Anchor pricing in Facebook ad creative

Quick answer

Anchor pricing is the practice of showing a higher number first — a strikethrough price, a competitor's price, or a 'normally' price — before revealing your actual price. The first number sets the buyer's reference point, and your real price is judged against it. On Facebook, the anchor goes in the first three lines of primary text or directly on the image.

The psychology

Anchoring is one of the most studied effects in behavioural economics. Once a number is in the buyer's head, every subsequent number is compared to it. Real estate agents anchor with the listing price; lawyers anchor with the opening offer; you anchor with the original price. The brain doesn't reset between numbers — it adjusts from the anchor, and the adjustments are consistently smaller than they should be.

The second effect is contrast. £199 is just £199 in isolation. £499 with £199 next to it is 'a £300 saving.' The buyer's brain doesn't see £199; it sees a £300 gain. Even when the anchor is obviously inflated, the effect persists. This is why crossed-out prices still work after decades of use.

Example offer copy

On the image (over the product photo): Was £499 — Now £199

Primary text:
The walking treadmill that fits under your standing desk has been £499 since launch.

For 72 hours we're dropping it to £199 to clear the warehouse before the new model arrives.

You save £300. Same treadmill, same warranty, same 4.7-star reviews from 2,400 buyers.

Stocks are limited and we're not restocking the old model. When it's gone, it's gone.

Shop the £199 deal →

Why it works

The £499 anchor does most of the work before the buyer reads any benefits. Their brain locks onto £499 as the 'normal' price for this kind of product, then compares £199 to it. The £300 saving feels enormous because it's anchored against the £499 number, not against the buyer's bank balance. The reason given for the discount ('clearing the warehouse') is critical — it tells the buyer the anchor is real, not made up. Without the reason, the buyer suspects the £499 price was fictional and the anchor weakens.

FAQs

How do I anchor without lying?

Use a real previous price, a real competitor price, or a real cost-of-equivalent. If you've never charged the anchor price, don't use it.

Can I anchor with three prices?

Yes — anchor high, show the discount, then show the per-day or per-use breakdown. £499 → £199 → 'less than 55p a day for the first year' is a chain that works.

Does the anchor have to be visible in the ad?

Ideally yes. Anchors hidden on the landing page work less well because by the time the buyer arrives, the click decision has already been made.

What's the strongest visual placement for an anchor?

Top-left of the image, with the strikethrough price and the new price stacked. Eye-tracking studies show this is the first place people look on a product ad.

Can the anchor be a competitor's price?

Yes — 'Half the price of [competitor]' is anchoring. Be careful with naming competitors directly; soft references ('the leading brand') are safer for ad approval.

Stop guessing which offer will convert

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