Why most of the prices are marked as $XX.99 and not the full amount like for example $30.00?

Answer 1

Someone told me once, that people read prices very carefully from left to right, lowering their attention once a the price they consider acceptable has been registered. Psycologically for some reason, $9,999.99 seems a little more attractive than $10,000.00 as someone looking for a small car for less than five figures will reject the higher amount even if it's by only 1 cent.

A better example of the use XX.99 is at the gas station. A gallon of gas here in the US is priced - for example - $2.89 9/10. Gas stations go as far as quoting you 9/10 of 1 cent to keep them from going over to the next cent. Even when gas prices are close to hitting $3.00 per gallon, who would ever care about 1/10 of 1 cent? Many it appears. A good number of people will cross the street to the next station to save 1 cent on a gallon of gas, thereby making or breaking a possible sale to a customer.

Answer 2

Research has shown that the human brain perceives $9.99 as "9 dollars something" - even though it is only one cent off $10. In this way the perception of the price of the product is subconsciously less.
Some stores have started $9.97 prices, as the 7 is not as recognisably towards the end of the scale as 9 is. Sales are reportedly stronger on this technique.

Answer 3

So the seller can say "You can buy this for less than $30". Granted it is only one penny less than the $30, but legally the seller can still say it is less than $30. That is how a lot of stores get you in to buy something.

Answer 4

To give a pyscological effect on the customer that it is cheaper than the next digit

Answer 5

$29.99 sounds like more of a bargain that $30.00, even though it's just a difference of a penny.

Answer 6

the reason for that is because it shows it being ninety-nine cents instead of dollars

Answer 7

it sounds cheaper