Tarm: Basically it's taking away price trust with constant sales DURING sales like that.
JMich: Remind me, when did we find out that the Larry games would be on a bigger discount during the Winter Sale on GOG? What about Pharaoh and Cleopatra? The Settlers? Quest for Glory? Would buying them on Day 1 of the sale cause you to complain as well or not?
What if you bought a game on Thursday and on Friday it went on a weekend sale? Would you also complain about it?
As always, pay the price that you feel is right for the game. If you feel $6.99 is the correct price, you buy it. If you feel $6.99 is too expensive, but $4.99 is better, wait for the game to be $4.99.
Tell me if you want me to dig up the GOG relevant threads. Both for the season sales and for the 2 days early buys.
I'm going after steam because I think it was they that started it. Steam is constantly trying to "lock in" their customers so they'll come to steam and steam only. I find that kind of marketing and business offensive if done as aggressive as steam is doing it. A big reason for flash sales is to keep peoples attention so they don't have time to look for alternatives and if the customer miss a sale it's the customers fault even if the vendor flash it to constantly keep the customer hooked.
Actually it's the vendors behaviour that makes it hard for the customer. Yes there are things that makes it easy like getting a email if a wishlisted game is on sale but again that makes you as a customer have to keep alert for said email.
Don't blame your customers for missing something like a sale should by darn be tattooed on the forehead of every business person there is.