17. The Psychology Behind Holiday Sales
Jason Chen often talks about the behavior traps that retailers set during holiday shopping. Understanding these psychological triggers helps shoppers avoid manipulation.
A. The Scarcity Trap
Retailers display:
- “Only 3 left!”
- “Selling out fast!”
Many times, this is algorithmically generated urgency, not reality.
B. The Countdown Timer Illusion
Most countdowns reset automatically when the timer ends.
C. Emotional Anchoring
A product listed at ₹20,000 and “discounted” to ₹9,999 makes the offer appear irresistible—even if the real value lies closer to ₹9,999 year-round.
D. Social Pressure
Seeing “12,000+ people bought this today” triggers FOMO.
E. Bundle Bias
People often believe bundled items equal a better deal, even if the add-ons are low-quality.
Chen says shoppers can defend themselves by:
- Sticking to a shopping list
- Comparing real specifications
- Ignoring fake urgency
- Using trusted price trackers
