Extra 20% off! Factory sale! Last chance! You may have seen these offers while shopping. But are they actually good deals?

To find out, Life Kit spoke with Brian Vines , a reporter at Consumer Reports, and Lindsay Weekes, editor-in-chief of Brad's Deals , a site that curates promotions from online retailers. They share common marketing techniques that companies use to entice shoppers to buy more — and tips on how to make smarter purchases.

Technique 1: Creating a sense of urgency

When you see words like "buy now" or "flash deal," while shopping, take caution, say our experts. Retailers use a sense of urgency to push consumers to make quicker shopping decisions, Vines says. They don't want you to think too hard about the purchase.

This strategy also relies on shoppers' fear of

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