Why the 9/10 ?

As a young man, gas stations had gas wars with competeing prices and the fraction always varied. I can't remember the last time I saw anything but 9/10 in the fraction price of gas. Why do they even use it now, at 9/10 your paying that extra 1 cent anyway. If the price of gas is $2.60 and 9/10 a gallon what is 1/10 more, why don't they just charge $2.61. Does Anyone really see a good reason to keep a fraction in the price of gas? If you get 20 gallons of gas at $2.60 9/10 a gallon compared to $2.61 a gallon your only saving 2 cents !

I think its the same ole marketing gimmick as the .99 like 2.99 is really 3 dollars but gives the perception of the price being 2 dollars when really its 3. Just on a smaller scale or $499.99 people commonly say to themselves they are buying something for 4 hundred when really its 500. All about marketing and people perceptions IMO

Marketing ploy. The big letters allow them to sell something for 2.99 9/10, and most people associate that with "hey, less than $3!"

I've heard that it started during the Great Depression in the early 1900's. I'll try to research, but I think that's where the concept first started.

The marketing technique does not make sense regarding something you must purchase anyway.
Maybe for a sofa or a car or a pair of jeans the .99/9/10 is reality based.

The real reason for the 9/10 is because the calibrated gasoline pumps which record the quantity of fuel, it only reads in odd tenths of a gallon.
1/10, 3/10, 5/10, 7/10, and 9/10.

So there you have the answer from the Shell Man.

Holy crap...

Info crossing over from threads I read a day or so ago...

That WhispersInTheDark dude's threads...

Who was distracted on 9/10......



Someone help me link as I can't find it.. >_>

I tried making a similar argument a few years ago regarding sales tax. Since tax (then) was 6%, or 6 cents to the dollar, why was I being charged 6 cents for a 99 cent purchase instead of 5 cents. I never received a good answer.

reply to post by graaly


I think you are right.
Or it could be for the same reason Irish Setters turn around 3 times before laying down, they have just done it so long the need to do it psychologically.