I hate discounts with special requirements (coupons, bonus cards, etc). Anyone can get the discount, but has to jump through pointless hoops to actually get it. Just give everybody the discount.
And I would love a shop that always gave low prices instead of temporary discounts. At least, that's what I keep telling myself; I don't actually mind paying more for quality products. There are a couple of very successful Dutch chains specialising in low prices (Action, Lidl), and I never actually go there. Instead, I go to more expensive shops that have exactly what I want but require a bonus card to claim the discount, which I do while hating it.
We're utterly irrational creatures, and I'm no different, apparently.
On the other hand, when I bought my first dishwasher, I found a model that was discounted from €300 to €200. I shopped around a bit more and found the exact same model at another shop for €200 and no discount. I bought it at the second shop. So there I clearly did prefer cheap over discounted.
The hoops are the way such discounts are made affordable. If you're not willing to jump through those hoops you pay more which then subsidize those discounts for those who are willing to do so or otherwise unable to afford the product.
Price segmentation helps businesses extract maximum revenue.
Interesting point. So lazy rich people pay more. Although with the bonus cards, literally every regular customer has them, so it's the irregular customers that subsidize the regular ones.
The hoops may also be a way of circumventing legislation. Discount codes are not regulated in the UK, for example, but straight-out price discounting is.
> I shopped around a bit more and found the exact same model at another shop for €200 and no discount. I bought it at the second shop. So there I clearly did prefer cheap over discounted.
I'd do the same, but not because "cheap over discounted", but because the second shop is honest, while the first one is trying to trick people.
And I would love a shop that always gave low prices instead of temporary discounts. At least, that's what I keep telling myself; I don't actually mind paying more for quality products. There are a couple of very successful Dutch chains specialising in low prices (Action, Lidl), and I never actually go there. Instead, I go to more expensive shops that have exactly what I want but require a bonus card to claim the discount, which I do while hating it.
We're utterly irrational creatures, and I'm no different, apparently.
On the other hand, when I bought my first dishwasher, I found a model that was discounted from €300 to €200. I shopped around a bit more and found the exact same model at another shop for €200 and no discount. I bought it at the second shop. So there I clearly did prefer cheap over discounted.