Final answer:
Suggestive selling is a sales technique where additional purchases are recommended to customers to enhance their experience and increase sales volume. The foot-in-the-door technique starts with a small request to make a larger one more agreeable later. Tying sales force the purchase of an unwanted product alongside a desired one, which may not benefit the customer.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of suggestive selling would be a server asking a guest if they would like to add a side dish or a drink to their meal, enhancing their dining experience and increasing the sale amount. This sales technique is beneficial in establishing customer rapport and maximizing revenue potential.
Selling methods leverage psychological principles to encourage consumers to make additional or more expensive purchases. One such method is the foot-in-the-door technique, where agreeing to a small request increases the likelihood of agreeing to a larger request. This can be seen in scenarios where a salesperson begins by suggesting a data plan then progresses to offering an extended warranty for a new smartphone. Similarly, in a car dealership, a salesperson might upsell by adding extra features once the customer has decided on a car model.
Tying sales is another controversial technique where the purchase of one product is contingent on the purchase of another. This could force a customer to buy a product they did not originally want, as in the requirement to buy a specific portable TV to get a popular DVD. Such practices can be questioned for consumer fairness, as they limit choice and may not provide real value to the customer.
The suggestive selling strategy can enhance the customer experience, but it is important for sales processes to remain customer-centric and not become overly aggressive or potentially manipulative, which can cause customer dissatisfaction in the long term.