The Dark Side of Deals: How Retailers are Using Sales to Manipulate Consumers The Best Buy 60th Anniversary Sale is a prime example of how retailers use sales and discounts to control consumer behavior, driving us to buy more than we need at artificially inflated prices.
Beneath the surface of these promotions lies a complex web of tactics designed to keep us hooked on consumption. While some deals are genuine, many others serve as mere bait to lure us into stores or onto websites.
Retailers create an air of urgency and exclusivity by offering steep discounts in exchange for our old devices, triggering our primal desire for savings.