5 ms·

Off topic: Do you consider $99 $499 $1999 $99.99 etc. pricing to be unethical?

dpcan 6y ago
No, because you are still making the same financial commitment in the end, and the buyer will be aware of that decision. This pricing technique is just to make someone look. So, if this is unethical, so is a brightly lit sign, or a couple well-placed adjectives in a sales pitch.
tasogare 6y ago
Why would it be? Rounding up is not a surhuman effort and if someone gets tricked by that they probably have bigger issues in life.
- read_if_gay_ 6y ago
  It does not follow that you have huge personal issues if you mistake a 59.99 price tag for 50 dollars and make a purchase, when you would’ve reconsidered it at $60. If that didn’t happen often enough, it wouldn’t be common practice.
  - chance_bear 6y ago
    Whether a price is $59.99 or $60.00 conveys a notable degree of information to the consumer. I wouldn’t be quick to assume it’s taking advantage of people’s innumeracy.
    - read_if_gay_ 6y ago
      If you look closely enough, that is. It’s happened to me that I saw a useful product, only remembered its rounded down price when later discussing a potential purchase with my girlfriend, decided to buy, then realized I fell victim to this sales tactic. I imagine that happens a lot more often than someone getting useful information out of the price tag (not) ending in 99. It’s not a big deal either way, just a bit dishonest IMO.
- coldtea 6y ago
  Apparently it is a superhuman effort -- else those companies wouldn't be using this trick. Rounding up might be easy. Getting rid through the act of rounding up the instictual psychology that "this is less than the round" is not easy at all, might even be near impossible at the feelings level.
chance_bear 6y ago
Perhaps, but there is a small benefit to the consumer. A whole number can indicate the brand is positioned towards upper-class consumers and that a price conscious consumer should look for cheaper alternatives. It’s not a significant benefit, restaurants are the best application I can think of, but the harm that occurs from it is similarity miniscule.
deleted 6y ago
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bad_user 6y ago
Yes it is unethical, because it's there to trick people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_pricing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_pricing

No, because you are still making the same financial commitment in the end, and the buyer will be aware of that decision. This pricing technique is just to make someone look. So, if this is unethical, so is a brightly lit sign, or a couple well-placed adjectives in a sales pitch.

tasogare 6y ago

Why would it be? Rounding up is not a surhuman effort and if someone gets tricked by that they probably have bigger issues in life.

read_if_gay_ 6y ago
It does not follow that you have huge personal issues if you mistake a 59.99 price tag for 50 dollars and make a purchase, when you would’ve reconsidered it at $60. If that didn’t happen often enough, it wouldn’t be common practice.
- chance_bear 6y ago
  Whether a price is $59.99 or $60.00 conveys a notable degree of information to the consumer. I wouldn’t be quick to assume it’s taking advantage of people’s innumeracy.
  - read_if_gay_ 6y ago
    If you look closely enough, that is. It’s happened to me that I saw a useful product, only remembered its rounded down price when later discussing a potential purchase with my girlfriend, decided to buy, then realized I fell victim to this sales tactic. I imagine that happens a lot more often than someone getting useful information out of the price tag (not) ending in 99. It’s not a big deal either way, just a bit dishonest IMO.
coldtea 6y ago
Apparently it is a superhuman effort -- else those companies wouldn't be using this trick. Rounding up might be easy. Getting rid through the act of rounding up the instictual psychology that "this is less than the round" is not easy at all, might even be near impossible at the feelings level.

chance_bear 6y ago

Perhaps, but there is a small benefit to the consumer. A whole number can indicate the brand is positioned towards upper-class consumers and that a price conscious consumer should look for cheaper alternatives. It’s not a significant benefit, restaurants are the best application I can think of, but the harm that occurs from it is similarity miniscule.

deleted 6y ago

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bad_user 6y ago

Yes it is unethical, because it's there to trick people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_pricing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_pricing