It’s a well-known fact that retailers rely on a number of selling strategies to generate the most profit. Did you know there are some tactics that can be overlooked by even the most discerning shopper? To avoid overspending on your next shopping trip, arm yourself with the knowledge of these three common pricing ploys:
The Number Nine Trick
There’s a reason why most retail items are priced to the ninety-ninth cent, or priced to the ninth number in a set of 10. Prices ending in nine, whether it be $13.99 or $13.49, skew shoppers’ perceptions. Remember to round up to the nearest whole number when determining whether or not to make a purchase.
The Big-Ticket Trick
This trick is all about perspective. Retailers frequently place small, overpriced items in close proximity to big-ticket items in an effort to entice the shopper to spend more. A $100 tablecloth, for example, may be atop a $5,000 table, but this in no way means the tablecloth is worth its $100 price tag.
The Comma Trick
Psychology studies have repeatedly shown that prices broken up with commas appear less costly to shoppers. $2799, for example, reads cheaper than $2,799. Keep an eye out for no-comma price tags while you shop–there’s likely another store (or even an online retailer) that will offer a lower price, with or without commas. In fact, shopping around for the best price is one of the most effective ways to save money on items.
By keeping these three pricing tricks in mind the next time you go to the store, you’ll be a savvy shopper more likely to make smarter buying decisions.
Source: Apartment Therapy
