A Shortcut to the Spam Folder

A recent feature in Which? – that bastion of consumer trust – had a headline that should make any email marketer sit up: "Dodgy pricing tactics exposed". And they weren't pulling punches.

In the wake of the Ticketmaster backlash and the growing spotlight on misleading pricing, this is the kind of attention email marketers really don't want. If your pricing tricks make it into Which?, they're probably also fuelling unsubscribed and spam complaints faster than you can say "limited-time offer". Email marketing mind-boggle – not really.

The Old "Only 3 Left!" Trick

One tactic Which? called out was the infamous limited-quantity offer – where a jaw-droppingly low price is only available to the fastest few. You open the email, click through, and… too late. Already sold out. Or were they ever really available?

It might work once. But it erodes trust, kills engagement, and gives your sender reputation a serious knock. People remember who misled them – and not fondly.

Was/Now Pricing: A Slippery Slope

Another pricing tactic under fire was the classic "Was £199/Now £89" approach. A strong hook for email subject lines and banners – but only when used ethically.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority makes it clear: your "was" price should be the one immediately preceding the discount – not something plucked from six months ago to make the drop look bigger.

The problem? Many consumers no longer trust these kinds of claims. In fact, informal chats (yes, unscientific, but telling) suggest that buyers treat "was/now" lines with e healthy dose of scepticism – if not outright disbelief.

So why use them at all?

You Can Still Talk About Price – Just Don't Fake It

That doesn't mean you can't highlight a real bargain. But transparency is key. If you're showing a reduced price, give it context:

• Was it the standard RRP?
• Was that the price in your last campaign?
• Was it a seasonal price or a bundle offer?

A simple sentence of clarification can make all the difference between a price cut that builds trust – and one that looks suspicious.

Play The Long Game

It's tempting to use headline-grabbing pricing to boost short-term clicks. But if it costs you subscriber trust, engagement, and inbox placement down the line, it's not worth it.

You can run successful price-led email campaigns without falling into dodgy category. Be honest. Be clear. And remember: your reputation is on the line with every send!