Why is everything something and $0.99 ($_.99)?

Question

for ex. $19.99 or $29.99 or $0.99

Answer 1

It's a mental trick to make you think you're paying less. If they say $30 instead of $29.99 you'll probably not buy it. Seems weird but it works.

Answer 2

I believe that it was Woolworth who started that. His employees were stealing money and not putting it in the register when selling something so he made the price the odd amount so that an employee had to open a register in order to give the proper change since they wouldn't be able to keep enough change in their pockets and the practice has been to charge the odd amount ever since then.

Answer 3

Retail prices are often expressed as odd prices: a little less than a round number, e.g. $19.99. " Psychological pricing" is a theory in marketing that these prices have a psychological impact that drives demand greater than would be expected if consumers were perfectly rational.

Answer 4

Quick, which would you rather buy? A TV for $999.99 or a thousand dollars?

Chances are, $999.99 was your choice.

That's something stores try to trick you with. Sounds like you're getting a way better deal, but there's only a one cent difference.

Answer 5

because its just that way, when I go to buy something that's like 9.99 I always say its 10 dollars, and of course with tax it will be 10.72. its 7.25% here for the tax rate. So I don't play into that trick that its supposedly cheaper.

Answer 6

Because if you wrote on a piece of paper .99 or 1.02. 1.02 looks a whole lot bigger, even though it's only .03 bigger. But the bigger extra cent is found after they add the tax.

Answer 7

because it gives the *illusion* of being cheaper than it is. you could say well it's only $19 when in actuality it's $20 and by the time you're taxed it's $22