With the holiday season in full swing, it’s a good time to familiarize yourself with the strategies used to influence consumers into making purchases. Although these tactics may not be unique to the beauty industry, they are definitely effective, especially considering how much beauty brands already leverage insecurities to increase their sales.
Read on to learn more about common marketing tactics and what you can do to become a more mindful consumer.
False Scarcity
False scarcity is a marketing tactic where businesses create a phony sense of urgency and limited availability to encourage customers to buy items they might not otherwise purchase immediately. This is achieved through fake limitations on product quantity or time-sensitive offers that are not genuinely based on real shortages or time constraints. This tactic works because people tend to value things more when they perceive them as rare or exclusive. For example, fake countdown timers are often used on websites to influence users into making purchases for deals that are not truly time-limited. Another tactic involves unverified low-stock alerts, where a product page displays a message like “Only 3 left in stock!” even though thousands of items are available.
Limited Edition Products
Similar to false scarcity, limited edition marketing (sometimes called limited drops marketing) is a type of strategy that involves releasing a restricted quantity of a product or collection for a short period. This approach can be especially effective during the holiday season, when many brands introduce limited-edition products and “value sets” of their most popular items. By offering products within a limited window, brands create a sense of scarcity and FOMO (fear of missing out), encouraging customers to buy quickly. This tactic is often executed through special holiday packaging, unique fragrances and flavors, exclusive collaborations, and themed merchandise.
Greenwashing
With the rise of the clean beauty movement, greenwashing has become more widespread than ever. Greenwashing involves making deceptive claims about a product or brand’s environmental impact. It includes tactics such as highlighting a single “natural” or “clean” ingredient, using vague language, creating fake certifications, or falsely advertising recyclability. For example, many beauty companies today use plant or fruit imagery on packaging to suggest a product is more natural or healthy than it actually is. These strategies create a false impression of a product’s eco-friendliness to attract consumers who are increasingly interested in health, wellness, and environmental sustainability.
Collaborations
Beauty brands frequently collaborate with influencers and other complementary brands to boost visibility and drive sales. Key strategies include sponsoring influencer content like tutorials and reviews, creating limited-edition products or bundles, hosting joint giveaways or contests, and cross-promoting on social media, email, and at events. Working with influencers helps build trust and leverages their engaged communities, while partnerships with other brands expand reach to new audiences.
Aspirational Mirroring
Perhaps the most clever tactic of all, aspirational mirroring is a psychological technique where a brand creates a sense of connection with its target audience by reflecting the audience’s ideal future or “aspirational” selves. The goal is to motivate consumers to buy a product by showing them a vision of who they want to become and positioning the product as the way to achieve that desired state. This tactic goes beyond the “just like me” mirroring of current reality and focuses on the role models the audience admires, positioning the product as a symbol of achievement or a step toward a better future. Aspirational mirroring aims to make you believe you’re just one product purchase away from finally reaching the lifestyle you desire.
Tips for Smarter Shopping
To counter common marketing tactics, focus on emotional awareness, critical thinking, and managing your personal finances. Recognize and question emotional appeals, verify the actual value, and control your spending to prevent impulsive decisions. By practicing these strategies, you can make better-informed choices and avoid falling for manipulative tactics. Let’s break it down:
Be Aware of Emotional Triggers: Part of how branding and marketing work is appealing to consumers on an emotional level. Recognize that companies often use emotions like nostalgia or fear to influence you.
Exercise Your Critical Thinking Skills: Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and don’t accept exaggerated claims at face value. Always take a moment to question the product, the price, and the deal itself to understand its true value.
Be Smart with Your Money: Be mindful of your spending and avoid impulsive buying whenever possible. Have you ever wondered why I don’t include direct links to products or services on my site? The reason is that I want to provide you with a buffer between reading about a product and making a purchase. This gives you time to think before you act. After seeing something that triggers your impulse to buy, take some time to cool off. A waiting period can help you determine if the item is a genuine need or just a fleeting want. Additionally, having a clear budget can help you avoid impulsive purchases driven by marketing messages.