In marketing, a decoy refers to a product or pricing option introduced to make another option appear more attractive, often used to influence consumer choice.
This technique, known as the decoy effect, typically involves three choices: two main options and a third, less attractive one (the decoy) that is similar but clearly inferior to one of them. The decoy subtly nudges consumers toward the option the marketer wants them to choose, by making it seem like the better value in comparison.