A product sold at a deliberate loss to lure customers into a store, in the optimistic hope they will also buy a heavily marked-up velvet cushion.
What they actually mean
We are giving away soap in the hope they buy a £400 brass giraffe.
Heard in the wild
"We’ll use the luxury hand soap as a loss leader to drive footfall to the homeware aisle."
To put in more effort than seems mathematically possible, used to describe strong commitment.
"We need 110% this weekend."
Translation
Unpaid overtime, framed as spirit.
People physically doing the work on-site, as opposed to those directing from a distance.
"We need boots on the ground in store."
Translation
Someone else should drive there.
Working out how few people you can roster and still open the doors.
"Capacity planning says we're fine with two on tills."
Translation
Deliberate understaffing.