Implicit evidence for price-ending effects on quality and image perceptions

As just-below, 9-ending prices (e.g., $9.99) are frequently used in low-price segments, consumers may have learned to implicitly associate them with a better price value, but impaired product quality compared to round, 0-ending prices ($10.00; i.e., ‘image effects’). Despite extant research documenting such image effects, a recent meta-analysis reports an overall null effect for the quality impairment of 9-ending prices, with even some opposite findings. This may either reflect true effect ambiguity or methodological (measurement) inadequacy: To the best of our knowledge, prior research has solely used explicit measurements (e.g., questionnaires) to capture implicit price and quality-image effects. In four preregistered laboratory experiments using implicit measures (i.e., IAT and GNAT), and contrary to a meta-analytic synthesis of explicit measures, we discover strong associations of 9-ending prices with lower-quality perceptions and an improved price image. Our findings offer practical guidance on the (dis)advantageous implicit psychological effects of 9- vs. 0-ending pricing strategies for pricing analysts, revenue managers, and marketers. We advance the scientific discourse by establishing evidence for image effects via unobtrusive measurement methods and by readjusting prevailing misconceptions on price-ending effects.