Black Friday: Top 5 Traps for Marketers and How Not to Lose Money

Marketers openly admit that the purpose of sales is to introduce the buyer into an “emotional knockdown”. Seeing the price crossed out, the brain produces dopamine and ignores the small print. The seller has only five minutes to place an order before the buyer turns on the cold mind.

Five major tricks:

1. Profitable sets (gangs). On one product give a huge discount, and on the second (which you often do not need) put a supercharge. As a result, you overpay for the set.

2. Artificial deficit. Ticking timers and inscriptions "left 2 pieces" provoke a release of norepinephrine and panic "I will not have time", although thousands of units are in stock.

3. A "chosen one" discount. The promotion is valid only if there is a specific card or paid subscription, which often reduces the real benefit to zero.

4. Substitution. The banner is the top flagship model, and the promotion sells its simplified, but externally similar version.

5. Imposed services. Forced addition of insurance or credit to the basket, which is difficult to refuse.

Real savings can be made on the equipment of previous generations (10-30%) and clothing of previous seasons (up to 50-60%). Waiting for a 50% discount on new gadgets is pointless. Prices are tightly controlled by the brands themselves, writes KP.

Financial security plan:

• Make a shopping list in advance and determine a “good price” for each item. Ignore interest: goods for 5000 rubles with a 50% discount are still more expensive if you plan to spend 4000.

• Check the history of prices through special services or neural networks, not trusting blindly crossed-out figures.

• Before paying, pause and ask yourself, “What need will I close and will I regret buying tomorrow?”.