A Few Thoughts on Deceptive Advertising

Ever notice that gas prices end in nine-tenths of a cent? What’s up with that? There’s never been a nine-tenths cent coin in the USA during the entire history of the automobile, so why this wacky pricing system? One time, I’d like to go to the gas station and buy precisely one gallon of gas, then ask for my tenth of a cent back in change!

It’s no doubt merely an advertising ploy, to make people think they’re getting it cheaper, because when people see $1.74.9, they think, $1.74, not $1.75.

This is a common gimmick. We see things priced at $3.99, $19.95, and the like, so that people will think they’re getting something for less. But it’s because of this odd numbered pricing that we continue to need pennies, because when the taxes are added in, we usually end up with a final price that doesn’t end in five or zero.

There’s nothing that costs between one and four cents anymore, so the continued coining of new pennies at taxpayer expense is the fault of gimmicky pricing, combined with our sales tax system.

In regards to sales taxes, the practice is to list an item’s price without the tax figured in, which is again another marketing tactic designed to make consumers think they’re getting it cheaper.

If it were up to me, prices would be listed with tax included and the prices themselves would end in a five or a zero. It’s not as if many people are fooled by this hokey pricing system any longer. Once this was done, then pennies could be eliminated.

I’m not going to say much about sales ads, as that would be an entry all of its own. But before ending this rant, I’ll mention one thing I’ve noticed over the years. When I was growing up, stores would sometimes hold a “half price sale”. Now they call such sales, “Buy one, get one free”, which is the same thing. I’m guessing that advertisers thought that people would think they’re getting more if they heard the word “free” and thus, buy more.

I lied. I have one more advertising peeve to mention before ending this entry. I grind my teeth every time I hear an ad that says, “Get a free gift when you sign up with our _____ plan”. “Free gift” is redundant. If it’s a gift, then of course, it’s free. Who ever heard of a gift you had to pay for? That’s why it’s called a gift, because it’s given to you, not sold. If it wasn’t free, then it wouldn’t be a gift!

Stepping off the soapbox now…