Could be some kind of algorithmic pricing, where some machine decides "We noticed people will pay $14.88 more than any other price in the $10-$20 range" and assigns that value by default. Just a self-reinforcing cycle of stupid consumerism.
Yea I can see this being an extension of some data driven bullshit more than a dog whistle.
"People think 14.99 is less than 15. Wait now people recognize that as the same let's go to 14.89 then people will see its not just a cent off. Wait the data says people reaction to the number 9 is an extension of the original trick better go down to 14.88."
Not saying it's definitive but seems more likely than trying to appeal to the festive fascist demographic.
I've worked with algorithms that are designed to undercut competitors' pricing on Amazon and I'll confirm this isn't some dog whistle, it's just a weird outcome of computers trying to undercut each other and maintain marketing tricks in the pricing number.
This is what I think it is. Another store is selling the same thing for 14.99 and Walmart has the overhead to undercut by a few cents. Alot of their stuff is priced at $xx.88.
I have been seeing these prices at gets-the-wallmart for years, it's weird af
Could be some kind of algorithmic pricing, where some machine decides "We noticed people will pay $14.88 more than any other price in the $10-$20 range" and assigns that value by default. Just a self-reinforcing cycle of stupid consumerism.
Yea I can see this being an extension of some data driven bullshit more than a dog whistle.
"People think 14.99 is less than 15. Wait now people recognize that as the same let's go to 14.89 then people will see its not just a cent off. Wait the data says people reaction to the number 9 is an extension of the original trick better go down to 14.88."
Not saying it's definitive but seems more likely than trying to appeal to the festive fascist demographic.
I've worked with algorithms that are designed to undercut competitors' pricing on Amazon and I'll confirm this isn't some dog whistle, it's just a weird outcome of computers trying to undercut each other and maintain marketing tricks in the pricing number.
This is what I think it is. Another store is selling the same thing for 14.99 and Walmart has the overhead to undercut by a few cents. Alot of their stuff is priced at $xx.88.