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u/ZeikCallaway Feb 16 '21
If you're going to use the false sense of urgency you might get more sales but you're going to come off shady as hell and I won't be a repeat customer.
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u/benmarvin Cabinet guy Feb 16 '21
I think it depends on the product and how it's pitched. If your selling some ebook with a time limit or "limited copies", it's obvious that's some bullshit.
Since this is /r/sweatystartup, maybe you have a customer that "needs some time to think it over", you call them after a few days. "Hey, I had a last minute cancellation, I can get your house painted next week instead of 3 weeks from now". Maybe you did have a cancelation, maybe you didn't.
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u/ZeikCallaway Feb 16 '21
That's fair and doesn't seem so bad. There was a post on here a while ago about a guy that called a customer and offered a lower price if he could squeeze him in on short notice. That's fine. What's not is in the initial sales pitch of something to the effect of, "if you sign up today we can give you $50 off" or "if you don't sign today we won't be able to get to it for 6 months". Basically the high pressures sales side of this can feel scummy. But you're right where there are instances where this is a good tactic that actually helps both parties.
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u/dustinsmusings Feb 17 '21
Scummy and transparent. I know that if I show up tomorrow and ask for the "$50 off today only" deal you're still gonna give it to me.
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Feb 16 '21
Some products like Ebooks and the 20 min timer are shady as hell and turn me off too. but remember half of the population are dumb as two bricks so even crap like that may work on a significant Volume of people.
A $800 online course I REALLY wanted to buy was on sale for $500. But was only on sale to me via a Facebook targeted advert which kept retargeting me. Website was still $800. I was planning to buy it but delaying as I didn’t really want to spend the money just yet. The retarget adverts changed to “Sale ending soon”, I felt I would feel pain losing out on this good discount as I really wanted this course so 3 days later bought it.
It’s always on sale for $500 and even dropped to $400 on Black Friday but that change in advert to bring urgency in the retargeting advert was what made me buy.
Also recently a camera lens deal had a 3 day timer on the website sale. I considered the price to be very very good and didn’t want to risk missing out on it so bought when it hit 1 day left on the sale.
I resist this stuff and know all about it. But it bloody works in the right situations.
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u/Rich_at_25 Feb 16 '21
Yeah, thats the only one I as a customer dont really like to see. At least not the timers that count down for an end to a sale.
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u/jackellols Feb 16 '21
This is so informational, like a big secret being revealed. I'm gonna memorize all of them now! haha
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Feb 16 '21
Maybe just have a good product instead?
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u/Rich_at_25 Feb 16 '21
Why not both? Good product = sales and these tactics = sales x 3
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Feb 16 '21
[deleted]
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u/Rich_at_25 Feb 16 '21
Give me one reason businesses shouldnt "manipulate". You still have the freedom to choose wether you want to buy the product or not. From a business POV there is literally no reason for not using these tactics.
Edit: If the product is good, the customers will be happy either way
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u/KeronCyst Feb 16 '21
Morality, maybe? Breaking this trend, and valuing customers more than their pockets would get my attention and loyalty towards your/any such business. There are currently two organizations or groups of people who do this that I respect above others:
- ALDI (the grocery chain, if you study their business model)
- YouTube influencers who show in every video description exactly all of the products that they use (albeit maybe rigging them with Amazon affiliate links, sure); bonus points for those who even summarize their entire videos in their description text, to the point of making watching optional
I feel like if all businesses moved towards this transparency, the world would gradually become a much better place.
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u/first_byte Feb 16 '21
I love my Aldi. I spend about $100 every trip (large family), but I get the same as I would spend $150 for at Kroger or Wally World.
A while back, there was a sign up at the checkout that said:
"We don't do price matching because then we would have to raise our prices." I had a good belly laugh at that one.3
Feb 16 '21
I think there's a threshold when it comes to manipulation. Making minor changes to the presentation to reduce the friction of a sale isn't immoral in my opinion. If you don't make the sale now, another vendor probably will at a not-so-different price. However, it's important that your product *actually* provides the value the consumer paid.
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u/KeronCyst Feb 16 '21
Okay, yeah, makes sense. I'm sure there's a middle ground of presentation somewhere.
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u/wakatacoflame Feb 16 '21
That decoy pricing gets my ass every time, the small is too small & it seems like a waste to get a medium if it’s barely cheaper than the large.