{"id":1969,"date":"2026-05-06T11:00:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internship.infoskaters.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/06\/5-science-backed-pricing-tips-from-the-u-k-s-top-marketing-podcast\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T11:00:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:00:04","slug":"5-science-backed-pricing-tips-from-the-u-k-s-top-marketing-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internship.infoskaters.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/06\/5-science-backed-pricing-tips-from-the-u-k-s-top-marketing-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"5 science-backed pricing tips from the U.K.\u2019s top marketing podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2007<\/a>, Coulter and Coulter showed two advertisements to two random groups of customers. Each advertised \u00a310 discounts on flights to Turkey. One listed the tickets at \u00a3188. The other showed a higher price: \u00a3233. <\/a><\/p>\n

Customers found that the cheaper tickets felt like a worse <\/em>value. Why? Researchers found that people more easily differentiate smaller numbers. The difference between 4 and 3 seems more salient than 9 and 8. So, customers were more likely to buy when the prices ended in smaller numbers \u00a3244 to \u00a3233), compared to those ending in higher digits (\u00a3199 to \u00a3188).<\/p>\n\n

The takeaway is fairly simple. Next time you run a discount, make the sale price less than five. That\u2019s just one piece of pricing advice that we\u2019ve discussed on my podcast Nudge<\/a>, the U.K.\u2019s number one marketing podcast. Here are four more psychology-backed tips for pricing your products.<\/p>\n

Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n

Break down your price.<\/a>
\n Show the price difference.<\/a>
\n Be transparent with your costs.<\/a>
\n Make the difference visible.<\/a> <\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Break down your price.<\/h2>\n

Check out the two ads for a budget lunch from Huel. One shows the total cost of 21 meals (\u00a378.96). The other breaks down the price per lunch ($3.76). Researchers found that breaking down the price per unit performed better with customers. Showing a lower price led shoppers to perceive that they were getting a better deal.<\/p>\n\n

Richard Shotton and Michael Aaron Flicker tested ads very similar to this for their fantastic book<\/a> Hacking the Human Mind<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In a study, 282 shoppers were divided into groups. Half were shown Sierra Nevada Pale Ale priced at $18.99 for 12 bottles. The other group was told the price per unit \u2014 $1.58 per bottle. Among those shown the per-bottle price, 28.6% said it was good or very good value (more than double the 13.7% who only saw the total price).<\/p>\n\n

Framing the cost per unit made the purchase feel more reasonable and affordable.<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Show the price difference.<\/em>
\n<\/h2>\n

Companies looking to upsell their audience need to pick the right framing. Take this 2019<\/a> experiment from David Hardisty at the University of British Columbia. Hardisty tested different pricing packages for New York Times subscriptions.<\/p>\n

Group A saw two plans:<\/p>\n

A \u201cDigital Access\u201d subscription for $9.99\/month.
\n An \u201cAll-Access\u201d subscription that included web access, the app, print newspapers, podcasts, and the crossword for $16.99\/month. <\/p>\n

Group B saw the same products described in a different way. The first plan showed a \u201cWeb + App\u201d subscription for $9.99\/month. The second plan, labeled \u201c+ All the Extras,\u201d was available for an additional $7\/month.<\/p>\n

Same total price. Different framing. But, Group B chose the premium plan two times as often. Why? Because $7 extra feels easier to justify than $17 total.<\/p>\n

Want people to go premium? Don\u2019t show them the full price. Use differential price framing and just tell them the surcharge.<\/p>\n\n

Be transparent with your costs.<\/h2>\n

I went viral on LinkedIn<\/a> for sharing this image about chicken soup. One showed a bowl priced at $7.99. The second ad showed a breakdown of all the ingredients, how much they cost, and the profit margin before the final price. Which sign would be better for sales? The post attracted a lot of attention because the results were surprising.<\/p>\n\n

My post was based on a 2020 study from Harvard<\/a> designed to test the effects of showing a product\u2019s cost. The initial experiment ran in a Harvard canteen, where researchers tracked actual purchases after students viewed the comparisons.<\/p>\n

When the costs were made visible, soup sales increased by 21%.<\/p>\n

The takeaway: Price transparency wins. Customers are more willing to pay when they know what goes into making a product.<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Make the difference visible.<\/h2>\n

Imagine handing someone the equivalent of $1 and offering them a choice between two packs of gum. Same flavour. Same brand. Same price.<\/p>\n

What happens? Decision paralysis.<\/p>\n

In one South Korean study<\/a>, participants in South Korea were given \u20a91,000 and asked to choose between two identical packs of gum, each priced at \u20a9630. Only 46% made a purchase. More than half walked away.<\/p>\n

Then, the researchers made one small change. They adjusted the prices slightly. One pack cost \u20a9620. The other brand was priced at \u20a9640. This time, 77% made a purchase. A tiny 20-won difference led to a 31-point jump in purchases.<\/p>\n\n

Why does that happen?<\/p>\n

When two options feel the same, people struggle to decide. So if you’re offering similar choices, find differentiating factors. Make one a bit cheaper, a bit quicker, or a bit more appealing. That tiny tweak can make a big difference.<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Small nudges can work.<\/h2>\n

None of the tactics above changed the products themselves. Each approach simply changed how the price was presented. Those small shifts in framing dramatically changed what people choose. So remember: Small shifts can help products stand out, make deals feel more salient, and entice shoppers to buy.<\/p>\n

Start testing and see what works for you.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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