https://fra.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/marketing-market-research/1396895-vente-postiche.html

Glossary entry

français term or phrase:

vente postiche (or vente à la postiche)

anglais translation:

upselling (or up-selling)

Jun 7, 2006 14:47
18 yrs ago
4 viewers *
français term

vente postiche

français vers anglais Affaires / Finance Marketing / recherche de marché sales techniques
The French term “vente postiche” – aka as vente “postiche”, vente à la postiche, vente à la perruque – refers to a particular type of high-pressure selling technique, involving a “stage-managed” scenario whereby the seller gradually induces the buyer to spend more than he/she initially intended to spend. [Mind you, one could say that about very many sales techniques!]

Some classic translations of “postiche” are: (1) adj. - spurious, artificial, false, fake, dummy, token; (2) noun - artificial/false hairpiece, wig, false beard, eyelashes, bust, etc.; but none of these fits this context.

Context:
I am translating regulations concerning an international trade fair. The regulations say that “vente postiche” is forbidden at the fair, and they describe this technique as follows:
Cette technique de vente se caractérise, dans un premier temps, par la remise d’un produit à un consommateur contre tout moyen de paiement. Dans un second temps, ce même vendeur, propose au même consommateur un nouveau produit en sus du premier, et le tout pour un prix supérieur. Et il restitue la somme payée, dans un premier temps, contre un nouveau règlement. Cette opération d’échange successif de chèques (ou de tout autre moyen de paiement) se réalise autant de fois que des produits nouveaux s’ajoutent aux anciens. Par ce procédé, le consommateur se trouve inconsciemment conduit à engager des dépenses importantes qu’il n’avait pas initialement l’intention de réaliser en venant sur le site de la Foire.

However, slightly different definitions/descriptions are given in some websites (see further below).
TALIA for any concrete suggestions for translations of “vente postiche”

Peter McCavana
(Fr-Eng translator – former member of Proz.com/Kudoz)
P.S.
I have chosen "Bus/Financial" and "Marketing" as the fields for this query, for lack of any more appropriate choice.

Descriptions of “vente postiche” in some websites:
http://www.ufcquechoisir68.com/informations.html :
Vous avez reçu une invitation pour une vente "exclusive" de porcelaine de Limoges, de cristallerie de Baccarat, etc. se déroulant sur un camion-estrade, à la braderie, à la foire, dans un hôtel ou dans une salle municipale. Ce type de vente est appelé vente "à la postiche" ou "à la perruque" car le prix des articles est caché.
Il s'agit de sélectionner de "bons" consommateurs, âgés le plus souvent, auxquels on va, après une très longue mise en scène, vendre des produits valant bien souvent 10 fois moins chers dans le commerce local.

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:v1pdQ5N8k6UJ:www.landes.p...|lang_fr&ie=UTF-8 :
La "vente à la postiche" consiste en une animation commerciale : chapiteau sur une place de village, salle louée pour la circonstance ou même hôtel de luxe. Le scénario s’égrène toujours de la même manière. Les consommateurs reçoivent une invitation dans leur boîte aux lettres. S’ils s’y rendent, ils reçoivent des cadeaux, sans obligation d’achat (cafetières, coffret de vins, paniers gourmands…) à condition d’être très ponctuels, de venir en couple et d’avoir 20 ou 30 ans de mariage. Les consommateurs ainsi attirés par la promesse de cadeaux sont généralement les personnes du 3ème âge qui disposent de temps libre et pour qui ces invitations constituent aussi l’occasion de faire une sortie.

C’est un véritable "spectacle commercial" que les vendeurs vont donner à ce public. Par leur verve, ils mettent les auditeurs en confiance dans une atmosphère festive [...] Tout au long de la présentation, ponctuée quelquefois de jeux, il ne sera question que de faire de la publicité pour les articles exposés. [...] La notion de vente des produits présentés n’apparaît que vers la fin du "spectacle" : il s’agit de faire une bonne affai- re tout en permettant à une petite entreprise artisanale de ne pas mourir. L’animateur choisit alors dans l’assistance 3 ou 4 couples et remercie les autres … Les heureux lauréats, persuadés à la fois de faire une bonne action et de bénéficier de prix attractifs, signent alors un bon de commande d’un prix très élevé et emportent la marchandise qu’ils ont payée comptant (verres, batteries de cuisines…). Ils seront, en fait, victimes à leur insu. Les personnes vulnérables sont les cibles privilégiées de ces vendeurs. La marchandise que ces derniers écoulent n’a aucun caractère artisanal, est achetée en gros à des prix très bas et revendue avec des coefficients multiplicateurs allant de 9 à 28.
Change log

Jun 7, 2006 16:49: suezen changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (2): French Foodie, Sara Freitas

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Discussion

Non-ProZ.com (asker) Jun 7, 2006:
vente en postiche = snowball selling technique? Thank you all for your suggestions, which are all helpful.
"Ganemo" appears to be right, i.e. that "vente en postiche" as defined in this doc. seems to be the same thing as "snowball selling". But "vente en boule de neige" IS mentioned separately in the same document - which would appear to rule it out for "vente en postiche".
However, I've written to the client asking them to check it out. Maybe they got themselves mixed up?
Thanks again,
Peter McC
Najib Aloui Jun 7, 2006:
I see it as a snowball selling technique
Sandra Petch Jun 7, 2006:
UK Office of Fair Trading - http://www.oft.gov.uk/default.htm
Sandra Petch Jun 7, 2006:
The UK Office of Fair Trading has a lot of information on scams (under its Consumer Information) heading. What you describe sounds like a scam. Hope this helps.

Proposed translations

18 heures
Selected

upselling

"to spend more than he/she initially intended to spend"

This is part of it, anyway.

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:j_OymKLZmf4J:www.tobonl...

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Note added at 22 hrs (2006-06-08 13:20:08 GMT)
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Demonstration selling?

Add-on selling? (i.e. initial product + related additional products)
Note from asker:
Yes, "upselling" or "up-selling" is the best specific, concise term suggested so far. As I said to another answerer, the document lists a lot of specific forbidden sales techniques. And "vente postiche" is mentioned quite a few times, so it is better to have a specific, concise term for it. But I'm waiting for the client to tell me whether or not they have confused it with "snowballing sale" (aka "snowball selling technique). Thanks! Peter McCavana P.S. After receiving your suggestion, I did a search for upselling. Hits included these, which fit the picture very well: http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:j_OymKLZmf4J:www.tobonline.com/ArticlePages/ArticlePagesVol66/vol66p94.htm+upselling+definition&hl=fr&gl=fr&ct=clnk&cd=1 : Upselling – A Definition : In simple terms, "upselling" is the basic practice of moving the customer from a less profitable item in a category to a more profitable one in the same category. For example,when purchasing a car, after you finally decide on the make and model, you sit down with the salesperson and work out the details. The salesperson's job is to "upsell" you into elaborate packages of leather, sound systems, and wheels. https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=6154 : I have always considered up-selling the practice of moving a customer up the ladder of your products. For instance, a auto dealer would "up-sell" to their customers who bought economy cars to get them to purchase mid-size or luxury vehicles in their next purchase, based on the positive experience of the initial purchase decision. Computer manufacturers, P&G and many other companies employ this strategy. It is really just a focused form of cross-selling.
The client said they haven't confused "vente postiche" with "vente en boule de neige". They are sticking to their description of "vente postiche", and thay gave me this définition of "vente boule de neige" (which is more like pyramid selling than up-selling): << "vente en boule de neige": technique de vente, généralement illicite, consistant à offrir un avantage à l'acheteur à condition que celui-ci recrute lui-même d'autres acheteurs>> So I think I'll go for up-selling.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Maybe "up(-)selling" is not absolutely perfect - I don't really know, esp. as the definitions of "vente postiche" vary - but it seems to be the closest specific term among those suggested. Thanks! "
+2
43 minutes

no harassment, coercion, or aggressive selling techniques may be used

And then your text goes on to describe what these methods actually consist of, so it could work.

HTH
Note from asker:
Thank you for a good suggestion for a general paraphrase. I'm still hoping to find a specific corresponding term, esp. as the document lists a lot of specific forbidden sales techniques. If I don't find a specific term, I'll make use of your paraphrase. Thanks again!
Peer comment(s):

agree Sandra Petch : I did some superficial research and couldn't find a corresponding term so I think it needs to be paraphrased like this. What a shameful technique!
38 minutes
agree Gina W
9 heures
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1 jour 16 heures

fraudulent selling method

Here it describes a fraudulent method of selling. Up-selling is not considered fraudulent. Hence, there should be a different word/phrase for this kind of scam.
Note from asker:
Actually, "vente postiche" is a disreputable form of high-pressure sales technique, but it's not necessarily _fraudulent_ as such, even if it is maybe a "scam" (it depends on one's definition of scam). It is forbidden at the trade fair in question because the fair organizers want to protect the image and reputation of the fair. In any case, "fraudulent selling method" is a bit too general.
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