Consumer Behavior
Abstract
As we know, the majority of big shops and markets use huge discount as a method of attracting clients. However their common practice is to indicate prices higher that the real ones and then to make bigger discounts. Now I’m going to analyze this method and its efficiency or non-efficiency from the point of view of an ordinary customer.
Consumer Behavior
To tell the truth, I have always been attracted by different kinds of sales, discounts and bargains. These things help me believe that I’m not wasting my money on things I don’t actually need, but vice versa, that I really need that particular thing and if there is a discount, why not buy it? I have also noticed another effect of such fake discounts – desire to buy a lot. Usually, when I enter a shop and see 60-70% discount, I think about the fact that these discounts will soon disappear so if I have such a brilliant opportunity to buy cheap things, I will buy as much as possible, persuading myself that there will not be another such opportunity. Low discounts usually don’t have such an effect on me, so, as we can see, this strategy really works.
The only thing that makes my mind clear is that I’m completely confident that no retailer will ever sacrifice his revenue for the benefit of consumer, and this fact usually helps me to be more reasonable and sober while shopping. As far as no business scheme will provide intended losses, I always try to make myself think properly when I see big sales. But these attempts not always end successfully, because I’m not used to thinking about business schemes and retailer’s benefit when I see a beautiful dress or shoes. So, we can make another conclusion, that such huge discounts strategies are oriented on emotional people, who can easily be carried away by any trifle.
As to the moral side of the issue, I truly believe that such discount policies are unethical in relation to a customer. Despite the fact that actually a buyer neither overpays nor has a bargain, and finally pays the real price, I’m convinced that any buyer should not be deceived in any way, and has the right to know everything about the article he or she buys, including its real price. I believe that any business relations should be based on justice and trust, and such kind of deception is unacceptable.
However, despite the fact that I stand against such fake discounts, I really believe that to some extent they are beneficial to customers. In situation with fake discount the only customer’s benefit is psychological attitude toward the transaction of buying. The buyer feels a kind of satisfaction when he or she buys a thing at a discount and the bigger that discount is, the more satisfaction the buyer feels. So in most cases, when customers return home with purchases, they rarely think about having been deceived, because their thoughts swirl around that purchase.
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