Cognitive Dissonance

When reading chapter 8, I came across the word "Cognitive Dissonance". By definition it is simply defined as a buyer's doubts shortly after a purchase about whether the decision was the right one. I never knew their was a term for this kind of feeling but I can say I have been a victim of having cognitive dissonance after a purchase. Just over Christmas break I received a $50 visa gift card. A few nights after I got it, I went the only open restaurant we could find and ended up spending $28. On the way home I was definitely second guessing, because I had just spend more the half of the card just because I needed to satisfy my hunger. Now knowing about cognitive dissonance, I started to wonder if companies know if their products or service are susceptible to cognitive dissonance. I believe the higher the price, the more chance of really feeling cognitive dissonance. Have you ever experienced this, and can you think of any companies that might be susceptible to this?