Definition

Lowballing is a strategy to increase compliance. In lowballing, the person making a request gets another person (i.e., the target of compliance) to make a commitment to a particular course of action. After making that commitment, the requester reveals hidden costs associated with the requested course of action. The target of compliance is then more likely to follow through with the request (i.e., to comply) than if the hidden costs had been revealed at the time of the initial request.

Examples

Car salespeople have been observed using the lowball strategy to increase the likelihood that the customer will purchase a car. In this situation, the salesperson negotiates with the customer to arrive at a sales price that the customer feels is a good deal. After the customer ...

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