Selling to men? Put your prices in red to sell more.

Imagine you’re setting up a new sale, and you’re wondering: what color should you make those price tags? Well, turns out, the answer could make all the difference—especially if your audience is more “he” than “she.”

TL;DR 🎯

Here’s the short and sweet: Write your prices in red if you want them to look like a deal to men. It’s not magic—it’s science! Research shows that men see prices as better deals when they're in red. Women? They couldn’t care less if it’s red, black, or neon green.

Why does this work? 🤔

The reason is wild. It’s got to do with how our brains process colors. Men’s brains react differently to red than to other colors like blue or yellow. It’s linked to testosterone and dominance. Kind of like when a bull sees a red cloth—okay, not exactly, because bulls are actually colorblind, but you get the point.

Red draws attention, and for guys, it triggers a little brain quirk that says, “Hey, that must be a great deal!” But if they start digging deeper into the details (think big purchases like a TV or that fancy espresso machine), the effect wears off. Suddenly, red doesn’t scream “deal” anymore. It just screams “you really need this, but can you afford it?”

Got proof? 🧠📊

Sure do! Here’s the data from a study that tested how men and women reacted to red price tags on household appliances (toasters, microwaves—nothing too exciting):

• Men thought prices in red were about 66% cheaper than when the same prices were in black.
• Women? They evaluated the prices the same, regardless of the color.

So, if your store has a lot of male shoppers, turning those prices red might just boost your conversion rates. But for a more mixed audience, maybe don’t bet the farm on it.

Watch out for this ⚠️

Before you go painting the town red, a few things to keep in mind:

• This trick works best for smaller purchases where the buyer doesn’t overthink it. If they’re comparing specs and doing research, it won’t help much.
• Be mindful of your brand. Red can make you look like a discount store. That’s great if you want to be known for deals, but maybe not if you’re selling high-end, premium goods.
• Women can get skeptical if they see red prices over and over again from the same brand. It’s like they think, “What’s the catch?”

How to make it happen ✅

Ready to test the red effect? Here’s how to get it done:

1. Know your audience: Check out your sales data. If you’ve got a healthy number of male customers, you’re good to go.
2. Test it out: A/B test your price tag colors on your website and see if red makes a difference in sales.
3. Adjust as needed: If you’re seeing good results, keep it up. But if it backfires or your brand’s image takes a hit, maybe stick to classic black.

So, go ahead and try out this trick. Maybe your prices will look as good as that red Ferrari you've been eyeing—just way more affordable!

Until next time, keep those sales rolling. 🎯

Want to learn more? 🤓

If you want to learn more about this topic, you can dig into the nerdy details in the original marketing study.

Quote of the week 💬

"When it comes to discounts, red is more than just a color—it's a signal that says 'deal' loud and clear, especially to the guys."