Why Do We Go Crazy for A Bargain? The Psychology of Black Friday

The name for Black Friday comes from the idea that retailers will finally be ‘in the black’ and start to make a profit as everyone kick starts their Christmas shopping. However, there are a few deeper psychological reasons why Black Friday creates a perfect storm of consumerism.

Below, online printing specialists Solopress have outlined five psychological principles that help to explain why we may get a little carried away with Black Friday deals.
 

We Love a ‘Deal’

 
Psychologists believe that shopping is strongly associated with our desire for a sense of empowerment and boosting self-esteem. Whenever we grab ourselves an amazing deal, studies show that we feel a strong sense of achievement; buying something at a price that’s lower than what you’re willing to pay, or lower than the standard price, is extremely satisfying, and the impulse to grab a bargain on Black Friday often outweighs rational thinking.

Some of this is down to clever marketing, as people think Black Friday deals are better than they really are, even though sales happen all year round and prices fluctuate over time.
 

FOMO

 
Black Friday marketing campaigns, sales, and offers, are all positioned as ‘limited-time offers’ and are only around for a finite period; this appeals to our cognitive bias called ‘Loss Aversion’ or anticipatory regret.

Loss Aversion refers to the fact that whenever we feel a sense of ownership over something (i.e., our entitlement to a big discount or an exclusive offer) we feel bereft when it is taken away from us. Therefore, because we are keen to avoid losing something in the first place, we are more likely to engage with a campaign that is positioned as finite.

Seasonal offerings appeal to our innate sense of urgency or Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) in the same way that social media does; if we don’t buy one now, we’ll have to wait until next year, or worse, never find it ever again! When there’s a sense of scarcity, it creates an urgency to buy. It also makes us feel as though an on-the-spot purchase might be a better bet than trying to find a better deal elsewhere.

Customers don’t want to miss the opportunity for a holiday-only deal, so in order to assuage their psychological fear of missing out, they take action.
 

 

Momentum, momentum, momentum …

 
Words like “sale”, “deal” and “bargain” can trigger the natural reward systems in our brain; whenever these structures are activated, different groups of neurons are triggered and that stimulates a pleasant feeling. This pleasant feeling is so strong that the parts of your brain that would naturally reign in your behaviour – and make you think about whether you really need something – become less active.

Tellingly, as well as Black Friday shopping being an instant mood-booster, it also makes us more inclined to purchase more too. There’s a phenomenon called ‘shopping momentum’, which occurs when a purchase provides a psychological impulse that encourages you to purchase a second, unrelated product. Shopping leads to more shopping.
 

Red is the new Black (Friday)

 
Whenever we walk into a shop or retail environment, we are being I confronted with lots of different stimuli that aim to trigger our desire to shop; this is especially true on Black Friday.

Most Black Friday deals are advertised using the colour red, which, as well as capturing our attention, has developed certain emotional connotations over time. Red has been found to encourage appetite and create a sense of urgency, which is why it’s often used in fast-food and clearance sales. Moreover, in an experiment where red signs were used to advertise certain products at normal prices, those products sold more frequently even though there was no actual discount.
 

I Want to Break Free …

 
Many people shop simply because they’re looking for a way to get away from the stress of their jobs and everyday lives.

Psychology research has shown that people are either task- or socially oriented; task-oriented people are those who are motivated by getting jobs done, whereas socially-oriented people are those who are focused on making social connections with others.

While a task-oriented shopper will aim to get the items they need quickly and with the least amount of effort, socially-oriented shoppers enjoy the presence of others while they shop, and are energised by the presence of other consumers and enjoy the experience when there are others nearby.

For socially-oriented shoppers, Black Friday sales then become a form of ‘sensation-seeking’ for them, as it allows them to share the experience of shopping together with like-minded people.
 

Make Black Friday work for you

 
Understanding and responding to customer psychology – the behavioural habits of shoppers, and why certain people are triggered by sales – will help you drive success from Black Friday this year.