The more you spend, the more you save

One of my least favorite oxymorons, this is a common slogan in advertising. What it means is "The More You Spend, The Greater The Discount", but that lacks bite. In my tightwad mind, this slogan appeals to a false sense of saving money. If you buy more than you can use of something, you aren't saving any money -- you're paying more for the same amount.

This isn't a complaint against buying in bulk so much as a complaint against the idea that this slogan actually works on people, apparently. Not a week goes by that I don't hear it in reference to some sale. The way to save money is not discounts but rather not spending in the first place! But apparently big retail chains manage to get this mantra into people's heads.

I guess it's just that most people's lack of financial management scares me.

I don't mean buying lots when you can afford it -- it's when someone who buys a lot cannot afford it.

The word "discount," is it associated with good thoughts / feelings?

Like most things, it depends. It depends on the context that the word is used around, i.e. what's being talked about.

In terms of selling, my gut feeling as a consumer is that a discount is positive, particularly if it is special somehow. In general being significantly cheaper than the known average, which you can get anywhere, is very appealing (compared to slightly cheaper than average and not worth the effort, or just cheaper than expensive). There is also cheaper than average and hard to get except for "those in the know" to give a perk to the ego.

Underlying it all is that the product must be desirable even if not cheaper. If the product is junk and nobody wants it anyway, then it doesn't matter how much cheaper it is. People have to want it or need it and now you are offering a chance to get it cheaper. That's positive anyway you look at it.