Why do retailers always knock a penny or a pound off prices? Back when Computeractive was born in the 1990s, a practical general-purpose desktop PC used to cost about £1,000. But they’d always make it £999.
Some psychologists reckon this works because when we see an awkward number, we estimate the nearest round figure. So we see £999 and think £1,000. Now that we’re thinking about £1,000, £999 sounds a bit less. And a bit less must be better value!
“It may be pricey but it’s fast, future-proof and handles all your peripherals” Economists, meanwhile, note that once a price point is established, it tends to stick. The £999 PC was around for quite a while. Eventually the cost of components drifted down, and you could get a pretty decent…
