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Pricing
Tactic

Mention the Increase From the Discounted Price

"Was 25% higher" is more persuasive than an equivalent discount of "20% off."

Was 25% higher

Overview

Most discounts emphasize a decrease: “Now 20% off.”

Researchers tested the reverse framing (“was X% higher”) in a Swedish grocery chain. Across products, they showed the original and sale price, yet they modified the framing:

  • Now 31% lower
  • Was 44% higher

Both magnitudes were equal, yet the latter framing — “Was X% higher” — increased daily unit sales because it depicted a larger numeral (Guha et al., 2018).

A $100 blender on sale for $80. The message "Was 25% higher" is generating more sales than "Now 20% off"

  • Guha, A., Biswas, A., Grewal, D., Verma, S., Banerjee, S., & Nordfält, J. (2018). Reframing the discount as a comparison against the sale price: does it make the discount more attractive?. Journal of Marketing Research, 55(3), 339-351.