Should I ever have a show special price?
A limited-time discount should feel like a planned reward, not a panic button, so your pricing stays believable.
The Narrative (Left Column)
The Empathy
The booth is packed, a neighbor drops their price, and someone asks if you do a "show special." It's easy to feel like you're missing out on sales if you don't match the moment. But the instant you discount, you worry about shoppers who paid full price earlier and whether the value of your brand just slipped a notch.
The Education
Limited-time discounts can work when they're intentional and tied to a clear reason, like end-of-day inventory clearing or a new product launch. The risk is that random markdowns teach customers to wait for a deal, which erodes trust and makes your regular prices feel inflated. A strong brand stays consistent, so any show special should feel like a planned reward with guardrails, not a habit that drifts into your everyday pricing.
The Solution
Decide on a policy before the event: maybe one bundled offer, a buy-more-save-more tier, or a clearly labeled last-hour markdown on specific items. Track those specials separately so you can see if the extra volume actually improved profit. When your specials are limited, intentional, and tracked, you can protect the brand promise while still capturing time-sensitive shoppers.
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