I will throw in my pet frog

[Sepmre]

Hi,

Could anyone please help me to undrestand the meaning of the underlined part?


Positive emotional states can even raise your average sale price.That is what an experiment led by social psychologists Karen O’Quin and Joel Aronoff found when they had sellers joke, “I will throw in my pet frog,” when disclosing the price of a piece of art.

Thanks

 

[SoothingDave]

"You buy this piece of art for $x and I will also give you my pet frog."

 

[Sepmre]

Thanks...but didn't get it yet...

 

[Sepmre]

I've just modified my post adding some explanation on it.

 

[GoesStation]

In this context to throw something in means to add it to an order for no extra charge.

 

[SoothingDave]

The point being that when they made a potential customer laugh/smile with a line about throwing in their pet frog, it made them more receptive to a "high" price for a piece of art. Simply quoting a high price would turn some people off, causing negative emotions. By making a joke, it puts people in a better mood when they think about the price that was quoted. Being a pet frog, versus a cat or dog, is silly and absurd, which makes it even better for making the person laugh.