at ‹below› cost (english) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

Phrase (Prepositional phrase)

Phonetic Transcription

/æt bɪˈloʊ kɔst/

Meaning and Usage

The phrase "at below cost" means to sell a product or service for less than the price that it was produced or acquired for, resulting in a financial loss for the seller. It is often used in contexts related to sales, pricing strategies, and business practices. This phrase is relatively common in written contexts, such as financial reports, business documents, and industry-related articles. While it may also be used in oral speech, it is less frequent compared to more general phrases about pricing.

Example Sentences: - The company was forced to sell its products at below cost to clear out old inventory. - Компания была вынуждена продавать свои товары по цене ниже себестоимости, чтобы распродать старые запасы.

• In order to attract new customers, the store offered discounts at below cost.

• Чтобы привлечь новых клиентов, магазин предложил скидки ниже себестоимости.

• Selling at below cost can sometimes create a price war between competitors.

• Продавать по цене ниже себестоимости иногда может привести к ценовой войне между конкурентами.

Idiomatic Expressions

Although "at below cost" is not commonly found in idiomatic expressions, the concept of selling at a loss or pricing strategies can be intertwined with several idiomatic phrases related to economics and business. Here are some example expressions using similar concepts:

• "Cutting prices to the bone"
• The retailer began cutting prices to the bone to compete with the online giants.

• Ритейлер начал резко снижать цены, чтобы конкурировать с онлайн-гигантами.

• "Selling like hotcakes"

• The new gadget is selling like hotcakes, even at below cost.

• Новый гаджет продается как горячие пирожки, даже по цене ниже себестоимости.

• "Pricing it right"

• Businesses need to focus on pricing it right rather than selling at below cost.
• Бизнесу нужно сосредоточиться на правильном определении цен, а не на продаже по цене ниже себестоимости.

Etymology

The phrase "at below cost" combines the preposition "at," used to indicate a state or condition, with "below," meaning lower than, and "cost," which originates from the Latin word "constare," meaning to stand firm or to be fixed, reflecting the price paid for goods or services.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - At a loss - Below market value - Discounted price

Antonyms: - Above cost - Premium price - At a profit

This detailed breakdown should provide a comprehensive understanding of the phrase "at below cost," its usage, idiomatic expressions, and related linguistic aspects.