Standing discounts train customers to expect a lower price permanently. Flash deals work differently — the urgency itself is part of what drives the visit, not just the discount amount.
What makes a flash deal effective
- A real, visible time limit — "next 2 hours" creates urgency that "this week" doesn't
- Reaching people close enough to actually act — a flash deal is wasted on someone too far away to visit in time
- Timing around real slow periods — using flash deals to fill genuinely quiet hours, not undercutting your busiest times
Why proximity is essential for flash deals specifically
A flash deal shown to someone 20 miles away is nearly useless — they can't act on it in time. Hyperlocal advertising is what makes flash-deal marketing actually work, by reaching people who can walk in within the window.