The Marketing of Debt: How They Get You - Paperback

by John B. Dinsmore (Author)

Why do people struggle so much with debt? The truth is, we are psychologically pre-disposed to misunderstanding it. We underestimate the cost of debt and overestimate our ability to pay. Not only do marketers of credit cards and loans know this, but they also exploit these psychological blind spots to get us deeper in hock.

The Marketing of Debt: How They Get You is an irreverent look at the financial services industry and the psychological research on decision-making related to debt. Topics include resisting temptation and refocusing on long-term goals, how money lenders hide pricing, partitioned pricing, drip pricing, the issue with status branded credit cards, and taking scientifically proven steps for making better financial decisions.

This book is for anyone who wants to understand common tactics that marketers of debt use to get people into deeper debt, and how to avoid the traps laid by lenders. For students, this will be an appealing point-of-entry to behavioural research on financial decision-making. This could also be required reading for a consumer behaviour or consumer finance course. Additionally, there is a self-help aspect to this book in that it will help individuals avoid falling into many of the traps laid by marketers of debt. Features a Foreword from Jason Harris of Mekanism.

Author Biography

John B. Dinsmore is a Professor of Marketing at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. At Wright State, Professor Dinsmore teaches a variety of courses including Digital Marketing, Strategy, and Creativity & Problem-Solving, garnering multiple teaching awards. He has provided executive training services to the United States Air Force and Speedway Corporation. His academic research primarily focuses on financial decision-making, methods of payment, and mobile applications, having been published in academic journals including Psychology & Marketing, Journal of Business Research, and International Journal of Research in Marketing. He was also a featured speaker at TEDx Dayton to discuss his research on financial decision-making.