Discount Sushi

There is a restaurant near me with a large permanent sign that says “50% off Sushi” in bold lettering. The parking lot is usually nearly empty, and the building has seen better days. Still, it is a large restaurant in a prime location on one of the main streets in a popular San Diego neighborhood.

It begs the question, why is the sushi on sale? Is it bad? Are they trying to get rid of it? Or, is it just bad marketing?

Being that sushi primarily consists of raw fish, only the most adventurous would dare take a risk on sushi of dubious quality. Sushi is a luxury item, something that you accept paying a premium price for. It is not something that you seek a bargain on, as you would with a commodity purchase.

This discount pricing strategy could work in the right market, but not less than one mile from the ocean with dozens of other sushi restaurants in the area. I’ll take my business down the road and save myself a trip to the ER.

Whatever we are selling, we must not befall a similar fate as the discount sushi restaurant. Know your worth, understand how the customer perceives your product, and price and market it accordingly. Your true audience will happily pay full price.