ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtColumnistsApr 30, 2026
Peter Smith: A Sleazy Salesman and the Case for Regret Avoidance
Smith uses a comment he overheard in the grocery store to remind retailers that their job is to inspire buying behavior, not just sell.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
“Can I tell you a secret? We took these off a discount rack because we’re making room for spirits.”
I overheard that line walking through my local grocery store this week.
When you work in a space long enough, you start noticing things others don’t. Like hearing your name in a crowded room, there’s no logical reason it should cut through the noise, but it does.
For me, anything tied to consumer psychology stands out, and “Can I tell you a secret?” is a guaranteed attention grabber.
It worked. What followed didn’t.
The tone, the framing, the positioning—it all landed with a kind of dull, familiar sleaziness. The kind that suggests this isn’t new, or authentic. It’s just well practiced.
And maybe it works, but it’s the wrong game.
There’s a substantial body of research showing that consumers perceive wine to taste better when they believe it costs more, not just attitudinally, but neurologically. We quite literally experience the product differently.
We don’t just taste the wine; we taste the price.
So, leading with “discount rack” isn’t just lazy, it’s counterproductive.
It assumes all customers are motivated by price. They’re not.
In many cases, the opposite is true: Discounting lowers perceived quality and in consumables, it can diminish the experience itself.
We don’t just discount the product. We discount the taste.
Related stories will be right here …
I overheard that line walking through my local grocery store this week.
When you work in a space long enough, you start noticing things others don’t. Like hearing your name in a crowded room, there’s no logical reason it should cut through the noise, but it does.
For me, anything tied to consumer psychology stands out, and “Can I tell you a secret?” is a guaranteed attention grabber.
It worked. What followed didn’t.
The tone, the framing, the positioning—it all landed with a kind of dull, familiar sleaziness. The kind that suggests this isn’t new, or authentic. It’s just well practiced.
And maybe it works, but it’s the wrong game.
There’s a substantial body of research showing that consumers perceive wine to taste better when they believe it costs more, not just attitudinally, but neurologically. We quite literally experience the product differently.
We don’t just taste the wine; we taste the price.
So, leading with “discount rack” isn’t just lazy, it’s counterproductive.
It assumes all customers are motivated by price. They’re not.
In many cases, the opposite is true: Discounting lowers perceived quality and in consumables, it can diminish the experience itself.
We don’t just discount the product. We discount the taste.
What struck me most about the interaction wasn’t the tactic, it was the aspiration, or lack of one.
Too many people in sales are still trying to sell. Too few are focused on inspiring buying behavior.
Selling is about persuasion—getting the customer to submit. The win is yours.
Positively influencing and inspiring buying behavior is different.
It’s about understanding what matters most to the customer. Bringing empathy, curiosity, presence, and guiding them toward something they’ll feel good about long after the transaction is over.
The win is shared.
My wine guy assumed price would motivate. A better approach? Appeal to something higher.
There’s powerful research around regret avoidance; specifically, that we feel more regret over the things we didn’t do than the things we did that didn’t work out.
“The goal isn’t to move products. It is to create decisions customers are glad they made and avoid the ones they’ll regret not making.” — Peter Smith, The Retail Smiths
Recently, someone commented on a LinkedIn post of mine about Sevan Biçakçı. She shared that she still regrets not buying a piece of his jewelry she saw at Barneys New York more than 20 years ago.
Think about that. Decades of purchases since, and what stayed with her was the one she didn’t make.
That’s the opportunity. Not “This came off a discount rack,” but “This is special—and you may not see it again.”
Not price. Meaning.
Not urgency manufactured through discounting. Relevance anchored in aspiration.
Maybe the gentleman in the grocery store could have highlighted a standout bottle.
He could have connected it to what was in the customer’s cart, spoken to rarity, pairing, occasion—anything that elevates the moment.
Because the goal isn’t to move products. It is to create decisions customers are glad they made and avoid the ones they’ll regret not making.
That’s a higher bar, and a better business.
Happy retailing!
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Columnists
The Latest
MajorsApr 30, 2026
Claire’s New Summer Campaign Is a Sensory Wonderland for Gen Alpha“A Girl SMR at Claire’s” celebrates girlhood through the five senses with stacked jewelry, slime toys, scented accessories, and ASMR.
AuctionsApr 30, 2026
Vintage Cartier Watch Crashes Through Records, Selling for $2MBelieved to be one of three made in 1987, the Cartier London Crash was hot at the “Shapes of Cartier” sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
CrimeApr 30, 2026
Masked Group Uses Hammers, Pepper Spray in Texas Jewelry Store RobberyOfficials are looking for a group that robbed Marc Robinson Jewelers at an outlet mall in Round Rock, Texas, in broad daylight on April 21.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
Supplier BulletinApr 30, 2026
OROAREZZO 2026: The B2B Event for Italian Excellence in Goldsmith, Jewelry and Silver ManufacturingSponsored by OROAREZZO International Jewelry Exhibition
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 29, 2026
The Thought Process Behind the Mother's Day Email Opt-OutSome retailers are taking a nuanced approach to marketing what can be a difficult holiday for many.
IndependentsApr 29, 2026
Dick Abbott to Retire From The EdgeThe Edge has announced its new CEO, as well as a new partnership with an investment firm focused on founder-led software businesses.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
SourcingApr 29, 2026
De Beers’ Production Rises, Market Remains ‘Challenged’De Beers’ diamond production was up 17 percent in Q1, boosted by increased output at its mines in South Africa and Canada.
AuctionsApr 29, 2026
This'll Be the Day You Own John Wayne's RingA signet ring belonging to the Western film star of Hollywood’s Golden Age will be up for auction at Elmwood’s next month.
Policies & IssuesApr 28, 2026
Tariff Refunds: How to File, What to Expect Importers can submit claims now to receive money back for the IEEPA tariffs they’ve paid, with refunds expected to take up to 90 days.
IndependentsApr 28, 2026
This North Carolina Jeweler Is Passing the TorchThe owners of Gregory Jewelers in Morganton, North Carolina, are heading into retirement.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
Doug Hucker Retires From ICAThe colored gemstone industry leader is heading into retirement after four years as the association’s CEO.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
NDC Hires Tapestry Exec to Head Global Marketing Susie Dewey joins the Natural Diamond Council as its new chief marketing officer.
AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
MajorsApr 27, 2026
JBT Re-Elects Jeff Corey as Board ChairThe trade organization, which held its annual elections earlier this year, also added five new board members.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
