Problem: Article: How can your product or service appeal to people in a way that you haven't thought about yet? Try marketing it with that angle and see if sales grow. The classic case of Arm & Hammer advertising from decades ago is a great example of how to multi-purpose a brand. The company advertised its baking soda product as a means to deodorize drains once it had outlived its usefulness as a refrigerator air freshener. You might think that, to increase sales, you should lower prices in an effort to attract more customers. While sales and discounts often lead people to purchase your product or service, sometimes raising prices is also the right move. If you keep the same number of customers after your price increase, then you'll definitely raise your top line sales figure. Higher prices often lead to a perception of increased quality. That impression could send more business your way. Customers love great deals, so special one-time offers are a great way to raise your sales in the short term. However, to take full advantage of the sales "spike" a special deal can provide, make sure as many people know about it as possible. This may mean mentioning upcoming deals to your existing customers, distributing flyers or handouts, paying for advertisements, or more. Balance the costs of publicizing your deal with the benefits you're likely to gain from it. Flat or percentage price cuts for certain products (e.g. $20 off all microwaves) Percent discounts for purchases over a certain price (e.g. 10% off on purchases over $70) Buy x, get y free deals (e.g. buy three, get one free) Limited-time bundles (e.g. buy a computer by the end of the month and receive a free keyboard) Free shipping for orders over $50. Why sell a product for $100 if you have a chance of selling a different product for $150? By offering customers the chance to buy a better version of the product they want to purchase, you boost your sales and the customer gets a better product. Everybody wins. If, for instance, your customer is purchasing a 21 inch (53.3cm) television set, you might give them an opportunity to upgrade to a 24 inch (61.0cm) television at the checkout, for only a little extra. The customer may or may not take the bait, but you'll never lose the original sale unless you push very hard, so it's very difficult to lose money with this trick. Don't settle for making a sale on one item if you can get away with selling two! When a customer is making a purchase, you may want to offer them another item that complements an item in their shopping cart. Recommend something your customer is likely to need to make the most out of the purchase, like some sort of optional accessory. You can even offer a discount on the second item to sweeten the deal! For example, if a customer's buying toys, you might upsell by offering your customer a pack of batteries. Or, if the customer is buying a printer, you might offer $10 off of a pack of ink cartridges. Another great way to make a little extra money is to upsell optional services or plans when the customer makes his or her purchase. Optional warranties, protection plans, and subscriptions to services or publications related to your customer's purchase are all things you can recommend to make a sale more profitable. For example, if you're selling a customer a car, you might offer a warranty that covers any problems caused by the car's workmanship as part of a package deal. One way that businesses frequently practice "passive" upselling is by positioning small impulse-buy products near the point of sale (cash register, checkout line, etc.) Because these small items are relatively cheap and offer instant gratification, customers will frequently add these to their purchase. Over time, the profits from these tiny sales can add up. You have probably noticed this method of upselling in practice at the grocery store checkout line, where gum, candy bars, and beverages are frequently for sale. If you're running an e-commerce business, you still have a virtual checkout line. Advertise small, inexpensive items within the shopping cart screens so customers can buy additional items they might like.
Summary: Create new demand for your product or service. Raise prices. Offer (and publicize) special deals and discounts. Offer an opportunity to "upgrade". Offer "companion" items. Offer pertinent services and plans. Offer small, inexpensive items for sale near the point of sale.

Problem: Article: Students throughout the US complain that high textbook costs are a major burden on their finances. This can be avoided to some extent by hunting for better prices online. Sites like Amazon, Chegg, BigWords, AbeBooks, and DealOz can help you with book price comparison and purchasing discounted or used books. Thrift stores sell used and donated items at prices far below retail stores. Going here to add anything to your wardrobe is an easy way to save money. It can take time to find the right clothes in thrift stores among all of the donations. Take time to peruse what's available until you find something you really like. Make an activity of it and go thrifting with friends so it is even more fun. Ask other students about which thrift stores in your city or town have the best clothes. Often different thrift stores have a reputation for having more of certain kinds of items (clothes vs. electronics, etc.). Whole Foods and the like have a number of wonderful products, but simply aren't affordable for people on a budget. Search for any low-income stores in your city or town (i.e. Aldi) and shop there. As organic and non-GMO products are becoming the norm, even low-income stores can offer high quality foods. There are a number of bulk product stores around the US. Consider investing in a membership to save on buying food in large quantities. Even if you don't join a bulk store, you can still buy food communally. If you have roommates or live with family, pool your resources and buy food for everyone in single purchases to save money. For foods with long shelf-life (pasta, grains, canned goods, etc.) you can save a lot of money by buying them online. A number of online food stores exist with prices below retail like Thrive Market. Likewise, any vitamins you may need can be found at discount online. With any online purchases, be sure to look for digital coupons with a simple search engine query. Frozen food can keep for a long time and can also save you money. Research shows that you can save up to $600 a month buy choosing frozen meats, fruit, and other foods over fresh. Snacks, vegetables, fruits, breakfast foods, entrees, deserts, and drinks are all available in frozen form. This applies to groceries and medicine. Stores and pharmacies often have generic or store brand versions of anything made by brand name companies. Studies show that experts often buy generic brands more often than your average shopper. That is to say, Pharmacists bought generic medication more often, and chefs bought generic brand foods more often. Ask your pharmacist if they have generic version of your prescriptions before making any purchases. Renting studio apartments as a student can be a huge expense. Look for people you would be comfortable living with and search for cheap apartments together. Splitting the cost of rent between two to four or even five people can save you a lot of money each month. Make sure that you choose responsible, trustworthy roommates. Talk to the landlord of any building you're considering living in and read over the lease. Look for any additional costs like security deposits or paying first and last month's rent. Many businesses in and around colleges offer discounts to students. Be on the lookout for these and use any opportunity to benefit from your status as a student. Movie theaters, bars, restaurants, and exercise centers among many other businesses offer student discounts. The longer in advance your buy plane, train, or boat tickets, the more likely they will be at a lower price. Also be sure to run comparisons between all different companies offering tickets. There are a number of websites online like Kayak and Skyscanner that do this for you.
Summary:
Buy textbooks online. Buy clothing from thrift stores. Buy groceries from low-income stores. Buy groceries in bulk. Buy frozen foods. Buy generic brands. Live in house shares or apartments with roommates. Take advantage of student discounts. Reserve travel plans long in advance.