😉 The Jeweler's Loophole - A Pricing Trick That Cleared the Shelves

Today’s marketing loophole might be the weirdest yet. 

And it comes to you courtesy of a desperate jeweler. Who accidentally used it to sell out a handful of their ugliest, most unwanted product.

The story comes from Robert Cialdini’s marketing classic “Influence: The Psychology Of Persuasion.”

In the book, Cialdini tells a story about a jewelry store owner trying to get rid of a batch of jewels.

This jeweler tried everything - front-of-store displays, spotlight shining down like it's opening night on Broadway. 

Even personally escorting customers like VIPs at a nightclub, all to showcase these...gems. 

But no dice. It seemed these pieces were destined to live a lonely, unsold existence.

But here is where the story enters the Twilight Zone of marketing. 

In a Hail Mary move, the jeweler decides, "Let's slash the prices. Half off!" But, as fate would have it, her message got scrambled faster than an order at a busy diner. 

Her employee, maybe hearing through a sea of distractions or creatively interpreting the directive, DOUBLES the price instead.

You can almost hear the sitcom laughter, can't you?

The jeweler comes back, expecting the usual sea of blue sadness, but finds...nothing. 

Sold out! 

At first, she thinks, "Wow, half-off really works!" But no, it's better - her employee had cranked the price up, not down.

And customers gobbled them up!

What gives?

By doubling the price, the employee triggered what I call the “Jeweler's Loophole,” which is often called “perceived value” in psychology.

Our monkey minds assume a higher price equals a higher value. If something costs more, it must be better. 

Is this rational? Absolutely not. 

The now “sold out” blue jewels were still the same product no one wanted to buy the previous day. 

But one employee's “mistake” turned these icky jewels into prized possessions.

That’s the power of perceived value. It has no basis in reality. But if people “think” something is more valuable, they’re more likely to buy it… often at a MUCH higher price. 

If you ever want to add fuel to this effect… there is a way to create a simple story for what you’re selling that will make your products or services fly off the shelves. 

Happy Marketing!

Evelio 

P.S. Imagine turning every item or service you sell into a must-have. 

The next email will reveal a powerful marketing loophole that turns the most unlikely items into HOT sellout sensations!