“Brain x Psychology Business Hacks” [Season 1-0] What is... the moment when “expensive” turns into “a great deal”?
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📢 Announcement | We are entering the Creative Awards 2026
Jiro:
“A-at last...! We have decided to enter our story into the #CreativeAwards2026
#WorkFictionCategory ...!
Even though we haven't submitted it yet, for some reason I've already started thinking about the first line of my acceptance speech...!”
Hana:
“You're getting ahead of yourself (laughs). But,
I want more people to watch over Jiro-kun as he stumbles through his sales work and grows little by little, so for a limited time, I'm making the 'first 8 episodes of Season 1,' which were planned for paid release, available for free!
”
Seiji:
“This is a story about Jiro, who, triggered by the doubts and failures he feels in his sales job, gradually deciphers
‘the reasons why people's hearts are moved.’”
Dr. Narita:
“Within Jiro's failures and realizations, there will surely be moments where you think, ‘This might be true for me too.’”
Jiro:
“From here, our story begins. I'll probably stumble many times, and Hana-san will call me out on it many times...!
But, every time that happens, I want to learn a little bit and grow. If you think
‘This is interesting,’ ‘I want to know what happens next,’ or ‘I want to support them,’ then
supporting us with Likes, comments, and shares would be a huge encouragement...!
Please watch over our story with us!”
[What we will look at in Season 1]
Even though it's the same price, one day you get turned down with ‘That's expensive.’ Yet on another day, the atmosphere changes and you hear,
‘In that case, it's a great deal.’ Have you ever had that experience? What we will look at in Season 1 is
‘the true nature of that difference.’
People do not see price as just a number.
What they saw first, how they compare things, how they feel the burden, how they perceive value, the desire not to lose out, the anxiety of limited time, and the method of payment.
When those things overlap, the very meaning of ‘expensive’ begins to shift.
[8 themes we will follow in Season 1]
Episode 1. ‘Is the judgment criteria decided at the “first move”!? The price magic that makes “expensive” disappear’
[Anchoring Effect] A psychological effect where the first number seen becomes the standard, making subsequent prices feel easier to perceive as cheap
Episode 2. ‘Does 2,999 yen look cheap!? The illusion of the “leftmost digit”’
[Fractional Price Effect]
A psychological effect where you are dragged by the leftmost digit, making the entire price feel easier to perceive as cheaper than it actually is
Episode 3. ‘Why do people reach for the “middle plan”!? The trap of choice created by comparison’
[Decoy Effect] A psychological effect where an unfavorable decoy becomes the comparison standard, making the middle plan look easier to perceive as a good deal
Episode 4. ‘The way of showing “100 yen per day” is... a mechanism to ease the burden on the heart’
[Pennies-a-Day Effect] A psychological effect where breaking down payments into a per-day amount makes the burden feel smaller than the total amount
Episode 5. ‘The more expensive something is, the more “reassuring” it looks... The psychology where price influences quality’
[Price-Quality Heuristic] A psychological tendency to use price as a clue for quality, making it easier to judge that more expensive is better
Episode 6. ‘Does the “loss” if you don't buy push you!? The trap of anxiety that moves the heart’
[Loss Aversion Bias] A psychological tendency where you feel the pain of loss more strongly than gain for the same amount, making it easier for judgments to be made quickly
Episode 7. 'Scarcity creates value... The psychological mechanism that triggers desire'
[Scarcity Principle]
A psychological principle where the harder something feels to obtain, the more expensive it appears, and the more likely it is to prompt action.
Episode 8. 'Does paying by card make the "pain" disappear!? The psychological mechanism that makes us buy on impulse'
[Pain of Paying]
A psychological phenomenon where cashless payments weaken the sense of spending, reducing the brain's negative reaction.
Standard → Impression → Comparison → Burden → Value → Emotion → Urgency → PaymentWe will look at how
'expensive' shifts and leads to a decision in this order.
[What you will see by reading this season]
In Season 1, we will not be looking at ways to force things to look cheaper.
'Why did it feel expensive?'
'Why did it look like a bargain?'
'Why did that final step feel easier?'
We will unravel that process along with Jiro's failures.
Now, it's time for Jiro, who has just returned from a business meeting.
It seems he's come back feeling weighed down by price again today.
[Introduction] Jiro, swayed by how price is perceived
Evening at the office.
Jiro returns from his meeting, clutching his documents.
The documents don't look that heavy, but Jiro's expression is unusually weighed down.
Jiro:
'Seiji-san, Hana-san... I'm confused again...'
Hana:
'Oh, your "I'm confused" face is 1.5 times more intense than usual today.'
Jiro:
'Is that magnification showing on my face? ...
But really, things have been strange lately.'
Seiji:
'Did something happen?'
Jiro:
'I'm explaining the same content...
but there are days when it ends with "That's expensive," and days when the atmosphere shifts to "That's a bargain..."'
Jiro:
'Isn't price just a number...?'
Hana:
'I totally get that...!'
Hana:
'Even for the same price, there are days when it feels expensive, and days when it feels like it might work out.'
Hana:
'And it feels less like the product itself changed, and more like the "way it's perceived" changed.'
Jiro:
'Exactly...!'
Jiro:
“The other day, too, after looking at a more expensive plan first, the next price suddenly looked like, ‘Oh, maybe that’s not so expensive after all’...”
Jiro:
“Conversely, on another day, even with a similar price, I just stopped and thought, ‘Hmm, that’s expensive’...”
Jiro:
“Lately, I feel like... prices don’t look like just numbers to me anymore...”
Hana:
“You’ve already come quite close to the entrance of Season 1...”
Seiji:
“Yeah. I think Jiro is currently bumping into ‘how prices are perceived’ rather than the ‘price itself.’”
Jiro:
“How... prices are perceived?”
Seiji:
“Even for the same amount, the impression changes significantly depending on what you saw first, what you compared it to, and how it was presented.”
Hana:
“It’s true, the moment I see ‘for a limited time only,’ I start to want it a little, or I think, ‘I could totally afford this if it’s just per day.’”
Jiro:
“That happens...! The other day, before even thinking about ‘whether I needed it,’ I was swayed by the thought, ‘I might lose out if I miss this now’...”
Seiji:
“Yeah. That’s a very important sensation.”
Jiro:
“Is it important...? I just thought I was being pushed around by it...”
Seiji:
“Being pushed around is fine, too. That ‘why does this happen?’ is the entrance to Season 1.”
Hana:
“The entrance, you say?”
Seiji:
“Yes. What we’ll be looking at this season isn’t the ‘price itself,’ but ‘how the perception of price shifts.’”
Jiro:
“...!”
Seiji:
“There is a definite order to the moment ‘expensive’ turns into ‘a bargain.’”
Jiro:
“An order...?”
Seiji:
“Yes. And it doesn’t just happen in business negotiations. It happens quite normally in proposals, customer service, and even daily life.”
Hana:
“Hearing that, I’m a little curious now.”
Hana:
“Season 1 sounds less like a ‘talk about prices’ and more like a ‘talk about how people’s judgments are swayed.’”
Seiji:
"That's exactly it."
[Season Introduction] Why do reactions change even when the price is the same?
The atmosphere shifts slightly.
The story Jiro was confused about was no longer just a "common occurrence," but was beginning to turn into a "mystery that makes you want to know more."
Jiro:
"But, even if you say 'expensive' changes... is there really a sequence to it?"
Seiji:
"There is."
"Actually, while 'looking like a bargain' might seem like a split-second judgment, it's actually a process that goes through several stages."
Hana:
"That's intriguing."
"If we read this season, what will we be able to see?"
Seiji:
"In a nutshell, you'll be able to see 'why the other person's reaction changed' not as a gut feeling, but as a flow."
Jiro:
"As a flow...!"
Seiji:
"For example, the first number you see becomes the benchmark for subsequent judgments."
Seiji:
"Presenting it as 2,999 yen can make it feel slightly cheaper than it actually is."
Seiji:
"Depending on how you compare things, the middle plan can suddenly look like a bargain."
Seiji:
"Even if the total amount is the same, breaking it down into a 'per day' cost can make the burden feel lighter."
Hana:
"Wow..."
"Just at that point, the perception of 'expensive' is already being shaken up."
Hana:
"Just hearing this, I'm starting to understand that 'expensive' isn't something decided solely by the price."
Seiji:
"And on top of that, feelings like 'maybe expensive means it's high quality,'"
"'maybe I'll lose out if I miss this now,'"
"or 'maybe I want it if there's only a little left' start to pile up."
Jiro:
"My heart is too busy by the end of that..."
Seiji:
"And finally, even the method of payment comes into play."
"When the pain of paying is reduced, people find it easier to move forward than they thought."
Hana:
"I see..."
Hana:
"So Season 1 isn't a 'collection of tips to make things look cheap,' but a season that follows 'the sequence in which people waver, become convinced, and make decisions.'"
Seiji:
"Exactly."
Jiro:
"That's amazing..."
Jiro:
"I've always thought, 'I'm explaining it properly, but it's not getting through,' but..."
Jiro:
"Could it be that even before I explain, the way the other person perceives the 'price' has already started to shift...!"
Seiji:
"Probably."
"That's why in this season, we're going to unravel that flow one step at a time."
[8 Psychological Effects to Unravel How 'Expensive' is Perceived]
The strength of Season 1 isn't just in listing various psychological effects.
Rather, it lies in being able to follow a single theme in order.
What happens before you feel something is "expensive"?
What kind of changes in perception occur before you think "this might be a bargain"?
And what kind of feelings pile up before you take that final step?
We will look at that through 8 psychological effects.
Seiji:
"This season follows the flow of 'Standard → Impression → Comparison → Burden → Value → Emotion → Urgency → Payment.'"
Jiro:
"Oh... just the words alone make it sound like a journey...!"
Hana:
"I've never heard of a 'price journey' before, but I kind of like it (laughs)."
Seiji:
"It starts with the impression being determined by 'what you saw first.'"
Seiji:
"Next, it continues with how the numbers look, what you compare them to, and how you feel the burden."
Seiji:
"After that, feelings of value like 'expensive = safe' and emotions like 'I don't want to lose out' or 'it's now or never' start to pile up."
Seiji:
"Finally, including the 'pain of the moment of payment,' it becomes easier for the decision to move forward."
Hana:
"Wow... this isn't just scattered knowledge; it's actually built like a staircase."
Seiji:
"Exactly."
"That's why there's meaning in reading it episode by episode, and by the time you see it to the end, it connects not just 'why it felt expensive,' but also 'why you were able to take the step to decide.'"
Jiro:
"It starts with 'why does this price look expensive?'..."
"And ends with 'why did that final step to decide feel so light?'...!"
Hana:
"That's actually quite exciting."
Hana:
And it seems like I'll have more moments where I realize, 'Oh, this might be it,' not just in my own work, but in my everyday shopping too.
Jiro:
Yes...!
Jiro:
I feel like from now on, every time I see a price today, I'm going to pause for a moment...
Hana:
You're already pretty deep into Season 1 then (laughs).
Seiji:
But that feeling is probably right.
Seiji:
Season 1 is a season where your 'perspective on price' changes, but at the same time, it's also a season where you realize 'how you were being manipulated.'
[Highlights of what's to come] What will you be able to see after these 8 episodes?
Jiro was silent for a moment, then nodded with a serious face. Usually, when he's like that, it's a little dangerous.
Jiro:
Then, next time, I'll show a very high price first, put the middle option, add 'for a limited time only,' and finally, the card...
Hana:
I knew it was dangerous (laughs).
Seiji:
Yeah, Jiro. That was someone who was in a rush to use everything from Season 1 at once (laughs).
Jiro:
Ah... I almost used it the wrong way again...!
Seiji:
But that's the most important part.
Jiro:
The most important part...?
Seiji:
Season 1 isn't knowledge for forcing others to act.
Seiji:
It's a season for learning to distinguish and see 'why it felt expensive,' 'where it felt heavy,' and 'why they couldn't take that next step.'
Hana:
I see...! It's not about 'how to present it to make them act,' but 'why they felt that way,' right?
Seiji:
Exactly. For example, you might have thought they refused because it was expensive, but in reality, the value might not have reached them yet.
Seiji:
It might have looked like the price was the cause, but it might have seemed heavy because of how it was compared.
Seiji:
They might have looked like they were hesitating, but in the end, they might not have been able to take a step forward because of the pain of paying.
Jiro:
“Whoa...”
“Once you can see that, you know exactly where to fix things next...!”
Hana:
“It’s a big deal to stop getting stuck on ‘why didn’t it work?’”
Hana:
“I feel like the more someone has stumbled in business negotiations or proposals, the more they’ll think,
Oh... this might be it!”
Seiji:
“I think that’s where the value of reading Season 1 lies.”
Seiji:
“It’s not about becoming stronger with pricing, but about being able to put into words the point where a decision was made.”
Jiro:
“I want that...!”
Jiro:
“I want to graduate from ending things with ‘somehow the conversation went well today’ or”
“‘somehow the reaction was heavy today’...!”
Hana:
“That’s good.”
“If you can move past ‘somehow,’ it’s quite reassuring.”
[Theoretical Reinforcement] Dr. Narita reads the mechanics of price judgment
At that moment, the door opened quietly.
It’s Dr. Narita’s sneaky way to always appear at turning points like this in the story.
Dr. Narita:
“Hmm. It seems you’ve finally reached the point where ‘price is not just about numbers.’”
Jiro:
“Doctor...!”
Dr. Narita:
“People may look at the price as it is, but in reality, they make judgments based on a number of clues.”
Hana:
“Clues, you say?”
Dr. Narita:
“Yes. The first number you see, the comparisons lined up, the method of payment, the feeling of not wanting to lose out, the anxiety of not wanting to miss out now,
these things layer together to create the sensations of ‘expensive,’ ‘cheap,’ ‘I want it,’ or ‘I’m still hesitant.’”
Jiro:
“So, ‘expensive’ looks like a single impression... but
actually, it contains various reasons inside...!”
Dr. Narita:
“That is correct.”
Dr. Narita:
“Therefore, whether in sales, customer service, or proposals, explaining only the price is not always enough.
By looking at what the other person uses as a standard, where they feel the weight, and where they are hesitating,
only then can you see the flow of their judgment.”
Hana:
“So rather than using psychological effects to move the other person,
you’re making it visible how the other person is feeling.”
Dr. Narita:
“Yes. What we cover in this season is not knowledge for manipulating people,
but auxiliary lines for deciphering why people felt that way.”
Seiji:
That's why it's important to look at things in order.
Dr. Narita:
Indeed.
From the initial benchmark to the final payment method,
we will look step-by-step at how the perception of 'expensive' fluctuates and leads to a decision.
Jiro:
Somehow...
even for the same amount of money, it feels like the way I see it will change after reading this...!
Dr. Narita:
That's a good start!
By the time you finish Season 1, the contents of what you used to dismiss with the single word 'expensive' should become clearer to you.
[Summary] What becomes visible at the entrance of Season 1
At first, it was just a sense of discomfort.
Even though it's the same amount,
there are times when it feels expensive,
and times when it feels like a good deal.
But within that 'why?',
there were more psychological movements hidden than I had imagined.
Hana:
Season 1 seems like it's about 'pricing,' but it's actually about 'how people make decisions,' isn't it?
Seiji:
That's right.
Even with the same price, depending on how it's presented or the order in which it's shown,
you might feel it's 'expensive' or 'maybe a good deal.'
This is the season where we look at that flow in order.
Jiro:
I really want to know that...!
Instead of ending with 'I was told it's expensive...',
I want to be able to think about why it looked expensive.
Hana:
That's a big step.
Just not ending with 'the reaction was somehow bad' is quite reassuring.
Seiji:
Yeah.
Because when you can see the reason, the way you revise your proposal changes too.
Hana:
So it's not just about making it look cheaper,
but about being able to think about where they felt it was expensive.
Seiji:
Exactly.
It's not just about the price itself,
but being able to see where the other party hesitated,
and where the value was difficult to convey.
Jiro:
I see...
Then for this season, I will aim to be someone who can think about 'where it looked expensive,'
instead of someone who just ends with 'I was told it's somehow expensive...'!
Hana:
That's a good goal.
I feel like rooting for you a little.
Jiro:
Not just a little, I'd like you to root for me properly if possible...!
Hana:
You're suddenly getting greedy (laughs).
Seiji:
Then, let's start from here.
In Season 1, we will look one by one at why something you thought was 'expensive'
can change and look like 'maybe a good deal'.
Jiro:
"The moment when 'expensive' turns into 'maybe it's a bargain'... I have a lot of experience with that..."
Hana:
"You do, don't you?"
Even though you thought it was 'expensive' at first, while you're comparing, you suddenly think, 'Maybe this is doable.'
Jiro:
"I do..."
And at that moment, I feel like I've thought it through and made a choice..."
Hana:
"Have you ever had an experience where you thought something was expensive at first, but then halfway through, you thought, 'Maybe it's surprisingly a bargain?'"
Jiro:
"Whether it's shopping, services, or quotes, if you have an experience where you think, 'Now that I think about it, my perspective might have changed at that time,' please let us know in the comments."
Hana:
"I'd love to hear about your experiences, too—in what situations did 'expensive' turn into 'maybe it's a bargain?'"
Jiro:
"In this Season 1, I'm going to collect a lot of my own 'moments when things looked like a bargain'...!"
Hana:
"Just make sure you don't collect too many and get scolded by your receipts again (laughs)."
Jiro:
"I've already been lectured by Receipt-sensei several times...!"
Hana:
"So, let's look together at how 'expensive' turns into 'maybe it's a bargain' in order."
[A one-sentence summary of this season]
"Expensive" seems to be determined by numbers, but it actually fluctuates based on the flow of perception. In Season 1, we will unravel how that fluctuation works from the initial benchmark to the final payment,
step by step with Jiro.
[*Limited Time: Click here for free Season 1 articles*]
☑️ Click here for the next episode
Season 1-1. "Judgment criteria are decided at the 'first move'!? The price magic that makes 'expensive' disappear"
[Anchoring Effect]
A psychological effect where the first number you see becomes the benchmark, making subsequent prices feel cheaper.