Ever wonder why losing something seems so much more potent than gaining something? According to a concept known as loss aversion, our fear of loss is greater than our desire to gain. In other words, we prefer not to lose $10 than to find $10. Some studies have suggested that losses are psychologically twice as powerful as gains. It's no wonder, then, that consumers are so easily swayed by ads that include verbiage suggesting that time is of the essence, like "while supplies last" and "this offer ends soon." Even if we might not want or need a product, we take advantage of the offer -- just so that we don't miss out. The person who said, "You don't know what you have until it's gone" was onto something. When we lose something, we lament the absence of something that may never come back. In many cases, they can be things that hold some sentimental value, like an old shirt or Teddy bear. Gaining something -- say, buying a 201...