While I didn’t wait in line for 12 hours at the local electronics store, I’ve already done my share of shopping this month. I’m looking for the best values, although I’ve been known to spend more than I intended just to get it over with. Other times I lie to the salesperson just to end the conversation. “It’s out of my price range,” I shrug apologetically. Works every time! Stops most of ‘em dead in their tracks.
Ms. Jones will use PRICE as her first line of defense, hoping that this seemingly ironclad excuse will stop any salesperson in their tracks.
“It’s pretty, but it’s just not in my budget.”
Ms. Jones will buy that very same sofa when her PERCEPTION exceeds your PRICE. Of course her perception includes the fact of the furniture itself, but it also includes a lot of intangibles, like…
Will it last… a good long time, but not so long that I’m buried with it?
Is it the right brand… or a good enough knockoff?
Will I like it in my home… or am I stuck with a white elephant?
Do I like my salesperson and this store… am I having fun shopping here?
Can I explain to Mr. Jones why we need it… why it’s better than the cheaper one?
And, oh yeah, “How much is it?”
How do you shape Ms. Jones’ perception of your price?
