Why Regret Undermines Your Price And Your Brand

I wrote it for  business owners and pricing decision-makers

When a customer pays full price and later sees the same item discounted, they don’t just feel disappointed, they feel tricked. That feeling is called post-purchase regret, and it can have a long tail of damage for your brand.

Here’s how it plays out:

1. Regret Reduces Trust Customers who pay full price and see it discounted later often feel they made a poor decision. Even if they loved the product at first, their emotional satisfaction is replaced by frustration. This undermines trust, both in the product and in your pricing.

2. Regret Reduces Perceived Value The moment a lower price appears, the customer’s brain rewrites the value of what they bought. The full-price version now feels overpriced, even if nothing has changed about the item. They start resenting the purchase.

3. Regret Kills Loyalty Instead of becoming a returning customer, they become a one-time buyer who tells others to "wait for a sale." You haven’t just lost margin on one product. You’ve lost long-term pricing power.

4. Frequent Discounting Trains Customers to Wait Once customers see discounts appear often, they learn not to buy at full price at all. The default behaviour becomes "wait for the next one." Your product is no longer worth what you say it is — it’s worth whatever the lowest price has been.

A Better Strategy: Hold Value, Not Discounts

• Offer bonuses or limited-time gifts instead of slashing price
  
• Be transparent and consistent in pricing, so full-price buyers feel respected
  
• Use value-based pricing tiers instead of blunt discounts
  
• If you must reduce price, reframe it as an event, not a routine (e.g. "Final season release")
  

When your price is stable, your brand is stable. When your price wobbles, so does your customer’s faith in you.

Don’t teach your customers to regret paying full price. Teach them to be proud they did.

Now about  gratitude without devaluation. There's a massive difference between a cheap deal and a meaningful gesture, and smart clients, friends, and family feel that difference immediately. The key is to frame it as a gift, not a markdown. 

How to Offer a "Special Price" Without Undermining Value

The Principle

When you're offering something special to friends, family, or long-standing supporters, you're not "discounting." You're:

• Acknowledging loyalty
  
• Honouring the relationship
  
• Investing in future goodwill
  
• Expressing gratitude, on your terms
  

This isn’t about dropping your value. It’s about elevating the relationship.

The Psychology

• A “discount” sounds like: “This isn’t worth what I normally charge.”
  
• A “special price” sounds like: “This is worth full value, but you are receiving it because of who you are to me.”
  

It preserves both your professional dignity and their trust in your expertise.

How to Communicate It? Put those words in your mouth

 For Friends/Family

“I don’t usually adjust my fees, but you’ve been part of my story for a long time, so I want to do something special for you. I’ve created a personal rate just for you, not because it’s worth less, but because you’re worth more to me.”

For Loyal Clients or Referrers

“As a thank-you for your support and trust over the years, I’ve created a private rate that I offer only to a very small circle of clients. It reflects the long-term relationship we have, and I’m happy to offer it to you going forward.”

If You’re Feeling Bold (Because, why not.)

“I don’t believe in discounts, they shrink the value. But I do believe in thank-yous. So here’s mine: a special rate, no compromise on quality, just my way of saying ‘I see you.’”

Bonus Touch: Rename the Offer

Never call it a “discount.” Call it something like:

• Legacy Rate
  
• Founder's Circle Offer
  
• Thank You Tier
  
• Inner Circle Fee
  
• Family Package
  
• Referral Privilege Rate
  

The name itself carries meaning, and reinforces that this is a relationship gesture, not a financial retreat.

What You’re Really Doing

You're avoiding the trap of:

• Discounting your expertise
  
• Undermining your standard rates
  
• Making people think they can wait for a sale
  

And instead, you're building:

• Loyalty
  
• Respect
  
• Clear boundaries
  
• Emotional goodwill