Odd pricing is another pricing strategy used by many retailers. Odd pricing is the “ubiquitous practice of expressing a price so that it falls just below a round number” (Harris and Bray). In other words, it's the technique of pricing items with a final nine instead of using a solid, round number. Consumers are “presumed susceptible to price illusion” (Huston and Kamdar, 1996). This price illusion is what many experts consider to be the illusion that companies give to the consumer that because a price ends in .99 on the price tag, the price is considered lower. The history of odd prices became present with the invention of the cash register, many business owners used it as a way to prevent employees from pocketing the money they were given. By pricing items with an odd final number, employees would be forced to open cash registers to return change. Nowadays, odd prices are used as a marketing strategy. Many experts believe that pricing items at $29.99 versus a solid $30 is better for businesses. Retailers believe that by pricing an item with .99 as the final value, the consumer believes the item is inferior. Consumers believe that pricing an item a penny less than the solid number gives them a deal. Many consumers are always looking for a “deal,” so retailers use outlandish prices as a way to manipulate consumers into thinking they are getting a deal. Local business owner Mark Churchwell uses a 0.80 item pricing strategy, he says using a base pricing system of 24.95 is just another number, but if you price it at 24.80 it seems like you used some impressive calculations that make the consumer believe it must be a good price. Research suggests… middle of paper… icing can be helpful in creating bargain buyers. A local businessman, Mr Churchwell, said: “I believe it is ethical to make a profit as long as you tell the truth. We live in an economy where it is very difficult to survive. I believe it is ethical to make your prices seem like a bargain to the customer as long as the truth is the basis. According to many studies, these pricing methods can be beneficial for retailers by influencing more consumers to buy more. However, pricing can also be detrimental to retailers as it can cause consumers to abandon their brand in search of more of a bargain. There are many different pricing methods such as reference pricing, prestige pricing, and odd pricing that have proven effective for consumers and retailers. Overall, pricing methods can be beneficial to consumers and retailers, but they are more beneficial to retailers.