4 marketing tricks to not fall for this holiday season

Marielle Segarra

Malaka Gharib

November 26, 2025 / 10:25 am

Extra 20% off! Factory sale! Last chance! You may have seen these offers while shopping. But are they actually good deals?

To find out, Life Kit spoke with Brian Vines , a reporter at Consumer Reports, and Lindsay Weekes, editor-in-chief of Brad's Deals , a site that curates promotions from online retailers. They share common marketing techniques that companies use to entice shoppers to buy more — and tips on how to make smarter purchases.

Technique 1: Creating a sense of urgency

When you see words like "buy now" or "flash deal," while shopping, take caution, say our experts. Retailers use a sense of urgency to push consumers to make quicker shopping decision

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