[herr_oberst]

This thread reminded me of a This American Life story.

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/515/transcript

From the transcript:

"Sonari Glinton
I remembered this thing a guy that I had interviewed had talked about about the good guy discount.

Ira Glass
The good guy discount?

Ben Calhoun
The good guy discount. This is the thing. Sonari, he'd interviewed this negotiations expert from Columbia University Business School. And the guy told him about this technique where you say, can I get a good guy discount on that? You're a good guy, I'm a good guy-- come on, just, you know, a good guy discount.

Ira Glass
And this works for the professor?

Ben Calhoun
Yeah, it's supposed to be a thing.

Ira Glass
Wow.

Ben Calhoun
So Sonari remembered this when he was about to buy these shoes. And honestly, he didn't think it was going to work.

Sonari Glinton
And I go, hey, is there a good guy discount? And he goes, what? You've seen me here all day. You know I want these shoes. It's tough for me, blah, blah, blah. And he looks at me, and he goes, I'll tell you what, brother. And he swiped the card.

Ben Calhoun
Like his little authorization card.

Sonari Glinton
Yeah. And he goes, I'll give you 25% off.

Ira Glass
25% off?

Ben Calhoun
Mm-hmm.

Sonari Glinton
It was the most positive reinforcement you could ever get. I was so happy."