Maybe Number Sequences Are More Powerful than Exchange Rates

Has anyone else noticed that many products being sold in different currency jurisdictions are priced in identical numbers in two or more regions?

For example a product may cost $99 USD in America, 99 GBP in the UK and 99 Euro in the EU zone. So uh … exchange rates? Another example: Logitech lists their Powerplay Recharging Mouse Mat as costing $100 in the US. And 100 pounds in the UK. No, the dollar and the pound are not at parity.

It's well known that prices themselves affect purchasing decision more than value (which consumers percieve as fixed despite it being shockingly malleable) in many situations. For example there's the "magic ninety-nines" where adding 99 to the price causes more people to buy certain products than if the products were purchased at a lower price without a 99 in it.

Comments

  • +2

    Difficult to take a few examples and turn it into a generalisation like that, given the multitude of factors (ie. demand elasticity, availability of substitutes, exchange rate, taxes, perceived value).

  • Let's blame someone

    • it's because of bitcoin! destroying families

      • Buttcoins

  • Also UK prices include sales tax while US prices don't

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