Well, I guess it's not really the same trick, but it shows how important presentation is. As a seller, I could say "This 45 inch TV was $2500, but I'm gonna give you a deal and drop it to $1750" when my intention was to sell it at $1750 in the first place. Customers go "Oh, well I wasn't in the market for a new TV, but that discount is massive and I'd be an idiot to not jump on it!", letting the big red discount sign distract them from responsible spending and taking the final price at face value ("Even if it's a huge 30% off I can't afford to buy a new TV right now").
Yep that is basically how the Silk Market in Beijing operates. Focus on the money you are spending and not the money you aren't spending.