When And Why Does The Thats-Not-All Compliance Technique Work?

Abstract

The paper examines the underlying theoretical explanation for a common persuasion technique commonly used in marketing called thats-not-all (TNA). The TNA technique is a communication method where a sales pitch is followed by a bonus offer with a time delay, which is more effective than presenting the main item and the bonus simultaneously. Previous research in psychology proposed two competing explanations for its effectivenessnorm of reciprocity and the anchor adjustment heuristicwith mixed results. To test these competing explanations for the TNA technique, a 2x2 factorial experiment is designed with the use of TNA and the net attractiveness of the deal as independent variables. The result found norm of reciprocity as the dominant cognitive process behind the technique, while anchor adjustment heuristic failed to explain the effectiveness of the technique. It also provides an important marketing implication that TNA can be effective only when the net value of the deal including both the main and bonus items is below the reservation price of the consumers.