Why is petrol / diesel sold at x*x.9p and not to a whole penny???

Question

Why is petrol / diesel sold at x*x.9p and not to a whole penny???

Answer 1

It's psychologial.  99.9 cents does not sound like one dollar but it basically is.

Answer 2

Indeed, it is to make it sound cheaper. Marketting buffs somehow think that say: £10.99 will seem like a much better deal than £11. The theory being that people will see £10 and not realise that it's actually an £11 in disguise.

Some companies even started selling things at 5p below the pound (ie. £10.95). Obviously they thought we'd all wised up to the "1p off" thing and they needed a new trick.

Answer 3

because it sounds cheaper

IE/ 99psounds cheaper than £1

Answer 4

Only thing I can think of is that when a penny meant something way back, it made the product look cheaper. Now that it is still around, gas corporations are afraid to get rid of it pending a huge economic disaster. I would bank on a marketing ploy though.

Answer 5

It sounds cheaper

Answer 6

its a tax and shhh! You're not suppose to notice it

Answer 7

proberly a tax or vat reason, thats why some things are priced at 99p and not £1

Answer 8

to make you think you are paying less

Answer 9

why is a 2 liter of pepsi sold at 99 cents instead of a dollar? or why is a car sold at 15,999 instead of 16000.  its just a way to get people to think its cheaper when its really not.

Answer 10

You decide, if the market trader sells in pounds and ounces, the trading standards hound him and take him to court, he then gets a fine. The oil giants trade in an illegal decimal part of a penny and what do the trading standards do ? Exactly.. not a darned thing !!

Answer 11

To con you into thinking it's a whole unit of currency less. Open your eyes and mind and realise the con for what it is.

Answer 12

For the same reason most items in a store end in .99.  Marketing studies show people are more likely to buy something marked, for example, $4.99 then $5.  They find people focus on the whole number and not the cents.