JOURNAL VOLUMES & ISSUES
RESEARCH ARTICLE

The left-digit effect in price and date perception

Joey Tang 

10 July 2020
Vol. 1, Issue 3
DOI:
10.37716/HBAB.2020010302
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Abstract

Research on consumer behaviour suggests that people perceive nine-ending prices (e.g. $2.99) to be significantly lower than prices one cent higher ($3.00). This is known as the left-digit effect. This effect was replicated in a group of Chinese participants residing in Hong Kong where nine-ending prices such as $2.99 do not occur in the local pricing system, suggesting that familiarity of the pricing format has little influence on the effect. A novel finding was also reported with the left-digit effect observed in the domain of date perception. Participants rated last-day-ending dates such as 5.31 (representing May 31) as significantly earlier than first-day-ending dates such as 6.01 (June 1). Price and date judgements are juxtaposed against one another and discussed in terms of the rounding-up aversion account. Potential pitfalls in consumer behaviour are also highlighted.

Keywords: left-digit effect, consumer behaviour, price perception, date perception

Cite this article
J. Tang, The left-digit effect in price and date perception, Human Behaviour and Brain 1(3), 64-66 (2020).


Received
30 May 2020
Accepted
15 June 2020
Published
 
10 July 2020