Definition
The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias where people rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered (the anchor) when making decisions. In email marketing, anchoring is used to set a reference point for pricing, discounts, and value that influences how subscribers perceive offers.
For example, showing a "was £200" crossed out next to "now £100" makes £100 seem like a better deal than presenting £100 alone. The £200 anchor sets the reference point for value perception.
Anchoring in Email Marketing
| Technique | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Was/Now pricing | "Was £200, now £100" | Creates perceived savings |
| High-tier first | Present premium plan first | Makes mid-tier seem affordable |
| Comparison pricing | "Competitors charge £500" | Anchors against higher alternative |
| Bundle reference | "Items worth £300, bundle for £150" | Shows combined value |
| Original price anchor | "Regular price £50 — today only £35" | Sets reference before discount |
| Quantity anchor | "Buy 1 for £20 or 3 for £45" | Encourages larger purchase |
How to Use Anchoring in Email
- Always show the original price before discount: Presenting the anchor price creates the perception of savings that makes the offer feel valuable.
- Use price anchoring in upsell emails: Show the more expensive option first to make your target offer feel reasonable by comparison.
- Anchor with value not just price: "Includes £500 worth of bonuses" anchors the bundle value higher than the purchase price.
- Be honest with anchors: Inflated anchor prices that never reflect reality damage trust. Use authentic pricing as your anchor.
- Test anchor positioning: Placing the anchor before or after the offer affects its impact. Test different positions.
Examples by Email Type
| Email Type | Anchor | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome discount | "Standard membership: £50/month" | "First month: just £10" |
| Abandoned cart | "Items in your cart: £85" | "Complete purchase for £85" |
| Replenishment | "You saved £60 last year" | "Reorder now to save again" |
| Upgrade offer | "Current plan: £30/month" | "Upgrade to Pro: £50/month" |
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Related Glossary Terms
A/B Testing
A/B testing in email marketing is the practice of sending two variations of an email to a small sample of your list to determine which version performs better before sending the winner to the remaining subscribers.
Abandoned Cart Email
An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to customers who added items to their online shopping cart but left without completing the purchase. It is one of the highest-converting email types in ecommerce.
AI Email Summary
An AI email summary is a short, machine-generated overview of an email's key points, shown by Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail before a recipient opens the message. It is reshaping how email marketers think about subject lines, preview text and open rates.
AI Inbox Summary
An AI inbox summary is an AI-generated digest that condenses unread email — often highlighting news, actions and senders — changing how clearly your marketing email reaches and engages subscribers.
AI Inbox
An AI inbox is an email client that uses artificial intelligence to summarise, sort, prioritise and sometimes answer emails before the human recipient reads them. It is transforming email marketing metrics and copywriting.
AI Overview Email
An AI overview is a short, automatically-generated summary of a topic shown in AI search results, often drawing on and citing sources like email marketing content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchoring is a universal cognitive bias, but its effectiveness varies by audience sophistication. Experienced buyers may recognise anchoring techniques and resist them. However, even when recognised, anchors still influence perception.
Extreme anchors can trigger scepticism and damage trust. A "was £500, now £20" anchor may feel manipulative. Effective anchors should be realistic and reflect genuine pricing.
Yes. If the anchor price is clearly inflated, it damages credibility. If the subscriber can easily verify the anchor is false, trust is destroyed. Use real, defensible anchor prices.
Anchoring pairs well with scarcity. "Was £200, now £100, but only 50 units available" combines the anchor with limited availability to drive action.
The crossed-out original price next to the current price is the most effective and recognisable anchor format. It immediately communicates the reference point and the savings.