Practical Sales Training™ > How To Convert > Buy one get one cheap
What is it?
Buy One Get One Cheap is a sales promotion where a customer buys one item at full price and gets another item at a heavily reduced price — often for £1, 1p, or another token amount.
It is a twist on the familiar Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF) offer, but instead of giving something away entirely free, you attach a nominal cost to the second product. This can make the offer feel just as attractive, while also protecting your margins.
Examples of Buy One Get One Cheap deals include:
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Buy a pizza, get the second for £1.
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Buy a pair of shoes, get a second pair for £1.
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Buy a skincare product, get the matching item for 1p.
How does it work?
Buy One Get One Cheap works because it combines perceived value with low resistance pricing.
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Perceived generosity: Customers feel like they are getting a bargain or bonus for almost nothing.
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Anchoring effect: The full price of the first item makes the second look like an irresistible deal.
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Upsell opportunity: Instead of selling one unit, you double your volume at a small cost.
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Margin control: Unlike Buy One Get One Free, you still recover a little on the second item.
Psychologically, customers interpret 1p or £1 as almost free, so it creates the same “no-brainer” urgency that free offers deliver.
How can you use it?
You can apply a Buy One Get One Cheap promotion in many industries to drive sales and increase average order value:
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Retail: Offer a second item for £1 to encourage bulk buying.
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Food and drink: Run “Buy One Main, Get Another for £1” to fill seats and increase spend.
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Health and beauty: Bundle products so the second costs 1p to encourage trying more of the range.
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E-commerce: Add the promotion to checkout to increase basket size.
Tips for success:
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Choose products with good margins so you can afford the discount.
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Make the second product complementary to the first so uptake is high.
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Keep the pricing simple (1p or £1) so customers see it instantly as a deal.
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Time-limit the offer to create urgency.
Example
Fast food companies like Pizza Express often run these promotions during times like school holidays when the number of possible weekday customers increases dramatically.
See also
