A deeper discount can rescue a slow day, but repeated markdowns teach shoppers to delay the purchase, wait for the next campaign, and question the value of the regular price. adults found that91% delay purchases for discounts,61% are willing to wait a month or longer, and51% have abandoned an online cart hoping for a discount email. The same survey found shoppers said they neededat least 26% off on averagebefore waiting felt worthwhile, according to thesurvey reference provided by CouponFollow. Margins shrink , conversion remains insufficient when a promotion isn’t running, and brand perception weakens as customers learn that patience gets rewarded. Alternatives to discounting solve the same purchase hesitation through scarcity, participation, access, experience, or added value instead of relying on a permanently lower price.