_ (Mich.) 10 Jan. 7/2 After that, prices
will decline but there's not too much hope before then other than coupon
specialing.

1983 _American Journal of Agricultural Economics_ 65(5) Dec. 1068/2 Many
advertised-brand manufacturers take advantage of retail specialing by
offering wholesale price reductions and other assistance that encourages
retailers to feature certain products.


* specialing, attrib. or ppl. a.

1992 _Review of Economics and Statistics_ 74(1) Feb. 55/1 Under the
"specialing" version of the Retailer Demand Theory, the wholesale demand
for Maxwell House coffee would be larger at any given price and would be
more inelastic in areas where its market share is large.

1992 _Ibid._ /2 For example, the use of the dominant brand of coffee as a
specialing item may improve the effeiciency of grocery markets, since it
may help consumers identify low-cost grocery stores efficiently.


* price-specialed, ppl. adj. 'discounted at a special price'

1961 _Los Angeles Times_ 7 May (Magazine) 25/2 Look for those star
performers, and if price-specialed, grab them up quick, knowing the label
guarantees satisfaction.

1967 _Journal of Consumer Affairs_ 1(2) 157 Since private label products
are frequently price specialed as mentioned earlier, it is interesting to
note that during the period of this study there were 217 price specials on
the 13 products.


* price specialing, vbl. n. 'discounting at a special price'

1964 _Journal of Farm Economics_ 46(4) Nov. 884 The book provides a
passing but totally inadequate glimpse at the possible role of price
"specialing" in price and output instability of broilers and certain other
farm products.

1967 _Journal of Consumer Affairs_ 1(2) 156 Through frequent price
specialing on these relatively standard undifferentiated products, they
have been able to attract a sizable share of the consumers' purchasing
dollars to their brand. ... The frequent use of price specialing with a
relatively high proportion of the movement occurring under price specials
reduces this seemingly large margin down to a margin which is quite
comparable to the gross margin on advertised products.


--Ben Zimmer