Pricing simplicity: LiveSimplicity discussion forum

Have your say and share your ideas. Join us on the road to simplicity.

How often do we have to go through our pockets or purses looking for exact change to pay for a product? Wouldn't it be easier if all taxes, services charges, and tips were already included in a nice, round final price?

View A

Pricing should always include any additional charges associated with a product or service. It should be so easy that we no longer have to carry so much loose change in our pockets.

View B

Pricing is often used as a marketing tactic. As a result, the lowest price is shown without any additional surcharges in order to entice customers to buy. I would rather choose what to add in addition to this base price including any tip or other upgrades that I may want.

9 comment(s) so far

innov8 thinks: I agree, the easier the pricing scheme, the better. It would be nice to not have to worry about carrying around excessive amounts of change. While we're at, let's make prices even numbers. No more 4.99 when it could just as easily be 5.00. I don't think this marketing gimmick is fooling anyone.

Maven thinks: Although I think it would be a great idea to simplify pricing, it would have to be an individual decision for business owners. Pricing at times is such a huge marketing tool that little else is considered in competitive markets. From a buyers standpoint, I can see the value, from the business owners standpoint, I'm not sure if it's an ideal solution.

jonathanmarks thinks: I am not fooled by the .99 marketing trick. In Holland, prices are usually show with tax included. I want the ability to show appreciation through a tip. So I am dead against adding 20% automatically to a restaurant bill as a service charge.

deisel thinks: It's a tricky issue. If we round everything up to me nice and even, doesn't that mean I'm paying more in the end? So, am I actually just paying for the convenience of not dealing with change?

JBonnin thinks: In Brazil, taxes are included in the shown price.

It may be easier, but it bothers me, living in a country where corruption may be a severe problem, not to know exactly what I am paying for.

badmojo thinks: Give me the final price in an itemized fashion so I know what I'm paying for and I'm happy. There's no need for overused gimmicks and marekting ploys. Let's keep things simple.

dingo thinks: oh, how nice it would be to not have to carry a pocket full of change. I long for the day when physical money is no longer used. one less thing to keep up with.

simpleenough thinks: simple pricing, simple accounting, simple bill paying. It works for me!

awakened thinks: Simpler pricing usually favors the seller, not the buyer. Some European Union citizens will understand what I'm talking about. Remember the shift to the Euro currency? The price on everything changed to correspond to euro, and the prices seemed like well thought of. But in the end, the consumer was paying MORE than they should, just so that the prices were more "rounded up" and "convenient" to people.

I also hate carrying change around, but I don't think change is MY problem. It's the sellers' problem. And whatever change I gather up during the day, I simply save it in a piggy bank at the end of the day, until there's enough in there to take it to the bank or a local convenient store or mini-mart and change them up for notes. They love it when you take them change, especially middle-day or a few hours before they close. I'd hate to think that I'm paying even a cent more, just so that the price is more "convenient" to pay for.

View conclusion