People are different. I do what he described every single time I see the coupon code when I wouldn't have thought about searching for one. I would have been happily enjoying my purchase instead to cruising junky ad filled sites looking for a discount.
It's simple loss aversion. Instead of people seeing their purchase as a gain, they think about what they're losing by not having a coupon.
For me, not having the box would have meant I "knew" I was getting the best deal. Having the box and failing to find a code means I "failed" at getting the best deal, even if there wasn't a better deal to be had.
Finding a code sometimes makes me think, "am I allowed to use it?" but of course, I'd try anyway and yes, can be pleased if I get the magical 10-15% off.
"Slum it! Enter your poverty code here:"
But if the code is targeted at a specific set of customers that I know I don't fall into, then I would probably overlook.
Things like:
- Student discount
- Over 60s discount
- Job seekers discount
But finding the right label that doesn't offend, and right way to validate the authenticity of the customer's eligibility, is no trivial task.
This research paper studies those effects: http://www2.owen.vanderbilt.edu/mike.shor/research/promo/jpb...