Nothing new tbh. How we subconsciously round off numbers is a big part of super market pricing. Everything with a zero at the end seems bigger. Not only does 19.99 seem much smaller then 20, but even 21.99 seems smaller then 20 at a glance.
I used to work at a call center dealing with phone bill questions. Once you go past 20, people only see the first digit and the total number of digits, and perceive every digit after the first as 0.
If I had a nickel for every time I had this conversation, I’d have more than two nickels.
Customer: Why has my bill gone up by £10?!
Me: I see that on <date> you called a premium rate line which cost £2.
Customer: That’s only £2! I want to know why my bill is £10 higher!
Me: Your bill is normally £29.50. This month it’s £31.50. That’s a £2 difference.
I’ve never really understood it, tbh. I’ve always rounded to the nearest whole number. I don’t know why you would do anything but that. The whole “$6.99 is $6” thing makes absolutely no sense to me. I see that and immediately see $7, without even having to think about it really.
Nothing new tbh. How we subconsciously round off numbers is a big part of super market pricing. Everything with a zero at the end seems bigger. Not only does 19.99 seem much smaller then 20, but even 21.99 seems smaller then 20 at a glance.
I used to work at a call center dealing with phone bill questions. Once you go past 20, people only see the first digit and the total number of digits, and perceive every digit after the first as 0.
If I had a nickel for every time I had this conversation, I’d have more than two nickels.
New rage unlocked.
The 99 pricing messes with me the other way…
I see like 399, and think it’s 400. Then when I think about whether I want it later, I remember the 4 and the 99 and believe it costs 500
I’ve never really understood it, tbh. I’ve always rounded to the nearest whole number. I don’t know why you would do anything but that. The whole “$6.99 is $6” thing makes absolutely no sense to me. I see that and immediately see $7, without even having to think about it really.
I figure people stop reading at the decimal point like it’s a period.