Consumers are getting more savvy and more suspicious according to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.

The Eddie Haskell approach of flattery doesn’t appeal to consumers and is more likely to lose the sale than seal it. Consumers are wary of salespeople who compliment them and view it as an attempt at manipulation.

An experiment in sales and flattery found that consumers didn’t trust the admiring comments of the salesperson, even if they came after the sale was completed. The lesson to salespeople might be “less is more” when it comes to flattering the customer.

Sales Pitches Turn Off Consumers, Study Finds