The Anchor Antidote

Three habits work against anchoring.

First, set your own anchor before you see theirs. Research what people actually pay for the item — not the retail price, not the sale price.

Second, flip the anchor. If a coat is "marked down from $300," ask what you'd pay for the same coat at a thrift store.

Third, use the "walk away" test. If you'd never seen the original price, would you still want this at this price? The crossed-out number is marketing, not information.