More is less

Oct 23, 2007 9 Replies

I heard this on the radio today about a test on monkeys. They had two stations set up. At the first station the monkey would first get one cookie and the second time he would get two. The third time he would get only one cookie and it would continue to alternate. At the second station the monkey first got two cookies and when he came back the second time he would get one and this would alternate so he got two cookies the third time he came back to the station. At each station he would get the same total number of cookies but after a couple of tries the monkeys would always go to the station that gave him the single cookie at the first try even though he got the same number of cookies from each station for the same number of trys. This experiment has some very interesting connotations as far as sales concepts and merchandising.


John



This is a well known concept to marketers. The first time sets the expectation. After that station #1 either meets or exceeds the expectation and station #2 either meets or disappoints the expectation.

Consider the late nite TV commercials for the miracle product. Only $39.95! Tonight only: $19.95! Act now and get 2 for $19.95. Set the price expectation high initially then constantly lower it. Sucks in huge numbers of the gullible masses every time.

Art

Thanks a lot! Now I have to go to the store and get some cookies.

Sure, if the aim is to develop sales concepts and marketing aimed at monkeys. But if you are interested in how to sell to humans, then you need to do the same research with humans.

It's easy and tempting to extrapolate from monkey behavior to human, but not really correct.

Excuse me, I need to get a cookie.

Hey, you think us apes are so predictable?

Mozilla Gorilla

Why go to the store? Your computer's full of them.

Human behavior: enlist another monkey of different color to take turns getting cookies. Sue researcher for discrimination and get all of the cookies!

Get two if you pay separate s&h. Theres the suck in.

Wes

Go to:

formatting link

You can get both kinds there. :)

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