The Decoy Effect How a Third Option Steers Your Choice

Marketing Psychology with Fexingo: Behavioral Triggers, Persuasion, and Consumer Behavior · Jul 2, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In this episode of Marketing Psychology with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna unpack the decoy effect — the pricing trick that makes a $4 medium popcorn look like a steal next to a $7 large. Using real-world examples from movie theaters, subscription plans, and a landmark study by Dan Ariely and The Economist, they show how introducing an asymmetrically dominated option shifts consumer preference without you noticing. You’ll learn why Apple’s storage tiers and Spotify’s student plan use decoys to nudge you toward higher-priced choices, and how to spot the trap before you buy. Plus, a brief honest…