Retention Offer

An incentive presented to a customer who is in the process of canceling or disengaging, with the goal of preserving the relationship. Retention offers include discounts, pauses, downgrades, bundled products, and feature unlocks. An effective retention offer is not a generic plea but a targeted response to the specific reason for leaving. Price objections call for price adjustments; usage objections call for pauses or plan changes; feature objections call for walkthroughs or temporary unlocks. The offer must be generous enough to be credible but not so deep that it erodes the product's perceived value or creates a cycle of negotiation.

Example: The New York Times' multi-step cancellation flow offers a discount, a pause, and a cross-product bundle, each addressing a different potential reason for leaving.