Once upon a time, in a land not too far from Canva and caffeine, lived three bears… and one bold business owner (that’s you 😉).
Now, you may have heard of the Goldilocks pricing strategy — sometimes called the 3 Bears Pricing Model — where you serve up your offers like porridge: one too hot, one too cold, and one just right.
But let’s be real, in this story, Mama Bear is in charge, because f*ck the patriarchy!
And she’s had enough of Papa Bear getting top billing.
So lemme show you how to price your offers like a fairytale boss, and get clients choosing the “Just Right” One.
Table of Contents
🧠 So What Is the 3 Bears Pricing Strategy?
It’s a psychological pricing model where you present three options:
- One low-priced, no-frills offer (Baby Bear)
- One high-end, premium offer (Papa Bear)
- One mid-range, “just right” offer (Mama Bear)
And spoiler alert — most people choose the middle option.
Why? Because of a sneaky little human quirk called “extremeness aversion”.
🎓 The Science Bit:
According to a study by Simonson & Tversky (1992), when people are given three options, they tend to avoid extremes — instead choosing the middle option as the “safe” or most reasonable choice. This is called the “compromise effect” in behavioural economics.
It’s why you’re more likely to choose the medium popcorn at the cinema even if you only wanted a snack — you subconsciously believe the middle one is better value. It’s pricing psychology at play — and it’s powerful. 🍿
🧙♀️ Why Should Small Biz Owners Care?
Because most service-based business owners are underpricing themselves into oblivion. You’re not a budget buffet. You’re a f*cking curated tasting menu. 🍷✨
By offering three clear pricing tiers:
- You give your clients clarity
- You anchor your premium offer without being “too much”
- You guide people where you want them to go
It’s not manipulative — it’s just smart.
You’re creating empowered choices… not price paralysis.
🐻 The 3 Bears Pricing Examples
Let’s break this down using something we all know and love… like cinema popcorn. 🍿
You walk up to the snack counter and see:
- Small popcorn – £3
Cute. Modest. Barely enough to get through the trailers. - Medium popcorn – £5
Hmm. Bigger. Feels like better value. - Large popcorn – £8
Woah. Giant tub. Comes with arm cramps and a lifetime supply of salt.
Most people?
They don’t go for the cheapest, because it feels too small.
They don’t go for the most expensive, because it feels excessive.
So they choose the medium — the “just right” option. 🧠
That, my friend, is the 3 Bears Pricing Strategy in action.
Now let’s try it again — this time with coffee (because we’re grown-ups and caffeine-fuelled witches now ☕✨):
- Small Americano – £2.20
“I’ll still be tired after this.” - Medium Americano – £2.75
“This will actually wake me up. Sorted.” - Large Americano – £3.40
“Hmm. Do I really need 3 shots and a heart palpitation?”
Once again, most people go straight for the medium — not too basic, not too overwhelming, just right.
☝️ That’s extremeness aversion at play — your brain loves the safe middle.
🪄 But Here’s the Real Trick…
Most of the time, the seller wants you to buy that middle one.
That’s the star of the show. The chosen one. The golden egg.
👉 The high-end option is usually just there to make the middle look like amazing value —
a little bit of price anchoring magic to make you feel like you’re getting the premium experience without the scary price tag.
In reality?
There’s often not that much difference between the middle and the top tier.
Maybe a little extra butter. Maybe a bonus template. Maybe an extra Zoom call.
But not £500 worth of difference, let’s be honest.
So when you’re creating your service suite or pricing out your products?
✨ Whatever you actually want to sell — price it as your middle offer.
Make the cheapest feel too basic.
Make the premium a bit too much.
And then craft your “Mama Bear” as the just right, irresistible, best-value choice.
🧪 Even More Nerdy Stats (You’ll Love These)
✨ A Harvard Business Review study found that when businesses introduced a third, premium-priced option, sales of the middle-priced offer increased by up to 64%.
✨ A test by the University of Chicago showed that introducing three pricing tiers increased conversions and improved customer satisfaction. Why? People felt in control of the decision — even though the business led them there. (Clever, right?)
✨ The “Rule of Three” is also backed by neuroscience. Our brains are hardwired to find comfort in patterns of three. Three choices = clarity. Five? Overwhelm. Two? Not enough contrast.
✍️ How to Use This in Your Own Biz
Whether you’re selling:
- Digital/physical products
- Service packages
- Or moon-charged herbal potions (no judgment) 🌕🌿
→ This pricing model works, because it taps into human behaviour and gives your clients an easy, confident choice.
Need help designing your own spellbinding service stack?
✨ Ping me an email to… [email protected]
✨ Join the Canva Coven for more inspo
✨ Or book a Rent My Brain session and I’ll help you conjure the perfect package lineup!
…
Thank you for reading.
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