This book explores the businesses tactics that get you spending the last dollars in your bank account. These are valuable insights at a time when household budgets are stretched. While the book is written for an Australian audience, many of the insights are still applicable in Europe, the US or Canada. That makes this a great read whether you’re looking to save some money or simply fascinated by how companies always seem to find new ways to extend their profits.
‘How They Get You’ examines the business models and sneaky ways that businesses make extra money out of consumers. It explores the psychology and economics of 24 different business practices and how they separate people from their money. Importantly, each chapter concludes with practical tips for how to deal with these different practices, especially if they’re unavoidable.
For the typical consumer, the author’s choice of breadth over depth is the right one. Each topic provides enough detail to understand why businesses are doing these things, and what actions the consumer can take. For business readers or those looking for a deep understanding of the topic, Kohler’s coverage might not be sufficient. However, I found the book a valuable way to get across multiple topics quickly, and it’s already helped me save money.
Readers should be aware this book is written for an Australian audience. Some chapters reference distinctly Australian consumer scenarios and laws. This may require reinterpreting things for their local context. Even with this limitation, the diversity of topics covered means ‘How they Get You’ still offers plenty of valuable insights for everyone.
Overall, I’d recommend ‘How they Get You’ for anyone looking to shop smarter. It's also a good choice if you want to understand the business models of a diverse range of industries. The book is an easy and insightful read, though for those outside Australia you may need to go the e-book (or as I did, audiobook) edition.