Are You a Sucker at Sephora?
9 insider secrets cosmetics companies use to get us to buy stuff we don't really need
They use numbers to convey how effective the product is We see these kind of catchy claims all the time:
77 percent of women reported seeing visible results
54 percent of users saw visibly younger-looking skin
8 out of 10 people claim significantly whiter teeth
And while we'd like to say we only quasi trust these stats -- because after all, the "clinical" trials to produce the results are being conducted by the companies who want/need good results -- we still get lured right in with everyone else. Why?
"Because these companies get incredibly creative in how they manipulate these numbers," says Perner. "If the company says '77 percent report firmer skin' instead of '80 percent report firmer skin,' you're more likely to believe the results because 77 sounds authentic; 80 percent sounds like it could have been pulled out of the air."
What's more, Perner says companies build credibility by admitting to some failure. "When you think about it, saying just 54 percent of users saw visibly younger-looking skin isn't so great," he says. "But while admitting that the product didn't work for almost half of the people who tried it might seem like a bad move, it actually helps the company more than claiming that the product worked for 99 percent of users because it makes the results more believable."
SEE NEXT PAGE: They play up what's in season
77 percent of women reported seeing visible results
54 percent of users saw visibly younger-looking skin
8 out of 10 people claim significantly whiter teeth
And while we'd like to say we only quasi trust these stats -- because after all, the "clinical" trials to produce the results are being conducted by the companies who want/need good results -- we still get lured right in with everyone else. Why?
"Because these companies get incredibly creative in how they manipulate these numbers," says Perner. "If the company says '77 percent report firmer skin' instead of '80 percent report firmer skin,' you're more likely to believe the results because 77 sounds authentic; 80 percent sounds like it could have been pulled out of the air."
What's more, Perner says companies build credibility by admitting to some failure. "When you think about it, saying just 54 percent of users saw visibly younger-looking skin isn't so great," he says. "But while admitting that the product didn't work for almost half of the people who tried it might seem like a bad move, it actually helps the company more than claiming that the product worked for 99 percent of users because it makes the results more believable."
SEE NEXT PAGE: They play up what's in season
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