The idea
Marketing helps a business understand customers, explain a product and encourage sales. Advertising is only one part of marketing. Pricing, product design, packaging and the way a product is presented can also affect a buyer.

How to apply it
When you see an offer, separate the message from the evidence. Check the real price, quality and whether you actually need the product. A limited-time message can make a purchase feel more urgent than it really is.

Example
A shoe ad says “50% off.” The shopper checks the price at other stores and finds that the sale price is not unusually low. The percentage alone was not enough information.

Watch out
A discount, influencer or countdown clock does not prove that a purchase is a good deal.